| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US10949248B2 |
Load balancing and destination network address translation middleboxes
A controller of a network control system for configuring several middlebox instances is described. The middlebox instances implement a middlebox in a distributed manner in several hosts. The controller configures a first middlebox instance to obtain status of a set of servers and disseminate the obtained status to a second middlebox instance. The controller configures the second middlebox instance to use the status to select a server from the set of servers. |
| US10949237B2 |
Operating system customization in an on-demand network code execution system
Systems and methods are described for managing operating system customization in an on-demand code execution system in a manner that enables efficient execution of code. A user may generate a task on the system by submitting code. The system may determine the operating system functions that the submitted code may invoke when executed on the system, and may determine whether the required functionality can be provided by a customized operating system. The customized operating system may provide some functionality but omit other functionality, and thereby avoid consuming any resources associated with making the omitted functionality available. For example, the system may determine that the user-submitted code does not require filesystem interactions, network interactions, interactions with particular devices, caching, paging, profiling, etc., and may thus provide an operating system that does not include one or more of these services. |
| US10949232B2 |
Managing virtualized computing resources in a cloud computing environment
Virtualized computing resources can be managed in a cloud computing environment. For example, a system can receive input indicating that a cloud computing environment is to be reverted back to a prior state prior to an event occurring. Based on the input, the system can determine actions that were performed in the cloud computing environment in response to the event. Each action can involve a creation, a modification, or a deletion of a virtualized computing resource in the cloud computing environment. The system can determine a particular order in which the actions were performed by analyzing timestamps corresponding to the actions. The system can then revert the cloud computing environment back to the prior state by performing an inverse of each action in the plurality of actions in a reverse order to the particular order. |
| US10949231B2 |
System and method for implementing different types of blockchain contracts
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for implementing blockchain contracts are provided. One of the methods includes: obtaining bytecode of a blockchain contract, wherein the bytecode comprises an indicator indicating a type of the blockchain contract; determining a virtual machine corresponding to the type based at least on the indicator; and triggering the determined virtual machine to execute the blockchain contract. |
| US10949226B2 |
Display method of multi-application based on Android system, and terminal device
A display method of multi-application based on an Android system and a terminal device are provided. The display method includes: upon reception of a first instruction, determining whether a first application is a non-Android application, where the first instruction is configured to start the first application; when the first application is the non-Android application, invoking a non-native display module; and drawing a display interface of the first application based upon the non-native display module. |
| US10949222B2 |
System and method for displaying customized user guides in a virtual client application
Systems and methods for displaying a user guide in a Client Virtual Application (“CVA”). The methods include determining, by a client device, a position associated with a user interaction in CVA. The position of the user interaction may be a mouse position relative to the CVA's window or a position of a widget of CVA's window with which the user is interacting via an input device. The client device transfers the position data and application name to a server device on the network. The server device subsequently retrieves, from a content datastore, user guide content associated with the application and position, and transfer the user guide content for rendering on the client device. The server device may also determine a display position and send it to the client device. The client device may render the user guide according to a rendering policy. |
| US10949221B2 |
Executing instructions to store context information based on routine to be executed
Optimizations are provided for sibling calls. A sibling caller is marked to indicate that it may call a sibling routine or that it may call an external sibling routine. Based on the marking, certain processing is performed to facilitate use of sibling calls, particularly when the sibling routine being called is external to the caller. |
| US10949220B2 |
Object-oriented programming system and library
The described technology is directed towards an object-oriented programming (OOP) system and library that maps conventional object-oriented concepts such as class hierarchies, interfaces, and static methods and properties onto a prototypal object system such as JavaScript®. Various functions of the OOP system are called to create a class-like structure that is instantiated into an object instance upon request. The OOP system allows for use of a wrapper pattern to wrap selected objects with added functionality such as validation and tracing, and to provide enhanced functionality with respect to properties, such as to call a function associated with a property when the property's value changes, and/or to lazily generate property values only when accessed. |
| US10949215B2 |
Rebooting timing adjustment for improved performance
A method, computer program product, and system identify a low-cost time to re-boot a system. The method includes a processor obtaining a request for a re-boot of a system. The processor obtains identifiers of uncompleted tasks executing in the system. Based on obtaining the identifiers, the processor obtains a task cost of each task of the uncompleted tasks, where a value of the task cost of each task relates to a portion of each task completed by the processor at a given time. The processor determines, based on the task costs associated with the uncompleted tasks, a re-boot cost for re-booting the system at the given time. The processor determined a system cost for not re-booting the system at the given time. The processor compares the re-boot cost to the system cost to determine whether to re-boot the system at the given time in response to the request. |
| US10949209B2 |
Techniques for scheduling instructions in compiling source code
Examples described herein generally relate to generating, from a listing of source code, a plurality of basic blocks for compiling into intermediate language, determining, for a first basic block of the plurality of basic blocks, first heuristics related to applying a first plurality of optimizations to the first basic block, determining, for a second basic block of the plurality of basic blocks, second heuristics related to applying a second plurality of optimizations to the second basic block, and applying, based on the first heuristics and the second heuristics, one of the first plurality of optimizations to the first basic block to schedule first instructions for the first basic block and one of the second plurality of optimizations to the second basic block to schedule second instructions for the second basic block. |
| US10949207B2 |
Processor core supporting a heterogeneous system instruction set architecture
Embodiments of processors, methods, and systems for a processor core supporting a heterogenous system instruction set architecture are described. In an embodiment, a processor includes an instruction decoder and an exception generation circuit. The exception generation circuit is to, in response to the instruction decoder receiving an unsupported instruction, generate an exception and report an instruction classification value of the unsupported instruction. |
| US10949206B2 |
Transposing a matrix using a streaming engine
Software instructions are executed on a processor within a computer system to configure a steaming engine to operate in either a linear mode or a transpose mode. A stream of addresses is generated using an address generator, in which the stream of addresses includes consecutive nested loop iterations for at least a first loop and a second loop. While in the linear mode, the first loop is treated as an inner loop. While in the transpose mode, the second loop is treated as the inner loop. A matrix can be fetched from memory in the linear mode to provide row-wise vectors. A matrix can be fetched from the memory in the transpose mode to provide column wise vectors. |
| US10949203B2 |
Technologies for ensuring functional safety of an electronic device
Technologies for ensuring functional safety of an electronic device include receiving data by a primary and secondary hardware unit and performing a function on the data. Each of the primary and secondary hardware unit perform the same function on their respective set of data to generate corresponding results. A determination is made whether the hardware units are synchronized and the results can be compared. If so, the results are compared and an alert is generated if the results do not match. |
| US10949198B1 |
Online platform for facilitating the development of software applications based on an executable statechart
Disclosed herein is an online platform for facilitating the development of software applications based on an executable statechart using a microservices architecture, in accordance with some embodiments. Accordingly, the online platform may include a communication device, a processing device, and a storage device. Further, the communication device may be configured for transmitting a software application design interface to a user device. Further, the communication device may be configured for receiving a plurality of design commands, through the software application design interface, from the user device. Further, the processing device may be configured for generating an executable statechart design based on the plurality of design commands. Further, the storage device may be configured for storing the at least one executable statechart design. |
| US10949196B2 |
Composite instance patching
Methods and systems for patching an instance of a composite executing in a runtime environment are provided. A method can include at a computer system comprising a processor and a memory executing, by an application server, one or more instances of a composite, and enabling a patch to be applied to the one or more instances of the composite without stopping execution of the one or more instances in the application server, wherein the patch comprises one or more changes to be made to the composite. |
| US10949195B2 |
Method for changing over to a firmware version in an electrical control unit for a drive system, electrical control unit and drive system
A method for changing over to a firmware version in an electrical control unit for a drive system, wherein the electrical control unit is suitable for executing an existing application program for operating the drive system, and a different firmware version is in operation in the electrical control unit. The method a) checks the existing application program for compatibility with the one firmware version by use of a script, and b) in the case where the existing application program is compatible with the one firmware version, changes over from the other firmware version to the one firmware version in the electrical control unit. |
| US10949188B2 |
Mobile terminal and control method thereof
A mobile terminal capable of performing updating on an application and a control method thereof are disclosed. The mobile terminal includes: a checking unit configured to check status information of the mobile terminal in relation to updating of an application; a detection unit configured to detect an application in which an update event has occurred, on the basis of the status information of the mobile terminal; and a controlled configured to perform updating on the application detected by the detection unit. |
| US10949186B2 |
Automatic generation of a software configuration for license reconciliation
A computing system may include a database and server device(s) disposed within a remote network management platform. The database may contain (i) discovery information for installations of software applications on computing devices of a managed network, and (ii) software configurations for a subset of the software applications, the software configurations respectively indicating rights allocations and consumption for each of the subset of the software applications. The server device(s) may be configured to: determine that the software configurations do not support a particular software application, where the discovery information indicates that the particular software application is installed on computing device(s) of the managed network; and responsively, generate a particular software configuration for the particular software application, the particular software configuration indicating: (i) a rights allocation of zero rights, and (ii) a rights consumption according to the discovery information; and update the database to include the particular software configuration. |
| US10949185B2 |
Information processing apparatus, setup method, and computer-readable storage medium
An information processing apparatus which transmits data to setup predetermined software in a terminal includes a processor. The processor is configured to perform the following processing operation, a receiving process which receives registration of user information, a first generating process which generates an installer to install the data including user identification information to identify a user according to the user information received in the receiving process, a setting process which sets the installer generated in the first generating process to be downloadable, and a first transmitting control process which transmits to a terminal in which the installer is started the data corresponding to the user information when the installer is downloaded and started, and the terminal in which the installer is started is connected to the information processing apparatus through a network. |
| US10949183B2 |
System and method for transforming co-routines to equivalent sub-routines
A processor-implemented method for transforming co-routines to equivalent sub-routines is provided. An input is received at a first user device from a user for a first language and a first operating environment. The first language includes the co-routines and is supported in a first hardware environment. The first language is analyzed to transform the co-routines of the first language into the sub-routines of a second language for implementing the co-routines of the first language in a second hardware environment. The second hardware environment supports the sub-routines of the second language in a second operating environment by determining automatic variables for persistent variables and non-persistent variables, transforming the persistent variables and the non-persistent variables into the sub-routines of the second language, determining return statements and yield statements in the co-routines, and translating the co-routines of the first language into the sub-routines of the second language and the second operating environment. |
| US10949182B2 |
Systems and methods for generating code for parallel processing units
Systems and methods generate code from a source program where the generated code may be compiled and executed on a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU). A parallel loop analysis check may be performed on regions of the source program identified for parallelization. One or more optimizations also may be applied to the source program that convert mathematical operations into a parallel form. The source program may be partitioned into segments for execution on a host and a device. Kernels may be created for the segments to be executed on the device. The size of the kernels may be determined, and memory transfers between the host and device may be optimized. |
| US10949181B1 |
Computing performance for execution of functions called by function handles
Extended types are defined for functions that are called by function handles in a programming environment. The extended types can be accessed and used by a computing system to improve compile-time and run-time performance of the computing system. |
| US10949180B2 |
Dynamically changing input data streams processed by data stream language programs
An instrumentation analysis system processes data streams by executing instructions specified using a data stream language program. The data stream language allows users to specify a search condition using a find block for identifying the set of data streams processed by the data stream language program. The set of identified data streams may change dynamically. The data stream language allows users to group data streams into sets of data streams based on distinct values of one or more metadata attributes associated with the input data streams. The data stream language allows users to specify a threshold block for determining whether data values of input data streams are outside boundaries specified using low/high thresholds. The elements of the set of data streams input to the threshold block can dynamically change. The low/high threshold values can be specified as data streams and can dynamically change. |
| US10949176B2 |
Automatic view generation based on annotations
The present disclosure involves systems, software, and computer implemented methods for automatic view generation based on annotations. One example method includes receiving a request to display a user interface view on a client device. Metadata that defines at least one entity included in at least one data source is received. Annotations that define user interface elements for displaying information for the at least one entity are received. A metamodel is generated using the received metadata and the received annotations. Native user interface elements are automatically generated using the metamodel. The native user interface elements are native to the client device. The native user interface elements in the user interface view on the client device. |
| US10949174B2 |
Automatic classification of user interface elements
Techniques are disclosed relating to classifying user interface elements of existing user interfaces. This may include for example, storing information specifying known metadata values for a plurality of metadata fields and indications of relationships between ones of the known metadata values and a plurality of types of visible user interface elements. The techniques also include determining respective metadata values for a plurality of visible elements of a graphical user interface, where the metadata values are included in user interface code that specifies the plurality of visible elements. The disclosed techniques also include, based on the stored indications of relationships and the determined metadata values, scoring ones of the plurality of visible elements to generate score values for each of the plurality of types of visible elements. Finally, the disclosed techniques include, based on the scoring, classifying the plurality of visible elements according to the plurality of types of visible elements and storing information specifying the classified elements. |
| US10949164B2 |
Volume of sound adjustment method, electronic device thereof and non-transitory computer readable storage medium device thereof
A volume of sound adjustment method includes the following steps: outputting an audio with a played volume; detecting a volume of environmental noise; comparing the volume of environmental noise with a setting volume, and setting the lower one as a first target volume and setting the higher one as a second target volume; and gradually adjusting the played volume from the first target volume to the second target volume at an adjusting speed. In addition, an electronic device for adjusting a volume and a non-transitory computer readable storage medium device are also disclosed. |
| US10949161B2 |
Method for performing multi-tasking using external display device and electronic device thereof
A method and apparatus for performing multi-tasking using an external display device in an electronic device are provided. A method for performing a multi-tasking work using an external display device in an electronic device includes the operations of executing at least one application, determining whether to output an application screen to the external display device, in response to determining to output the application screen, sending an emulator execution request to the external display device, and, after sending the emulator execution request to the external display device, determining an application identifier in a screen of an application whose screen is determined to be outputted to the external display device, and transmitting a signal corresponding to the screen and the application identifier to the external display device. |
| US10949157B2 |
Modular display system with ethernet connection and control
The present invention provides a modular display system that uses Ethernet connection to directly send control and display data to each display module. The modular display system includes a master control unit and a plurality of display modules that are arranged and connected together to create a larger unified display. The control unit is connected to the display modules to send display and control data, and to receive diagnostic data, all via Ethernet connection. In some embodiments, each display module has an input Ethernet connection for upstream communication and an output Ethernet connection for downstream communication. The modules in this configuration are connected together in a daisy-chain fashion and Ethernet connection between the control unit and display modules creates a local area network (LAN) where all modules are addressable by the control unit and relevant data can be transferred. |
| US10949153B2 |
Methods and systems for facilitating the generation of a customized response based on a context
Disclosed herein is a system for facilitating the generation of a customized response based on a context, in accordance with some embodiments. Accordingly, the system may include a communication device configured for receiving at least one sensor data from at least one sensor associated with at least one user. Further, the system may include a processing device configured for analyzing the at least one sensor data and determining a context based on analyzing. Further, the processing device may be configured for identifying a customized profile associated with the context. Further, the system may include a storage device configured for retrieving the customized profile. Further, the processing device may be configured for generating a customized response based on the at least one sensor data and the customized profile. Further, the system may include a presentation device. Further, the presentation device may be configured to present the customized response. |
| US10949149B2 |
Non-transitory computer-readable recording medium, information processing apparatus and printing method
When an editing APP receives a print instruction while designating an image to be printer, a supporting program receives a specific parameter and processes intermediate image data, and a general-use printing program generates print data based on the processed intermediate image data and transmits the print data to a printer. On the other hand, when the editing APP receives a preview instruction while designating an image to be printed, the supporting program receives a specific parameter and processes intermediated image data. Then, the general-use printing program responds to the editing APP without transmitting print data to the printer. |
| US10949147B2 |
Information processing apparatus, control method, and storage medium
In a case where a registration state of a printing apparatus in operating system (OS) standard print software and a registration state of the printing apparatus in print conversion software do not match each other, an information processing apparatus performs a process for matching between a registration state of a print queue of the printing apparatus in the OS standard print software and the registration state of the printing apparatus in the print conversion software. |
| US10949145B2 |
Image formation apparatus having reading error and regenerating image data, control method of image formation apparatus, and storage medium
When a reading error occurs while reading out image data saved in a hard disk, input data which is saved in a RAM is read out and image data is regenerated from the read input data. This enables reprinting by an image formation apparatus alone without requiring a user to re-input image data even when the reading of data occurs due to abnormality of the hard disk. |
| US10949142B2 |
Information processing apparatus, method, and computer program product for managing network device and handling inconsistant setting information
An information processing apparatus manages setting information as first setting information. The setting information is necessary to acquire user information from a device through a network. The user information includes at least either one of an upper limit number of storage areas that are allocated in the device and available to a user, or a level of authority to control data to which the user can refer on the device. Setting information which is necessary to acquire the user information from the device is acquired as second setting information. When there is inconsistency between the first and second setting information due to a content mismatch, the user information is acquired from the device through the network by using either one of the first setting information or the second setting information in both the information processing apparatus and the device. The user information acquired from the device is imported. |
| US10949141B2 |
Printer configured to perform printing on a print-receiving medium and computer-readable medium
The disclosure discloses a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a content processing program. A computer executes steps including a first determination step, a first update step, a charging step, and a second update step. In the first determination step, it is determined whether or not an output voltage is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value. In the first update step, an update process of the content of which the update instruction is received is executed in the case that the output voltage is determined as being equal to or greater than the threshold value. In the charging step, a battery is charged until the output voltage becomes equal to or greater than the threshold value in the case that the output voltage is determined as being less than the threshold value. |
| US10949136B2 |
Information processing device and recording medium
An information processing device includes a controller that controls a notification of information in a case in which a first image for executing a first function and a second image for executing a second function are selected together. |
| US10949135B2 |
Print system, print setting prediction method, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium
A print setting prediction method in a print system for providing print data to a printer across a network includes accepting document data as a print target; issuing print data based on print setting indicated by the print request; causing an accumulation unit to accumulate, as collected data, print setting used for issued print data and document attribute information indicated by document data in association with each other; generating, from the collected data, training data including a pair of input data containing the document attribute information and ground truth data containing the print setting; generating, by machine learning, a learning model by using the training data; predicting print setting by using the learning model and by using document attribute information indicated by the prediction request; and providing the predicted print setting to a request source. |
| US10949130B2 |
Virtual solid state storage system with solid state storage error emulation
A virtual solid state storage system is provided with solid state storage error emulation. An exemplary apparatus comprises a virtual solid state storage device configured to emulate a solid state storage device. The virtual solid state storage device comprises an interface that communicates with a solid state storage controller; an address translation module that translates memory addresses from a solid state storage-based memory space to a second memory space of a second memory device; and a non-solid state storage memory controller that communicates with the second memory device; and an error module to emulate solid state storage errors for testing error handling functions of the solid state storage controller for predefined error types of the solid state storage memory device by: (i) flipping bits sent to and/or read from the second memory device; and/or (ii) changing a status response sent to the solid state storage controller. |
| US10949128B2 |
Data protection method
The invention provides a data protection method, which is applied in a data storage device. The data storage device comprises a controller and a plurality of flash memories. The flash memories are formed with a data storage area. When the user wants to protect at least one specific data in the data storage device, a write filter command is transmitted to the data storage device by a host. After the controller of the data storage device receives the write filter command, it will execute a write filter process. When the write filter process is performing, the data storage area is cut into a first partition and a second partition by the controller, and sets the first partition as a read-only area for prohibiting the movement of data, so that the specific data stored in the first partition can be protected by prohibiting the movement of data. |
| US10949121B2 |
Memory system
A memory system includes a memory chip, a queue block and a memory controller. The queue block is configured to store a command to be transmitted to the memory chip. The queue block includes a first queue and a plurality of second queues each corresponding to a plane of the memory chip. The memory controller is configured to determine whether or not a first command enqueued in the first queue is a first read command. The first read command is a command for executing read operation in the planes asynchronously. When the first command is the first read command, the memory controller transfers the first command to one of the second queues corresponding to a plane in which the first command is to be executed. The memory controller selects the first queue or the second queues as a source of a command to be transferred to the memory chip. |
| US10949118B2 |
Data storage method, apparatus, and device for multi-layer blockchain-type ledger
Computer-implemented methods, non-transitory, computer-readable media, and computer-implemented systems for data storage. One computer-implemented method includes: obtaining a data block from a previous blockchain-type ledger in multi-level blockchain-type ledgers, where in the multi-level blockchain-type ledgers comprise a bottom-layer blockchain-type ledger and at least one higher-layer blockchain-type ledger; determining a block height of the data block and a root hash of a Merkel tree constructed by data records in the data block; constructing updated data records comprising the root hash and the block height; and recording the updated data records in a data block in a current blockchain-type ledger in the multi-level blockchain-type ledgers a level higher than the previous blockchain-type ledger. |
| US10949116B2 |
Storage resource capacity prediction utilizing a plurality of time series forecasting models
A method includes obtaining historical storage resource utilization data for a given set of storage resources of one or more storage systems, and generating a plurality of model-specific storage resource capacity predictions utilizing the historical storage resource utilization data and respective ones of a plurality of time series capacity prediction forecasting models. The method also includes selecting a subset of the model-specific storage resource capacity predictions having one or more designated characteristics, determining an overall storage resource capacity prediction based at least in part on a combination of the selected subset of the model-specific storage resource capacity predictions, and modifying a provisioning of storage resources of the one or more storage systems based at least in part on the overall storage resource capacity prediction. |
| US10949114B2 |
Data storage management devices using utilization rates and methods for data storage management using utilization rates
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method, a device and a computer program product of storage management. According to example implementations of the present disclosure, in response to data to be replicated from a first storage zone to a second storage zone, a utilization rate of resources associated with the replication is determined; the utilization rate of the resources is compared with a predetermined threshold utilization rate; and in response to the utilization rate of the resources being less than the threshold utilization rate, the replication of the data is initiated from the first storage zone to the second storage zone. Therefore, the present disclosure can automatically adjust replication behaviors for various scenarios, thereby realizing a more flexible data replication policy, and enabling more efficient use of various resources. |
| US10949110B2 |
Configurable mapping system in a non-volatile memory
Apparatus and method for managing metadata in a data storage device, such as a solid-state drive (SSD). In some embodiments, a non-volatile memory (NVM) includes a population of semiconductor memory dies. The dies are connected a number of parallel channels such that less than all of the semiconductor dies are connected to each channel. A controller circuit apportions the semiconductor memory dies into a plurality of die sets, with each die set configured to store user data blocks associated with a different user. The controller circuit subsequently rearranges the dies into a different arrangement of die sets so that at least one die is migrated from a first dies set to a second die set. A map manager circuit is configured to establish an array of pointers in a memory to identify contiguous portions of map metadtata that describe user data stored in the at least one migrated die. |
| US10949107B1 |
Fragment filling for storage system with in-line compression
Methods and apparatus are provided for reporting fragment filling in storage systems. An exemplary method comprises obtaining at least one compressed allocation unit of data in a storage system; reserving space for the at least one compressed allocation unit in a compressed segment based on a greater of (i) a size of the at least one compressed allocation unit, and (ii) a minimum target fragment length specified for at least one write operation class; and writing the at least one compressed allocation unit to the reserved space. An attempt is optionally first made to fill the at least one compressed allocation unit of data in a free extent and/or a hidden fragment of at least one compressed segment prior to reserving the space. The reserving the space is optionally only performed if the attempt to fill the at least one compressed allocation unit of data is not successful. |
| US10949102B2 |
Leveraging snapshot for time series pattern analysis prediction
A method is disclosed comprising: generating a plurality of snapshots, each of the snapshots representing a state of one or more storage objects in a storage system; generating a plurality of access pattern records (APRs) for the storage objects, each APR being associated with a different respective one of the plurality of snapshots, each APR indicating a characteristic of workload of the storage system in a period preceding the generation of the APR's associated snapshot; detecting a workload trend for the storage objects, the workload trend being detected by using a workload prediction model that is trained based on the plurality of APRs; and configuring the storage system based on the workload trend, the configuring including allocating additional resources for servicing access requests to the storage objects when the workload trend is a rising workload trend. |
| US10949100B2 |
Configurable memory storage system
Various embodiments for configurable memory storage systems are disclosed. The configurable memory storages selectively choose an operational voltage signal from among multiple operational voltage signals to dynamically control various operational parameters. For example, the configurable memory storages selectively choose a maximum operational voltage signal from among the multiple operational voltage signals to maximize read/write speed. As another example, the configurable memory storages selectively choose a minimum operational voltage signal from among the multiple operational voltage signals to minimize power consumption. |
| US10949099B2 |
Memory system for adjusting read reclaim counts and method for operating the same
A memory system includes: a memory device including a plurality of memory blocks; and a controller suitable for selecting one or more first memory blocks based on a predetermined condition among the plurality of the memory blocks in a booting section, and increasing a read reclaim count value of one or more second memory blocks among the one or more first memory blocks for which a number of failed bits of read data exceeds a predetermined threshold. |
| US10949098B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing increased storage capacity
Certain embodiments may relate to providing increased storage capacity. For instance, a memory storage device may include a motherboard with an external communication interface. The memory storage device may also include a multiple solid-state drives coupled to the motherboard in communication with the external communication interface. Each of the plurality of solid-state drives may include a respective storage controller to manage the distribution of data during a write or read operation to a combination of a primary storage allocation and a redundant storage allocation. The redundant storage allocation may be included in the combination in response to detecting an error condition associated with at least a portion of the primary storage allocation. |
| US10949091B2 |
Memory controllers, memory systems, solid state drives and methods for processing a number of commands
The present disclosure includes methods and devices for a memory controller. In one or more embodiments, a memory controller includes a plurality of back end channels, and a command queue communicatively coupled to the plurality of back end channels. The command queue is configured to hold host commands received from a host. Circuitry is configured to generate a number of back end commands at least in response to a number of the host commands in the command queue, and distribute the number of back end commands to a number of the plurality of back end channels. |
| US10949089B2 |
Reconfiguring data objects using batch processing of concatenated components
The disclosure herein describes reconfiguring a data object in a data store using batch portions of components of the data object. Instructions to reconfigure the data object to a target object layout are received, the data object including a concatenation layer that references a plurality of components. The components are grouped into batch portions and the batch portions are reconfigured in a series based on the received instructions. The reconfiguring for each batch portion includes allocating free storage space according to the target object layout as target components, copying the data stored in the batch portion to the target components, redirecting references in the concatenation layer from the components of the batch portion to the target components, and releasing storage space occupied by the components of the batch portion. As a result, storage space used as transient capacity during the reconfiguring is reduced to a size of the batch portions. |
| US10949078B2 |
Display apparatus, display method, and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium
An apparatus for display content on a touch panel includes a detecting unit that detects a touchdown to touch the touch panel and a touchup to lift off from the touch panel to cancel touching, and a menu display control unit that performs control to display menu if the touchup is detected after the touchdown is detected within a display region of the content. |
| US10949076B2 |
Flexible display apparatus and display method thereof
A flexible display apparatus configured to sense deformation of the flexible display apparatus, control display of an object displayed on the flexible display apparatus based on the deformation, and execute operations based on the displayed object. |
| US10949068B2 |
Displaying dynamic graphical content in graphical user interface (GUI) controls
Embodiments of the invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to user interface control groups and provide a method, system and computer program product for rendering a set of user interface controls with dynamic content in a GUI. In one embodiment, the invention can include a data processing system including a set of user interface controls and control data including a set of cumulative selection metrics for each user interface control in the set. Each user interface control in the set, in turn, can include a label and an indicator of cumulative metrics for the user interface control. For instance, the set of user interface controls can include a set of radio buttons in a radio button control group. As another example, the set of user interface controls can include a set of check boxes in a check box control group. |
| US10949067B2 |
Apparatus and method of displaying objects in configurable window groups
A method of displaying objects of an application executes the application on a computer system. The application is configured to generate a plurality of application windows, and at least one of those application windows has indicia representing an object of something being developed by the application. The method then displays first and second application windows in a first window group on one or more monitors, and drags the second application window into a second window group to produce a given layout across the first and second window groups. In this case, the first application window remains in the first window group. The two application windows preferably are produced by a single instance of the application. |
| US10949063B2 |
Media play of selected portions of an event
A system is provided for selectively presenting a portion of an event to a user. The system includes a first device, a second device, and a network allowing communication between the first and the second device. An application at the first device displays a plurality of sub-events that characterize an event; receives an input from a user whereby the user selects a sub-event from the plurality of sub-events; sends a request to a second device, the request comprising information associated with the selected sub-event; receives media data from the second device whereby the media data represents the selected sub-event; and presents the received media data. An application at the second device receives the request from the first device, selects the media data that represents the selected sub-event from a database using the information associated with the selected sub-event, and sends the selected media data to the first device. |
| US10949058B1 |
Generating and manipulating three-dimensional (3D) objects in a 3D environment of an alternative reality software application
Methods and apparatuses are described for generating and manipulating 3D objects in a 3D environment of an alternative reality software application. A server retrieves a data set comprising data elements, each having one or more attributes. The server generates, for each data element, a virtual object, each virtual object positioned inside a virtual container and located in proximity to a center of the virtual container. The server attaches virtual magnets to an exterior surface of the virtual container, each magnet associated with a data filter value and an attraction value. The server determines, for each virtual object, a movement distance and a movement speed in relation to each virtual magnet based upon the data filter value and the attraction value for the virtual magnet. The server moves at least a portion of the virtual objects to a new location based upon the movement distance and movement speed. |
| US10949056B2 |
System and method to navigate 3D data on mobile and desktop
Disclosed is a system and method to navigate high-dimensional data in order to enhance the analytical capabilities of a data consumer. The technology disclosed can use a stereoscopic 3D viewer with a smartphone, a pair of 3D glasses with desktop, or a projected 3D image on a table. The solution provides a novel and accessible way of navigating high-dimensional data that has been organized into groups of two or three dimensions. Navigation is possible in all 3 dimensions (x, y, z) to explore the full potential of underlying data and elicit powerful insights to be acted on through informed decisions. |
| US10949055B2 |
Display system, display apparatus, control method for display apparatus
A guidance system includes first and second HMDs. The first HMD includes a first image display section, and a reception section receiving an instruction, and a first control section generating output information in response to an instruction received by the reception section and transmitting the output information to the second HMD. The second HMD includes a second image display section displaying an image to be visually recognized in an overlapping manner with external scenery, a second storage section storing AR content including an AR image combined with external scenery visually recognized in the second display section, and a second control section displaying an image based on at least one of the AR content stored in the second storage section and the output information on the second display section according to a position of the second HMD or a visual field of external scenery visually recognized in the second display section. |
| US10949052B2 |
Social interaction in a media streaming service
A streaming media service can permit artists or other users to create and upload “posts” to the service. Posts can include text, references to content items in the catalog of the streaming media service, and/or non-catalog media content items that are created by the artist and uploaded as part of the post. Posts can be presented to users as they browse the catalog of the streaming media service and/or in a dedicated feed. The rendering of a post on a user device can include graphical user interface controls that allow the user to access content items referenced by or included in the post. |
| US10949049B1 |
Apparatus and method for alternate channel communication initiated through a common message thread
A server has a processor and a memory storing a multiple channel message thread module with instructions executed by the processor to identify when participants at client devices are actively viewing a common message thread at the same time to establish a participant viewing state. An alternate channel communication lock prompt is supplied to the client devices in response to the participant viewing state. An alternate channel communication is delivered to the client devices in response to activation of the alternate channel communication lock prompt by at least one participant. |
| US10949047B2 |
Display devices
A display device includes an input sensor having sensing electrodes disposed in a sensing area and signal lines. Each of the signal lines is connected to a corresponding electrode of the sensing electrodes and disposed in the line area. One signal line of the signal lines includes a first portion having a constant width, a second portion disposed outside a corner area of the sensing area, extending from the first portion, and having a width gradually increasing in a direction that is away from the first portion, a third portion extending from the second portion and having a width gradually varying in a direction that is away from the second portion, and a fourth portion extending from the third portion and having a constant width. |
| US10949042B2 |
Substrate, display apparatus and control method of the substrate
The present disclosure discloses an array substrate and a display apparatus. The array substrate includes a touch electrode, wherein the touch electrode comprises a plurality of first sensing electrodes arranged in a first direction and a plurality of second sensing electrodes arranged in a second direction, each of the first sensing electrodes comprises an electrode strip, the electrode strip comprises a plurality of electrode blocks arranged in the second direction, each of the second sensing electrodes comprises a plurality of holes, the electrode blocks correspond to the holes in one to one correspondence, and projections of the electrode blocks in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the substrate are located in the corresponding holes. |
| US10949039B2 |
Display device
A display device is provided and includes first and second substrates; first and second electrodes, the first electrode having a rectangular shape; the second electrode provided to the second substrate at a position closer to a display surface than the first electrode in a direction perpendicular to the first substrate; a drive circuit configured to supply first or second drive signals to the second electrode; and a control circuit having a first detection mode for detecting an object to be detected in contact with the display surface based on a first detection signal corresponding to change in mutual capacitance between first and second electrodes when the first drive signal is supplied to the second electrode, and a second detection mode for detecting the object to be detected not in contact with the display surface based on a second detection signal corresponding to change in self-capacitance in the second electrode when the second drive signal is supplied to the second electrode, wherein first and second electrodes do not overlap in planar view. |
| US10949033B2 |
Touch panel device, touch panel device control method, and non-transitory tangible computer-readable storage medium having the program stored therein
A touch panel device having a touch panel includes: a driving unit for sending drive pulse signals to the touch panel; a receiving unit for receiving sense signals based on an operated position on the touch panel; a driving control unit for controlling the driving unit to send the drive pulse signals; a signal strength obtaining unit for obtaining strengths of the sense signals received by the receiving unit; a signal strength adjusting unit that adjusts the sense signal strength that is equal to or greater than a threshold, to a first adjustment value, and adjusts the strength that is less than the threshold, to a second adjustment value; and an operated position obtaining unit for obtaining the operated position based on sense signals in which an average of the adjusted strengths corresponding to the respective drive pulses is equal to or greater than a given average. |
| US10949031B2 |
Touch display substrate and touch display device
The disclosure provides a touch display substrate and a touch display device. The touch display substrate includes: a substrate; a plurality of ultrasonic sensors disposed on the substrate; and one ultrasonic generator disposed on the substrate. The ultrasonic generator has a plurality of openings, and at least one of the plurality of ultrasonic sensors is disposed in at least one of the openings. |
| US10949028B2 |
Texture recognition method, texture recognition device and display device
A texture recognition method, a texture recognition device, and a display device. The texture recognition method includes: receiving a texture recognition signal by using a light blocking structure having a light transmission aperture; performing an amplification process on the texture recognition signal to obtain an amplified texture recognition signal; and detecting a valley line and a ridge line in a texture based on the amplified texture recognition signal. |
| US10949024B2 |
Touch screen
A pulse of terahertz radiation is transmitted through a touch panel formed of a dielectric material. The pulse generates an employable evanescent field in a region adjacent to a touch surface of the touch panel. The terahertz radiation has a frequency range between 0.1 terahertz and 10 terahertz. A reflected pulse is generated from an object located within the region adjacent to the touch surface of the touch panel. A position is triangulated of the object on the touch surface of the touch panel, based at least in part on the reflected pulse. |
| US10949021B2 |
Electric field touchscreen
An electric field (e-field) touchscreen is described. A continuous stream of digital signal data that represents e-field signal deviations is received from multiple receive electrodes. The stream of digital signal data is processed using a machine learning model to determine a touch event and a location on a display screen of the touchscreen. The touch event is processed. The e-field touchscreen may determine whether a non-normal event may be occurring causing noise in the digital signal data. If so, the received stream of digital signal data is processed through a low-pass filter and processed through an absolute value average baseline filter. A difference between the filtered data is determined to generate a filtered stream of digital signal data and is processed using the machine learning model determine a touch event and a location on a display screen of the touch event. The touch event is processed. |
| US10949017B1 |
Projected capacitive to surface capacitive interface
A projected capacitive to surface capacitive interface comprises a projected capacitive touch controller connected to a projected capacitive touch sensor either with a chip on flex circuit or with a discrete chip on board controller, a connector wire, which coordinates the interface between the projected capacitive touch controller and an emulation board, a surface capacitive touch controller and a connector connecting the surface capacitive touch controller to a host computer. The interface communicates with the microcontroller that converts a calculated touch position to resistance values that are then sent to the surface capacitive touch controller as if the resistance values were measured values at four corners of a touch screen. The surface capacitive controller then is able to recalculate the calculated touch position using these resistance values and sends/reports a final touch position to the host computer. |
| US10949015B2 |
Display control apparatus, display control method, and storage medium
A display control apparatus comprising: a touch detection unit that detects an touch operation on a display surface of a display unit; an image switching unit that performs a first image switching operation when the touch position is moved in a first direction within a first area, and performs a second image switching operation when the touch position is moved in the first direction within a second area; and a control unit that controls to perform the first image switching operation when the touch position is moved in the first direction after the touch is detected in the second area and, when the touch position is moved to the first area, an angle of a moving direction is greater than a predetermined angle with respect to the first direction, and moving speed is faster than a predetermined speed. |
| US10949013B2 |
Electronic device and touch input sensing method of electronic device
A touch input sensing method of an electronic device can comprise the steps of: determining whether a first input device sensed a touch input before a second input device sensed the same; performing a command such that the second input device collects pressure information in a raw data mode, if the first input device sensed the touch input before the second input device sensed the same; allow the second input device to collect the pressure information according to the command; generating a pressure table by using the collected pressure information; and mapping the pressure table and coordinate information sensed by the first input device, so as to transmit the coordinate information and the pressure information to an AP. |
| US10949012B2 |
Electronic device comprising force sensor
An electronic device includes a housing, a display, a touch sensor sensing a touch of an external object, a force sensor sensing pressure by the touch, and a processor that is electrically connected with the display. The touch sensor, the force sensor and a memory are electrically connected with the processor. The memory stores instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to activate at least part of the force sensor while the display is turned off, or while the display operates in a low-power mode, to perform a first function if pressure of a first level by the touch is sensed in the at least part of the force sensor. The processor also performs a second function associated with the first function if pressure of a second level by the touch is sensed in the force sensor while the first function is performed. |
| US10949011B1 |
Touch panel system
A touch panel system 1 includes: a bag-shaped touch panel body part V having a flexible touch face 11 and a visible light transmittable opposite face 12, wherein a colored fluid 20 is contained in a space between the touch face and the opposite face; a camera 50 for taking an image of the opposite face; and an image analysis part 100 for analyzing RGB values of pixels in the image captured by the camera, wherein the camera captures a change in color of the opposite face resulting from an external force applied to the touch face and making the opposite face closer in distance, moving the fluid from the location 14; and the image analysis part calculates at least coordinates of the location or shape of the location based on the RGB value analysis results, and reflects the result in an image on an image display device. |
| US10949009B2 |
Electronic apparatus
An electronic apparatus includes a display unit including a display panel and a display circuit board connected to the display panel. An input sensing unit includes a touch panel which includes an active area and a peripheral area adjacent to the active area and includes sensor patterns disposed in the active area, and a touch circuit board connected to the peripheral area of the touch panel. A polarizing film is disposed on the input sensing unit and is configured to polarize incident light. A step-difference compensation member is disposed between the polarizing film and the input sensing unit and includes a main portion overlapping the active area and a plurality of slit portions disposed between the main portion and the touch circuit board. |
| US10949005B2 |
Absolute phase measurement testing device and technique
The present disclosure relates to a testing device and techniques of testing semiconductor structures and, more particularly, to an absolute phase measurement testing device and technique of testing semiconductor structures. The structure includes: a first frequency input source which provides a first signal to an up-converter at an input side of a test fixture; a down-converter on an output side of the test fixture; a second frequency signal source which provides a second signal at a higher frequency than the first signal to the up-converter and the down-converter on the output side of the test fixture; a bypass path which bypasses the test fixture and provides connection between the up-converter and the down-converter; and a digitizer that is connected to an output side of the down-converter. |
| US10949004B2 |
Lighting laminated glazing with a capacitive touch sensitive device and a light emitting diode and the manufacturing
A lighting laminated glazing includes a first transparent glazing and a second glazing; an intermediate thermoplastic material layer; an electrically conductive layer between the first and second glazings; a capacitive touch sensitive device including a touch sensitive structure formed in the electrically conductive coating, having a ground electrode and a touch electrode having a touch sensitive area; a light emitting diode on the electrically conductive layer to indicate the touch sensitive area, the diode having a light emitting surface facing the touch sensitive area, and having a first and a second terminal electrically connected to, respectively, the ground electrode and the touch sensitive area; and a lighting device controlled by the touch sensitive device, the lighting device including a lighting element distinct from the diode, the lighting element being disposed between the first and the second glazing. |
| US10948999B2 |
Metal and plastic composite keyboard
The metal and plastic composite keyboards disclosed herein each include a two-part top bezel, which in turn includes a metallic first top bezel and a plastic second top bezel. The metallic first top bezel and a plastic second top bezel are attached to one another at respective overlapping regions and the two-part top bezel is attached to a bottom bezel to form a metal and plastic composite keyboard. The plastic second top bezel may include an electromagnetic window that reduces or eliminates interference on one or more antennas within a hingedly connected display, when the display is pivoted against the keyboard. |
| US10948996B2 |
Radar-based gesture-recognition at a surface of an object
This document describes techniques and devices for radar-based gesture-recognition through a wearable device. The techniques enable an easy-to-use input interface through this wearable radar device, in contrast to small or difficult-to-use input interfaces common to wearable computing devices. Further, these techniques are not limited to interfacing with wearable computing devices, but may aid users in controlling various non-wearable devices, such as to control volume on a stereo, pause a movie playing on a television, or select a webpage on a desktop computer. |
| US10948995B2 |
Method and system for supporting object control, and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for assisting object control, comprising the steps of: specifying, in a real-world coordinate system, a control vector corresponding to a gesture or manipulation performed by a user; determining an object indicated by the control vector as a target object to be controlled by the gesture or manipulation performed by the user; performing mapping for specifying a control coordinate point corresponding to a magnitude or direction of the control vector in a target object reference coordinate system defined on the basis of a characteristic of the target object; and determining a control command to be applied to the target object, with reference to the control coordinate point specified by the mapping. |
| US10948991B2 |
Haptic feedback for virtual reality
The present invention relates to virtual reality systems that provide haptic feedback to users. In particular, the following describes a system that may provide a user with an indication of a force exerted by a virtual object and/or a texture of a virtual object. A virtual reality system is arranged to provide haptic feedback to a user, comprising: a controller; determination means for producing output data representative of an orientation and/or velocity and/or acceleration of an upper arm of the user and an orientation and/or velocity and/or acceleration of a lower arm of the user, the determination means in communication with the controller for providing output data to the controller; and a set of electrodes for attachment to a limb of a human body, each electrode in communication with the controller for receiving an stimulation signal from the controller for applying an electrical stimulus based on the stimulation signal to the muscle of a user. The controller is arranged to define a virtual environment; receive output data from the determination means to determine a first orientation of an upper arm of the user and a second orientation of a lower arm of the user; represent a virtual hand of the user in the virtual environment; represent a virtual object with a predefined mass in the virtual environment; and generate stimulation signals to simulate a force applied to the virtual hand by the virtual object, and wherein the controller is arranged to generate the stimulation signals such that the simulated force is determined based on the first and second orientations. |
| US10948978B2 |
Virtual object operating system and virtual object operating method
A virtual object operating system and a virtual object operating method are provided. The virtual object operating method includes the following steps. Multiple images are obtained. A motion of an operating object in the images is determined. The operating object is existed in a real environment. A motion of a virtual object interacted with the operating object according to the motion of the operating object is determined. The virtual object is existed in a virtual environment. Accordingly, the motion of the operating object can be tracked without motion sensor on operating body portion of a user. |
| US10948976B1 |
Systems and methods for electric discharge-based sensing via wearables donned by users of artificial reality systems
A system may include a wearable dimensioned to be donned by a user of an artificial reality system. The system may also include an energy measuring device incorporated into the wearable. The energy measuring device may measure an electrical energy differential between a body of the user and a surface within an environment occupied by the user. The system may further include at least one processing device communicatively coupled to the energy measuring device. The processing device may detect, based at least in part on the electrical energy differential measured by the energy measuring device, an interaction between the user and the surface within the environment. In response to this detection, the processing device may generate an input command for the artificial reality system based at least in part on the interaction detected between the user and the surface. Various other systems and methods are also disclosed. |
| US10948973B2 |
Electronic device with power management
An electronic device may have a power system with a battery. The power system receives power such as wireless power or wired power and uses a portion of the received power to charge the battery as needed. Control circuitry in the portable electronic device is used to run background processes such as image processing tasks, data synchronization tasks, indexing, and other background processes. In some circumstances, such as when the battery is below a certain state of charge threshold, background processes may be stopped so that the battery is charged as fast as possible. Once above this initial state of charge threshold, background processes may be performed during charging as long as the temperature and state of charge of the battery do not exceed safety temperature and safety state of charge values. Performing background processes in these conditions ensures requisite background processing tasks are completed while preserving battery health. |
| US10948972B2 |
Data storage apparatus and operation method thereof
The present invention discloses a data storage apparatus and an operation method thereof. The data storage apparatus includes a non-volatile memory, a volatile memory coupled to the non-volatile memory, and a memory controller coupled to the non-volatile memory and the volatile memory. The memory controller is configured to perform following operations: receiving a modern standby notification from a host; and updating a second mapping table stored in the non-volatile memory according to a number of flags and a first mapping table stored in the volatile memory. |
| US10948970B2 |
Low power microcontroller
A low power microcontroller that includes a low power node controller adapted to retrieve data from peripheral devices is presented. The microcontroller contains a state machine coupled to a storage medium, which is adapted to store a set of instructions executable by the state machine. The microcontroller also contains a power domain controller, which is adapted to enable the state machine upon receipt of a notification signal. As an option, the microcontroller contains a plurality of communication controllers for communicating with a plurality of external devices, wherein the power domain controller includes a register which may be read by the state machine to identify a communication controller among the plurality controllers. Also, a method of operating a microcontroller for use with an external device is presented. The method provides a state machine which executes a set of instructions. |
| US10948969B2 |
Fast SMP/ASMP mode-switching hardware apparatus for a low-cost low-power high performance multiple processor system
A processing system includes multiple processors in which a first processor operates at a first clock frequency and first supply voltage at all times. At least one processor is dynamically switchable to operate at the first clock frequency and first supply voltage resulting in the first and second processors providing symmetrical multi-processing (SMP) or at a second clock frequency and a second supply voltage resulting in the first and second processors providing asymmetrical multi-processing (ASMP). An integrated controller (e.g., finite state-machine (FSM) controls not only voltage change, but also clock-switching. Various criteria can be used to determine when to switch the at least one switchable processor to improve power consumption and/or performance. Upon receipt of a switching command to switch between SMP and ASMP, a series or sequence of actions are performed to control a voltage supply and CPU/memory clock to the switchable processor and cache memory. |
| US10948966B1 |
Systems and methods for optimizing power usage for systems within quality-of-service constraints
The disclosed computer-implemented method may include (i) identifying an artificial neural network that processes each input to the artificial neural network in a fixed number of operations, (ii) performing an analysis on the artificial neural network to determine an execution metric that represents the fixed number of operations performed by the artificial neural network to process each input, (iii) determining a quality-of-service metric for an executing system that executes the artificial neural network, and (iv) optimizing power consumption of the executing system by configuring, based on the execution metric and the quality-of-service metric, a processing throughput of at least one physical processor of the executing system, thereby causing the executing system to execute the artificial neural network at a rate that satisfies the quality-of-service metric while limiting the power consumption of the executing system. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed. |
| US10948963B2 |
Message handling unit
An integrated circuit comprises first and second power domains, and a message handling unit to control passing of messages sent from a sender device in the first power domain to a receiver device in the second power domain. The message handling unit writes messages sent from the sender device to a message storage area, provided in the second power domain. The message handling unit is responsive to a message send request from the sender device requesting sending of at least one message to the receiver device when at least one device in the second power domain is in a quiescent state, to transmit a wakeup request to a second domain power controller to request that said at least one device in the second power domain transitions from the quiescent state to an awake state. |
| US10948960B2 |
Control device and control method
The disclosure provides a control device and a control method capable of properly executing a termination process even in a case where a power shutdown occurs again during the execution of a restart process. A programmable logic controller includes a central processing unit module, a power shutdown detection part, a power supply holding circuit, and a power detection part. The central processing unit module executes the termination process with the power supplied from the power supply holding circuit in a case where the power shutdown detection part has detected the power shutdown, and the central processing unit module executes a reboot process on condition that the power supply holding circuit holds a power amount equal to or greater than a reference amount based on the power detection part in a case where the power shutdown detection part has detected a return of the power supply from the power shutdown. |
| US10948959B2 |
Method and apparatus to control power assist unit
An information handling system includes a power supply unit (PSU) and a power assist unit (PAU). The PSU provides a power rail to power a load, and a constant current indication that indicates whether the power supply unit is operating in a constant current mode. The PAU is coupled to the power rail, and includes a power storage element, a converter coupled to the power storage element and to the power rail, and a controller. The controller receives an enable signal when the constant current indication indicates that the first power supply unit is operating in the constant current mode, and in response, the controller directs the converter to convert a voltage from the power storage element and to a current to the power rail to meet an additional demand of the load for power. |
| US10948958B2 |
System and method of utilizing power supply units
In one or more embodiments, one or more systems, methods, and/or processes may determine an engagement of a power supply unit with at least one of an information handling system (IHS) and a chassis configured to house multiple information handling systems (IHSs); may provide a power at a first voltage to the at least one of the IHS and the chassis; may determine if the at least one of the IHS and the chassis utilizes a second voltage; if the at least one of the IHS and the chassis utilizes the second voltage, may determine if the power supply unit is configured to provide the power at the second voltage; and if the power supply unit is configured to provide the power at the second voltage, may provide the power at the second voltage to the at least one of the IHS and the chassis. |
| US10948952B2 |
Power distribution board, modular chassis system and operating method thereof
A power distribution board for a modular chassis system, wherein the modular chassis system is configured to install a plurality of electrical devices, and the power distribution board comprises: a plurality of detecting pins, a microcontroller and a plurality of protecting circuits. The plurality of detecting pins electrically connects to the plurality of electrical devices respectively, and each detecting pins is configured to detect a modular type of a respective one of the electrical devices. The microcontroller electrically connects to the plurality of the detecting pins and selectively chooses one of a plurality of configurations according to the detected modular type. Each of the protecting circuits electrically connects to the microcontroller and corresponds to one of the electrical devices, each of the protecting circuits set a rated power value according to the chosen one of the configurations. |
| US10948949B2 |
Electronic apparatus having a hole area within screen and control method thereof
An electronic apparatus having a hole area and a controlling method of are provided. More particularly, an electronic apparatus having a hole area which may enlarge an image or application screen through analysis and a method for controlling a hole area of an electronic apparatus are provided. Some embodiments provide an electronic apparatus having a hole area, capable of analyzing an edge (or edge of an application screen) of an image and displaying on one of an entire area or a main area and a method for controlling a hole area of the electronic apparatus. In addition to above, various exemplary embodiments are available. |
| US10948944B2 |
Electronic device
An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a main body including a first main body and a second main body, and a connecting device connected to a first side of the first main body and a second side of the second main body such that the first main body and the second main body are movable relative to each other. The main body includes a first portion adjacent to the connecting device and a second portion away from the connecting device. A thickness of the first portion is greater than a thickness of the second portion. |
| US10948941B2 |
Pedal unit for a motor vehicle
A pedal unit for a motor vehicle may include a multiplicity of cylinder elements which are guided one inside the other in a telescopic fashion along a movement axis, a pedal face for a user, one or more spring elements, and a sensor unit. The pedal face may be coupled to one of the cylinder elements. Each of the spring elements is configured to interact with two cylinder elements assigned thereto, as a result of which, when the pedal face is activated an opposing force can be generated at the pedal face, the opposing force depending progressively on movement travel of the pedal face. The sensor unit may be configured to generate an output signal that is dependent on activation of the pedal face. |
| US10948938B2 |
Power measurement in a two-wire load control device
A two-wire load control device may be configured to compute an accurate estimate of real-time power consumption by a load that is electrically connected to, and controlled by, the two-wire load control device. The load control device may be adapted to measure a voltage drop across the device during a first portion of a half-cycle of an AC waveform provided to the device. The device may be further configured to estimate a voltage drop across the load during the second portion of the half-cycle. The estimated voltage drop may be based on the measured voltage drop. The device may be further configured to measure a current supplied to the load during a second portion of the half-cycle. The device may be configured to estimate power consumed by the load based on the measured current and the estimated voltage drop. |
| US10948937B2 |
Systems and methods for creating load peaks and valleys
The present disclosure provides systems and methods for shaping the load of a building for more efficient sizing and/or economics of an energy storage and/or microgrid system. Shaping the load of a building can include identifying a plurality of core hours of a time period increasing a load of the building, a plurality of different increase instances, by interfacing with a BAS and an ESS during the plurality of core hours, and decreasing the load of the building, a plurality of different decrease instances, by interfacing with the BAS and the ESS during the plurality of core hours, wherein each increase instance from the plurality of different increase instances of the load profile is followed by a decrease instance from the plurality of decrease instances of the load profile. |
| US10948931B2 |
HVAC schedule with designated off periods
An HVAC controller may include a user interface, along with a memory for storing a recurring programmable schedule having two or more time periods. The user interface may be configured to allow manual modification by a user of the recurring schedule stored in the memory, wherein the user can associate an HVAC-off control mode with any of the two or more time periods. In the HVAC-off control mode, the HVAC controller may not cycle the HVAC unit on regardless of the temperature of the air in the inside space. The HVAC controller further may include an output that is configured to issue operational commands to the HVAC unit in accordance with the programmable schedule. |
| US10948928B2 |
Platooning method for application in heavy trucks
A method for guiding a motor vehicle on the basis of image data when autonomously driving the motor vehicle in platooning formation following a leading vehicle, by a steering controller coupled to a steering system and a headway controller receiving and controlling a vehicle's interdistance relative to a leading vehicle, said method comprising controlling, by the steering controller, the vehicle's lateral distance relative to a first lane side, said steering controller receiving inputs from a first lane side detector mounted on a first front side location of the vehicle, and from a second lane side detector mounted on a second front side location opposing said first front side location, wherein said first and second lane side detectors are spaced apart over or wider than the vehicle's width. |
| US10948926B2 |
Systems and methods for scalable multi-vehicle task allocation
Systems and methods of the present disclosure address the capacity constrained vehicle routing (CVRP) problem that may be applied to a warehouse scenario wherein multi-robot task allocation is required. Conventional methods can solve CVRP instances up to 100 nodes. In the present disclosure, a nearest-neighbor based Clustering And Routing (nCAR) approach is provided that makes the systems and methods of the present disclosure scalable wherein the number of nodes can be in the range of several hundreds to several thousands within an order wave. |
| US10948925B2 |
Electronic device, external server, and method for controlling same
Disclosed is an electronic device. An electronic device according to one embodiment may comprise: a communication module; a sensor module which acquires movement information of the electronic device and image information of the place where the electronic device is moving; a memory which stores space information corresponding to the place where the electronic device is moving; and a processor which uses the movement information and space information to determine a plurality of first candidate locations, within the place, corresponding to the electronic device, and then, on the basis of the image information and the plurality of first candidate locations, determines whether the location accuracy corresponding to the plurality of first candidate locations is smaller than a valid value, and, on the basis of the result of the determination, uses the electronic device or an external server to acquire at least one second candidate location from among the plurality of first candidate locations, and uses the acquired at least one second candidate location to determine an estimated location for the electronic device. |
| US10948922B2 |
Autonomous vehicle navigation
A method of navigating an autonomous vehicle includes receiving pulsed illumination from an object in the vehicle environment and decoding the pulsed illumination. The object is identified using the decoded pulsed illumination of the pulsed illumination, and the autonomous vehicle navigated through the vehicle environment based on the identification of the object. Obstacle avoidance methods and navigation systems for autonomous vehicles are also described. |
| US10948911B2 |
Co-pilot
A system for monitoring vehicle drive states and transitioning between human drive control and autonomous drive control based on the vehicle drive states. The system includes a human/autonomous drive status and transition module. The module is configured to: receive data from an autonomous drive module and determine a drive state of the autonomous drive module based on the data received from the autonomous drive module; receive data from a driver status monitor (DSM) to determine a drive state of a human driver; and transition between human drive control and autonomous drive control by the autonomous drive module, and vice-versa, based on the determined drive states of the human driver and the autonomous drive module. |
| US10948909B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for engagement management of aerial threats
Embodiments include engagement management systems and methods for managing engagement with aerial threats. Such systems include radar modules and detect aerial threats within a threat range of a base location. The systems also track intercept vehicles and control flight paths and detonation capabilities of the intercept vehicles. The systems are capable of communication between multiple engagement management systems and coordinated control of multiple intercept vehicles. |
| US10948908B2 |
Unmanned aerial vehicle and mobile electronic device
A mobile electronic device according to an aspect is connected to a flight device. The mobile electronic device includes a communication unit that communicates with the flight device, and a controller that executes a predetermined function. When connected to the flight device, the controller changes the predetermined function when a predetermined condition is satisfied. |
| US10948906B2 |
Maintenance plan forecast using automation control devices' usage pattern through big data analytics
A system including a wired or wireless automation device of an automation system that detects threats within a secured geographic area, a processor of the automation device that measures performance parameters of the automation device and reports the measured performance parameters to a control panel of the automation system and a processor of the control panel that compares the measured performance parameters of the automation device with one or more criteria, detects a potential failure of the automation device and presents recommendations for ameliorating the potential failure to an authorized human user of the automation system. |
| US10948892B2 |
Serial cascade connector system, connector member included in the same, combination of connector member and relay connector member and safety component
To monitor individual safety components or to supply individual operation instructions to corresponding safety components. A connector includes a component-side terminal group used for connection to a corresponding safety component, a downstream-side terminal group used for connection to the downstream side and an upstream-side terminal group used for connection to the upstream side. The downstream-side terminal group includes a downstream-side main information terminal connected to the component-side main information terminal and a downstream-side other terminal different from the downstream-side main information terminal. The upstream-side terminal group includes an upstream-side information terminal capable of being connected to a downstream-side main information terminal of a connector member on the upstream side. |
| US10948889B2 |
Building control system
The present invention relates to a programmable control system for devices and appliances in a home or commercial building. The system includes a main computer connected to network wiring throughout a home or commercial structure that is connected to a number of micro-computers. The programmable control system also includes an input device that has buttons programmatically associated with selected switches and activators throughout the home or building. The input device is connected to the micro-computers which receives signals from the programmable buttons. The micro-computers then activate selected switches or activators associated with selected devices or appliances in the home or commercial structure. |
| US10948887B2 |
Control apparatus and method for processing data inputs in computing devices therefore
A control apparatus that process data inputs in a computing arrangement to provide outputs includes a user interface and a data processing arrangement. The computing arrangement executes a software product to implement a method including generating a multi-dimensional system model operable to describe the system as spanned by state variables on at least one of finite domains or intervals, generating an addressable solution space to meet runtime requirements, the addressable solution space defining all valid states or combinations satisfying a conjunction of substantially all system constraints on all variables, storing the addressable solution space, generating and storing object functions, generating and storing values associated with the addressable solution space to make the values addressable from an environment including the state variables, and using the addressable solution space to process inputs provided to the system, and to generate outputs for controlling or advising operation of the system. |
| US10948886B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing system, and method for controlling device
An information processing apparatus controls one or more processes of one or more devices belonging to a group based on data transmitted through a network from one or more devices belonging to the same group. The apparatus includes a memory and circuitry. The memory stores, on a group-by-group basis, policy data and a control flow. The circuitry makes the control flow effective, in a case in which at least one process to be executed when at least one condition is satisfied is permitted or is not prohibited to a user from whom a request for execution of the control flow is accepted, according the policy data. The circuitry controls the at least one process of the at least one device according to the control flow that is made effective, on a group-by-group basis. |
| US10948883B2 |
Machine logic characterization, modeling, and code generation
Techniques to facilitate generation of controller application code that emulates functionality of an industrial controller are disclosed herein. In at least one implementation, a computing system interfaces with the industrial controller and monitors input and output states of the industrial controller while the industrial controller operates a machine system. The input and output states of the industrial controller used to operate the machine system are analyzed to generate a functional design specification for the industrial controller. The controller application code that emulates the functionality of the industrial controller is generated based on the functional design specification. |
| US10948882B2 |
Self learning control system and method for optimizing a consumable input variable
A control system for an operable system such as a flow control system or temperature control system. The system operates in a control loop to regularly update a model with respect at least one optimizable input variable based on the detected variables. The model provides prediction of use of the input variables in all possible operation points or paths of the system variables which achieve an output setpoint. In some example embodiments, the control loop is performed during initial setup and subsequent operation of the one or more operable elements in the operable system. The control system is self-learning in that at least some of the initial and subsequent parameters of the system are determined automatically during runtime. |
| US10948879B2 |
Device and method for adjusting the rate of a watch
A method for adjusting the rate of a watch with an oscillator arranged to generate oscillation at a nominal frequency N0, with a servo-system including a master oscillator arranged to generate excitation oscillation at an excitation frequency NE, which is approximately equal to, or equal to the nominal frequency N0, or to an integer multiple of this nominal frequency N0, the watch is subjected to excitation oscillation or to a modulated motion, generated by the master oscillator, during a transition phase after which the oscillator of the watch is stabilised at excitation frequency NE, and there is incorporated in the servo-system a winder for mechanical or automatic watches, arranged to move a support on which such a watch is fixed. |
| US10948878B2 |
Illumination device, projection apparatus and projection-type image display apparatus
An optical device including a hologram recording medium that can reproduce an image of a reference member and an irradiation unit that emits a coherent light beam to the optical device. The irradiation unit includes a light source for emitting a coherent light beam and a scanning device capable of adjusting a reflection angle of the coherent light beam emitted from the light source and that makes a reflected coherent light beam scan the hologram recording medium. The light source has light sources for emitting coherent light beams having different wavelength ranges. The hologram recording medium has a plurality of recording areas to be scanned with a plurality of coherent light beams reflected by the scanning device, respectively. Each of the plurality of recording areas has an interference fringe that diffracts a coherent light beam of the corresponding wavelength range. |
| US10948874B2 |
Holographic imaging method, holographic imaging device, holographic imaging system, and storage medium
A holographic imaging device includes a laser device, a laser beam expanding and collimating system and a liquid crystal cell. The laser beam expanding and collimating system is configured to expand a light beam from the laser device and enable the expanded light beam to be transmitted substantially vertically to the liquid crystal cell. An amplitude-transmission coefficient distribution of the liquid crystal cell is determined in accordance with a brightness distribution of holographic interference fringes of an object to be displayed. |
| US10948871B2 |
Drum unit, cartridge and coupling member
A drum unit for a cartridge includes a photosensitive drum and a coupling member rotatable about a rotational axis thereof, the coupling member being operatively connected to the photosensitive drum. The coupling member includes a movable extended portion that extends in a first direction, and a projection projecting from the extended portion in a second direction that crosses the first direction, the projection being capable of transmitting a driving force to the photosensitive drum. At least a part of the projection is positioned inside of the photosensitive drum. |
| US10948868B2 |
Process cartridge with a coupling member having a movable force receiving portion
A process cartridge including a photosensitive drum; a developing roller; a rotatable roller having a rotation shaft in a position deviated from an axis of the developing roller; an Oldham coupling member at an end portion of the shaft of the rotatable roller; an urging member for urging the drive receiving portion; a supporting portion supporting the drive receiving portion; an abutting portion receiving the supporting portion urged by the urging member, an elastic sheet positioned to contact at least part of the Oldham coupling member, wherein the abutting portion is positioned outside an outer periphery of the drum on a plane perpendicular to the shaft of the rotatable roller. |
| US10948862B2 |
Recording material characteristic detecting device and image forming device
A recording material characteristic detecting device that irradiates a first light and a second light to a recording material carried along a predetermined carrying path and detects a transmitted light generated when the first light transmits the recording material and a reflection light generated when the second light is reflected by the recording material, and detects a characteristic of the recording material, comprises: a reflection light source that irradiates the second light toward the carrying path; a reference plate for reflection light arranged oppositely to the reflection light source across the carrying path to reflect the second light; and a light detector arranged oppositely to the reference plate for reflection light across the carrying path to detect at least a reflection light generated in response to reflection of the second light. The reference plate has a higher reflectivity to the second light than a reflectivity to the first light. |
| US10948857B2 |
Image forming apparatus, image forming system, and image forming method each controlling fixing temperature
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to form an image based on image data, a fixing unit configured to fix the image formed by the image forming unit on a recording material, a conversion unit configured to convert image data into conversion data including a plurality of areas having a first resolution in a main scanning direction perpendicular to a conveyance direction of the recording material, and a second resolution higher than the first resolution in a sub-scanning direction, which is the conveyance direction of the recording material, an analysis unit configured to analyze values related to the areas of the plurality of areas of the conversion data obtained by the conversion unit, and a temperature control unit configured to control a fixing temperature of the fixing unit according to a result of the analysis performed by the analysis unit. |
| US10948856B2 |
Image forming apparatus, image forming system, image forming method, and image forming apparatus-specific program
An image forming apparatus connectable to a post-processing apparatus via a carriage path for carrying continuous paper includes: a hardware processor that accepts a stop position of the continuous paper on the carriage path; a carrier that carries the continuous paper along the carriage path; an image former that forms an image on the continuous paper; a fuser that heats and presses the continuous paper passing through a nip portion formed by pressing bodies of revolution against each other to fix the image; and the hardware processor that switches between first control that, after the last image among the images formed on the continuous paper passes the fuser, stops carriage of the continuous paper and then separates the pressed bodies of revolution, and second control that separates the pressed bodies of revolution and then stops the carriage of the continuous paper, on the basis of the accepted stop position. |
| US10948854B2 |
Bias circuit, image formation device and image forming apparatus
A bias circuit includes one or more first Zener diodes electrically coupled to a member provided in a replacement unit, the one or more first Zener diodes being coupled in series. When the replacement unit is removably attached to a main unit including a power supply that has one or more second Zener diodes coupled in series, the first Zener diodes are electrically coupled to the second Zener diodes in parallel to change a bias voltage to be applied to the member, the bias voltage being supplied by the power supply. A total absolute value of breakdown voltages across the first Zener diodes is lower than a total absolute value of breakdown voltages across the second Zener diodes. |
| US10948853B2 |
Liquid electro-photographic printing transfer devices
In an example, charged particles suspended in a non-conductive fluid are fed to a transfer device. A width of a charged particles layer of uniform density on a surface of the transfer device is controlled. Charged particles are transferred from the charged particles layer to a photo imaging plate of a liquid electro-photographic printing system. |
| US10948844B2 |
Color image forming apparatus
A controller which causes a light emitting element to continuously perform minute emission for a plurality of dots in a level in which toner is not attached to a non-image section on an image bearing member is provided. The controller controls a first driving current for an image section and controls a second driving current used to perform the minute emission by the light emitting element in the non-image section several times in one job. In the image section, a driving current obtained by adding the first driving current to the second driving current is supplied so that the light emitting element emits light. |
| US10948843B2 |
Method of monitoring partial discharges in a high voltage electric machine, and connection cable therefore
Partial discharges in a high voltage electric machine can be monitored by a partial discharge monitor connected to the high voltage electric machine successively via a capacitive coupler and a connection cable. The connection cable can have a conductive element designed to self-destruct in the presence of electric current amplitude significantly exceeding expected current amplitudes from said partial discharges, and having diameter designed to avoid creation of additional partial discharges within the cable itself. The connection cable can be light enough to avoid adding excessive weight to the stator windings. |
| US10948837B2 |
Information determining apparatus and method
An apparatus for determining information relating to at least one target alignment mark in a semiconductor device substrate. The target alignment mark is initially at least partially obscured by an opaque carbon or metal layer on the substrate. The apparatus includes an energy delivery system configured to emit a laser beam for modifying at least one portion of the opaque layer to cause a phase change and/or chemical change in the at least one portion that increases the transparency of the portion. An optical signal can propagate through the modified portion to determine information relating to the target alignment mark. |
| US10948836B2 |
Liquid dispensing apparatus measuring condition of liquid and method of controlling the same, and imprint apparatus
An imprint apparatus comprises: a dispensing unit that dispenses a liquid to a substrate; a first measurement unit that measures a time from when a signal for causing the liquid to be dispensed is outputted to the dispensing unit until when the dispensed liquid passes through a predetermined position; a second measurement unit that measures a position of the liquid on the substrate that is dispensed by the dispensing unit; and a control unit that controls the measurement by the first measurement unit and the second measurement unit, wherein the control unit performs measurement by the second measurement unit based on a measurement result by the first measurement unit. |
| US10948834B2 |
Dynamic imaging system
Embodiments described provide dynamic imaging systems that compensates for pattern defects resulting from distortion caused by warpage of the substrate. The methods and apparatus described are useful to create compensated exposure patterns. The dynamic imaging system includes an inspection system configured to provide 3D profile measurements and die shift measurements of the first substrate to the interface configured to provide compensated pattern data to the digital lithography system configured to receive the compensated pattern data from the interface and expose the photoresist with a compensated pattern. |
| US10948831B2 |
Methods of determining process models by machine learning
Methods of determining, and using, a patterning process model that is a machine learning model. The process model is trained partially based on simulation or based on a non-machine learning model. The training data may include inputs obtained from a design layout, patterning process measurements, and image measurements. |
| US10948830B1 |
Systems and methods for lithography
The present application relates to contact immersion lithography exposure units and methods of their use. An example contact exposure unit includes a container configured to contain a fluid material and a substrate disposed within the container. The substrate has a first surface and a second surface, and the substrate includes a photoresist material on at least the first surface. The contact exposure unit includes a photomask disposed within the container. The photomask is optically coupled to the photoresist material by way of a gap comprising the fluid material. The contact exposure unit also includes an inflatable balloon configured to be controllably inflated so as to apply a desired force to the second surface of the substrate to controllably adjust the gap between the photomask and the photoresist material. |
| US10948828B2 |
Illumination optical element for projection lithography
An illumination optical unit for projection lithography serves to illuminate an object field along an illumination light beam path. The illumination optical unit includes an optical rod with end-side entrance and exit areas. The optical rod is designed in such a way that illumination light is mixed and homogenized at lateral walls of the optical rod by multiple instances of total internal reflection. An optical rod illumination specification element is disposed upstream of the optical rod in the illumination light beam path and serves to specify an illumination of the entrance area with a distribution, specified over the entrance area, of an illumination intensity and, simultaneously, an illumination angle distribution. The specified illumination intensity distribution deviates from a homogeneous distribution over the entrance area. This can result in an illumination optical unit including an optical rod, in which a specified illumination setting can be set with lower illumination light losses. |
| US10948826B2 |
Photoresist stripper
Improved stripper solutions for removing photoresists from substrates are provided that typically have flash points above about 95° C. and high loading capacities. The stripper solutions comprise diethylene glycol butyl ether, quaternary ammonium hydroxide, and an alkanolamine having at least two carbon atoms, at least one amino substituent and at least one hydroxyl substituent, the amino and hydroxyl substituents attached to two different carbon atoms. Some formulations can additionally contain a secondary solvent. The formulations do not contain DMSO. Methods for use of the stripping solutions are additionally provided. |
| US10948824B2 |
Dispensing nozzle design and dispensing method thereof
An apparatus for dispensing fluid includes a fluid source; a nozzle having an inner layer and an outer layer, the inner layer defining a bore in fluid communication with the fluid source; and a plurality of pins each moveable to be in physical contact with the outer layer, wherein the plurality of pins is operable to apply a force towards the outer layer to adjust a cross-section of the bore. |
| US10948822B2 |
Resist composition and patterning process
A resist composition comprising a polymer comprising recurring units having an optionally substituted brominated phenol has advantages including high sensitivity, high resolution and reduced acid diffusion and forms a pattern of good profile with improved CDU. |
| US10948817B2 |
Mold-forming substrate and inspection method
A circular mold-forming substrate of 125-300 mm diameter having a surface on which a topological pattern is to be formed is provided wherein the thickness of the substrate has a variation of up to 2 μm within a circle having a diameter of 125 mm. |
| US10948816B2 |
Pellicle frame and pellicle
The present invention provides a pellicle frame which can effectively inhibit deformation of an exposure master plate (8) caused by affixing the pellicle (1), and which does not have a complex shape, and a pellicle which uses said pellicle frame are provided. The pellicle frame with an anodized film on a surface of an aluminum alloy frame is characterized in that: the aluminum alloy frame comprises an aluminum alloy which contains Ca: 5.0 to 10.0% by weight with the remainder aluminum and unavoidable impurities are contained, and has an area (volume) ratio of an Al4Ca phase, which is a dispersed phase, is greater than or equal to 25%, and a crystal structure of a part of the Al4Ca phase is monoclinic; wherein the anodized film contains Al4Ca particles. |
| US10948810B2 |
Projection-type image display apparatus, filter apparatus, control apparatus, and control method
Provided is a projection-type image display apparatus in which dust collected on a filter can be removed more efficiently. The projection-type image display apparatus includes an image projection section configured to generate and project an image, a cabinet section that houses the image projection section in an interior and is provided with at least one or more air inlets, a passage section through which outside air taken in from the air inlet flows, a filter section provided in the passage section, an impact application section that strikes the filter section, and a control section that controls the impact application section so as to strike the filter section at a timing when the filter section vibrating by striking of the impact application section is moving toward the impact application section. |
| US10948806B2 |
Image capturing device
An image capturing device on which an interchangeable lens is mountable, the interchangeable lens including an optical axis direction position adjustment lens and an operation member to drive the optical axis direction position adjustment lens. The image capturing device includes an acquisition unit that acquires an operation instruction made by a user, and a controller that controls operation of the image capturing device. The controller has a manual mode in which a position of the optical axis direction position adjustment lens is adjusted in accordance with operation of the operation member and an automatic mode. The controller sets a lock function enabled or disabled in accordance with the operation instruction acquired by the acquisition unit, the lock function being configured to prevent the optical axis direction position adjustment lens from being driven even when the user operates the operation member in the manual mode. |
| US10948803B2 |
Camera lens barrel, camera module, and optical device
The present invention comprises: a base; a housing disposed at one side of the base; a lens barrel disposed inside the housing; a cover disposed at one side of the housing; a first substrate disposed at the other side of the base; an image sensor which is installed on the first substrate, and disposed below the lens barrel; a diaphragm set which is movably supported inside the housing and which adjusts the amount of light incident to the lens barrel; a first drive unit comprising a first coil and a first magnet which enable the lens barrel and the diaphragm set to move together in the optical axis direction; and a second substrate which is attached to the housing and comprises a plurality of terminals which protrude to the outside as a result of the drive of the first drive unit, wherein the diaphragm set has a second drive unit for driving the diaphragms disposed therein, and the terminals are also connected to the second drive unit. |
| US10948797B2 |
Controlling transitions in optically switchable devices
The embodiments herein relate to methods for controlling an optical transition in an optically switchable device, and optically switchable devices configured to perform such methods. In various embodiments, non-optical (e.g., electrical) feedback is used to help control an optical transition. The feedback may be used for a number of different purposes. In many implementations, the feedback is used to control an ongoing optical transition. |
| US10948791B2 |
Liquid crystal device and electronic apparatus
A liquid crystal device including a base member that is transmissive, a pixel electrode that is transmissive, a first insulator that is transmissive and that is disposed between the base member and the pixel electrode, and a second insulator that is transmissive and that surrounds and abuts the first insulator in a plan view from a thickness direction of the base member. The first insulator includes a first portion having a refractive index higher than a refractive index of the second insulator, and a second portion positioned between the base member and the first portion and having a refractive index lower than the refractive index of the first portion and higher than the refractive index of the second insulator. |
| US10948785B2 |
Electro-optical device, electronic apparatus, and method for manufacturing electro-optical device
An electro-optical device according to the present disclosure includes an insulating base having translucency and insulating properties, a pixel electrode disposed apart from the insulating base, and a switching element electrically coupled to the pixel electrode. The insulating base includes a base portion, and a lens portion that is located between the base portion and the pixel electrode and includes a lens overlapping the pixel electrode in plan view when viewed from a thickness direction of the pixel electrode. The base portion and the lens are disposed with a space therebetween. |
| US10948781B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
According to one embodiment, a liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate including a first alignment film covering a pixel electrode, a second substrate including a second alignment film covering a second common electrode, a sealant attaching the first substrate and the second substrate, and a liquid crystal layer held between the first alignment film and the second alignment film, wherein the first alignment film and the second alignment film are formed of a material in which a principal chain is composed of silica (SiO2), and extend at a position overlapping the sealant between an inner face and an outer face of the sealant. |
| US10948778B2 |
Liquid crystal display panel and liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display panel of the present invention includes, sequentially from the viewer side: a first linearly polarizing plate; a first λ/4-wavelength layer; a first substrate including a color filter, a black matrix, and a second λ/4-wavelength layer; a liquid crystal layer; a second substrate; and a second linearly polarizing plate, the liquid crystal display panel further including a sealing material disposed so as to surround the liquid crystal layer in a plan view, wherein the second λ/4-wavelength layer is disposed closer to the liquid crystal layer than the color filter and the black matrix are and such that an outer edge of the second λ/4-wavelength layer lies inside an arrangement region of the sealing material, and the first λ/4-wavelength layer and the second λ/4-wavelength layer are disposed such that their slow axes are perpendicular to each other. |
| US10948767B2 |
Phosphor-containing film and backlight unit
A phosphor-containing film suppresses deterioration of a phosphor and generation of luminescent spots and the reduction in luminance, and a backlight unit. The phosphor-containing film includes: a phosphor-containing layer having a resin layer which has oxygen impermeability and discrete concave portions, and fluorescent regions arranged in the concave portions, and a first substrate film laminated on one surface of the phosphor-containing layer and a second substrate film laminated on the opposing surface, in which the fluorescent regions contain the phosphor that deteriorates through a reaction with oxygen, and a binder, the first substrate film includes a support film and an inorganic layer provided on a surface of the support film on a side facing the phosphor-containing layer, the resin layer has a modulus of elasticity of 0.5 to 10 GPa, and a thickness of the bottom of the concave portion of the resin layer is 0.1 to 20 μm. |
| US10948765B2 |
Display device
A display device includes a light source, a light-directing element, a first lens, a microlens array, and a reflective display element. The light-directing element is adapted to project a lighting beam provided by the light source toward an incident direction. The first lens is configured to receive the lighting beam projected by the light-directing element and project the lighting beam toward the incident direction. The first lens is located between the microlens array and the light-directing element. The micro-image units of the reflective display element correspond to the microlenses of the microlens array respectively. Each micro-image unit converts the lighting beam into an sub-image beam and reflect the sub-image beam to the microlens array. Each sub-image beam is projected to the first lens by the corresponding microlens, and the sub-image beams pass through the light-directing element and transmit to an aperture to form an image beam. |
| US10948764B2 |
Method for improving visibility of liquid crystal display device, and liquid crystal display device using the same
The present invention provides a liquid crystal display method capable of, when a screen thereof is observed through a polarizer such as sunglasses, ensuring an excellent visibility regardless of the angle of observation. In a liquid crystal display device at least having a backlight light source, a liquid crystal cell, and a polarizer disposed on a viewing side of the liquid crystal cell, a white light-emitting diode is used as the backlight light source; and a polymer film having a retardation of from 3,000 nm to 30,000 nm is used so as to be disposed on the viewing side of the polarizer so that an angle between an absorption axis of the polarizer and a slow axis of the polymer film becomes about 45 degrees. |
| US10948763B2 |
Image quality improving member and liquid crystal display device
An image quality improving member comprising: a uniaxial anisotropic optical lens having a refractive index distribution in a first direction orthogonal to an optical axis of incident light, the optical lens condensing light vibrating in the first direction in the incident light; a translucent first substrate in which a black matrix including a plurality of first openings transmitting light output from the optical lens is formed; and a first polarizing plate disposed on the first substrate, the first polarizing plate having an absorption axis in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction when viewed from a direction of the optical axis. |
| US10948762B2 |
Liquid crystal apparatus and electronic apparatus
A liquid crystal apparatus includes a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between a counter substrate and an element substrate in which a plurality of pixels are disposed, and light is incident on the liquid crystal layer from the counter substrate. The counter substrate includes a first microlens disposed for each pixel. The element substrate includes a switching element disposed for each pixel and a second microlens disposed for each pixel. The second microlens includes a flat portion at the center of the lens. |
| US10948761B2 |
Color filter substrate, fabricating method thereof, and display device
The present disclosure provides a color filter substrate including: a base substrate; and a filter layer on the base substrate and including a plurality of color resist units of a plurality of colors. Orthographic projections of adjacent color resist units of different colors on the base substrate have an overlapping region. Therefore, the color filter substrate has at least one of the following advantages: the structure is simple; the production cost is reduced; the aperture ratio of the display device including the color filter substrate is improved; and the defect caused by static electricity is solved. |
| US10948756B2 |
Backlight and display apparatus
A backlight includes a light guide plate, an optical member, a frame, and an adhesive agent. The optical member is disposed to face the light guide plate. The optical member has a sheet-like shape. The frame is configured to enclose the light guide plate and the optical member. The adhesive agent is disposed in a first hole of the frame and in a space which communicates with the first hole and includes a cutout or a hole of each of the light guide plate and the optical member. The adhesive agent is configured to fix the light guide plate and the optical member. |
| US10948753B2 |
Flexible substrate and flexible display device including the same
A flexible display device is disclosed. The disclosed flexible display device includes a flexible substrate; a thin film transistor on the flexible substrate; and a light emitting diode or a liquid crystal capacitor connected to the thin film transistor. The flexible substrate includes: a first base layer; a second base layer on a first surface of the first base layer; and a third base layer on a second surface of the first base layer. A surface hardness of the second base layer is greater than a surface hardness of the third base layer, and an adhesion strength of the third base layer is greater than an adhesion strength of the second base layer. |
| US10948749B2 |
Display panel, display test apparatus and method of testing display panel
A display panel and a display test apparatus and a method of testing the display panel are provided. The display panel includes an array substrate; a test device disposed on the array substrate and configured to receive a test signal from a display test apparatus to test a plurality of pixel units of the display panel; and a connection device disposed on the array substrate and configured to be electrically connectable to the display test apparatus electrically, the test device receives a discharge signal from the display test apparatus to discharge the plurality of pixel units in response to a switch of a connection state between the connection device and the display test apparatus from electrical connection to electrical disconnection. |
| US10948746B2 |
Goggle with replaceable lens
A goggle may include a goggle frame, a lens assembly magnetically coupled to the goggle frame, and first and second retention features securing the lens assembly to the goggle frame at first and second locations, respectively, to resist decoupling of the lens assembly from the goggle frame. The lens assembly may be removable from the goggle frame by actuating only one of the first retention feature or the second retention feature. A method of removing a lens assembly from a goggle frame may include actuating a first latch securing the lens assembly to the goggle frame; after actuating the first latch, pivoting the lens assembly away from the goggle frame about a second latch securing the lens assembly to the goggle frame; and after pivoting the lens assembly, laterally translating the lens assembly away from the second latch without actuating the second latch. |
| US10948745B2 |
Vision-protecting filter lens having organic polymer multilayer and neutral-density optical filter
A vision-protecting filter lens, including a multilayer optical film and a neutral-density optical filter. |
| US10948743B2 |
Lenses, devices, methods and systems for refractive error
The present disclosure is directed to lenses, devices, methods and/or systems for addressing refractive error. Certain embodiments are directed to changing or controlling the wavefront of the light entering a human eye. The lenses, devices, methods and/or systems can be used for correcting, addressing, mitigating or treating refractive errors and provide excellent vision at distances encompassing far to near without significant ghosting. The refractive error may for example arise from myopia, hyperopia, or presbyopia with or without astigmatism. Certain disclosed embodiments of lenses, devices and/or methods include embodiments that address foveal and/or peripheral vision. Exemplary of lenses in the fields of certain embodiments include contact lenses, corneal onlays, corneal inlays, and lenses for intraocular devices both anterior and posterior chamber, accommodating intraocular lenses, electro-active spectacle lenses and/or refractive surgery. |
| US10948741B2 |
Nasal mask structure for eyeglasses
A nasal mask structure for eyeglasses is disclosed herein. It comprises a main body having a clamping part corresponding to a bridge of the eyeglasses and two engaging parts at two sides thereof for connecting two frames of the eyeglasses. |
| US10948740B2 |
Head-mounted displays having curved lens arrays and generating elemental images for displaying
An example apparatus for displaying stereo elemental images includes two coupled eyepieces. Each of the two eyepieces also includes a curved screen to display a number of elemental images. Each of the two eyepieces also includes a curved lens array concentrically displaced in front of the curved screen to magnify the elemental images. Each of the number of elemental images is magnified by a different lens in the curved lens array. |
| US10948738B2 |
Holographic display device and holographic display method
There is provided a holographic display device, which includes a display panel including plural sub-pixels, wherein each sub-pixel includes plural subdivided pixels, and each subdivided pixel has an adjustable light transmittance; a backlight, configured to provide reference light to the display panel; a phase adjustment layer, including plural transparent phase adjustment components, wherein each phase adjustment component is configured to adjust a phase of a light ray transmitted through the phase adjustment component, and the phase adjustment components corresponding to a single sub-pixel have phase adjustment amounts different from each other; and a controller, configured to obtain a target phase of a light ray to be transmitted through each sub-pixel, and determine a target subdivided pixel, which corresponds to the target phase, in each sub-pixel, and further configured to obtain a target intensity of the light ray, and adjust a light transmittance of the target subdivided pixel. |
| US10948736B2 |
Optical unit with shake correction function having magnetic driving mechanism and flexible printed circuit board
To draw a flexible printed circuit board in a small space with high flexibility in an optical unit with shake correction function. In an optical unit with rolling correction function, a first flexible printed circuit board for an imaging element is drawn around an optical axis of the optical unit with rolling correction function such that the first flexible printed circuit board is wound by substantially a turn in a circumferential direction at an identical height in an optical axis direction. Furthermore, in a portion wound in the circumferential direction (i.e., a connection part), one end and the other end in the circumferential direction are at an identical height in the optical axis direction. Furthermore, a second flexible printed circuit board for a rolling magnetic driving mechanism and a third flexible printed circuit board for a swing magnetic driving mechanism are also drawn in a similar manner. |
| US10948733B2 |
Systems, methods, and devices for detecting magneto-optic Kerr effect
The technology of a zero loop-area oblique-incidence Sagnac interferometer and methods of using the Sagnac interferometer to detect magneto-optic Kerr effect is disclosed. An example apparatus includes: a light source configured to generate an optical beam; a beam splitter; a polarizer configured to separate the optical beam into two orthogonal components; a modulator configured to phase-modulating at least one of the two orthogonal components to produce a modulated pair of orthogonal components; a polarization dependent delay optics configured to direct the modulated pair of orthogonal components toward a surface of a sample to cause the modulated pair of orthogonal components to incident on the surface at an oblique angle; a mirror configured to reflecting the modulated pair of orthogonal components back towards the beam splitter; a photo receiver configured to receive a return beam redirected by the beam splitter; and a phase-sensitive detector. |
| US10948731B2 |
Diffractive optical element and method for the design of a diffractive optical element
A diffractive optical element (DOE) is designed to implement both a collimation function with respect to an input divergent beam and a beam shaping function with respect to an output divergent beam. The phase designs of the collimation function and the beam shaping function are independently produced in the phase domain. These phase designs are then combined using a phase angle addition of the individual functions and wrapped between 0 and 2π radians. The diffractive surface of the DOE is then defined from the wrapped phase angle addition of the individual functions. |
| US10948725B2 |
Wearable display apparatus and method of displaying three-dimensional images thereon
A wearable display apparatus is provided. The wearable display apparatus according to an embodiment includes a display, a sensor configured to detect motion of the wearable display apparatus and output motion data corresponding to the motion of the wearable display apparatus, the output motion data including a non-zero roll component, and a processor configured to obtain three-dimensional (3D) image data, obtain the output motion data from the sensor, generate a first virtual reality (VR) 3D image based on the obtained 3D image data and a portion of the obtained motion data excluding the non-zero roll component, and control the display to display the generated first VR 3D image. |
| US10948721B2 |
Electromagnetic tracking with augmented reality systems
Head-mounted augmented reality (AR) devices can track pose of a wearer's head to provide a three-dimensional virtual representation of objects in the wearer's environment. An electromagnetic (EM) tracking system can track head or body pose. A handheld user input device can include an EM emitter that generates an EM field, and the head-mounted AR device can include an EM sensor that senses the EM field. EM information from the sensor can be analyzed to determine location and/or orientation of the sensor and thereby the wearer's pose. The EM emitter and sensor may utilize time division multiplexing (TDM) or dynamic frequency tuning to operate at multiple frequencies. Voltage gain control may be implemented in the transmitter, rather than the sensor, allowing smaller and lighter weight sensor designs. The EM sensor can implement noise cancellation to reduce the level of EM interference generated by nearby audio speakers. |
| US10948718B2 |
Head-up display
Head-up display includes: display element for displaying an image, and a projection optical system for projecting the image, which is displayed on display element, onto viewing region of viewer. The projection optical system includes combiner that is disposed at a position in an optical path from display element to viewing region of viewer. Combiner has a surface at which light incident from display element enters; the surface has a curved surface shape. Combiner has an effective region corresponding to viewing region of viewer. In the effective region, combiner has a horizontal cross-sectional shape that changes in thickness along from the center toward an end. |
| US10948716B2 |
Image display device and image display method
An image display device includes a display unit configured to display a display image and to use a color information target value as a color information value of a display color, the display color being a color of the displayed image; and a first image correction unit configured, in a case where the color information value of the display color of the display image obtained by capturing the display image displayed by the display unit is different from the color information target value, to correct the color information value of the display color of the displayed image displayed by the display unit, so that the color information value of the display color of the display image obtained by capturing the display image displayed by the display unit becomes the color information target value. |
| US10948714B2 |
Dispersion compensation
A method of dispersion compensation in an optical device is disclosed. The method may include identifying a first hologram grating vector of a grating medium of the optical device. The first hologram grating vector may correspond to a first wavelength of light. The method may include determining a probe hologram grating vector corresponding to a second wavelength of light different from the first wavelength of light. The method may also include determining a dispersion-compensated second hologram grating vector based at least in part on the probe hologram grating vector and the first hologram grating vector. A device for reflecting light is disclosed. The device may include a grating medium and a grating structure within the grating medium. The grating medium may include a dispersion compensated hologram. |
| US10948712B2 |
Augmented reality light field display
A head-mounted light field display device, the device comprising at least one multiplexed light field display module adapted to face an eye of a viewer wearing the device, the multiplexed light field display module comprising a light field view image generator and a waveguide with a set of shutters, the light field view image generator operable to generate, over time, a set of beams of light from a different one of a set of light field view images, the shuttered waveguide operable to transmit the set of beams and to open, over time, a different subset of the set of shutters, the subset corresponding to a position associated with the view image, thereby to emit the set of beams via the subset, thereby to display to the viewer a time-varying optical light field representative of the set of view images. |
| US10948709B2 |
Electrowetting optical element
An electrowetting optical element, having a first electrode layer stack and a second electrode layer stack. Each layer stack has an electrode for applying a voltage to the electrodes for rearranging polar liquid relative to non-polar liquid. A containment space is formed between the first and second electrode layer stack. One or more cell walls extend between the electrode stacks for defining sides of the containment space forming cells. The electrowetting optical element further includes a retroreflective layer for reflecting incident light back through the element. |
| US10948702B2 |
Unobscured two-mirror catadioptric optical system for a multispectral imaging apparatus
An optical system in which an aggressively compact reflective front end is combined with beam splitting elements and refractive relay optics to allow several imaging systems working in widely different wavelength bands to share a common aperture. The aggressively compact design results in significant field curvature at the uncorrected intermediate or virtual focus, which is corrected in the refractive relay optics for each band's imaging path. |
| US10948700B2 |
Variable magnification optical system, optical device, and method for producing variable magnification optical system
Comprising, in order from an object side: a first lens group G1 having positive refractive power; a second lens group G2 having negative refractive power; an aperture stop S; a third lens group G3 having positive refractive power; and a fourth lens group G4 having positive refractive power; upon zooming from a wide-angle end state to a telephoto end state, the distance between the first lens group G1 and the second lens group G2, the distance between the second lens group G2 and the aperture stop S, the distance between the aperture stop S and the third lens group G3, and the distance between the third lens group G3 and the fourth lens group G4 being varied, and the distance between the aperture stop S and the fourth lens group G4 being constant; and a predetermined conditional expression being satisfied, thereby providing a variable magnification optical system which is compact in size and has a high variable magnification ratio and high optical performance, an optical apparatus, and a method for manufacturing a variable magnification optical system. |
| US10948699B1 |
Imaging optical system, projection type display device, and imaging apparatus
The imaging optical system forms a first intermediate image at a position conjugate to the magnification side imaging surface and a second intermediate image at a position closer to a reduction side than the first intermediate image on an optical path and conjugate to the first intermediate image. The imaging optical system consists of a first optical system, a second optical system, and a third optical system in order from a magnification side to the reduction side along the optical path. The imaging optical system is configured to be telecentric on the reduction side. The imaging optical system satisfies predetermined conditional expressions. |
| US10948693B2 |
Imaging lens
An imaging lens includes a first lens; a second lens; a third lens having positive refractive power; a fourth lens; a fifth lens; and a sixth lens, arranged in this order from an object side to an image plane side. The second lens has a convex surface facing the object side near an optical axis thereof. The sixth lens has a convex surface facing the image plane side near an optical axis thereof. The first lens is arranged so that a surface thereof on the object side is away from an image plane by a specific distance on an optical axis thereof. The second lens is arranged to be away from the third lens by a specific distance on the optical axis thereof. The fourth lens is arranged to be away from the fifth lens by a specific distance on an optical axis thereof. |
| US10948689B2 |
Large-aperture, high-pixel optical system and camera module used thereby
A large-aperture, high-pixel optical system has six lenses arranged successively from its object side to its image side along its optic axis. The first lens has a convex surface facing the object side and a concave surface facing the image side; The third lens is biconcave; the second and fifth lenses are biconvex; the fourth and sixth lenses each have a concave surface facing the object side and a convex surface facing the image side. The fifth lens and the sixth lens form a combined lens and the optical system satisfies TTL/EFL≤4.5. Also disclosed is a camera module using the system. The system and the module are mainly composed of six lenses. Since the number of lenses used is limited, the structure is simple. |
| US10948688B2 |
Optical circuit switch mirror array crack protection
Optical circuit switches have gained increased prominence in data centers in recent years given their ability to rapidly forward optical data signals without first converting those signals back into the electrical domain. Certain optical circuit switches are implemented using one or more arrays of single-axis or dual-axis gimballed micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) (MEMS) mirrors, whose orientations can be adjusted to direct light from an input port of the switch to a desired output port of the switch. Systems and methods according to the present disclosure relate to a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) mirror assembly with crack protection features such as a plurality of nibbles. |
| US10948682B2 |
Self-aligning lens holder and camera assembly
A self-aligning lens holder includes elements that register against an image sensor chip to align the holder and lens with the chip. The elements may deflect or deform. A corresponding method aligns the lens holder and a fisheye lens to the image sensor. |
| US10948678B2 |
Bi-directional data center architectures including a jacketless trunk cable and methods of forming the same
Bi-directional data center architectures employing a jacketless trunk cable are disclosed. The bi-directional data center architecture includes first and second coupling panels respectively having first adapters and second adapters. The architecture also includes a plurality of sub-racks having sub-rack adapters, and a jacketless trunk cable that includes a plurality of sub-unit sections, with each sub-unit section carrying one or more optical fibers. The plurality of sub-unit sections are configured to optically connect corresponding first and second adapters of the first and second coupling panels to the sub-rack adapters such that every optical fiber in each sub-unit section is used to establish an optical connection. |
| US10948676B2 |
Devices, systems, and methods for flexible, deployable structure with optical fiber
Devices, systems, and methods for flexible, deployable structures with optical fiber are provided in accordance with various embodiments. For example, some embodiments include a system that may include a flexible, deployable structure and one or more optical fibers coupled with the flexible, deployable structure. In some embodiments, one or more conditions of the one or more optical fibers coupled with a flexible, deployable structure may be determined. One or more conditions of the flexible, deployable structure may be determined utilizing the determined one or more conditions of the one or more optical fibers coupled with the flexible, deployable structure. The one or more conditions of the one or more optical fibers may be correlated to the one or more conditions of the flexible, deployable structure. |
| US10948675B2 |
Slidable fiber optic connection module with cable slack management
A fiber optic telecommunications device includes a frame and a fiber optic module. The fiber optic module includes a main housing portion defining fiber optic connection locations for connecting cables to be routed through the frame and a cable management portion for guiding cables between the main housing portion and the frame. The main housing portion of the fiber optic module is slidably mounted to the frame, the main housing portion slidable between a retracted position and an extended position in a sliding direction. The cable management portion of the fiber optic module includes a radius limiter slidably coupled to both the main housing portion and the frame, wherein movement of the main housing portion with respect to the frame slidably moves the radius limiter with respect to the main housing portion along the sliding direction. |
| US10948668B2 |
Package structure for optical fiber and method for forming the same
A method for forming a package structure is provided, including: disposing an optical component and a waveguide over a first substrate; forming a passivation layer over the first substrate and covering the optical component and the waveguide; removing a portion of the passivation layer to form a first opening; and disposing a reflector over the passivation layer, wherein a metal layer of the reflector is formed in the first opening. |
| US10948667B2 |
Photoelectric conversion module
A photoelectric conversion module includes a circuit board; a photoelectric conversion element mounted on a first main surface of the circuit board; and an optical lens provided in an optical path between an end surface of an optical fiber and the photoelectric conversion element, wherein a part of the optical lens is inserted in a recessed portion formed in the first main surface of the circuit board. |
| US10948665B2 |
Optical coupling assembly
An optical system includes a base, a plurality of optical fibers, and a plurality of optical components. The base has a fiber retention and alignment section and an optical coupling section. The fiber retention and alignment section have a plurality of alignment members, where each alignment member is configured to receive an optical fiber therein. The optical coupling section has an optical coupling block and includes a plurality of optical coupling elements, with each optical coupling element having an ellipsoidal reflecting surface defining a first focal point and a second focal point. The first focal surface is generally aligned with the first focal point. The second focal surface is generally aligned with the second focal point. Each optical fiber is positioned within one of the alignment members and adjacent one of the first focal surfaces. Each optical component is positioned adjacent one of the second focal surfaces. |
| US10948664B2 |
Ingress protected optical fiber connector having a reduced diameter with a removable retaining nut
An optical connector assembly having an adapter with a first and second end. Either end can accept a connector with a removable, detachable and replaceable coupling nut that when removed, connector outer diameter is substantially reduced, thereby allowing said connector to be inserted through a conduit having an inner diameter substantially less than outer diameter of separable coupling nut. |
| US10948663B2 |
Small form factor multi-fiber connector
A fiber optic connector has a housing and a ferrule contained within the housing. The ferrule has a base portion, an endface portion protruding from the base, and at least one alignment tower extending from the base portion parallel to the endface portion. In one embodiment, the ferrule can have one alignment tower on each side of the endface portion. In one embodiment. The alignment towers extend the same distance from the base portion as the endface portion. In another embodiment, the alignment towers may be connected to the endface portion via webbing. |
| US10948657B2 |
Bichromatic chip to free-space grating coupler
A bichromatic grating coupler comprises a two-dimensional diffraction grating structure, including a first sub-grating having a first periodic structure and a second sub-grating having a second periodic structure. The first and second sub-gratings are superimposed with respect to each other in the diffraction grating structure. A first optical port is coupled to the diffraction grating structure along a first direction, and a second optical port is coupled to the diffraction grating structure along a second direction. The first optical port is configured to direct a first light beam having a first wavelength to the diffraction grating structure, such that the first light beam is diffracted in a first direction by the first sub-grating. The second optical port is configured to direct a second light beam having a second wavelength to the diffraction grating structure, such that the second light beam is diffracted in a second direction by the second sub-grating. |
| US10948656B2 |
Fiber-based mid-IR signal combiner and method of making same
The present invention is generally directed to a device comprising multiple specialty glass optical fibers that combines several different mid-infrared optical signals from multiple optical fibers into one signal in a single optical fiber. In addition, the present invention provides for a method of making the device. |
| US10948653B2 |
Apparatus for bonding wafers and an optically-transparent thin film made from the same
A novel apparatus for bonding of two polished substrates includes a plasma source in a ultra-high vacuum (UHV) chamber and a wafer-guiding element to control and guide wafers in the UHV chamber, where after a plasma activation process the wafers are guided and pressed against each other to form a covalent bond between wafer surfaces. The plasma activation process involves deposition of mono-layer or sub-monolayer metallic atom on the surface of substrates. After deposition of metallic layers, a high-force actuation presses the wafers and forms a covalent bond between the wafers. Then, the bonded wafer pair is ion-sliced or thinned to form single crystalline optical thin film. An annealing process oxidizes the deposited metallic layers and produces optically-transparent single crystalline thin film. An optical waveguide may be fabricated by this thin film while utilizing an electro-optic effect to produce optical modulators and other photonic devices. |
| US10948652B2 |
Systems, devices, and methods for improved optical waveguide transmission and alignment
Provided herein are systems, devices, and methods for improved optical waveguide transmission and alignment in an analytical system. Waveguides in optical analytical systems can exhibit variable and increasing back reflection of single-wavelength illumination over time, thus limiting their effectiveness and reliability. The systems are also subject to optical interference under conditions that have been used to overcome the back reflection. Novel systems and approaches using broadband illumination light with multiple longitudinal modes have been developed to improve optical transmission and analysis in these systems. Novel systems and approaches for the alignment of a target waveguide device and an optical source are also disclosed. |
| US10948651B1 |
Keyboard backlight module and manufacturing method thereof
A keyboard backlight module includes a light-guiding sheet, a circuit board, a light-emitting element, a reflective sheet and a release film. The circuit board is located on a surface of the light-guiding sheet, and the reflective sheet is located on another surface of the light-guiding sheet opposite to the circuit board. The light-emitting element is located between the circuit board and the light-guiding sheet, and disposed on the circuit board. The light-emitting element emits light into the light-guiding sheet. The release film is located on the light-guiding sheet and the circuit board, and transfers a glue layer on the surface of the light-guiding sheet. The light-guiding sheet includes a plurality of illuminated patterns, and the keyboard backlight module adjusts the illumination uniformity of the light through the reflective sheet, the glue layer and the plurality of illuminated patterns. |
| US10948649B2 |
Light providing unit, display device including the same, and method of manufacturing display device
A display device includes: a light source configured to generate a light; a display panel configured to display images using the light; a light guide having at least one surface adjacent the light source; and an optical member between the light guide member and the display panel. The optical member includes: a low refractive index layer on a light exit surface of the light guide member; a first cover layer on the low refractive index layer; and a light conversion layer on the first cover layer and configured to convert a wavelength band of an incident light. |
| US10948648B2 |
Backlights having stacked waveguide and optical components with different coefficients of friction
A backlight includes a directional waveguide and a light source array, for providing large area directed illumination from localized light sources. Interfaces are provided between the directional waveguide and optical components adjacent the directional waveguide such that the coefficient of friction at the waveguide interfaces is greater than the coefficient of friction at least one outer interface on each side of the waveguide in the stack. Damage from compressive forces on the optical stack may be reduced, achieving improved optical performance and lifetime. Privacy display, low stray light display and autostereoscopic display may be provided with high uniformity, long lifetime and reduced cost mechanical components. |
| US10948638B2 |
Spatial and spectral filtering apertures and optical imaging systems including the same
A filter includes a central filter region, the central filter region to transmit a first wavelength range, a peripheral filter region, the peripheral filter region to block a second wavelength range, and a transition filter region between the central and peripheral filter regions, the transition filter region to transmit or block the second wavelength range differently than the second wavelength range is to be transmitted or blocked in the central and peripheral filter regions. More generally, there may be “N” regions and up to N-1 transition regions. |
| US10948635B2 |
Light direction control film, method for manufacturing the same and fingerprint recognition panel
A light direction control film is provided. The light direction control film has, in a direction perpendicular to a thickness direction of the light direction control film, a refractive index decreasing from a central region of the light direction control film to each of both sides of the light direction control film gradually. A method for manufacturing a light direction control film and a fingerprint recognition panel including the light direction control film are further provided. |
| US10948620B2 |
Electromagnetic receiver tracking and real-time calibration system and method
An electromagnetic (EM) receiver system for measuring EM signals. The EM receiver system includes a survey EM transmitter for generating survey EM signals within a first frequency range; a calibration EM transmitter for generating a calibration signal; a receiver section, including a receiver housing and a receiver, that measures both the survey EM signals and the calibration signal; and a calibration device connected to the calibration EM transmitter and to the receiver, the calibration device configured to control a frequency and waveform of the calibration signal. The calibration device is further configured to calculate a response function of the receiver, based on the calibration signal. |
| US10948619B2 |
Acoustic transducer
An acoustic transducer is provided. The acoustic transducer includes a housing, a backing, a piezocomposite element adjacent the backing within the housing, and a diaphragm covering on an outward facing surface of the piezocomposite element. |
| US10948618B2 |
System and method for automated seismic interpretation
A computer-implemented method is described for automated seismic interpretation that includes receiving, at one or more processors, a pre-stack seismic dataset representative of the subsurface volume of interest; performing, via the one or more processors, a machine learning algorithm on the pre-stack seismic dataset to identify seismic facies based on AVA clusters, wherein the identified seismic facies include cluster sequences in depth for a plurality of spatial x-y locations in the subsurface volume; performing, via the one or more processors, seismic interpretation of the seismic dataset based on the identified seismic facies to generate a digital image of the seismic interpretation; and displaying the digital image of the seismic interpretation on a user interface. |
| US10948616B2 |
Adaptive ensemble-based method and device for highly-nonlinear problems
Device, medium and method for generating an image of a subsurface of the earth. The method includes generating an ensemble of realizations (M) based on data related to the subsurface; applying an objective function (O) to members (m) of the ensemble of realizations (m) and corresponding estimated data to estimate a mismatch; selecting a best sensitivity matrix (G) from a plurality of sensitivity matrices associated with the objective function (O) and the ensemble of realizations (M); updating realization parameters (mpr), which are used as input for a forward model (f), to calculate the corresponding estimated data, based on the best sensitivity matrix (G); and generating an image of the subsurface based on (1) the data related to the subsurface of the earth and (2) the forward model (f) with updated realization parameters (mpr). |
| US10948612B1 |
Auger plate for x-ray phase contrast imaging and detectors comprising the Auger plates
An Auger plate for converting line emission x-ray photons into cascades of Auger electrons that form transient electric charges and for channeling the transient electric charges to an optical imager for conversion of the transient electric charges into a radiographic signal, the Auger plate including an array of Auger sensors which are graphite fibers coated with CsI or Gd coatings. The coatings are configured and arranged to bind the graphite fibers together and to convert the line emission x-ray photons into the cascades of Auger electrons to form the transient electric charges. The graphite fibers are configured and arranged to channel the transient electric charges toward the optical imager. Also, a detector including the Auger plate, a conductive film and an optical imager and a method for preparing the Auger plate. |
| US10948609B1 |
Computing headings using dual antennas with global navigation satellite systems
Systems and methods of heading determination with global navigation satellite system (GNSS) signal measurements are provided herein. A pair of antennas may be separated by a known baseline length and mounted on a vehicle. A GNSS receiver may obtain pseudorange and carrier phase measurements for GNSS satellites within view. An LRU may estimate carrier phase ambiguities and a two-dimensional vector, using the known baseline length and a linearized measurement model. The LRU may determine integer ambiguities using the estimated carrier phase ambiguities. The LRU may determine assumed wrong fixes of the integer ambiguities and a probability of almost fixed value. The LRU may store the set of integer ambiguities. The LRU may determine, from accumulated data over measurement epochs, updated integer ambiguities. The LRU may correct the carrier phase measurements using the updated integer ambiguities. The LRU may compute the heading using the corrected carrier phase measurements. |
| US10948606B2 |
Recording medium on which indoor/outdoor determination program is recorded, indoor/outdoor determination system, indoor/outdoor determination method, mobile terminal, and means for classifying and determining indoor/outdoor environment
An indoor/outdoor determination program, etc., whereby an indoor or outdoor state can be determined with higher precision than by a determination method based on satellite reception strength in which a threshold value is difficult to set. The indoor/outdoor determination program according to the present invention causes a step to be executed for determining whether a mobile terminal is present indoors or outdoors on the basis of satellite elevation angle information and/or satellite azimuth angle information acquired directly or indirectly from a satellite receiver provided to the mobile terminal. |
| US10948598B1 |
Coherent LiDAR system utilizing polarization-diverse architecture
A light detection and ranging (LiDAR) system according to the present disclosure comprises an optical source to emit an optical beam, and an optical circulator to receive the optical beam and transmit the optical beam to a target, to receive a target return signal from the target and to transmit the target return signal to one or more photodetectors (PDs). The optical circulator is configured to collect all polarization states in the target return signal. The LiDAR system further comprises an optical element to generate a local oscillator (LO) signal, and the one or more PDs to mix the target return signal with the LO signal to generate a heterodyne signal to extract range and velocity information of the target. |
| US10948594B2 |
Semi-passive transponder
A semi-passive acoustic transponder providing identity information related to the transponder when it is reflecting a received pulsed acoustic signal underwater. The transponder includes a memory unit holding ID-sequence data controlling operation of the switching device, and an electronic circuit includes frequency adjusting means for adjusting the frequency and duration of the switch such that the duration of the ID-sequence data is shorter than the duration of pulses of the received acoustic signal. Additionally, a method and system may provide position and identity information related to one or more of said semi-passive acoustic transponders. |
| US10948586B2 |
Shoe analyzer 5TER vertical
A detector device for detection of unauthorised objects or substances. A support base receives at least one foot covered by its shoe, of an individual to be controlled. The device is adapted to detect stratification by vertical stacking, in the sole, by detection of successive echoes following emission of waves towards the sole. The device is also adapted to define a signal representative of the estimated height of the sole. Furthermore the device is for operating a standardisation of the detected vertical stratification signal on the basis of the signal representative of the estimated height of the sole. By dividing the detected vertical stratification signal by the signal representative of the estimated height of the sole so as to obtain a signal of vertical stratification for a standard height unit. |
| US10948584B2 |
Latent oscillator frequency estimation for ranging measurements
Time of Flight ranging using double-sided two-way ranging (DS-TWR) is a conventional method of ranging with ultra-wideband (UWB) radios and has been shown to have ranging accuracies on the order of tens of centimeters. This approach requires several transmissions for each range measurement, which does not scale well for multi-agent robotics because of the bandwidth needed for ranging measurements. This disclosure proposes a latent model for clock frequencies using a factor graph that enables greater consistency of clock synchronization and increases the rate of useful range measurements. This model is an effective and robust improvement to conventional DS-TWR that can leverage shared information from a network of robots. An increase in the rate of range measurements of 232% was obtained as compared to DS-TWR with the same hardware and transmission rate, and with a mean square error of range measurements of 20 cm. |
| US10948582B1 |
Apparatus and method to measure slip and velocity
Aspects of the present disclosure involve a method for determining a road vehicle velocity and slip angle. The current disclosure presents a technique for identifying a vehicle's velocity and slip angle, in the vehicle's coordinate frame. In one embodiment, two or more sensors are orthogonally located on the underside of the vehicle in order to obtain longitudinal and lateral velocity information for slip angle determination. In another embodiment, the two or more sensors can include an array of elements for beam steering and receiver beamforming. Spatial diversity is leveraged in identifying at least a slip angle and/or velocity of the vehicle. Doppler mapping is used as a means for slip angle determination and the clutter ridge of the Doppler map is embraced for identifying the slip angle. |
| US10948580B2 |
Object sensing device and object sensing method
In order to provide an object-sensing device and an object-sending method that are compact and low-cost by realizing an imaging function using fewer antennas than in common systems, an object-sensing device is configured from a transmitter that is provided with a transmission antenna and a receiver that is provided with a reception antenna. The transmitter irradiates an object with electrical waves at various frequencies, and the reception antenna receives an RF signal that is reflected off of the object. The receiver is provided with a phase shifter that individually controls the phase of the RF signal at each frequency, and an adder that adds the RF signals after phase control. The receiver is provided with functionality for detecting the position of the object on the basis of reflected waves from the object by having the phase shifter perform phase adjustment, in order to control the antenna gain of the receiver. |
| US10948579B2 |
Method and device for designing and optimizing multi-degree-of-freedom frequency-modulation signal
Provided are a method and device for designing and optimizing a multi-degree-of-freedom frequency-modulation (FM) signal, and a computer storage medium. The method includes that: a time domain function of the multi-degree-of-freedom FM signal is determined; the constraint condition and the objective function of multi-degree-of-freedom FM signal optimization are established; an algorithm model of augmented Lagrangian genetic algorithm is determined based on the constraint condition and the objective function; characteristic parameters of the first iteration of the algorithm model are initialized, where the characteristic parameters of the first iteration at least include the Lagrange multiplier of the first iteration and the offset of the first iteration; initialization signal of the multi-degree-of-freedom FM signal is acquired, and initialization frequency control points of the initialization signal are determined based on the initialization signal. |
| US10948575B2 |
Optoelectronic sensor and method of measuring the distance from an object
An optoelectronic sensor is provided for measuring the distance from an object in a monitored zone that has a light transmitter for transmitting light signals into the monitored zone; a light receiver having at least one avalanche photodiode operated in Geiger mode for receiving the light signals reflected or remitted by the object; an individual time of flight measurement unit for determining an individual time of flight of a light signal from the sensor to the object; and an evaluation unit that is configured to generate a common measured value for the distance from a plurality of individual times of flight. |
| US10948570B2 |
Signal processor and radar apparatus
In order to accurately identify a target object, a signal processor is provided, which includes an extracting module configured to extract, from echo sample sequences, a plurality of samples caused by the target object as a partial sample sequence, a characteristic amount calculating module configured to calculate a characteristic of the partial sample sequence as a characteristic amount, a memory configured to store a plurality of type-based data that are data as comparison targets of the characteristic amount and correspond to types from which the target object is identified, and an identifying module configured to compare the characteristic amount with each of the plurality of type-based data and, based on the comparison result, identify the target object corresponding to the partial sample sequence for which the characteristic amount is calculated. |
| US10948569B2 |
Misalignment detection for a vehicle radar sensor
A vehicle radar system (2) that is arranged to detect a plurality of objects outside a vehicle (1) and that includes a radar detector (3) and a processing unit arrangement (4). The processing unit arrangement (4) is arranged to obtain at least one total detection angle (φdT, φdT′) relative an x-axis (7) and at least one corresponding detected target Doppler velocity (vDoppler) relative the radar detector (3) for each detected object (5, 6; 10, 11). Each detected object is classified as moving or stationary, and a relation is determined between the stationary detections and the total number of detections. The processing unit arrangement (4) further is adapted to determine whether the radar detector (3) is misaligned based on the relation, where the total detection angle (φdT, φdT′) equals the sum of a known mounting angle (φm) between the x-axis (7) and the radar detector's mounting direction (8), and a detection angle (φd, φd′). The present disclosure also relates to a corresponding method. |
| US10948566B1 |
GPS-alternative method to perform asynchronous positioning of networked nodes
A new asynchronous localization method for a network of nodes and transmitters, the position of at least one of the nodes and/or transmitters being known, involves receiving a first signal directly from a first transmitter at a first node of a first node pair, receiving the first signal relayed from a second node of the first node pair at the first node, and determining the delay at the first node between the direct and relayed first signal by comparing the direct and relayed first signals. This may be repeated with the first node acting as relay to determine the delay at the second node. Time difference of arrival and/or time of flight between first and second nodes may be determined using the determined delay at the first and/or second node and/or known node locations. The process is repeated for additional transmitters/node pairs until sufficient information is determined for desired applications. |
| US10948564B2 |
Networkable digital life jackets and associated methods
Networkable digital life jackets and associated methods are disclosed. An example life jacket includes a state manager and a swarm manager. The state manager is configured to selectively operate the life jacket in one of multiple operational states of the life jacket based on data obtained from one or more sensors of the life jacket. The swarm manager is configured to form a swarm network including the life jacket and one or more other life jackets. |
| US10948562B2 |
RFID antenna array for gaming
An RFID system includes multiple antennas and uses amplitude and phase information of the RFID signals received by each antenna to determine the position of RFID tags in the vicinity. More than one antenna can receive the RFID signals during a single read cycle, enabling the RFID system to operate more quickly than a system that energizes antennas separately. |
| US10948561B2 |
Subsequent MRI configuration dependent eddy current compensation
A magnetic resonance imaging system (10) includes a magnetic gradient coil system (22) configured for generating gradient magnetic fields by providing a predetermined temporal electrical current profile to at least one magnetic gradient coil in accordance with a desired magnetic resonance examination mode. An additional device (50), which is not part of the original magnetic resonance imaging system (10) is positioned within an inner region (44) of the magnetic resonance imaging system (10) for special examination or other purposes. The additional device (50) is capable of generating an eddy current in at least a portion of the additional device (50) when exposed to the generated gradient magnetic field. The magnetic resonance imaging system (10) is configured for modifying the predetermined electrical current profile at least on the basis of at least one predetermined parameter set upon receipt of an information indicative of a presence of at least one additional device (50) within an inner region (44) of the magnetic resonance imaging system (10). |
| US10948551B2 |
Fault monitoring systems and methods for detecting connectivity faults
A fault monitoring system detects connectivity faults in a device control centre. The fault monitoring system includes, for the or each control section, at least a first pair of temperature sensors adapted to detect the temperature of a first pair of terminals (TL1-IN), (TL1-OUT). The system includes a processor configured to receive the detected temperatures, calculate an IN-OUT difference, the IN-OUT difference being a difference between the temperatures of the first pair of terminals (ΔTL1), compare the calculated IN-OUT difference with a predetermined threshold value (ΔT*L1), whereby a calculated difference IN-OUT (ΔTL1), greater than the predetermined threshold value (ΔT*L1), is indicative of a connectivity fault at one of the first pair of terminals, and to generate at least one output signal based on the results of the comparison. |
| US10948550B2 |
Power device with electrolytic capacitors
An Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) system is provided which includes an input configured to receive input power, an output configured to provide output power to a load, power conversion circuitry coupled to the input and the output, a capacitor coupled to the power conversion circuitry, and a controller coupled to the power conversion circuitry. The controller is configured to determine a first value indicative of an equivalent series resistance of the capacitor, determine, based on the first value, if the capacitor satisfies at least one criterion, and execute, responsive to determining that the relative value satisfies the at least one criterion, one or more actions to address degradation of the capacitor. |
| US10948546B2 |
Methods and apparatus for battery management
Various embodiments of the present technology comprise a method and apparatus for battery management. In various embodiments, the apparatus comprises a lithium ion battery and a fuel gauge circuit to monitor the resistance and the capacity as the battery ages. The fuel gauge circuit utilizes the resistance and capacity values to compute resistance changes due to both cycle aging and calendar aging separately. The fuel gauge circuit utilizes the change in resistance values to determine aged capacity values. The fuel gauge circuit controls charging/discharging of the battery according to the aged capacity values. |
| US10948545B2 |
Residual quantity measuring device, battery pack, electric power tool, electric aircraft, electric vehicle, and power supply device
A residual quantity measuring device is provided. The residual quantity measuring device includes a Hall element that is inserted into a path of a current flowing in a battery unit and outputs an output voltage associated with the current; and a Coulomb counter configured to be supplied with the output voltage of the Hall element via a voltage conversion circuit and to detect a total quantity of a current flowing into the battery unit and a current flowing out of the battery unit. |
| US10948538B2 |
Register for at-speed scan testing
An integrated circuit (IC) has scan chains of stitched registers that support scan testing of functional logic. The scan testing has a shift phase in which incoming and outgoing data are shifted into and out of the registers using a slow clock and a capture phase in which outgoing data from the functional logic is captured by the registers using launch-and-capture pulses of a fast clock to check for delay faults. During a warm-up period after termination of the slow clock but before application of the launch-and-capture pulses, the registers propagate data through their master latches without affecting the data stored in their slave latches. A warm-up controller configures the registers and generates control signals to perform either launch-on-shift or launch-on-capture scan testing. The flow of data and the warm-up controller operations keep the power supply rail voltage sufficiently charged for the fast launch-and-capture pulses. |
| US10948536B2 |
System for enhancing ATE fault isolation capability using a truth table based on a failure isolation matrix
The invention is a truth table-based failure isolation matrix in an Automated Test Equipment (ATE) environment to enable the mapping of measured results and/or test outcomes to probable causes of failure (PCOF). The failure isolation matrix is hierarchical in that it applies to both individual tests as well as groups of tests. For each level in the hierarchy, columns represent individual outcomes verified against expected results to produce a resultant outcome and rows represent possible combinations of measurement outcomes or outcome vectors. For groups of tests, the measurement results represent the combined results of the individual tests within the test group. The resultant matrix is a pattern of vectors that can be pattern matched against prior history of result patterns to further improve the accuracy and narrow the scope of PCOF. |
| US10948534B2 |
Automated test system employing robotics
An example test system includes robotics configured to operate on devices at a first level of precision, and stages configured to operate at levels of precision that are less than the first level of precision. Each of the stages may include parallel paths that are configured to pass the devices between adjacent stages. |
| US10948533B2 |
Test device for a TO-CAN laser and test system for a TO-CAN laser
A test device for a TO-CAN laser includes a test socket, a coaxial waveguide substrate, and a test printed circuit board (PCB). The test socket comprises a coaxial waveguide tube accommodating a signal output pin of the TO-CAN laser and an electric-conducting slot accommodating a signal input pin of the TO-CAN laser. The coaxial waveguide substrate is respectively connected with a coaxial waveguide pin of the test PCB and the coaxial waveguide tube of the test socket. An electric-conducting slot pin of the test socket is connected with corresponding control pins of the test PCB. |
| US10948531B2 |
System and method for power transmission line monitoring
A transmission line monitoring system and central processing facility are used to determine the geometry, such as a height, of one or more conductors of a power transmission line and real-time monitoring of other properties of the conductors. |
| US10948529B2 |
Adjustable spacer assembly for electromagnetic compatibility testing
A novel spacer assembly includes a body defining a bottom surface and a top surface opposite the bottom surface, a guide coupled to the top surface and extending along an axis, and a plurality of spacer elements movably coupled to the guide along the axis and being configured to receive a plurality of electrical leads therebetween. Each of the spacer elements extends above the top surface of the body and defines a predetermined width along the axis. When the leads are placed between the spacer elements, a spacing between adjacent ones of the leads corresponds to the predetermined width of the interposing spacer element. The predetermined width corresponds to a predefined electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) testing criteria. The spacer assembly facilitates rapid placement and accurate spacing of leads during initial EMC test setup or reconfiguration. |
| US10948528B2 |
Localized free space tester
A method and apparatus for testing radio-frequency antenna elements are disclosed. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises: a frame having a platform to support an array of radio-frequency (RF) antenna elements of a flat panel antenna having antenna elements; a first antenna to transmit microwave energy to subsets of RF antenna elements of the segment and to receive reflected microwave energy from the subsets of RF antenna elements; a filter between the segment and the first antenna, the filter comprising an opening positioned over each of the subsets of RF antenna elements at different times to expose said each of the subsets of RF antenna elements to microwave energy transmitted by the first antenna; a second antenna to receive microwave energy transmitted though the subsets of RF antenna elements at the different times; a controller coupled to the subsets of RF antenna elements and to provide at least one stimulus or condition to the subsets of RF antenna elements; and an analyzer to provide stimulus to the subsets of RF antenna elements and to measure a characteristic of the array using one or both of the first antenna and second antenna. |
| US10948526B2 |
Non-parametric statistical behavioral identification ecosystem for electricity fraud detection
Embodiments of the disclosure are directed towards electricity fraud detection systems that involve a behavioral detection ecosystem to improve the detection rate of electricity fraud while reducing the rate of false-positives. More specifically, machine learning algorithms are eschewed in favor of two separate models that are applied sequentially. The first model is directed to improving the detection rate of electricity fraud through the use of detectors to identify customers engaging in suspicious behavior based on the demand profiles of those customers. The second model is directed to reducing the rate of false-positives by identifying potential legitimate explanations for any suspicious behavior. Subtracting away the suspicious behavior with legitimate explanations leaves only the identified, unexplained suspicious behavior that is highly likely to be associated with fraudulent activity. |
| US10948524B2 |
Relay-welding detection device and detection method
The objective of the present invention is to provide a relay-welding detection device and method, the device and method capable of determining, whether a relay is welded, by using an analog-digital converter (ADC). Another relay-welding detection device according to the present invention comprises: a first ADC for measuring a voltage of a relay input terminal; a second ADC for measuring a voltage of a relay output terminal; and a CPU for comparing the voltage of the relay input terminal with the voltage of the relay output terminal and determining whether the relay is welded. |
| US10948508B2 |
Transport device unit for a laboratory sample distribution system
A transport device unit for a transport device assembled using a plurality of transport device units is presented. The transport device unit comprises a base plate module with a base plate for fixing the transport device unit to a support frame, an actuator module with a plurality of electro-magnetic actuators, where the actuator module is supported by the base plate module, and a driving surface module with a driving surface element, where the driving surface element is arranged above the actuator module covering the actuators and configured to carry sample container carriers. A transport device, a system for at least partially disassembling the transport device, and a laboratory sample distribution system comprising a transport device are also presented. In addition, a laboratory automation system comprising a laboratory sample distribution system is also presented. |
| US10948506B2 |
Slide rack carousel
A digital slide scanning apparatus slide rack carousel allows continuous loading and unloading of slide racks into the carousel while the digital slide scanning apparatus is simultaneously digitizing glass slides. The slide rack carousel includes a base having an interior portion of its upper surface at an angle. The slide rack carousel also includes plural rack spacers extending upward from the base and adjacent rack spacers define a rack slot. Each rack spacer also includes a rack stopper on each side such that adjacent rack spacers have rack stoppers facing each other. The rack stoppers prevent a slide rack from moving further toward the center of the carousel than desired. |
| US10948499B2 |
Method for producing a standard for detecting protein aggregates of a protein misfolding disease, standard and use thereof
An inorganic nanoparticle is provided (step A) having the size of the aggregate of the protein misfolding disease. Free amino groups or free carboxyl groups are formed (step B) on the surface of the nanoparticle (for functionalizing the nanoparticle surface into an amine- or carboxy-functionalized nanoparticle. Maleinimido spacer carboxylic acid is bound to the free amino groups in step (B). Or, free carboxyl groups in step (B) are converted into NHS esters. Monomers of the protein aggregate are bound i) to the maleinimido spacer carboxylic acids by way of a sulfhydryl group at the free end of the monomers, or ii) to the NHS esters by way of the amino group at the free end of the monomer. A standard is provided for use in the detection of protein aggregates occurring with protein misfolding diseases. |
| US10948498B2 |
Methods and kits for predicting the risk of having a cardiovascular disease or event
A cardiovascular event or disease is prevented or treated in a subject by measuring the expression level of soluble Triggering Receptors Expressed on Myeloid cells-1 (sTREM-1) level in a sample from the subject and comparing it to a reference level. Based on this comparison, subjects that are at risk of having or developing a cardiovascular event or disease are identified, and administered a suitable therapy. |
| US10948495B2 |
Methods and reagents for analyzing protein-protein interfaces
The present disclosure provides methods and reagents useful for analyzing protein-protein interfaces such as interfaces between a presenter protein (e.g., a member of the FKBP family, a member of the cyclophilin family, or PIN1) and a target protein. In some embodiments, the target and/or presenter proteins are intracellular proteins. In some embodiments, the target and/or presenter proteins are mammalian proteins. |
| US10948478B2 |
Blood state analysis device, blood state analysis system, blood state analysis method, and program
A blood state analysis device, blood state analysis system, blood state analysis method, and program that enable analysis of the state of blood easily and precisely is provided. The blood state analysis device includes: an extraction unit configured to extract at least one feature from chronological change data of an electrical characteristic of blood in two or more frequency bands; an evaluation unit configured to evaluate a state of the blood on the basis of the at least one feature extracted by the extraction unit; and a classification unit configured to classify the blood on the basis of a result of evaluation conducted by the evaluation unit. |
| US10948475B2 |
Products and processes for analyzing octane content
Products and processes are provided herewith for analyzing octane content in a fuel sample that include the step or steps of receiving an octane measurement of a fuel sample from a octane analyzer, rounding the octane measurement to a nearest recognized octane rating, comparing the rounded octane measurement with a listed octane rating for the fuel sample, and communicating results of the comparison to a user of the octane analyzer. The octane analyzer may be incorporated into a fuel pump or a vehicle. The results of the comparison may also be used to adjust the vehicle operating parameters to account for the actual octane rating of the fuel dispensed into the vehicle. |
| US10948474B2 |
Simulation device and method for studying the influence of wetland plant litter decomposition on water quality
The invention “simulation device and method for studying the influence of wetland plant litter decomposition on water quality”, belongs to the ecological engineering field. The simulation device comprises a distributing reservoir, a planting pool and a discharge bay, and the three are connected successively through a first-level pipeline; the distributing reservoir is used to supply water to the planting pool; the discharge bay is used to collect wastewater discharged from the planting pool; the planting pool comprises a plurality of planting units; the planting unit is a container-like structure and used to hold the planting substrate and plant wetland plants on the planting substrate. By using the simulation device and/or simulation method of the invention, the whole process of the influence of plant litters especially wetland plants litters on water quality under natural state can be highly simulated and restored. |
| US10948471B1 |
Leak detection event aggregation and ranking systems and methods
In some embodiments, data from multiple vehicle-based natural gas leak detection survey runs are used by computer-implemented machine learning systems to generate a list of natural gas leaks ranked by hazard level. A risk model embodies training data having known hazard levels, and is used to classify newly-discovered leaks. Hazard levels may be expressed by continuous variables, and/or probabilities that a given leak fits within a predefined category of hazard (e.g. Grades 1-3). Each leak is represented by a cluster of leak indications (peaks) originating from a common leak sources. Hazard-predictive features may include maximum, minimum, mean, and/or median CH4/amplitude of aggregated leak indications; estimated leak flow rate, determined from an average of leak indications in a cluster; likelihood of leak being natural gas based on other indicator data (e.g. ethane concentration); probability the leak was detected on a given pass; and estimated distance to leak source. |
| US10948469B2 |
Dynamic comparative diagnostics for catalytic structures and combustible gas sensors including catalytic structures
A combustible gas sensor for detecting an analyte gas includes a first element including a first electric heating element, a first support structure on the first electric heating element and a first catalyst supported on the first support structure and electronic circuitry in electrical connection with the first element. The electronic circuitry is configured to provide energy to the first element to heat the first element to at least a first temperature at which the first catalyst catalyzes combustion of the analyte gas and to determine if the analyte gas is present based on a response of the first element to being heated to at least the first temperature. The electronic circuitry is further configured to apply an interrogation pulse to the first element in which energy to the first element is increased or decreased to induce an associated response from the first element. |
| US10948468B2 |
Fault-tolerant breath alcohol calibration station and method
A breath alcohol device calibration system includes a computerized calibration module operable to calibrate a breath alcohol device, and an interface operable to couple the breath alcohol device to a remote server. The interface uses a connection employing a cryptographic function such that data stored on the breath alcohol device can be securely transferred from the breath alcohol device to the remote server using the calibration system. The interface is further operable to transfer data stored on the breath alcohol device from the breath alcohol device to the remote server directly without storing the data in nonvolatile storage on the calibration station. |
| US10948455B2 |
Sequencer
A biopolymer (e.g. DNA) sequencing system comprises a biopolymer capture element for capturing a biopolymer from a sample disposed on a substrate for receiving the sample which capture element is preferably provided by a helicase which further acts as a size exclusion molecular motor for delivering a biopolymer such as DNA to a discrete detection means associated with the capture element and the substrate. The detection means may detect signals or variances in a signal associated with the biomolecule and, in particular, components of the biomolecule (e.g. nucleotides or bases). The biomolecule may be returned to the sample. Highly efficient, high speed, low cost sequencing of biopolymers such DNA are thereby achievable. |
| US10948454B2 |
Nanopore-based analysis of protein characteristics
Methods for nanopore-based protein analysis are provided. The methods address the characterization of a target protein analyte, which has a dimension greater than an internal diameter of the nanopore tunnel, and which is also physically associated with a polymer. The methods further comprise applying an electrical potential to the nanopore system to cause the polymer to interact with the nanopore tunnel. The ion current through the nanopore is measured to provide a current pattern reflective of the structure of the portion of the polymer interacting with the nanopore tunnel. This is used as a metric for characterizing the associated protein that does not pass through the nanopore. |
| US10948449B2 |
Sensor with multiple inlets
An electrochemical gas sensor includes a sensor housing having a plurality of inlet passages, wherein each of the plurality of inlet passages has a cross-sectional area of no greater than 11,309 μm2. The electrochemical gas sensor further includes a working electrode within the housing which is responsive to an analyte gas and an electrolyte within the sensor housing in ionic contact with the working electrode. |
| US10948445B2 |
Method and gas sensor arrangement for determining an absolute gas concentration with a gas sensor and decomposing gas to be measured
A method and a gas sensor arrangement for determining an absolute gas concentration with a gas sensor and a decomposing gas to be measured are disclosed. In an embodiment a method includes acquiring a first sensor signal and determining from the first sensor signal at least one initial data point, decomposing the gas to be measured using a means for decomposing the gas of the gas sensor arrangement, acquiring a second sensor signal and determining from the second sensor signal at least one decay data point and deriving an absolute gas concentration from a gas concentration function realized as a mathematical function by evaluating the gas concentration function at least for the at least one initial data point and the at least one decay data point. |
| US10948444B2 |
Conductivity sensor
The present disclosure relates to a sensor and a measuring system and a sensor network that incorporate one or more such sensors. An example sensor could be configured to measure a conductivity of a liquid. The sensor includes a first electrode and a second electrode, each electrode having a surface area, wherein the surface area of the electrodes determines a cell constant of the sensor (Kcell), and wherein at least one of the electrodes is provided with a switching means arranged so that the surface area of the respective electrode can be changed, thereby varying the cell constant (Kcell) of the sensor. |
| US10948441B2 |
High-resolution in situ electrochemical NMR with interdigitated electrodes
A system for carrying out electrochemical nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (EC-NMR) is disclosed, along with methods of manufacturing the EC-NMR system, and methods of using the EC-NMR system to monitor electrochemical reactions. The system comprises interdigitated electrodes arranged in a cylindrically symmetric manner. The system allows for nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to be carried out on a sample during electrolysis with minimal effect to its sensitivity. |
| US10948439B2 |
Methods and systems for measuring pore volume compressibility with low field nuclear magnetic resonance techniques
Systems, methods, and apparatuses for determining pore volume and pore volume compressibility of secondary porosity in rock samples is disclosed. In some implementations, determining a pore volume of a secondary porosity in a rock core sample may include saturating the rock sample with deuterium oxide (D2O) by applying a vacuum to the core sample covered by D2O; centrifuging the saturated rock sample at a selected rotational speed in the presence of a second fluid to displace a portion of the D2O from the rock sample with the second fluid; measuring the rock sample with low-field 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to determine a volume of the second fluid within the rock sample; and determining a pore volume associated with a secondary porosity based on the volume of the second fluid within the rock sample. |
| US10948437B2 |
Method for analysis using X-ray fluorescence
The present invention is a method to quantify biomarkers. The method uses an X-ray florescence spectrometer to perform an X-ray fluorescence analysis on the sample to obtain spectral features derived from the biomarker; and quantifying the X-ray fluorescence signal of the biomarker. |
| US10948433B2 |
Device for clamping and controlling the temperature of planar samples for x-ray diffractometry
The invention relates to an apparatus (1) for clamping flat samples (6), in particular pouch battery cells, for x-ray diffractometry, wherein the apparatus has a housing (2) having a sample holder (4), which has holding elements (5) that are able to be tensioned in relation to one another for clamping the sample (6), at least two x-ray windows (11a, 11b, 12) for letting in and out x-rays, and at least one first temperature control device (7) for controlling the temperature of the sample (6). At least one first temperature control device (7) is in each case attached to the holding elements (5), wherein the first temperature control devices (7) are thermally coupled to the housing (2), and the apparatus has at least one second temperature control device (9), which is configured to dissipate heat, which is output by the first temperature control device (7) to the housing (2), out of the housing (3) to the outside and/or to introduce heat from the outside into the housing (2). |
| US10948429B2 |
Rock sample preparation method by using focused ion beam for minimizing curtain effect
A process for the preparation and imaging of a sample of rock from an oil and gas reservoir is provided. A sample of reservoir rock may be obtained, such as from a core sample obtained using a core sampling tool inserted in a wellbore extending into an oil and gas reservoir. A photoresist may be deposited on the surface of reservoir rock sample to form a homogenous layer. The photoresist-coated surface of the reservoir rock sample may be imaged using a focused ion beam (FIB). The photoresist protects the pores and other surface features of the rock from damage or implantation by the FIB ion beam and thus minimizes the curtain effect in the resulting images. |
| US10948427B2 |
Scanned image correction apparatus, method and mobile scanning device
The present disclosure provides a scanned image correction apparatus, method and a mobile scanning device. The apparatus includes an image collector, an arm swing detector, and an image processor. The image collector is configured to collect a scanned image of an object under inspection during a scanning process of scanning the object under inspection by the mobile scanning device, and determine an image parameter of the scanned image. The arm swing detector is disposed at a monitor point on a detector arm of the mobile scanning device, and configured to detect a displacement offset of the detector arm in a specified direction and build an arm swing model of the detector arm. The image processor is configured to determine a change relationship between the image parameter of the scanned image and the displacement offset of the detector arm, and correct the scanned image based on the change relationship. |
| US10948425B2 |
X-ray inspection apparatus for inspecting semiconductor wafers
An x-ray inspection system includes an x-ray source, a sample support for supporting a sample to be inspected, where the sample support includes a support surface extending in a horizontal plane, an x-ray detector, and a sample support positioning assembly for positioning the sample support relative to the x-ray source or x-ray detector. The sample positioning assembly includes a vertical positioning mechanism for moving the sample support in a vertical direction, orthogonal to the horizontal plane, and a first horizontal positioning mechanism for moving both the sample support and the vertical positioning mechanism in a first horizontal direction. This arrangement allows for accurate movement of the sample to different imaging positions in the horizontal plane and a low power vertical positioning mechanism to be used. |
| US10948423B2 |
Sensitive particle detection with spatially-varying polarization rotator and polarizer
A dark-field inspection system may include an illumination source to generate an illumination beam, illumination optics configured to direct the illumination beam to a sample at an off-axis angle along an illumination direction, collection optics to collect scattered light from the sample in response to the illumination beam in a dark-field mode, a polarization rotator located at a pupil plane of the one or more collection optics, where the polarization rotator provides a spatially-varying polarization rotation angle selected to rotate light scattered from a surface of the sample to a selected polarization angle, a polarizer aligned to reject light polarized along the selected polarization angle to reject the light scattered from a surface of the sample, and a detector to generate a dark-field image of the sample based on scattered light from the sample passed by the polarizer. |
| US10948419B2 |
Concentration measurement method
A concentration measurement method is a method for measuring a concentration of an analyte in a measurement solution containing the analyte having reducing action, and includes a mixing step of preparing a mixture solution by mixing a metal ion solution, a complexing agent, and a pH adjusting agent to prepare an intermediate mixture solution, and mixing the intermediate mixture solution and the measurement solution, a metal microstructure generation step of generating a metal microstructure on a support by reducing metal ions in the mixture solution by the reducing action of the analyte in the mixture solution, a measurement step of measuring an optical response of the metal microstructure on the support, and an analysis step of determining a concentration of the analyte in the measurement solution on the basis of a measurement result of the optical response. |
| US10948417B2 |
Method for identifying Raman spectrogram and electronic apparatus
The disclosure provides a method for identifying a Raman spectrum and an electronic apparatus. The method includes steps of: measuring a Raman spectrum of a substance to be detected so as to obtain a measured spectrogram, the measured spectrogram including a series of data; extracting peak information of the measured spectrogram, the peak information including a peak intensity, a peak position and a peak area; comparing the peak information of the measured spectrogram with peak information of a prestored standard spectrogram so as to identify whether or not the peak information of the measured spectrogram matches the peak information of the standard spectrogram; and comparing, when identifying that the peak information of the measured spectrogram matches the peak information of the standard spectrogram, data of the measured spectrogram with data of the prestored standard spectrogram, so as to further identify whether or not the measured spectrogram matches the standard spectrogram. |
| US10948409B2 |
Method and apparatus for calculating electromagnetic scattering properties of finite periodic structures
A method of determining electromagnetic scattering properties of a finite periodic structure has the steps: 1002: Calculating a single-cell contrast current density, within a unit-cell supporting domain of a single one of a finite collection of unit cells. 1004: Calculating a scattered electric field outside the finite collection of unit cells, by integrating, over the single unit cell's supporting domain, a Green's function with the determined single-cell contrast current density. 1006: The Green's function is obtained for observation points outside the finite collection of unit cells by summation across the finite collection of unit cells. The Green's function integrated with the determined single-cell contrast current density is obtained for observation points above the supporting domain with respect to a substrate underlying the finite periodic structure. 1008: Determining an electromagnetic scattering property, for example a diffraction pattern, of the finite periodic structure using the calculated scattered electric field. |
| US10948408B2 |
Toroidal multipass absorption device
A toroidal optical device can include a ring mirror defining a toroidal optical cavity symmetric about an axis and an optical coupler situated inside the toroidal optical cavity. The optical coupler can be situated to direct an input light first received from outside the toroidal optical cavity propagating inside the toroidal optical cavity, to multiply reflect from the ring mirror inside the toroidal optical cavity. A method includes producing one or more additional ring mirrors defining a toroidal optical cavity symmetric about a sagittal axis using a first ring mirror as a master form, and affixing an optical coupler inside the optical cavity to at least one of the one or more additional ring mirrors. |
| US10948405B2 |
Gas sensor
The present invention relates to a gas sensor employing a non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) scheme. The gas sensor may comprise: a light source portion for emitting light; a light cavity portion for multi-reflecting the emitted light; a light detecting portion for detecting the multi-reflected light; a first light coupling portion for reflecting and concentrating the light emitted by the light source portion toward the light cavity portion; and a second light coupling portion for reflecting and concentrating the light reflected by the light cavity portion toward the light detecting portion. The first light coupling portion may comprise a light emitting surface that faces a side surface of the light cavity portion and has a via hole through which light passes, and a reflecting surface extending from the light emitting surface so as to surround the upper portion and the side portion of the light source portion such that light emitted by the light source portion is reflected toward the via hole of the light emitting surface. The second light coupling portion may comprise a light incident surface that faces a side surface of the light cavity portion and has a via hole through which light incident from the light cavity portion passes, and a reflecting surface extending from the light incident surface so as to surround the upper portion and the side portion of the light detecting portion such that light incident from the light cavity portion is reflected toward the light detecting portion. |
| US10948397B2 |
Particle characterisation in open optical resonator cavity
Characteristics of polarizable particles in a fluid are detected using an optical cavity comprising opposed optical reflectors containing the fluid. A particle is introduced through the fluid into the optical cavity. The particle may be transiently in the cavity or optically trapped. The optical cavity containing the particle is illuminated with light that excites resonance of an optical mode of the optical cavity that is affected by the particle. A measurement of a parameter of the excited resonance is derived, for example while tuning through the resonance. Repeated measurements may be used to derive a measure of a characteristic of the particle that is dependent on the motion of the particle in the optical cavity. |
| US10948395B2 |
Biosensor and biochip
What provided is a biosensor including: a substrate having a surface with first and second regions adjacent each other; a magnetoresistance effect element disposed on the first region; a soft magnetic thin film on the second region; a protective film disposed on both the first region and the second region, covering a surface of the soft magnetic thin film, and disposed on the top part of the second region and contains an affinity substance recognizing the biomolecule on the outer surface of the second region exclusively; and an MR cover film disposed on at least the top part of the first region, disposed on the protective film above the magnetoresistance effect element, and being free of the affinity substance, wherein the soft magnetic thin film transmits an in-plane component of a stray magnetic field of magnetic beads to the magnetoresistance effect element. |
| US10948391B2 |
Airborne particle detection system with orientation-dependent particle discrimination
A method for analyzing particles includes concentrating the particles in an interior region of an air stream, generating a thermal gradient to deflect the concentrated particles from the interior region of the air stream to a peripheral region of the air stream, receiving orientation information, and adjusting the thermal gradient in response to the received orientation information. The particles may be concentrated in the interior of the air stream with at least two heater elements positioned near a periphery of the air stream and configured to cooperatively force particles away from the periphery and towards the interior region of the air stream. The orientation information may include gravity vector component information or angular rate component information in one, two or three substantially orthogonal directions relative to the air stream. Various systems for airborne particle detection with orientation-dependent particle discrimination are disclosed. |
| US10948386B2 |
Collection device and material
Swabs, materials and methods of making the same include randomly arranged sea-island bicomponent fibers which have randomly splayed terminal ends. According to certain embodiments, swabs are provide which include an applicator, and sea-island bicomponent fibers attached to the applicator, wherein at least about 70% of the fibers comprise randomly splayed terminal ends of the islands of said bicomponent fibers along a length of about 45% or less from said ends, and wherein the bicomponent fibers comprise 10-3000 island parts per fiber. |
| US10948385B2 |
Collection device and material
Swabs, materials, and methods of making same, include randomly arranged sea-island bicomponent fibers. According to certain embodiments, swabs and methods of using such swabs are provided so as to collect and release a biological sample comprising a flock fiber tipped applicator wherein the flock fibers are sea-island bicomponent fibers attached to an end portion of the applicator with an adhesive selected from the group consisting of a photocurable acrylic adhesive and a polyurethane adhesive, the bicomponent fibers being structurally stable in water and the sea component of the bicomponent flock fibers being intact. |
| US10948383B2 |
Method for controlling engine bench system
This method for controlling an engine bench system is provided with: a speed control step in which speed control of a dynamometer is executed while an engine is maintained in a non-ignition state, and in which the speed control is ended when the rotational speed of the dynamometer has increased to a prescribed speed; a measuring step in which a shaft torque detection signal is acquired during a period from when, as a result of inertia, the rotational speed of the dynamometer is a prescribed measuring start speed until said rotational speed reaches a prescribed measuring end speed; a frequency analyzing step in which the frequency of the signal having the strongest intensity, from among the shaft torque detection signals acquired in the measuring step, is acquired as a resonant frequency; a design step in which a control gain of a dynamometer control device is determined using the acquired resonant frequency. |
| US10948367B2 |
Input interface device with semiconductor strain gage
The invention provides for an interface device that measures strain on a specific area of the printed circuit board. The measurements are converted into an electrical signal and sent for processing. The processing results in the apparatus performing a desired function.The interface device includes a printed circuit board. The printed circuit board comprises a plurality of layers, including a conductive layer. The interface device further includes a strain sensing device. The strain sensing device is mounted on the printed circuit board and includes a substrate, a strain sensing element, and associated circuitry. In some instances, the strain sensing device includes one strain sensing element and in other instances multiple strain sensing elements can also be used. In one embodiment, the strain sensing device can include a piezoresistive strain gage combined with signal conditioning circuitry such that a single electronic component can be mounted on the printed circuit board for reduced cost and improved signal-to-noise performance.In operation, a user or another device applies force on the printed circuit board in the area of the strain sensing device. The strain sensitive element deforms in response to the applied force or strain on the printed circuit board. The deformation results in the change of resistance or conductivity of the strain sensitive element. The associated circuitry, which can be a signal conditioning circuit, converts the change in resistance or conductivity into a digital signal.Once the conversion occurs, the associated circuitry uses the conductive layer of the printed circuit board to communicate the digital signal to either the processor or the processing circuit of the electronic apparatus. The processor or processing circuit receives the digital signal and responds by performing a desired action.In one instance the interface device may be used to measure the magnitude of the force applied by a finger pressing on the touch screen of an electronic apparatus such as a cell phone. The magnitude of the applied force can then be used to control, the operation of the cell phone. A high magnitude force would result in a higher strain being sensed and can cause the apparatus to operate in one way, whereas a low magnitude force would result in a lower strain being sensed and can cause the apparatus to operate in another way, e.g., in a mobile phone environment where an application is used to draw a picture, a light force applied to the touch screen could be processed to result in a thin line being drawn and a stronger force could be processed to result in a wider line being drawn.In another instance the interface device may be used to measure the magnitude of the force applied to a control toggle on the steering wheel of a car. The toggle may be used to control the intensity of the sound emitted from the audio system in the car. A high magnitude force could be processed to cause the intensity of the sound to change rapidly whereas a low magnitude force could be processed to cause the intensity of the sound to change slowly. |
| US10948366B2 |
Flexible sensors incorporating piezoresistive composite materials and fabrication methods
A flexible sensor includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a piezoresistive element incorporating piezoresistive composite material arranged between the first electrode and the second electrode. Piezoresistive composite materials include a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) and a conductive filler material (e.g., carbon), may have an elastic modulus value of preferably less than about 1×10−3 GPa, and exhibit a change in electrical resistance responsive to a change in pressure applied thereto. Exemplary flexible sensors may have a thickness and a feel similar to human skin, may be amenable to simple fabrication techniques (e.g., fused filament fabrication (FFF) three-dimensional (3D) printing or molding), and can be manufactured into user-specific geometries. |
| US10948362B2 |
Predicting temperature response
After the temperature response to a single period of heating (SAR segment) is determined, temperature increases for an arbitrary timecourse of heating is determined based upon a convolution of the temperature response curve for a sequence of different SAR segments. |
| US10948361B2 |
Thermochromic liquid crystal temperature indicator
A new and useful thermochromic liquid crystal Indicator is disclosed that provides an indication of the temperature of the Object to which the Indicator is attached, and is an improvement over the existing art for at least the fact that the impact of ambient air circulating around the Indicator and circulating the Object is reduced by several means, such as i) the use of a novel cap or housing to isolate the liquid crystal Structure from ambient air and from touching or ii) using a novel liquid crystal formulation that reduces the reaction time of the thermochromic liquid crystal contained in the Indicator to changing temperatures conveyed by the ambient air. The new and useful liquid crystal Indicator can also employ either a template or a colored filter as a mask that narrows the colors and narrows the range of temperatures indicated by the Indicator. Further, the new and useful Indicator can also employ a new manner in which to indicate that a predetermined temperature or predetermined temperature range has been reached in that it eliminates the confusion arising from the use of multiple temperature indicating panels that were present in the prior art devices. |
| US10948357B2 |
Smart parts: embedded sensors for use in additive manufactured parts
A smart part comprising: a body, manufactured by a three dimensional (3D) additive manufacturing (AM) process, having high-stress and low-stress sections, wherein when the smart part is in operational use the high-stress section is subjected to higher stress than the low-stress section; a resistive strain gauge embedded within the body during the AM process at the high-stress section, wherein the strain gauge is configured to produce a variable output; and a temperature sensor embedded within the body during the AM process at the low-stress section, wherein the temperature sensor is configured to produce a variable output based on temperature. |
| US10948356B1 |
Measuring wavelength of light
In a general aspect, a wavelength of light is measured. In some aspects, a wavelength measurement system includes an interferometer, a camera system, a sensor and a control system. The interferometer includes two reflective surfaces and a transmission medium between the two reflective surfaces. The interferometer is configured to receive an optical signal from a laser and produce an interferogram in response. The camera system is configured to receive the interferogram from the interferometer and generate interferogram data in response. The interferogram data represents the interferogram received from the interferometer. The sensor is configured to sense an environmental parameter of the transmission medium and generate sensor data in response. The control system is configured to perform operations including, receiving the interferogram data from the camera system and the sensor data from the sensor; and computing a wavelength of the laser based on the interferogram data and the sensor data. |
| US10948355B2 |
High resolution thermopile infrared sensor array having monolithically integrated signal processing
A high-resolution thermopile infrared sensor array having monolithically integrated signal processing and a plurality of parallel signal processing channels for the signals from pixels of a sensor array, and a digital port for the serial output of the pixel signals are provided, wherein the sensor array is located on one or more sensor chips. The thermal piled infrared sensor array possesses low power loss, high integration density and high thermal and geometric resolution. Each signal processing channel (K1 . . . KN) has at least one analogue/digital converter (ADC), and is assigned a memory region in a memory (RAM) for storing the signals from the pixels (SE). |
| US10948354B2 |
Measuring people-flow through doorways using easy-to-install IR array sensors
A method of measuring people flow through a doorway using a low-resolution, low-cost infrared array is disclosed. The method includes reading a sequence of sensor data frames from the infrared array; determining a background temperature frame; determining whether sensor data frames include at least one person using noise filtering techniques; identifying at least one group of adjacent pixels corresponding to the at least one person; determining at least one location corresponding to the at least one person; and determining whether the at least one person is a same person as a person in a previous sensor data frame. Based on the matching of a same person through multiple sensor data frames, direction of movement and entry/exit events can be determined. The entry/exit events can advantageously be used to operate and HVAC system, security system, or other such system more efficiently and effectively. |
| US10948346B2 |
Spectrometer, apparatus and method for measuring biometric information
A spectrometer according to one aspect may include a plurality of light sources configured to emit light to a target object, a plurality of wavelength controllers installed on one surface of each of the plurality of light sources and configured to adjust a peak wavelength band of each of the light sources, and a detection unit configured to detect light returning from the target object. |
| US10948345B2 |
Handheld laser fluorescence spectrum probe assembly
The present disclosure provides a handheld laser fluorescence spectrum probe assembly, which relates to the technical field of fluorescence spectrum detection, and is designed for solving the problem of low detection precision with fluorescence spectrum detection. The handheld laser fluorescence spectrum probe assembly includes a handheld pen-like tube, an optical fiber, and a tube sleeve, wherein a first end of the tube sleeve is detachably connected with a first end of the handheld pen-like tube; a first end of the optical fiber is inserted in the handheld pen-like tube from a second end of the handheld pen-like tube, the first end of the optical fiber is connected with a dodging lens, and a distance between an end face of an end of the dodging lens away from the optical fiber and an end face of a second end of the tube sleeve is 22-28 mm. |
| US10948343B2 |
Optical module and electronic apparatus
An optical module includes a substrate that has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface and provided with a first hole portion having an opening surface on at least the first surface, an optical element that is provided on the substrate, the optical element having an optical axis located along a thickness direction from the first surface toward the second surface and located in the first hole portion, and a first light shielding portion that is provided on an inner peripheral surface which intersects the opening surface of the first hole portion and has a higher light shielding property than the substrate. |
| US10948342B2 |
Bell state measurement apparatus based on single-mode optical fiber
The present invention relates to a Bell state measurement apparatus capable of increasing a probability in which a determination that a Bell state measurement fails by using an optical fiber. |
| US10948341B2 |
Optical information collection system
An optical information collection system includes a neuromorphic sensor to collect optical information from a scene in response to change in photon flux detected at a plurality of photoreceptors of the neuromorphic sensor. A sensor stimulator stimulates a subset of the plurality of photoreceptors according to an eye movement pattern in response to a control command. A controller generates the control command that includes instructions to execute the eye movement pattern. |
| US10948338B2 |
Digital product label generation using modular scale device
The system and method described herein enable generating digital product labels for products that are valued by weight. Product identification data of a product is received via at least one of a user interface and a network interface. Value per weight data of the product is obtained from a product data store via the network interface. A weight value is determined from at least one scale device via the network interface and a product value is calculated based on the obtained value per weight data and the determined weight value. A digital product label is generated, including at least a portion of the product identification data and product value. The disclosure provides systems and methods that use multiple modular devices, such as the scale devices, printers, and product attribute collector devices, that provide flexibility in organizing the system and reduced cost in initial setup and replacement of devices in the system. |
| US10948337B2 |
Control device for setting parameters of combination weighing apparatuses, combination weighing apparatus, and combination weighing apparatus system utilizing such control device
A control device for combination weighing apparatuses includes: an acquisition unit capable of acquiring, from a plurality of combination weighing apparatuses, parameters relating to combination weighing that are set for the combination weighing apparatuses; and a controller configured to collect the parameters from the combination weighing apparatuses from which acquiring the parameters via the acquisition unit is possible, to generate, based on the collected parameters, setting parameters to set for some of the combination weighing apparatuses among the combination weighing apparatuses from which acquiring via the acquisition unit is possible, and to transmit the setting parameters to some of the combination weighing apparatuses from which acquiring via the acquisition unit is possible. |
| US10948335B2 |
Liquid volumetric measurement device
A cartridge for evaluating the volume of an aliquot of liquid is described. The cartridge can have one or more well tabs that pivot into a position in which liquid dispensed into a corresponding well is placed in contact with a capillary and surface tension draws the liquid from the well into the capillary. Comparison of the liquid-air interface with markings on or near the capillary, can reveal the volume of liquid dispensed. One or more additional features, such as well tabs that are stable in a substantially vertical orientation and/or a groove for protecting and/or self-aligning the capillary can ensure that the device operates properly. |
| US10948333B2 |
Radar level indicator having a short measurement time
A radar level indicator comprising a processor, an analogue-digital converter circuit and an intermediate memory connected therebetween. The intermediate memory is configured to receive digital signals from the analogue-digital converter circuit at a first data rate. The processor is configured to read out the intermediate memory at a second data rate that is different from the first data rate. It is thus possible to reduce the transmission time while maintaining the same energy requirement. |
| US10948332B2 |
Radar level gauge with disconnection of energy store
A radar level gauge comprising transceiver circuitry, a propagation device and processing circuitry for determining a value of the process variable based on a relationship between a transmit signal and a return signal. The gauge has a DC/DC converter connected to a power supply interface, and configured to convert a first voltage to a second voltage, lower than the first voltage, and an energy storage. The gauge further has a switch, connected between the DC/DC converter and the energy storage, the switch having a non-conducting state for disconnecting the energy storage from the DC/DC converter when the transceiver circuitry is active, and a conducting state for connecting the energy storage to the DC/DC converter only when the transceiver circuitry is inactive. |
| US10948326B2 |
Soap, sanitizer and lotion dispensers having adjustable volume outputs
A variable dose dispenser includes a housing, a sensor, a pump actuator, a drive mechanism and an adjustable drive member. The adjustable drive member is configured to connect to the drive mechanism in a first position and a second position. The adjustable drive member has a first surface with a first drive peg and a second surface with a second drive peg. The first drive peg is offset from a center of the adjustable drive member a first distance that is greater distance than the offset distance of the second drive peg. One of the first drive peg and the second drive peg engages the actuator and the other engage the drive mechanism. The adjustable drive member is secured to the pump actuator in a first position to dispense a first dose size and in a second position to dispense a second dose size. |
| US10948325B2 |
Metering device and associated unloading methods for hopper-bottomed storage bins
A metering device for metered dispensing of granular material from a hopper bottom storage bin. The device features a metering housing having a housing inlet for receiving said granular material from a hopper outlet of the storage bin, and a housing outlet from which the granular material is dispensable from the housing. A metering mechanism driven by an onboard motor is operable within the housing to dispense the granular material through the housing outlet in a metered fashion. A mounting arrangement is attachable to the storage bin in a position suspending the metering housing below the hopper outlet. The housing is movable into and out of a working position aligned under the hopper outlet, and can also be adjusted in tilt angle to achieve a properly leveled alignment in the working position. |
| US10948321B2 |
Sensor assembly for a sensor, sensor, and measuring system formed therewith
The sensor assembly comprises: a bowl shaped, namely at least sectionally dished, membrane, with a curved surface and an oppositely lying surface; and a sensor blade extending from curved surface of the membrane. The membrane is so formed that at least one region of the curved surface adjoining the sensor blade is convex. A sensor formed by means of such a sensor assembly and by means of a transducer element coupled therewith and serving for generating a sensor signal representing movements of the sensor blade changing as a function of time and/or deformations of the membrane changing as a function of time, or a measuring system formed by means of the sensor and a measuring electronics connected thereto, can be used for registering pressure fluctuations in a flowing fluid, such as, for instance, a 400 C hot steam, for instance, in order to measure a flow parameter of the fluid. |
| US10948319B2 |
Electrical process control sensor assemblies
An electrical process control sensor assembly 10 for sensing a process or machine parameter, the assembly 10 including a sensor body 12 and a head 14, the body 12 defining a body interior 20. The assembly includes a sensing device 22 at least partially located in the body interior 20. The head 14 defines a head interior 24 which communicates with the body interior 20. The assembly 10 includes a connector arrangement 26 located in the head interior 24. The assembly 10 includes internal communicating members 28 extending between the sensing device 22 and the connector arrangement 26, the connector arrangement 26 connecting, in an installed condition, the internal communicating members 28 to external communicating members 30 to permit electrical communication therebetween. The head 14 defines a port 34 through which the external connecting members 30 are located in the installed condition. The assembly 10 includes a mounting 48 for mounting the head 14 to the body 12 which is arranged to permit adjustment of the orientation of the head 14 relative to the body 12. |
| US10948317B2 |
Measuring device and method for obtaining amount of deviation of measuring device
A measuring device includes a disc-shaped base substrate, sensor electrodes arranged circumferentially along a periphery of the base substrate, a high frequency oscillator configured to apply a high frequency signal to the sensor electrodes, C/V conversion circuits, each being configured to convert a voltage amplitude at a corresponding sensor electrode among the sensor electrodes to a voltage signal indicating an electrostatic capacitance, an A/D converter configured to convert the voltage signal outputted from each of the C/V conversion circuits to a digital value, and a switching mechanism configured to switch each sensor electrode of the sensor electrodes between a first state in which the sensor electrodes are electrically connected to the C/V conversion circuits and a second state in which electrode pairs are connected to different C/V conversion circuits among the C/V conversion circuits. Each electrode pair includes circumferentially adjacent two sensor electrodes among the sensor electrodes. |
| US10948315B2 |
Magnetic position detecting device and method
A magnetic position detecting device and a method for detecting a magnetic position are provided. An induced voltage is generated by changing a position between a pattern of an inductive ruler and an alternating magnetic field of an exciting element. A position of the exciting element is resolved by a technical means of voltage resolution for positions. |
| US10948314B2 |
Position detector
A method for determining the position of a rotor in an electronically commuted motor. The method comprises the steps of calculating the rotation angle using three Hall-sensors; identifying and correcting phase errors; and determining and correcting cyclic errors. |
| US10948312B2 |
Environmental monitoring systems, methods and media
A system for monitoring a physical environmental property having non-stationary heteroscedastic noise is disclosed. A processor receives physical environmental measurement data, and constructs a combined input and output noise levels matrix containing output noise terms associated with the physical environmental property and input noise terms associated with the at least one independent variable. Using the combined input and output noise levels matrix, the processor constructs a main Gaussian Processes (GP) model for the physical environmental property and its non-stationary heteroscedastic noise. The processor generates and co-operates with the output device to perceptibly output a predictive probabilistic representation of the environmental property, using the main GP model. The predictive probabilistic representation includes a respective range of possible values of the physical environmental property for each respective value of the independent variable(s), the range reflecting both the input noise terms and the output noise terms. |
| US10948311B2 |
Electronic reliability enhancement of a physical quantity sensor
A sensor includes a detection element that outputs a detection signal corresponding to a physical quantity, a detection circuit that outputs a physical quantity signal corresponding to the physical quantity, first to third diagnosis circuits. The first diagnosis circuit is configured to receive a signal input to the detection circuit and a signal output from the detection circuit, to output an error signal in a case where the detection circuit is abnormal. The second diagnosis circuit is configured to input a diagnosis signal to the first diagnosis circuit. The second diagnosis circuit is configured to input, to the first diagnosis circuit, another of the signal input to the detection circuit and the signal output from the detection circuit. The third diagnosis circuit monitors whether or not the diagnosis signal is input from the second diagnosis circuit to the first diagnosis circuit. |
| US10948308B2 |
Systems and methods for adaptive content filtering
Technologies are disclosed herein for selecting one or more content instances of a plurality of content instances for display on a head unit of a vehicle. The content instances correspond to a location of a vehicle and are received by the head unit. The head unit obtains vehicle specific information from memory of the head unit. Based on the vehicle specific information, the head unit selects the one or more content instances using a set of criteria for determining which, if any, content instances to display. Selection of the one or more content instances using the set of criteria may involve consideration of information associated with individual instances of the plurality of content instances. The selected one or more content instances are displayed on a display of the head unit. |
| US10948307B2 |
Enhanced route selection techniques for electric vehicles
A navigation device and method provide a route to a destination. The navigation device includes a processor configured to receive a starting location at a navigation device associated with a user and receive a destination location at the navigation device. The navigation device also includes a display including a user interface configured to display one or more routes from the starting location to the destination location with an indication of a charging metric of each of the one or more routes. |
| US10948306B2 |
Method and apparatus for route planning incorporating charging needs
A system includes a processor configured to determine a projected vehicle arrival time at a destination point. The processor is also configured to determine a projected hailed-ride arrival time at the destination point and, responsive to the projected vehicle arrival time being within a predefined threshold of the projected hailed-ride arrival time, request a hailed-ride to arrive at the destination point. |
| US10948304B2 |
Method and apparatus for creating underground or interior drone routes
An approach is provided for creating underground drone routes. The approach, for example, involves querying digital map data for at least one underground and/or interior passageway to reach a destination of the drone. The digital map data includes location data for a plurality of entry points, a plurality of exit points, or a combination thereof to the network of underground and/or interior passageways. The approach also involves generating a route to the destination via the at least one underground passageway based on the location data. |
| US10948300B2 |
Systems and methods for path determination
The present disclosure is related to systems and methods for open-surface navigation for a vehicle based on a time-space map. The method includes determining a time-space map of a first area. The time-space map may include a plurality of time-space grids. Each time-space grid may include temporal information and geographic information corresponding to the time-space grid. The method also includes obtaining obstacle status of each of one or more obstacles corresponding to a first time period. The method also includes determining a plurality of navigable grids and a plurality of unnavigable grids among the plurality of time-space grids, based on the obstacle status. The method further includes determining a path for the vehicle based on the plurality of navigable grids. |
| US10948299B1 |
Relative inertial measurement system with visual correction
Methods and systems for relative inertial measurement may include a user device comprising an inertial measurement device and/or a camera. A second inertial measurement device may be configured to move with a reference frame. One or more processors may receive inertial measurements from the first and second inertial measurement devices and determine movement of the user device relative to the reference frame by comparing the received inertial measurements. Additionally reference objects in a view of a camera may be used to calibrate the determined motion of the user device within the reference frame. |
| US10948298B2 |
Inertial unit with suspended inertial device
Equipment including an inertial detector device provided with fastener studs enabling the inertial device to be fastened to a support frame. At least one of the fastener studs has two elements, one of which elements is fastened to the support frame and has a bearing surface that is in contact with a bearing surface of the support frame. The other element is fastened to the inertial device and has a bearing surface that is in contact with a bearing surface of the inertial device, which two elements are suspended relative to each other by means of a body made of elastically deformable material. At least one of the elements is fastened by at least one screw. The corresponding bearing surfaces is provided respectively with a centering portion and with a housing for receiving said centering portion with a fit that allows clearance of no more than 50 μm. |
| US10948295B2 |
Auto phase control drive circuit for gyroscope apparatus
An auto phase control drive circuit for a gyroscope apparatus is disclosed. The gyroscope apparatus has a gyro resonator, and the circuit comprises a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit includes a first electrode configured to face the gyro resonator, a first amplifier configured to be electrically connected with the first electrode and output a first signal, a variable capacitor electrically connected with the first amplifier, a second electrode configured to face the gyro resonator, to receive a second signal and to be electrically connected with the variable capacitor. The second circuit is configured to be electrically connected with the first circuit and to change a capacitance of the variable capacitor of the first circuit based on the first signal and the second signal to decrease a phase difference between the first signal and the second signal. |
| US10948294B2 |
MEMS gyroscopes with in-line springs and related systems and methods
Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices (such as gyroscopes) configured to reject quadrature motion are described. Quadrature motion arises for example when the drive motion of a gyroscope couples to the sense motion of a gyroscope even in the absence of an angular motion. In some circumstances, quadrature motion may result from the fact that the springs used in a gyroscope have slanted sidewall, which can impart torque in the mechanics of the gyroscope. MEMS gyroscope of the type described herein may be configured to reject quadrature motion by using only springs oriented substantially parallel to the drive direction. One such spring includes only beams parallel the drive directions, and optionally. These MEMS gyroscopes may be used to sense, among others, roll and pitch angular rates. |
| US10948293B2 |
Polarized radio frequency (RF) roll, pitch and yaw angle sensors and orientation misalignment sensors
A cavity sensor including: a body defining a cavity, the cavity having an opening on one end and a closed surface on other end; a reflective surface disposed in the cavity, the reflective surface being angled 45 degrees relative to a propagation direction of an incoming wave through the opening; and first and second angle probes positioned on each of two ends of the reflective surface. Also provided is a cavity sensor including: a body defining a cavity, the body having two or more conduits, each having an opening, the body having a closed surface opposing the openings, and a probe positioned in the cavity at a position common to each of the two or more conduits. |
| US10948291B2 |
Spirit level having a spirit level body
A spirit level includes a spirit level body. At least one measurement surface is arranged along the spirit level body, and the spirit level body is formed by a hollow profile member—preferably of rectangular cross-section. The at least one measurement surface extends uninterruptedly along the hollow profile member. At at least one first or second side wall which is preferably formed at a right angle to the measurement surface is at least one opening for insertion of at least one magnet or magnetizable body into the cavity in the spirit level body. |
| US10948290B2 |
Method for detecting the tilt of a floating roof floating on a medium stored in a tank
The present disclosure concerns a method for detecting the tilt of a roof floating on a medium in a tank, wherein a radar level gauge is mounted in a fixed position on the tank and emits signals in the direction of the roof. The method includes: determining and recording the level of the floating roof during a period of time including some filling/emptying cycles of the medium in the tank, detecting and recording the echo amplitudes of the echo signals during said period of time, filtering the echo amplitudes and recording the filtered echo amplitudes, calculating the gradient of the filtered echo amplitudes, calculating a threshold value for a tolerable deviation of the gradient of the filtered echo amplitudes, and generating an alert message that a roof tilting is detected if the deviation of the gradient falls behind the threshold. |
| US10948289B2 |
System and method for calibrating sensors across loosely coupled consumer electronic devices
A base unit includes a sensor calibration function. When a user communicatively couples a consumer electronic device having a sensor to the base unit, a controller at the base unit retrieves a calibration reference value for the sensor and/or a sensor algorithm that utilizes data output by the sensor. The base unit then sends the calibration reference value to the consumer electronic device to set a sensor calibration parameter associated with the sensor and/or the sensor algorithm. |
| US10948287B1 |
Wearable device for spacing awareness
A wearable device for spacing awareness including a housing assembly and an electronics assembly is disclosed. The housing assembly includes a housing which includes a lens. The housing includes a securing clip at a rear side to easily attach the housing to a wearer. Within the housing is the electronics assembly. The electronics assembly includes sensors securing within the housing and behind the lens. The sensors being infrared sensors that detect when someone is too close to the wearer through heat detection. The lens help improve the function of the sensors. When the sensors detect a person is too close to the wear a laser beam is emitted. The laser beam indicates how far from the wearer other people must remain so that proper social distancing is achieved. With proper social distancing the likelihood of cross contamination from air borne diseases, bacteria and viruses is reduced. |
| US10948285B2 |
Three-dimensional measurement device mobile geometry verification
A method and system for inspecting an object is provided. The system includes a measurement device that measures 3D coordinates of points on a surface of the object. A display is coupled to the device and is sized to be carried by an operator. One or more processors cooperate with the measurement device, to perform a method comprising: determining 3D coordinates of the points while the object is being measured; aligning an electronic model of the object to the points while the object is being measured; determining a variance between the electronic model and the points while the object is being measured; and displaying on the display an indicator when the variance exceeds a threshold while the object is being measured. |
| US10948278B2 |
Calibrating a magnetic sensor
A calibration system comprising: a Helmholtz device comprising thee pairs of coils defining an inner volume, wherein each of the three pairs of coils is configured to generate a magnetic field that is uniform throughout the inner volume; a mount configured to accept a device that includes a magnetic sensor, wherein at least a portion of the mount is positioned within the inner volume such that the magnetic sensor is positioned at or near a center of the inner volume when the device is positioned on the mount; and a computer system configured to communicate with the Helmholtz device and the magnetic sensor, wherein the computer system is configured to: provide instructions to cause each of the three pairs of coils to generate a magnetic field; receive signals from the magnetic sensor that are based on characteristics of the magnetic fields received at the magnetic sensor; measure, based on the signals received from the magnetic sensor, one or more characteristics of the magnetic sensor; and determine, using a calibration algorithm, one or more calibration correction factors for the magnetic sensor based on the one or more characteristics of the magnetic sensor and the provided instructions. |
| US10948277B2 |
Cartridge and chamber gauges
A gauge with two probes measures a rifle chamber to determine the distance from the center of the shoulder to the start of the bore. A gauge with two holes measures a loaded cartridge to determine the distance from the center of the shoulder to the place on the bullet where the cross sectional diameter is the same as the bore of the rifle. The difference between these two measurements is bullet jump: the distance the bullet will move, upon firing, before it engages the rifling of the barrel. These same tools, properly sized, also provide a unique and convenient means for determining the cone angle of any conical surface. |
| US10948276B2 |
Pivotable bulkhead assembly for crimp resistance
According to an aspect a bulkhead assembly is provided having particular application with a downhole tool, in particular for oil well drilling applications. The bulkhead assembly includes a bulkhead body and an electrical contact component disposed within the bulkhead body, wherein at least a portion of the electrical contact component is configured to pivot about its own axis, without compromising its ability to provide a pressure and fluid barrier. In an embodiment, a ground apparatus is provided to provide an electrical connection for at least one ground wire. The ground apparatus may be positionable on the bulkhead body of the bulkhead assembly. In an aspect, a downhole tool including the bulkhead assembly and ground apparatus is also generally described. |
| US10948275B2 |
Polymer ammunition cartridge having a three-piece primer insert
The present invention provides a polymeric ammunition cartridge comprising: a three piece primer insert; a substantially cylindrical polymeric middle body extending about the three piece primer insert, wherein the substantially cylindrical polymeric middle body comprises: a substantially cylindrical polymeric bullet-end coupling element at a first end of the substantially cylindrical polymeric middle body opposite a substantially cylindrical polymeric coupling end connected by a powder chamber, wherein the substantially cylindrical polymeric coupling end extends over the substantially cylindrical coupling element and covers an circumferential surface of the primer flash hole aperture; and a substantially cylindrical polymeric bullet-end upper portion comprising a bullet-end coupling element connected to the substantially cylindrical polymeric bullet-end coupling element opposite a projectile aperture adapted to engage a bullet. |
| US10948268B2 |
Safety devices and methods of using a safety device
An example safety device includes a storage member, a membrane disposed within the chamber, a material disposed within the membrane, and an actuator moveably attached to the membrane. The storage member has a main body that defines a first opening, a chamber, and a windowed portion. Each of the first opening and the windowed portion provides access between the chamber and an environment exterior to the chamber. The membrane has a first configuration and a second configuration. The material is contained within the membrane when the membrane is in the first configuration and is in fluid communication with the environment exterior to the membrane when the membrane is in the second configuration. The actuator is moveable between a first position and a second position such that movement of the actuator results in movement of the membrane from the first configuration to the second configuration. |
| US10948267B2 |
Optical sight mounting system
An example optical sight mounting system comprises an optical sight having a base that can be secured to an adapter interface of a pistol slide. The base of the optical sight is configured to that it can be rotated into position within the adapter interface of the pistol slide. In this way, the optical sight can be mounted on a pistol and used to aim. Another example optical sight mounting system comprises an optical sight having a base that can be secured to an adapter interface of an optical sight mount. The base of the optical sight is configured so that it can be rotated into position within the adapter interface of the optical sight mount. The optical sight mount is configured to releasable engage a mounting interface of a firearm (e.g., a MIL-STD-1913 rail). In this way, the optical sight can be positioned on a firearm (e.g., a rifle) and used to aim. |
| US10948266B2 |
Attachable weapon light
A rail mountable device may be provided that is configured to be secured firmly to a rail. In one example, the rail mountable device may include a rail clamp that includes a screw, a screw receptacle, a first ramp member coupled to the screw, and a second ramp member coupled to the screw receptacle and configured to move relative to the screw receptacle. Additionally, the rail mountable device may include a removeable battery pack with a battery indicator. Furthermore, the rail mountable device may include a plurality of switches disposed on either side of the rail mountable device. The switches may be coupled to a bracket and a mode of the rail mountable device may be operated through manipulation of the switches. Additional embodiments and related methods are provided. |
| US10948264B1 |
Dual-emitter micro-dot sight
A dual-emitter micro-dot sight comprising a sight housing configured to mount to a shooting device, a first and a second light emitter each coupled to the sight housing, a beam combiner, a collimating lens, and a diverging lens. The beam combiner is configured to receive light from each of the first and the second light emitters and to guide the light to an optical path. The collimating lens is in the optical path and is configured to collimate the light from each of the first and the second light emitters. The diverging lens is in the optical path between the beam combiner and the collimating lens, and the diverging lens is configured to spread the light from each of the first and the second light emitters. The dual-emitter micro-dot sight may include windage and elevation adjustment mechanisms that are separate and independent for each of the first and the second light emitters. |
| US10948258B1 |
Archery accessory mounting bracket
An archery accessory mounting bracket is directly mounted with fasteners to an archery bow or crossbow; hung from a tree via a t-handle screw; secured to a tree with a belt; worn by an human with a belt; and engaged with a pipe. Further, an archery accessory mounting bracket is manufactured with a stud for three hundred sixty degrees of rotation for proper alignment of an archery accessory. The archery accessory mounting bracket includes a belt receiver opening for insertion of a belt. The belt may be retained on an individual or wrapped around an object such as a tree, tree stand, or hunting blind. A 360 degree archery accessory mounting base includes at least one t-screw receiver opening for a t-screw, a stud and at least one fastener hole. An archery accessory mounting bracket head includes a stud opening for receiving the stud and secured with a tension nut. |
| US10948255B2 |
Magazine floorplate with one or more accessories
A shooting rest is disclosed herein. The shooting rest comprises a body a removable tool attachable to the body. |
| US10948253B2 |
Sensor system for advanced smart weapons barrels
In one aspect, a sensor system for advanced smart weapons barrels includes one or more sensors, the sensors connected to a processor by way of conductive elements. The smart weapons barrel system may include one or more barrel segments, such segments being removably attached to each other. In certain embodiments, the sensors are positioned along the barrel segments and generate an electrical signal in response to a projectile being fired by the host firearm as the projectile moves past the respective sensor. The processor receives raw data from the sensor signal and may extrapolate and/or calculate further information in order to determine any number of a variety of metrics or other data analysis, including, but not limited to, round count projectile velocity, rate of fire, etc. |
| US10948251B1 |
Semi-automatic pistol slide pull attachment
A slide pull attachment for use on a slide of a semi-automatic pistol comprises a flexible, unitary sheet member having a longitudinal centerline and a lateral centerline, an adhesive material disposed on a rear surface of the sheet member for adhering the sheet member to a slide, and a contoured pull tab projecting upwardly from an upper surface of the sheet member. The contoured pull tab is located rearward of the lateral centerline and adjacent a first side edge of the sheet member. The attachment further comprises a plurality of spaced, parallel relief grooves extending longitudinally in the upper surface of the sheet member between a rearward edge of the sheet member and a forward edge thereof, and a plurality of spaced, parallel relief grooves extending laterally in the upper surface of the sheet member from a second side edge of the sheet member towards the first side edge. |
| US10948250B2 |
Caseless weapon (variants)
The disclosure relates to firearms, and more particularly to a caseless weapon for magazine, semi-automatic and automatic shot. The disclosed weapon includes: a removable adjustable front sight, a removable adjustable dioptrical sight, a forward grip, a gunstock, a magazine, a receiver cover, a cocking lever, a bolt carrier, a rod, a percussion piston, a shutter housing, a safety catch of the firing percussion, a balancing gear, a barrel, a barrel latch, a multifunctional cartridge, a conical bushing of receiver, an extractor, a receiver, a big front nut, a front swivel, a magazine latch, a magazine latch pusher, a safety latch, a safety catch, a trigger bar, a bracket of the percussion mechanism, a cocking piece, a multifunction latch lever, a stop of the multifunction latch, a lock pin splint, a latch of the ramrod, a spring of the latch of ramrod, a ramrod, a caseless ammunition. |
| US10948240B2 |
Vapor chamber structure
A vapor chamber structure includes a main body, a fan and perforations. The main body has a heat absorption section, a heat dissipation section and a chamber. The heat absorption section and the heat dissipation section are respectively horizontally disposed on left and right sides of the main body. The heat absorption section is attached to at least one heat source. The chamber is positioned at the heat absorption section and partially extends to the heat dissipation section. The chamber has a capillary structure and at least one perforated section. The perforated section is connected between an upper side and a lower side of the chamber. The fan is disposed on one side of the heat dissipation section. The perforations are formed through the parts of the main body, which parts are free from the chamber and the parts of the main body, where the perforated section is disposed. |
| US10948236B2 |
Heat exchanger and water heater including same
A heat exchanger includes a plurality of serpentine or U-shaped first heat transfer tubes disposed in a case and formed by connecting a plurality of straight tube body portions, which are arranged at intervals in an up-down height direction so as to extend in a horizontal direction, in series via a first connecting tube body portion, upper side and lower side header portions connected to respective end portions of the plurality of first heat transfer tubes, and a second heat transfer tube disposed in the case so that upper side and lower side end portions thereof are connected respectively to the upper side and lower side header portions and configured such that an intermediate region, which excludes at least the respective end portions and a region of an uppermost portion that is adjacent to the upper side end portion, is constituted by tube body portions that are tilted over the entire length thereof so as to gradually decrease in height from one end side toward another end side of the intermediate region. As a result, a malfunction in which a hot water supply operation becomes difficult due to freezing of the heat transfer tubes can be prevented appropriately. |
| US10948235B2 |
Sintering furnace for components made of sintered material, in particular, dental components
The invention relates to a sintering furnace for components made of a sintered material, in particular for dental components, comprising a furnace chamber having a chamber volume (VK) and a chamber inner surface (OK), wherein a heat-up device, a receiving space having a gross volume (VB) located in the chamber volume (VK) and delimited by the heat-up device, and a useful region having a useful volume (VN) located in the gross volume (VB), are disposed in the furnace chamber. The furnace chamber has an outer wall consisting of a plurality of walls having a wall portion to be opened for introduction into the receiving space of a component to be sintered and having an object volume (VO). In the furnace chamber the heat-up device has a thermal radiator having a radiation field which radiator is disposed on at least one side of the receiving space. Said thermal radiator has a specific resistance of 0.1 Ωmm2/m to 1,000,000 Ωmm2/m and has a total surface, the maximum of which is three times the chamber inner surface (OK). With this sintering furnace a heat-up temperature of at least 1100° C. can be achieved within 5 minutes at a maximum power input of 1.5 kW. |
| US10948234B1 |
System and method for heating materials
In a system and method for heating one or more materials, a system may comprise a constant current power supply and a furnace having a chamber for receiving the one or more materials. The furnace may comprise an insulating outer section a chamber wall, and two electrodes. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US10948232B2 |
Textile fiber drying
A method and a fiber-treatment system dry wet or damp fibers. A fiber mat (13) including wet or damp fibers is formed on a treatment band (31) which is moved in a conveying direction (x). An air flow (36, 36a) composed of heated drying air is generated in the fiber dryer (30). The heated drying air is guided in an upward direction through the treatment band and the fibers contained in the fibre mat (13, 14) are loosened and dried. Linters (16) possibly produced by any moving fibers are captured by a filter band (32) arranged above the treatment band, which is also moved in the conveying direction (x). At the outlet of the fiber dryer, the fibers are detached from a support (17) formed on the filter band, in particular when guiding the detached fibers back towards the dried fibers guided to the treatment band (31, 31c). |
| US10948230B2 |
Refrigeration appliance having a divided storage space
A refrigeration appliance, particularly a domestic refrigeration appliance, has a storage space surrounded by a thermally-insulating housing. The storage space is divided by at least one horizontal panel into an upper part and a lower part. One of the parts is divided by at least one vertical wall into two adjacent compartments. An air channel for exchanging air between an evaporator chamber and at least one first compartment extends in the vertical wall. |
| US10948222B2 |
Hybrid thermal apparatus
The present invention refers to a hybrid thermal apparatus comprising at least one heat exchanger and at least one heat source and/or heat sink. The thermal apparatus according to the invention is formed as a combination of a first thermal apparatus (1, 15) based on a vapour-compression principle and comprising a first medium for heat transfer, and of a second thermal apparatus (2, 16) based on an elastocaloric principle and comprising a second medium for heat transfer. Said thermal apparatuses (1, 15; 2, 16) have at least one deformable heat exchanger (3, 21) of elastocaloric material in common. |
| US10948221B1 |
System for cooling an object or a space with an endothermic salt solution and a distillation membrane
A system for obtaining a desired cooling effect that utilizes a water-soluble endothermic salt solution and pure water. The cooling effect is created by cycling between two phases, a refrigeration phase and a dehydration phase. In the refrigeration phase, a water-soluble endothermic salt solution is used as a refrigerant to absorb heat by pumping through a first heat exchanger which cools an object or an area. In the dehydration phase, the cooling process is regenerated by pumping the now heated endothermic salt solution through a distillation membrane, where the solution and pure water are continuously commingled and separated from one another through a distillation membrane to optimize the thermodynamic efficiency of the system. At least two pumps provide the motive energy to move the endothermic salt and pure water through the closed loop piping system. The concentrated salt solution leaving the distillation membrane is further cooled using a second heat exchanger to facilitate crystal formation. Once crystal formation occurs, pure water is added back to the concentrated salt solution to restart the refrigeration phase, and thus, the cooling process. |
| US10948215B2 |
System and method for wireless environmental zone control
A system and method to control environmental parameters of predefined zones within a structure. An embodiment of the system uses damper assemblies that are entirely wireless as a result of energy capturing devices which convert air flow within the HVAC system ductwork into electrical current and a wireless control module that remove the need for hard-wiring for power or control. Still further, an embodiment of the system uses wireless components to monitor the environmental parameters of a structure's zones, process and communicate necessary zone adjustments, and actuate system components. |
| US10948214B2 |
HVAC system with economizer switchover control
An HVAC system for a building includes an airside economizer, a plurality of sensors, and a controller. The airside economizer includes a first air intake configured to receive return air from within a building, a second air intake configured to receive outdoor air from outside the building, and an air discharge configured to provide discharge air to the building. The controller is configured to identify a wet coil condition or a dry coil condition, calculate an enthalpy of the return air and an enthalpy of the outdoor air, select either a normal cooling mode or free cooling mode based on the calculated enthalpy of the return air, the calculated enthalpy of the outdoor air, and the identification of the wet coil condition or the dry coil condition, operate the airside economizer to provide the return air to the building as the discharge air in response to selecting the normal cooling mode, and operate the airside economizer provide the outdoor air to the building as the discharge air in response to selecting the free cooling mode. |
| US10948213B2 |
Systems and methods for operating a thermostat based on building configuration data
An HVAC system includes HVAC components configured to adjust environmental conditions within a space. A control system is in communication with the HVAC components and is configured to execute in an efficiency operation mode. The efficiency operation mode is configured to receive configuration data related to the space and operational values for the HVAC components, monitor environmental parameters such as outdoor ambient temperature, indoor ambient temperature, and occupancy of the space, monitor an energy usage of the HVAC components based on the current operational values, determine new operational values configured to reduce the energy usage for the HVAC components based on the monitored energy usage and the environmental parameters, and transmit the new operating values to the HVAC components. |
| US10948212B2 |
Remote controller
A remote controller includes: a casing that comprises a communication surface for near field radio communication on a front panel of the casing; a storage component that is housed in the casing and comprises a shield that shields a magnetic flux; and an antenna for near field radio communication that: is disposed behind the communication surface with a space between the antenna and the communication surface, and comprises a coil pattern with a magnetic flux passing region that passes magnetic flux in a front-rear direction. A part of the coil pattern overlaps with the storage component in the front-rear direction. |
| US10948211B2 |
Water circulation system for air conditioning system and control method thereof
A water circulation system for air conditioning system and a control method thereof, wherein the water circulation loop comprises: a main loop provided with air-conditioning indoor units, air-conditioning outdoor units and an actuator, and a bypass branch connected between upstream and downstream of the air-conditioning outdoor units and provided with a bypass valve; the control method comprises: S100, starting the water circulation system after receiving a start command; S200, executing a PID control step after initialization and a first preset time period of the water circulation system; S300, executing a feed forward control step when the operating states of the air-conditioning indoor units and/or the air-conditioning outdoor units are changed, and going back to execute the PID control step after a second preset time period; and S400, executing a shutdown step of the water circulation system after receiving a shutdown command. |
| US10948209B2 |
Monitoring system for residential HVAC systems
A system and method for controlling HVAC equipment in a residential setting. The system may include an outdoor temperature sensor positioned to measure outdoor temperatures, an indoor air temperature sensor to measure indoor space air temperatures, a supply duct air temperature sensor positioned to measure supply duct air temperatures, a return duct air temperature sensor positioned to measure return duct air temperatures, an air blower current sensor positioned to measure air blower currents, and/or an air compressor current sensor positioned to measure air compressor currents, and a controller operable to receive the measures of outdoor temperature, indoor space air temperature, supply duct air temperature, return duct air temperature, air blower current, air compressor current, and measures of solar irradiation intensity and wind speed. The controller may be programmed with instructions to input the measures into a thermal model for outputting signals for implementing changes in the system. |
| US10948208B2 |
System and method for heating and cooling
An HVAC system is provided. Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to an HVAC system in which multiple indoor units are coupled to central outdoor unit, where at least one of the indoor units is configured to provide conditioned air through ductwork and at least one indoor unit is configured to provide conditioned air without ductwork. Moreover, a gas furnace can be provided in the system, for harsher environments that benefit from more robust heating. Additional systems, devices, and methods are also disclosed. |
| US10948201B2 |
Outdoor unit for air-conditioning apparatus
An outdoor unit for an air-conditioning apparatus has a fan guard covering an air outlet provided in a front panel. The air outlet is opened in a circular shape. The fan guard has a spiral wire formed in a spiral shape and having a hole in a center portion of the spiral wire, a center cap covering the hole, and an outer frame wire that is formed in an annular shape to surround an outer circumference of the spiral wire and in which one end portion and the other end portion at both ends of the annular shape are displaced from each other in a radial direction of the spiral wire and joined to each other at a position of an outer circumferential end portion of the spiral wire. |
| US10948190B2 |
Combustion chamber of a turbine, in particular a thermodynamic cycle turbine with recuperator, for producing energy, in particular electrical energy
A combustion chamber (18) of a thermodynamic cycle turbine with a recuperator, for electrical energy production, comprising a casing (56) housing a flame tube (64) with a perforated diffuser for passage of the hot compressed air, a primary zone (ZP) that receives part of the hot compressed air flow and where combustion takes place, and a dilution zone (ZD) where the burnt gases from the primary zone mix with the remaining part of the hot compressed air flow, said chamber further comprising an injection means (76) for injecting at least one fuel. The flame tube carries a flame stabilizer (82) comprising perforated diffuser (88), at least one combustion gas recirculation passage (98) and a mixing tube (94). |
| US10948189B2 |
Enhancement for fuel spray breakup
A combustor or augmentor of a gas turbine engine is provided. The combustor or augmentor includes a wall defining apertures and an interior having an inlet, an outlet and a mixing region between the inlet and the outlet and fuel injectors. The fuel injectors are respectively arrayed along the wall at corresponding apertures to inject fuel into the mixing region. Each fuel injector includes a fuel injector body defining an injection outlet through which fuel exits the fuel injector body toward the mixing region and a pintle. The pintle includes a first end, a second end and a pintle body extending between the first and second ends. At least one of the first and second ends is attachable to the fuel injector body to position the pintle body between the injection outlet and the mixing region. |
| US10948185B2 |
Thermoacoustic precursor method and apparatus
Method of determining at least one stability margin for a combustor (12), by obtaining modal characteristics of at least one spectral peak in the thermoacoustic dynamics, as well as determining the stability margin for the combustor (12) on the basis of the obtained modal characteristics, and an apparatus being adapted to carry, out said method. |
| US10948183B2 |
Portable combustion system with first and second air sources
A combustion/carbonizing system which comprises a base frame and a combustion chamber frame which is pivotably attached to the base frame. The combustion chamber frame defines an open top combustion chamber having a bottom perforated plate. A plenum is formed below the perforated plate for collecting biochar which passes therethrough. A first source of combustion air is supplied across the top of the combustion chamber while a second source of combustion air passes through the perforated plate into the combustion chamber. The combustion/carbonizing system is capable of operating in a continuous manner for combustion wood or waste material to the desired degree required by the end user for the purpose of reducing the volume of the material as well as the associated emissions while generating valuable char and boichar as an end product. For some applications, the combustion/carbonizing system may be operated to combust completely the wood or waste material. |
| US10948182B2 |
Combustion system for a boiler
The present disclosure relates to a system and a method for combustion of solid fuels. The combustion system includes burners which supply a mixed flow of fuel and air through a fuel nozzle to the combustion chamber for example of a boiler. The mixed flow of fuel and primary air is supplied to the burner through a duct from a pulverizer where the fuel is grinded to the required finesse. The duct further bends in such a way that one portion is vertical with respect parallel to axis of the boiler 1 A-A is vertical duct and other portion is horizontal duct which is parallel to axis B-B of the fuel nozzle. |
| US10948178B2 |
Method for operating a waste heat steam generator
A method for operating a waste heat steam generator, in particular one designed according to the forced flow principle, having an evaporator, through which a flow medium flows; an economizer having a number of economizer heating surfaces, and having a bypass line, which on the flow medium side is connected in parallel to a number of economizer heating surfaces. A variable that is characteristic of the heat energy supplied to the waste heat steam generator for controlling or regulating the flow rate of the bypass line is used, wherein the regulating or controlling of the flow rate of the flow medium through the bypass line takes place at the inlet of the evaporator subject to a supercooling target value. The regulating or controlling of the flow rate of the flow medium through the bypass line also takes place at the outlet of the evaporator subject to an overheating target value. |
| US10948177B1 |
Light emitting fire knife device
A light emitting fire knife device includes a blade structure, a first planar light emitting component, a second planar light emitting component, a handle structure, and a first cylindrical light emitting component. The blade structure includes a first distal end and a second distal end opposite the first distal end. The first planar light emitting component is disposed on a first planar surface of the blade structure and the second planar light emitting component is disposed on a second planar surface of the blade structure, where the second planar surface is opposite the first planar surface. The handle structure includes a third distal end and a fourth distal end opposite the third distal end, where the third distal end is configured to removably secure to the second distal end of the blade structure. The first cylindrical light emitting component is secured around the handle structure proximate the fourth distal end of the handle structure. |
| US10948174B1 |
Waterproof lamp decoration
A waterproof lamp decoration has a lamp unit having a waterproof illumination unit and a lamp cover detachably engaged with the waterproof illumination unit. The waterproof illumination unit has a transparent shell, an end cap, a lamp board, multiple conducting wires, and an encapsulating body. The lamp board is mounted in a chamber formed between the transparent shell and the end cap. The conducting wires are mounted through the end cap from the chamber. The encapsulating body joins and surrounds a connecting portion of the transparent shell, the end cap, and the conducting wires and seals gaps formed among them to seal the chamber, and to prevent moisture from entering the chamber, so as to ensure the waterproof effect of the waterproof illumination. The lamp cover is changeable to enhance variability of illumination and decorativeness of the waterproof lamp decoration. |
| US10948173B2 |
Luminaire, housing component for a luminaire and method for producing a luminaire
The present disclosure relates to a luminaire including a housing component and at least one LED carrier circuit board. The housing component has at least one section which projects from a base of the housing component and which is formed with a plurality of surfaces oriented differently relative to the base. The LED carrier circuit board carries at least one LED device as light source for providing light to be emitted by the luminaire. The LED carrier circuit board is arranged by a rear side thereof at least in sections on one of the plurality of surfaces of the section projecting from the base in such a way that the LED device overlies the surface at least partially. The housing component, in the region of the base thereof, has at least one region which is formed as a heatsink for dissipating heat generated by the LED device during operation. |
| US10948172B2 |
LED task lighting system
The disclosure provides an LED light system that is easy to install and customizable by the user. The LED lighting system may be plugged directly into an existing power source. In one configuration, the system includes a power supply that accepts standard power inputs. A low voltage bus line extends from the power supply. The user may connect LED light modules at essentially any location along a low voltage bus line of the system so that the light modules are located exactly where the user desires light. Uneven spacing is possible. Different size lights, different lumen powers, and different-colored light modules may be disposed along the low voltage bus line. Security features may be used to reduce the value of the system components to a thief. |
| US10948168B2 |
Downlight apparatus
A downlight apparatus includes a container housing, a light source module, and a lens module. The lens module is moved by a user along a movable spacing defined by a bracket of the container. The lens module has different types of lens areas. By moving the lens module at a relative position with respect to a light source module mounted in the container housing, the output light is produced with a desired light pattern and parameters. |
| US10948161B2 |
Light fixture
A light fixture includes a housing, a light-emitting element, and a lens extending over the light-emitting element. The housing includes a support surface, and the light-emitting element is coupled to the support surface. The lens includes a refractor portion having an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface is positioned proximate the light-emitting element. The inner surface is oriented at an angle such that the light generated by the light-emitting element exhibits total internal reflection within the lens until the light reaches the outer surface. |
| US10948160B2 |
Freezer illumination lens system
The invention relates to a freezer illumination lens system, comprising a lighting fixture, a lens connected with the lighting fixture and a mounting groove configured for receiving a printed circuit board supporting a LED light source by insertion. The lens comprises a light transmitting main portion, a first light transmitting auxiliary portion and a second light transmitting auxiliary portion. The light transmitting main portion is configured and arranged relative to the LED light source such that a major portion of light emitted by the LED light source is focused, and the first light transmitting auxiliary portion and the second light transmitting auxiliary portion are arranged along long sides of the light transmitting main portion. The invention has the advantages that the utilization rate of light can be improved, the illumination can be uniform, and the overall illumination effect can be improved. |
| US10948155B2 |
Lighting device with a multiple light function
A lighting device with a multiple light function includes an optical component (1) which includes a transparent segment (1a) having a primary transparent part (2) and a secondary transparent part (3) which parts are connected to each other by an interconnecting channel (4). A non-transparent segment (1b) is connected to the transparent segment (1a). A primary lighting unit (2a) illuminates the primary transparent part (2) and a secondary lighting unit (3a) illuminates the secondary transparent part (3). Leading-out optics are formed by prismatic elements (6) in the interconnecting channel (4) of the transparent segment (la) of the optical component (1). Against the leading-out optics, a light absorber (8) is formed in the part of the non-transparent segment (1b) overlapping the interconnecting channel (4). The light absorber (8) being adapted to convert light energy into thermal energy. |
| US10948141B1 |
Diagonally cuttable led strip and method of use
A diagonally cuttable LED strip system comprising of a channel having a bottom and one or more side walls and a lens in which a primary circuit board having one or more LED diodes, one or more resistors, and one or more cutting lines resides therein. The one or more cutting lines include perpendicular and non-perpendicular cutting lines which divide the channel into cuttable increments at one or more angles. An extender is provided which attaches to the end of a channel to allow the cuttable increments of the channel to be extended, shortened, or a combination thereof. |
| US10948139B2 |
Portable light having a movable head and assembly method
A portable light and assembly method may comprise: a light body supporting a source of electrical power and a light head having a light source that produces light. A rotating joint may include: a hollow cylindrical central member extending from one of the light body and the light head in a cylindrical bore of complementary size and shape in the other of the light body and the light head, a fastener retaining the hollow cylindrical member in the cylindrical bore, and one or more electrical conductors extending through the hollow cylindrical member of the rotating joint to connect the source of electrical power to the light source. A hinged cover has a latch including an arm member engaging a feature of the light body or including a thumb screw engaging a threaded hole of the light body, to retain the closed cover against the light body. |
| US10948137B2 |
Color conversion panel and display device including color conversion panel
A color conversion panel includes a first color conversion layer, a second color conversion layer, and a light wavelength conversion layer. The first color conversion layer includes a first semiconductor nanocrystal set for providing red light. The second color conversion layer neighbors the first color conversion layer and includes a second semiconductor nanocrystal set for providing first green light. The light wavelength conversion layer neighbors the second light conversion layer, may provide blue light, and includes a third semiconductor nanocrystal set for providing second green light. |
| US10948132B2 |
Integrity assessment of a pipeline network
Assessing pipeline integrity includes deploying vibration sensors at optimal sensing locations in the pipeline network. The sensors communicate with an analyzer via an intermediary that is a local or a remote wireless controller. A sensor records and processes vibration signals regularly, according to protocols kept in the memory of the sensor. The sensor, via a controller, communicates recorded data or processed data to an analyzer and receives updated protocols or other instructions from an analyzer. The analyzer aggregates recorded and processed data from the sensors, which are then analyzed to detect or localize leak sounds from the pipeline network. The recorded data from two or more sensors may be time-aligned using synchronization methods. |
| US10948124B2 |
Desktop display stand base and its application to a desktop display stand assembly thereof
The present disclosure discloses a desktop display stand base, comprising a fixing device connected to the desktop and a seat body respectively connected to the fixing device and the display stand, wherein a wireless charging device for mobile phones is provided on one side of the seat body, the side of which close to the user; the wireless charging device is hinged to the seat body and can be locked at any angle, and the hinge point is located on the side close to the user. In this way, the user can monitor the information on the mobile phone screen while the phone being charged. |
| US10948116B2 |
Coupling body for a plug connection of pipelines, in particular plastic pipelines
A coupling element of a plug connection for tubing includes a retaining screw with an inner passage opening. The inner passage has a bearing shoulder on which a retaining element is arranged and behind which a sealing element is mounted. A sleeve-shaped spacing element is arranged between the retaining element and the sealing element, and the retaining element is axially held between the spacing element and a bearing shoulder of the inner passage opening. The sleeve-shaped spacing element has an axial length such that a restriction in the diameter of the wall of the inserted tube, produced when the retaining element is under load, is bridged by the spacing element such that the annular sealing element abuts against an undeformed area of the tube wall. |
| US10948114B2 |
Connector for fluidic connection between two hoses or the like and arrangement associated
A connector for connecting at least a first hose having a globally cylindrical wall and a second hose with each other, the connector includes at least one spigot including at least a first end configured to be connected to the second hose, and a second end configured to be connected to the first hose, the spigot allowing an hermetic fluidic connection between the first hose and the second hose, wherein the connector further includes at least one compression element being slidably movable between the first end and the second end of the spigot, the compression element being in a locking position wherein the compression element resists a compression force on the first hose at the level of the second end of spigot, in order to secure the fluidic connection. |
| US10948109B2 |
Use of tubing as temperature control tubing
Use of tubing as temperature control tubing in motor vehicles, wherein a temperature control medium is passed through the tubing. The tubing has the following layer structure from the outside inward: an exterior layer of at least one polyolefin, a first adhesive barrier, a barrier layer of at least one polyamide, a second adhesive barrier and an interior layer of at least one polyolefin. The entire wall thickness of the tubing is 0.5 to 3.5 mm. |
| US10948108B2 |
Turbine engine duct
A duct for a turbine engine, such as a gas turbine engine, can be utilized to carry a fluid from one portion of the engine to another. The duct can include a metallic tubular element having one of a varying wall thickness, a varying cross section, or a tight bend. Such a duct can be formed utilizing additive manufacturing or metal deposition on an additively manufactured mandrel. |
| US10948106B2 |
Split micro-valve
The present application discloses a micro-valve comprising: a first valve body and a second valve body, at least one of the first and second valve bodies defining a valve chamber and a valve seat, the first valve body having a liquid outlet and the second valve body having a liquid inlet; a valve plug disposed and movable within the valve chamber; and an elastic member disposed within the valve chamber and positioned closer to the liquid inlet than the valve plug. The elastic member has a liquid-inflow position and a liquid-outflow position, and in the liquid-inflow position, the elastic member enables liquid to flow from the liquid inlet through the elastic member to the liquid outlet, in the liquid-outflow position, the valve plug compresses the elastic member, such that the compressed elastic member seals the valve seat, or the compressed elastic member together with the valve plug seals the valve seat, so as to prevent liquid from flowing back from the liquid outlet to the liquid inlet through the valve seat. |
| US10948103B2 |
Methods and apparatus to monitor health information of a valve
Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture to monitor health information of a valve are disclosed. An example system includes a field device in a process control network to monitor a valve, and a valve health monitor to be communicatively coupled to the field device to obtain operational health information from the field device when the valve is commanded to move from a first position to a second position, the first position opposite the second position, identify a condition of the valve based on the operational health information, and send an alert via the process control network based on the condition of the valve. |
| US10948100B2 |
Stepper valve with stepper valve motor controller
Apparatus is provided for electro-mechanically fluctuating the position of a ball valve/ball valve stem. The said apparatus can electronically turn the ball valve smoothly and effectively to any position in response to the input signal provided by a microcontroller interfacing with a motor driver controller. The apparatus control inputs will range from: voice command, push buttons, motion sensor, android, and/or touchscreen. An input means to send signals to the microcontroller, which send a signal to the stepper motor driver circuit, which send a signal to control the Stepper motor, which will maneuver a machined made driveshaft to operate the momentum of the ball valve/ball valve shaft for accurate and precise liquescent output. |
| US10948099B2 |
Motor operated valve
A motor operated valve includes a feed screw mechanism and a stopper mechanism. The feed screw mechanism includes a guiding part including an external thread portion on an outer surface thereof, and a guided part that is a cylindrical member constituting a rotation shaft of a rotor, and including an internal thread portion, which is engaged with the external thread portion, on an inner surface thereof. The stopper mechanism includes a stopper portion provided on the guided part, and a stopping face formed integrally with the guiding part. When a valve element is driven by the motor to move in a valve closing direction, the stopping face stops the stopper portion to restrict the movement of the rotor in the valve closing direction. |
| US10948098B2 |
Circuit arrangement to control system and system with circuit arrangement
A circuit arrangement for controlling a system, and a system having a circuit arrangement, both suitable for use with a lumbar support with at least two air cushions, may include actuators, voltage supply paths, and electronic switching elements. |
| US10948088B2 |
Mechanical fastening method for valve plug with carbide tip
A valve plug assembly includes a plug base, a first end of the base arranged for attachment to a valve stem, a second end of the plug base including a bore having a first portion and a second portion. The second portion of the bore is a conical terminus forming a first seat. A spacer has a through bore, a first end, and a second end, and is sized for insertion in the bore of the plug base and has a conical shape to engage the first seat, and the spacer also forms a second seat. A plug tip has a through bore and a conical end engaging the second seat and is arranged to engage the valve seat, and a cap screw extends through the plug tip and the spacer to mechanically secure the plug tip to the plug base. |
| US10948086B2 |
Concealed three port flushometer system
A flushometer system having an integrated control stop and three ports. The piston or flush control device is accessible through an actuation opening. The flushometer system may be utilized in a behind-the-wall installation with a face plate exterior for user interaction. The interior of the flushometer may be accessed through the actuation opening behind the face plate. |
| US10948075B2 |
Apparatus and method for controlling transmission of vehicle
An apparatus and method for controlling a transmission of a vehicle, may include a determination device that determines whether a curve is present within a predetermined distance ahead of the vehicle, based on information regarding a road ahead of the vehicle, a calculation device that determines lateral acceleration of the vehicle based on information regarding the curve and information regarding a state of the vehicle and determines a pattern correction coefficient based on the predicted lateral acceleration, a pattern correction device that corrects a preset gear-shift pattern based on the pattern correction coefficient, and a controller that is configured to control the transmission based on the corrected gear-shift pattern when the vehicle enters the curve. |
| US10948070B2 |
Electric machine lubrication system
An electric drive for a transmission having a housing, a pump drive, and a primary sump configured to hold oil and operatively connected to a vehicle engine. The electric drive includes an oil-cooled electric generator electrically connected to an oil-cooled electric motor by an inverter. The electric generator includes a generator oil output operatively connected to and configured to deliver a flow of oil to a secondary sump located in the housing. The electric motor includes a motor oil output operatively connected to and configured to deliver a flow to the secondary sump. The secondary sump is separate from the primary sump, wherein the oil from the secondary sump is pumped back into the lubrication circuit of the transmission. The secondary sump includes a feature to allow overflow to drain to the primary sump. |
| US10948069B2 |
Housing for a transmission
A housing for a transmission, in particular an actuator housing. The housing having a housing wall and ribs that protrude from the housing wall to the outside and/or inside. The protruding ribs are at least partially arranged such that they form a honeycomb-shaped structure on the housing wall. |
| US10948067B2 |
Polymeric gear
A transmission includes an input drive shaft, a drive gear, an idler gear, and a driven gear. The drive gear is rotationally fixed to the input drive shaft which, in turn, may but not necessarily, be powered by an engine. The idler gear may include a second set of gear teeth mounted to a bearing wherein the second set of gear teeth are formed from polymeric material. The second set of gear teeth for the idler gear may be in meshing engagement with the first set of gear teeth. The driven gear may include a third set of gear teeth in meshing engagement with the second set of gear teeth. The driven gear may be rotationally fixed to a pump shaft for a transmission pump. The input drive shaft, the drive gear, the idler gear, and the driven gear are configured to power a transmission pump. |
| US10948063B2 |
Modular arrangement for hydromechanical transmission
A continuously variable transmission (CVT) may include differential and range modules that include planetary gear arrangements, a plurality of selectively engageable clutch assemblies, and a drop box module with a final output member. First and second power source paths may provide power to a same end of the differential module. The clutch assemblies may be selectively engageable to provide variable rotational power from the differential module to the range module, and from the range module to the drop box module in a plurality of directional ranges. The drop box module may adapt the variable rotational power provided in the selected range for connection in a given application. |
| US10948062B2 |
Torque converter for modular hybrid transmission including coast engagement structure
A torque converter includes a cover, an impeller including an impeller engagement section, an axially movable turbine piston including a turbine engagement section configured for engaging the impeller engagement section to form a lockup clutch and a coast engagement structure configured for contacting the cover to limit axial movement of the turbine piston away from the impeller in a coast condition. |
| US10948060B2 |
Power-assisted steering assembly
A power-assisted steering assembly for a vehicle comprises: a motor shaft for transmitting torque from a motor; a steering rack; a primary transmission mechanism; a secondary transmission mechanism; a motor coupling; and a rack coupling. The primary transmission mechanism is configured to transmit power from the motor shaft to the steering rack and includes a drive belt. The secondary transmission mechanism is configured to transmit power from the motor shaft to the steering rack upon a failure of the primary transmission mechanism. The motor coupling is configured to transmit power from the motor shaft to the primary transmission mechanism and the secondary transmission mechanism. The rack coupling is configured to transmit power from the primary transmission mechanism and the secondary transmission mechanism to the steering rack. Prior to the failure of the primary transmission mechanism, the motor coupling and rack coupling are configured to transmit a greater amount of power to the primary transmission mechanism than to the secondary transmission mechanism. |
| US10948058B2 |
Electro-magnetic ratchet control apparatus and method
A speed converter converting infinitely variable reciprocating input to uni-directional output, for example, comprising a driver, the driver comprising a variable pitch cam and a rack gear and one-way clutch bearings or Sprags and output shaft, the driver having an oblong shape may be converted to provide direction control in either of two directions and free-wheeling. The one-way clutch bearings or Sprags of a first Goldfinch speed converter are modified to comprise, concentric with the output shaft, a permanent magnet imbedded in a driven gear and direction controlling stator coils. A plurality of four (or more) electrical pulses (sine curves) may be applied to the stator coils to provide three possible outputs of desired speed: a forward output direction, a neutral or free-wheeling output and a reverse output direction. In this manner, an electro-magnetic ratchet control system may modify the speed converter to incorporate speed control, engine braking, and clockwise and counterclockwise output shaft direction control as well. |
| US10948049B2 |
Transmission mechanism and one-way component thereof
A transmission mechanism includes first and second transmission, first and second shafts, a clutch, and a one-way bearing. In the first gear, power is output through the first driving transmission and the one-way bearing; and in the second gear, the power is output through the clutch, the second driving transmission and the one-way bearing. |
| US10948044B2 |
Fluid circuit device
Described herein is a fluid circuit device. The device incorporates at least one pressure balancing valve located between at least two fluid volumes that can be in a pressure differential arrangement wherein the at least one pressure balancing valve acts to address a pressure differential by opening a fluid volume or volumes to a third pressure equalising volume. In use, the fluid circuit device may in one embodiment be used in an energy absorption apparatus. |
| US10948040B2 |
Seat height adjustment actuator
A seat height adjustment actuator includes a brake drum fixable to a seat and defining an outer brake race. A rotatable brake hub includes a floor with a shelf, and a wall around the floor with cam surfaces defining an inner brake race. A pinion fixed to the brake hub engages a seat adjustment mechanism through the brake drum. Rolling brake elements wedge between the inner and outer brake races to lock the brake hub at rest. A clutch drum defines an outer clutch race, and includes tabs extending between the brake races to displace the brake rollers, unlocking the brake hub, under actuator input. A centering bias element on the floor simultaneously engages the shelf and a projection of the clutch drum for centering the projection over the shelf at rest. A driver cam receives actuator input and drives rotation of the clutch drum. |
| US10948034B2 |
Methods and system for applying a driveline disconnect clutch
Systems and methods for improving operation of a driveline disconnect clutch for a hybrid vehicle shifting are presented. In one example, pressure of a working fluid supplied to the driveline disconnect clutch is adjusted in response to a rate of change in accelerator pedal position. Further, pressure of the working fluid may be decreased responsive to selected operating conditions. |
| US10948029B2 |
Clutch system
A clutch system for coupling a drive shaft of a motor vehicle engine to a transmission input shaft of a motor vehicle transmission is disclosed. The clutch system includes a friction clutch for transmitting a torque between a torque-introducing element and a torque-discharging element. It also includes a ramp system for an axial displacement of a pressure plate of the friction clutch, wherein the ramp system has an input ramp and an output ramp, which can be turned in relation to the input ramp to change an axial extent of the ramp system. A pilot clutch, which acts on the ramp system, is provided for actuating the friction clutch based on a differential speed between the torque-introducing element and the torque-discharging element. An electromagnet for a magnetic actuation of the pilot clutch is further provided, wherein the ramp system is arranged radially within the friction clutch and/or the pilot clutch. |
| US10948024B1 |
Clutch disc and torque limiter
A clutch disc includes a core plate and a friction member having an annular shape. The core plate includes a coupling portion having an annular shape and a plurality of fixation portions. The plurality of fixation portions protrude radially outward from the coupling portion and are circumferentially aligned through a plurality of slits each radially extending between adjacent two of the plurality of fixation portions. The friction member is fixed to the plurality of fixation portions and has an inner diameter larger than a diameter of the core plate at inner peripheral ends of the plurality of slits. The friction member includes a plurality of discharge grooves on an inner peripheral end surface thereof in corresponding portions thereof to the plurality of fixation portions. The plurality of discharge grooves lead water to the plurality of slits when the water drops on the inner peripheral end surface of the friction member. |
| US10948023B2 |
Multi-plate coupling
A multi-plate coupling includes two connecting flanges and an intermediate member arranged between the connecting flanges. A plate pack crown is arranged between each of the connecting flanges and the intermediate member. The plate pack crown is alternately connected to the associated connecting flange and the intermediate member by screw fasteners which are guided through continuous fastening bores arranged in the plate pack crown. At least one of the fastening bores of the plate pack crown has a contour diverging from the circular shape. A positive-locking element having a corresponding outer contour is inserted into the fastening bore. A component bears on the outer contour of the positive-locking element in a positive-locking manner and provides a bending edge for the plate pack crown. |
| US10948019B2 |
Slewing bearing with sealing arrangement
A slewing bearing including a first ring, a second ring, the first and second rings being in relative rotation around a rotation axis, at least one row of rolling elements arranged between the rings, and at least one seal mounted in a circumferential groove of first ring. A cap is fixed to the first ring and provides a cap sealing member having an annular heel mounted in an circumferential slot formed on a frontal surface of cap, and a sealing lip projecting from the heel and towards the second ring. The sealing lip has a free end in sliding frictional contact with part of the second ring. |
| US10948018B2 |
Bearing device for wheel
A bearing device for a wheel includes: an outer ring including a leg portion protruding radially on an outer periphery; an inner shaft provided on a shaft end; rolling elements; a sealing device which seals an opening portion on the flange side; and a slinger fixed to the inner shaft and extending axially at a radial outer side of the sealing device. The sealing device includes an elastic lip and a cylindrical cover portion in elastic contact with an outer peripheral surface of the outer ring. The slinger is opposed to at least a part of an outer periphery of the cover portion in a radial direction via a clearance. |
| US10948017B2 |
Sealing device
[Problem]To provide a sealing device that has a high function of stopping the entry of foreign matter.[Solution]Provided is a sealing device disposed between a rotating inner member and a fixed outer member of a rolling bearing, said sealing device comprising: an annular rotating seal member fixed to the inner member; and an annular seal cover fixed to an end portion of the outer member. The seal cover comprises: a fixed portion that is disposed in an interval between the outer member and the inner member and fixed to the end portion of the outer member; and a protective portion that is disposed radially outward of the rotating seal member and stops foreign matter from advancing to the rotating seal member from the outside. The rotating seal member comprises: an attachment portion fixed to the inner member; and a seal lip and a dust lip that extend from the attachment portion toward the seal cover. The dust lip extends obliquely radially outward from the attachment portion toward the seal cover. |
| US10948015B2 |
Bearing
A bearing includes at least one bearing ring, a target ring and a coupling element. The coupling element is provided for maintaining the relative position of the bearing ring to the target ring. The coupling element includes an alignment surface that is adapted to align the target ring with one of a housing or a shaft into/onto which the bearing ring is to be mounted. |
| US10948014B2 |
Intershaft seal assembly with multi-axis stepped grooves
An intershaft seal assembly for maintaining separation between a piston ring and a pair of mating rings is presented. The assembly includes a piston ring interposed between forward and aft mating rings and a plurality of hydrodynamic grooves disposed along a sealing face of each mating ring. Each hydrodynamic groove further includes at least two adjoining steps wherein each step is defined by a base wall arranged to decrease depthwise in the direction opposite to rotation of an inner shaft. Two adjoining base walls define a base shoulder which locally redirects potion of a longitudinal flow within the groove to form an outward flow in the direction of the piston ring. Base walls are bounded by and intersect a pair of side walls with at least one side shoulder thereon which narrows the groove widthwise and locally redirects portion of the longitudinal flow to form a lateral flow from one side wall toward another side wall. Outward and lateral flows cooperate, with or without the longitudinal flow, to increase fluid pressure and maintain separation between the piston ring and the mating rings. |
| US10948012B2 |
Thrust roller bearing
A thrust roller bearing includes a plurality of rollers and a cage. Each cage pocket includes a first side surface, and a second side surface. The roller and the cage are configured to satisfy the following expression (1). (Y1+Y2)/X |
| US10948011B2 |
Vibration drive device, image forming apparatus, positioning stage, and medical system
A vibration drive device that suppresses an increase in the number of component parts and can be easily downsized. Vibration is excited in a vibration element in pressure contact with a driven element to thereby rotationally move the driven element relative to the vibration element. A bearing rotatably supports the driven element. A first and a second bearing portions are joined to the driven element. The second and a third bearing portions are pressed against each other via rolling elements in a direction along the axis of the bearing. The rolling elements are brought into pressure contact with the first raceway surface of the first bearing portion, the second raceway surface of the second bearing portion, and the third raceway surface of the third bearing portion. One of the second and third bearing portions is integrally formed with the driven element from the same material. |
| US10948010B2 |
Bearing device and rotating machine using the same
A bearing device includes a base plate, a plurality of sliding pads and support members. The sliding pad is movable relative to the base plate. The support members are located between the base plate and the sliding pad, and shift a position of a load supporting point in a circumferential direction of the base plate, the load supporting point serving as a point for supporting a load received from the sliding pad. When any virtual flat surface perpendicular to a rotating shaft member is considered as a reference surface, and when a distance from the reference surface through the load supporting point to an end of the sliding pad at the opposite side to the base plate is defined as a setting distance, a position of the load supporting point is shifted in a circumferential direction of the base plate with no change in the setting distance. |
| US10948008B2 |
Steering shaft and method for producing a profiled hollow shaft for a telescopic steering shaft of a motor vehicle
A method for producing a profiled hollow shaft for a telescopic steering shaft of a motor vehicle may involve providing a hollow shaft to be processed, a profile mandrel, and a roller head comprising at least one roller. The method may further involve introducing the profile mandrel into the hollow shaft in order to produce a groove in the hollow shaft. The method may also involve moving the profile mandrel and the hollow shaft together relative to the roller head, wherein movement of the profile mandrel and the hollow shaft relative to the roller head is performed exclusively in a direction of a longitudinal axis of the hollow shaft in order to form a groove. |
| US10948005B2 |
Bolt compression limiter
A bolt compression limiter includes a Belleville disc that applies a load to a flange of a bolt assembly and a component that applies a load to a limiter positioned within the flange, the limiter being shy of the top surface of the flange. The load applied to the flange is a first proportion and the load applied to the limiter is a second proportion of the total load applied when a bolt of the bolt assembly is tightened. |
| US10948004B2 |
Anchoring bolt head for an EME protection cap system
A cap system for enclosing a metallic bolt fastener extending through a structure which includes a first securement mechanism positioned about a periphery of a bolt head of the metallic bolt fastener. The cap system further includes a cap member which includes a sidewall having an inner surface which defines a cavity dimensioned to receive the bolt head and defines a second securement mechanism complementary configured to engage the first securement mechanism positioned about the periphery of the bolt head. The cap system further includes an end of the sidewall of the cap member which defines an opening which provides the bolt head access into the cavity. |
| US10948002B2 |
Mounting device for nail strip panels
A mounting assembly disposable on a nail strip seam rib of a building surface includes a mounting body having an exterior, which in turn comprises a slot configured to separately receive a plurality of different nail strip seam rib profiles. The mounting assembly also includes an insert that is at least partially disposable in the slot, and a threaded fastener that extends through the mounting body, into the slot, and engages the insert. |
| US10947997B2 |
Aircraft hydraulic system with a dual spool valve and methods of use
A dual spool valve and methods of controlling hydraulic fluid that is moved to a hydraulic actuator of an aircraft. The dual spool valve may include ports to receive and discharge hydraulic fluid. The dual spool valve may also include first and second valve sections that are selectively positionable to control the flow of hydraulic fluid into and out of the actuator. One position provides for hydraulic fluid to move through closure lines. Method of controlling the dual spool valve may provide for selectively positioning the valve sections to control the flow of hydraulic fluid, and to position the valve sections to move hydraulic fluid through a closure line during certain circumstances. |
| US10947994B2 |
Electric blower and electric equipment
An electric blower includes: a motor including a rotary shaft; a first centrifugal fan fixed to a first end side of the rotary shaft; a second centrifugal fan fixed to a second end side of the rotary shaft opposite to the first end side; and a casing surrounding the motor, the first centrifugal fan and the second centrifugal fan. In the electric blower, first force applied by the first centrifugal fan to the rotary shaft in a first direction in an axial direction of the rotary shaft and second force applied by the second centrifugal fan to the rotary shaft in a second direction in the axial direction of the rotary shaft are opposite to each other during rotation of the rotary shaft. |
| US10947990B2 |
Radial compressor
A radial compressor of an exhaust gas turbocharger, with a rotating impeller, a fixed housing; a main flow passage defined by the housing for feeding a medium to be compressed towards the impeller; a secondary flow chamber arranged radially outside the main flow passage, which is separated from the main flow passage by a contour wall and is connected to the main flow passage via a secondary flow opening; struts extending in the secondary flow chamber, via which the contour wall is connected to the housing. The struts are curved having a first connecting section of the contour wall that extends in the radial direction and a second connecting section on the housing that extends in the axial direction. |
| US10947985B2 |
Pressure sensor device and electric pump
A pressure sensor device includes a pressure sensor, a sensor case, first and second terminals protruding from the pressure sensor in a first direction, a third terminal protruding from the pressure sensor in a second direction, a fourth terminal protruding from the pressure sensor in the second direction, a first capacitor on one side of the pressure sensor, a second capacitor on the other side of the pressure sensor, a first lead line extending out of the sensor case from the first terminal, a second lead line extending out of the sensor case from the second terminal, and a third lead line extending out of the sensor case from a side edge between the first terminal and the second terminal. |
| US10947984B1 |
Gas removal apparatus having a heat sink surrounding a motor
A radon gas removal apparatus configured to provide evacuation of radon gas from a desired area or building. The radon gas removal apparatus includes an exterior housing forming an interior volume. Disposed within said interior volume is a motor assembly and a fan operably coupled. The motor assembly includes an upper portion having a metal housing wherein the upper portion has a cavity proximate the top thereof configured to store a circuit board. The cavity is hermetically sealed utilizing a lid member. A heat sink assembly is proximate the lower edge of the upper portion of the motor assembly. The heat sink assembly includes a central void configured to receive a motor therein. The heat sink includes a first wall and a second wall having a void intermediate configured to a heat sink material. A motor is present within the central void of the heat sink assembly. |
| US10947981B2 |
Variable speed pumping system and method
A variable speed pumping system and an associated method for moving water of an aquatic application. The variable speed pumping system includes a water pump for moving water in connection with performance of an operation upon the water. A variable speed motor is operatively connected to drive the pump. A sensor senses a parameter of the operation performed upon the water. A controller controls speed of the motor in response to the sensed parameter of operation. |
| US10947976B2 |
Screw compressor
The screw compressor includes a first-stage compressor main body and a second-stage compressor main body for compressing fluid with screw rotors, a motor for driving the first-stage compressor main body and the second-stage compressor main body, and a gear box. The gear box is connected to the first-stage compressor main body, the second-stage compressor main body, and the motor; transmits a driving force of the motor to the screw rotors, and includes a first attachment hole for attaching the first-stage compressor main body and a second attachment hole for attaching the second-stage compressor main body; and is provided with an annular rib surrounding both of the first attachment hole and the second attachment hole. In the screw compressor, the vibration of the natural vibration mode which is most burdensome and should be reduced can be efficiently reduced. |
| US10947975B2 |
Electric refrigerant drive
An electric refrigerant drive, in particular a refrigerant compressor for an air conditioner of a motor vehicle, has an electric motor drive module and a compressor module coupled to the drive module. The drive module has a motor housing which houses an electric motor with a rotatable motor shaft and is joined to an end shield. The drive module also comprises a fluid-tight housing partition opposite the end shield, thereby forming an electronic housing that receives an electronic motor unit and is closed by a housing cover. The compressor module has a compressor housing which is attached to the end shield of the motor housing of the drive module and which receives a compressor part that is coupled or can be coupled to the drive module so as to be driven. |
| US10947972B2 |
Variable displacement-type oil pump
Variable displacement-type oil pump has pump configuration unit driven by engine and discharging oil sucked from inlet portion from outlet portion by volumes of a plurality of pump chambers being varied; cam ring changing volume variation of each pump chamber by moving; coil spring forcing cam ring in direction in which volume variation of each pump chamber is increased; control oil chamber forcing cam ring in direction in which volume variation of each pump chamber is decreased; drain port draining oil from control oil chamber; control valve into which a downstream side oil discharged from outlet portion is introduced, and which adjusts internal pressure of control oil chamber by supplying oil into control oil chamber when hydraulic pressure of the introduced oil exceeds a predetermined setting working pressure. With this configuration, it is possible to suppress increase in electric power consumption associated with an electrical control mechanism. |
| US10947970B2 |
Modular system for producing a screw spindle pump
A modular system for producing a screw spindle pump having a housing with a drive spindle therein and at least one running spindle meshing with the drive spindle, including: a plurality of housing components including a basic housing component exhibiting a fluid inlet for the formation of a basic pump chamber, a housing pressure component exhibiting a fluid outlet, bearing the drive spindle for creating a pressure chamber, a housing cover arranged on the basic housing part for supporting running spindle, and identical intermediate housing components arrangeable in any number between the basic housing component and the housing pressure component and form an additional pump chamber in each case; and a plurality of running spindle elements including at least one running spindle base element arranged in the basic housing component, and identical running spindle extension elements arranged in the intermediate housing components. |
| US10947967B1 |
Discharge valve disabler and pressure pulse generator therefrom
A discharge valve assembly configured to control fluid flow out of a chamber of a pump fluid end of a pump, wherein the discharge valve assembly comprises a controllable holding system (CHS), wherein the CHS is controllable to hold the discharge valve assembly in an open configuration. |
| US10947966B2 |
Peristaltic pump with controlled stop
A peristaltic pump includes a rotor and first and second rollers mounted on the rotor. The first and second rollers rotate between a disengaged, initially engaged and a fully engaged position with respect to a section of tubing. The rollers begin to occlude the tubing when in the initially engaged positon and fully occlude the tubing when in the fully engaged position. The pump also includes an encoder and a rotor controller. The encoder monitors the position of the first and second rollers as the rotor rotates. The rotor controller is in electrical communication with the encoder and controls the operation of the pump and rotor. The controller stops the rotation of the rotor in response to a stop command and based upon the monitored position of the first and second rollers such that either the first or second roller remains in the fully engaged positon. |
| US10947965B2 |
Blower
A piezoelectric blower includes a valve unit, a pump unit, a controller, and an outer housing. The valve unit includes a plurality of ejection holes and film holes. The pump unit includes a plurality of communication holes and suction holes. The outer housing covers the valve unit and the pump unit with a gap between the outer housing and each of the valve unit and the pump unit. Thus, the outer housing forms vent passages between the outer housing and the valve unit and between the outer housing and the pump unit. The inlet communicates with the vent passage. The outlet communicates with the vent passage. At least one of the inlet and the outlet is displaced from a central axis of the pump chamber. The ejection holes, the film holes, the communication holes, and the suction holes are symmetric about the central axis of the pump chamber. |
| US10947961B2 |
Apparatuses, systems, and methods for extraction and/or storage of energy from moving fluids
This disclosure includes various embodiments of apparatuses for encapsulating and stopping a flowing mass of fluid (e.g., liquid such as water, or gas such as air) to extract the kinetic energy from the mass, and for exhausting the mass once stopped (spent mass, from which kinetic energy has been extracted). This disclosure also includes various embodiments of systems comprising a plurality of the present apparatuses coupled together and/or one or more of the present apparatuses in combination with one or more flow resistance modifiers (FRMs). This disclosure also includes various embodiments of methods of extracting kinetic energy from a flowing mass of fluid (e.g., liquid such as water, or gas such as air) by stopping the mass, and for exhausting the mass once stopped (spent mass, from which kinetic energy has been extracted). This disclosure also includes embodiments of mechanical energy-storage or accumulation devices. |
| US10947957B1 |
Apparatus, system and method for utilizing kinetic energy to generate electricity
An apparatus, system and method for generating electricity using stored kinetic energy of a flywheel. The apparatus has a generating mechanism, an air passageway, a heating chamber and a heating mechanism. A wind turbine rotates a drive shaft and a pair of flywheels that are independently and selectively rotated by the drive shaft. Input air flowing in the passageway rotates the wind turbine. While one flywheel rotates with the drive shaft to build up kinetic energy, the other flywheel rotates free of the drive shaft to use kinetic energy to drive an output shaft and generate electricity. A heat exchanger heats air in the heating chamber to produce convective air flow to draw input air through the passageway. A thermal energy storage tank stores heat for the heat exchanger. The system includes a source of electricity to power a pump. The method uses the apparatus to produce electricity. |
| US10947956B2 |
Expandable power marine hydrokinetic turbines, pumps, compressors and transmissions
A marine hydrokinetic electric power or wind power generator may have three modules: a harnessing module, a controlling module, and a generating module. The harnessing module may have one of a propeller and a waterwheel for receiving wind or water energy. The controlling module may have a gearbox comprising gears for matching the expected wind or water generating power to an output power, a control motor, and a three variable gear assembly. The three variables are a variable input, a constant output and a constant speed control motor input variable. The variable input is received from the harnessing module and the constant output is delivered to an electricity generator. A generating module (generator) generates output power which may be a multiple of ten times the power rating of the controlling module (the constant speed control motor). |
| US10947955B2 |
Multi-energy power generation system based on floating type platform
A multi-energy power generation system based on a floating type platform which is specifically a wind turbine-oscillating water column type wave energy integrated power generation system based on a TLP floating type platform. The wind turbine-oscillating water column type wave energy integrated power generation system based on the TLP floating type platform includes an offshore wind power generation system and oscillating water column type wave energy power generation devices, and the integrated power generation system which integrates wind energy and an oscillating water column type wave energy system into a whole is established utilizing a TLP platform supporting structure in the ocean. |
| US10947954B2 |
Support system for a spinner of a rotor hub for a wind turbine
A support system for a spinner of a rotor hub for a wind turbine, in particular to the attachment of a spinner to the rotor hub. It is an object of the disclosure to provide a spinner for a wind turbine with a suitable support system. The support system should be inherently resistant to shear and should thereby reduce the stress on the spinner. A rotor hub of a wind turbine includes a spinner, wherein the rotor hub is connected mechanically to the spinner. The spinner includes at least three spinner components. A support system is provided via which two spinner components disposed in spaced relationship to each other are supported by the rotor hub in each case. A respective third spinner component is arranged between the two spinner components and is connected to the components. |
| US10947953B2 |
Secondary electric power system and method
A secondary electric power system and method of operation are disclosed. The system contains a grid having an array of turbines by which pressurized fluid is used to generate electricity to power a residential, commercial, agricultural or industrial structure. The secondary system may be a backup power source to the structure when a primary source is temporarily unavailable or may be a primary source in some circumstances. The method pumps fluid from a first pressure to a second pressure and exposes the fluid to a grid of turbine driven generators, the pressure is reduced across the grid to a third pressure that is less than the second. Additionally embodiments of the system are integrated into and incorporate components of other building utilities, e.g. water, sewer and fire control. |
| US10947952B2 |
Floating wind-wave integrated power generation system
The present invention relates generally to the offshore renewable energy utilization technology. A novel floating wind-wave integrated power generation system is based on the braceless semi-submersible floating wind turbine concept and the oscillating water column (OWC) wave energy generator. The integrated system includes the offshore wind energy system and the oscillating water column wave energy system. The novel floating wind-wave integrated power generation system transfers the rise and fall movement of the water column into the air in and out movement which is converted into the electricity by the air turbine generator. This invention makes good use of pontoons at of the semi-floating platform and the mooring lines. Since the wave energy system will move with the wave movement, which will reduce the power generation efficiency. The pontoon can help to mitigate this movement. The mooring system can further prevent the movement of the wave energy device. This invention uses the braceless structure, which simplifies the construction process and reduce the fatigue issues for the braces. Compared with the traditional three columns semi-submersible wind turbine, this invention enlarges the water plane area. The moment of inertia for hydrostatic stability is enhanced, and the stability of the floating foundation is improved. |
| US10947951B2 |
Eccentrically rotating mass turbine
A turbine comprises a shaft (20), a mass (10) eccentrically mounted for rotation about shaft (20), having its center of gravity at a distance from the shaft (20) and a motion base (15). Motion base (15) rigidly supports the shaft (20), and is configured for moving the shaft (20) in any direction of at least two degrees of movement freedom, except for heave.A floating vessel-turbine (120), encloses entirely the eccentrically rotating mass (10) and the motion base (15). The turbine converts ocean wave energy into useful energy, very efficiently. |
| US10947950B2 |
Hydroelectric power generation apparatus
A hydroelectric power generation apparatus includes a hydroelectric power generation module, a beam as a supporting part, and a fixing part. The hydroelectric power generation module includes a rotary blade and a power generator that generates power by rotation of the rotary blade. The supporting part supports the hydroelectric power generation module. The fixing part fixes the supporting part to a water channel. The fixing part includes a bolt to press a surface of a wall portion of the water channel to fix the supporting part to the water channel. The hydroelectric power generation apparatus can dispense with a work performed around the water channel to install the apparatus and also be relocated easily and inexpensively. |
| US10947945B2 |
Methods and systems for control of electric components
Methods and systems are disclosed for remotely and/or automatically controlling electronic components. The electronic components may be elements/systems of a vehicle (e.g., heating elements). In an aspect, a controller may receive a temperature value from a sensor. The controller may activate a heater based on the temperature value of the sensor. In an aspect, the heater is coupled to one or more parts of an engine. |
| US10947944B2 |
Method and device for determining the injection rate of an injection valve
The invention relates to a method for determining the injection rate of an injection valve (1) using a mathematical model which is based on measurement values comprising the stroke (x) of a piston (3) that delimits a measurement chamber (2) during the injection of a test fluid (4) into the measurement chamber (2). The injection rate is corrected on the basis of an additional measurement value. According to the invention, the pressure (pa) in an adapter volume (5), via which the injection valve (1) is connected to the measurement chamber (2), is used as an additional measurement value for correcting the injection rate. The invention further relates to a device for determining the injection rate of an injection valve. |
| US10947941B2 |
Fuel-injection system and assembly therefor
An assembly for fuel-injection systems for connecting a fuel injector to a fuel-conveying component includes a retaining part that is used for mechanical fastening, and an attachment part, to which the fuel injector is hydraulically connectable. A connecting part is provided via which the attachment part, that is connectable to the fuel-conveying component, is connectable to the retaining part. |
| US10947932B2 |
Methods and systems for adjusting a flow of gases in a scavenge exhaust gas recirculation system of a split exhaust engine system
Methods and systems are provided for adjusting operation of a split exhaust engine system based on a total flow of gases through a scavenge exhaust gas recirculation system of the split exhaust engine system. In one example, a method may include setting a cam timing correction based on a difference between a first value and a second value of a flow through an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) passage, the first value determined based on a first parameter set including a cylinder valve overlap area and the second value determined based on a second parameter set not including the cylinder valve overlap area, and operating at least one of an intake cam and an exhaust cam at a corrected timing using the cam timing correction. In this way, the flow through the EGR passage may be adjusted even without active control of a valve coupled in the EGR passage. |
| US10947931B2 |
Compressor stage EGR injection
A product may include a bearing housing in which a shaft may be supported by a bearing so that it may rotate. A compressor wheel may be disposed on the shaft. A compressor cover may be connected with the bearing housing, which may form a compressor body and may define a chamber within which the compressor wheel may rotate. A diffuser may extend radially outward from the chamber and may receive gas from the compressor wheel. An inlet may be provided to the compressor body, which may receive a supply of exhaust gas. An EGR distribution cavity may be defined within the compressor body and may extend around the shaft. An EGR inlet channel may extend into the bearing housing from the inlet to the EGR distribution cavity. An EGR passage may extend from the EGR distribution cavity to the diffuser. |
| US10947930B2 |
Emulsifying system and emulsifying method
What is proposed is an emulsifying system for an internal combustion engine, wherein the emulsifying system comprises an emulsifying device for producing a water-fuel emulsion and an injector for injecting the water-fuel emulsion in a combustion chamber, the emulsifying device being arranged within the injector. Also proposed is an emulsifying method for preparing a water-fuel emulsion for an internal combustion engine, wherein fuel is pressurized in a fuel pressure accumulator and water is pressurized in a water pressure accumulator and fed separately to an injector for injecting the fuel and water into an associated combustion chamber, and/or fuel and water are emulsified by means of an emulsifying device that is integrated into an injector. |
| US10947927B2 |
Mixer for an engine manufactured from at least one composite material, manufacturing method and manufacturing device
It is provided a mixer for an engine, that for the mixing of fluid flows from a primary flow channel and a secondary flow channel of the engine, respectively has multiple first and second guide elements that alternate along a circumferential direction and extend along a central axis, wherein the first guide elements are formed in a diffusor-like manner with at least one radially outwardly extending section, and the second guide elements are formed in a nozzle-like manner with at least one radially inwardly extending section, and the mixer is made of a composite material with at least two separate material layers. The at least two material layers are arranged with their edges along the central axis in an overlapping manner and/or edge to edge, and namely in an area of the mixer in which the first and second guide elements are provided. |
| US10947926B1 |
Devices, systems, and methods for generating power
A power generation device includes a first chamber, a second chamber coupled with the first chamber, a first and a second spray devices. The first and second chambers contain working fluid flowable between the first and second chambers via a flow passage between the first and second chambers, and a first and a second space above a portion of the working fluid that is within the first and second chambers. First spray device is coupled with the first chamber to heat or cool the first space in the first chamber. Second spray device is coupled with the second chamber to heat or cool the second space in the second chamber. At least one of the heating and cooling of the first space may cause at least one of a compression or expansion force of the second space, which may drive a power-extraction unit coupled with the second chamber. |
| US10947925B2 |
Methods for reducing oil sticking on surfaces of internal combustion engines
Components for reducing oil sticking on surfaces of an internal combustion engine are disclosed. The engine may include an engine block with a piston cylinder, a piston moveable in reciprocal motion within the piston cylinder, and a cylinder head mounted on the engine block. The engine block, the cylinder head, and the piston may define a combustion chamber. The engine may include an intake conduit mounted to the cylinder head, an intake valve port defined by the cylinder head, and an intake valve mounted in reciprocally movable fashion to the cylinder head for placing the intake valve port in fluid communication with the combustion chamber. The engine may include a first oleophobic coating provided on portions of the intake valve, and a valve seat insert secured to the cylinder head. The valve seat insert may define an oil passage in fluid communication with the intake valve port. |
| US10947923B2 |
Method and system for determining fuel injector variability
Methods and systems are disclosed for operating an engine that includes fuel injectors that supply fuel to cylinders of the engine. According to the methods and system, variation of individual fuel injection amounts injected by a sole fuel injector are determined so that it may be determined if individual fuel injector variation may be contributing to engine air-fuel ratio variation. |
| US10947920B2 |
Method and system for monitoring soot production
Methods and systems are provided for using an engine laser ignition system to take images, in real-time, of a cylinder during combustion and estimate cylinder soot generation. If excess soot generation is determined, cylinder fueling is adjusted by varying an injection pressure, amount, and ratio. An air-fuel ratio of the cylinder is also adjusted in view of exhaust temperature constraints to reduce soot generation. |
| US10947919B1 |
Fuel injection control using a neural network
A fuel injector controller is disclosed. The fuel injector controller may determine respective values of a set of parameters of the engine; process, using a neural network, the respective values to determine a target fuel output of a fuel injector, wherein the neural network is configured to determine the target fuel output based on the set of parameters being an input layer of the neural network; determine, based on an output of the neural network, the target fuel output; and provide the determined target fuel output to the fuel injector to permit the fuel injector to inject fuel according to the target fuel output. |
| US10947914B2 |
Reference value engine control systems and methods
Methods and apparatuses for calibration and control of various engine subsystems using a target value approach. Under the target value approach, the control of each engine subsystem is separated or decoupled to include a set of target values, or a reference value set. A subsystem has a corresponding target determiner, which provides a target value set, or reference value set, in response to a basis variable set and optionally an overall subsystem target. The basis variable set includes parameters selected to robustly characterize the variables that affect the operation of the particular subsystem. The target determiner is optionally calibrated to provide a reference value set within specifications of the subsystem. A physical subsystem controller operates in response to the reference value set. |
| US10947913B2 |
Electronic evaporative emissions management system
An evaporative emissions control system configured for use with a vehicle fuel tank includes a purge canister, an accelerometer, first and second vent tubes that terminate at first and second vent openings, a first vent valve, a second vent valve, a vent shut-off assembly and a control module. The accelerometer senses acceleration in an x, y and z axis. The first vent valve is fluidly coupled to the first vent tube. The second vent valve is fluidly coupled to the second vent tube. The vent shutoff assembly selectively opens and closes the first and second valves. The control module estimates a location of liquid fuel based on the sensed acceleration from the accelerometer and determines which vent opening is one of submerged and about to be submerged based on the estimated location of the liquid fuel. The control module closes the vent valve associated with the determined vent opening. |
| US10947912B2 |
Gasoline engine knock control
Various methods of control of combustion knock are disclosed in relation to a spark ignition, internal combustion engine having active tappets, whereby an inlet poppet valve can be moved independently of the usual operating cam. In one embodiment the invention provides for combustion knock to be controlled solely by variation of inlet air charge. |
| US10947911B2 |
Control system of internal combustion engine
An auxiliary chamber (51) having a spark plug (54) and an auxiliary fuel injector is formed at the central part of the top surface of the main combustion chamber (2). When making an air-fuel mixture in the auxiliary chamber (51) burn by the spark plug (54), an air-fuel mixture in the main combustion chamber (2) is made to burn by jet flames ejected from the communicating holes (52). The injection ports of the auxiliary fuel injector (53) are oriented toward a tumble flow inflow peripheral region (R) which is located on the peripheral part of the end portion of the auxiliary chamber (51) at a place located on a side where the tumble flow W flows in from the communicating holes (52). When the tumble flow (W) is made to be generated in the main combustion chamber (2) by the tumble flow control valve (48), auxiliary fuel (QF) is injected from the auxiliary fuel injector (53) toward the tumble flow inflow peripheral region (R) of the auxiliary chamber (51). |
| US10947910B2 |
Method and system for catalyst feedback control
Methods and systems are provided for catalyst control. In one example, a method may modulate a downstream catalyst by applying a square waveform to an outer feedback control loop. A fuel adjustment is performed in accordance with the square waveform to create an air-fuel ratio oscillation at an upstream catalyst brick and at a downstream catalyst brick. |
| US10947906B2 |
Method for operating an internal combustion engine, and internal combustion engine
A method for operating an internal combustion engine, involving the following steps: determining a target lambda value and measuring an actual lambda value for combustion in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine; establishing, in accordance with the target lambda value and the actual lambda value, a point in time for an intake valve associated with the combustion chamber to open; and opening the intake valve at the established point in time. |
| US10947904B2 |
Sealing cooling inner fixed structure
An inner fixed structure (IFS) seal arrangement may comprise an IFS comprising an inner skin, and outer skin, and a cellular core located between the inner skin and the outer skin, an IFS seal, a seal retainer configured to retain the IFS seal, and a cooling flow channel disposed between the outer skin and the seal retainer. |
| US10947903B2 |
Clogging monitoring in a starter injector purge circuit for a turbomachine
A fuel supply system for a turbomachine. The supply system includes a starter circuit, at least one first hydraulic resistance and a purge circuit. The purge circuit includes a duct including an opening at the exterior of the supply system. The purge circuit is configured to make purge air flow between a starter injector and the opening through the first hydraulic resistance. The supply system includes a device for measuring a value representative of pressure, which devices are configured to measure a value representative of pressure between the starter injector and the first hydraulic resistance when purge air flows between the starter injector and the first hydraulic resistance. |
| US10947902B2 |
Fuel nozzle, fuel supply assembly thereof, and method of assembling a fuel nozzle
An inlet manifold includes a main inlet oriented along a first direction and a pilot inlet oriented along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. A wye passage includes an inlet branch in fluid communication with the main inlet. The inlet manifold also includes a first main passage in fluid communication with a first outlet branch of the wye passage and a second main passage in fluid communication with a second outlet branch of the wye passage. The first main passage extends generally along the first direction between the wye passage and a first main outlet. The second main passage extends generally along the first direction between the wye passage and a second main outlet. The inlet manifold also includes a pilot passage in fluid communication with the pilot inlet. The pilot passage extends generally along the first direction between the pilot inlet and a pilot outlet. |
| US10947900B2 |
Inlet air heating systems for combined cycle power plants
Inlet air heating systems for combined cycle power plants and combined cycle power plants including inlet air heating systems are disclosed. The inlet air heating systems may include a plurality of heating coil assemblies partially positioned within an inlet housing of a gas turbine system, and a vent valve in fluid communication with each of the heating coils. The inlet air heating system may also include a supply line in fluid communication with the heating coils to provide water to the heating coils, and a hot water line in fluid communication with the supply line and a component positioned downstream of a condenser of the combined cycle power plant. The hot water line may provide hot water from the combined cycle power plant to the supply line. Additionally, the inlet air heating system may include a drain line in fluid communication with the heating coils and the condenser. |
| US10947898B2 |
Undulating tip shroud for use on a turbine blade
A turbine blade includes an airfoil that includes a root end and a tip end. The tip end is radially spaced from the root end. A tip shroud extends from the tip end. The tip shroud includes a shroud plate. The shroud plate includes a plurality of undulating ridges. |
| US10947896B1 |
Internal cleaning of an internal combustion engine after-treatment system
This invention provides a method to clean the inside surfaces of an exhaust after-treatment system each time the engine is shut down. This cleaning is accomplished without disassembly of the engine and without involvement of the engine's operator. This cleaning includes the exhaust ports, particulate filters, catalytic after-treatment processes, and exhaust conduits. This is accomplished by leaving the exhaust after-treatment systems in an oxygen rich atmosphere, with the engine shut down, where oxidation of the hydrocarbons on the inside surfaces continues. |
| US10947895B1 |
Internal cleaning of an internal combustion engine and its after-treatment system
This invention provides a method to clean the inside surfaces of an engine and its exhaust after-treatment system each time the engine is shut down. This cleaning is accomplished without disassembly of the engine and without involvement of the engine's operator. This cleaning includes the combustion chamber, valves, intake and exhaust ports, particulate filters, catalytic after-treatment processes, and exhaust piping. This is accomplished by leaving the shut down engine and its exhaust after-treatment systems in an oxygen rich atmosphere where oxidation of the hydrocarbons on the inside surfaces continues. |
| US10947883B2 |
Methods and systems for adjusting exhaust gas flow through an aftertreatment device
Methods and systems are provided for a flow device shaped to adjust flow to radial positions of an emission control device. In one example, a system may include where the flow device comprises a plurality of inner openings that align while a plurality of outer openings are misaligned to flow exhaust gas proximal to a central axis of an exhaust passage, and where the plurality of outer openings are aligned and the plurality of inner openings are misaligned to flow exhaust gas distal to the central axis. |
| US10947882B2 |
Vehicle exhaust system
A vehicle exhaust system is provided to improve a uniformity index (UI) of exhaust gas discharged through an exhaust manifold. The system includes an exhaust manifold for collecting and transferring exhaust gas discharged from each cylinder of an engine and a catalytic purifier connected to an outlet of the exhaust manifold to reduce harmful substances in the exhaust gas flowing from the exhaust manifold. A mesh member is disposed between the exhaust manifold and the catalytic purifier to allow the exhaust gas to pass therethrough. The mesh member includes partition walls arranged to intersect longitudinally and transversely on an inner passage cross-section through which the exhaust gas passes. The partition walls cause flow resistance while colliding with the exhaust gas to induce the exhaust gas to uniformly flow into a catalyst of the catalytic purifier. |
| US10947874B2 |
Oil container of a combustion engine
An oil container of a combustion engine. Oil collected in the oil container can be, conveyed to the combustion engine and back into the oil container, having a central oil chamber out of which oil can be suctioned and lateral oil chambers positioned either obliquely above or obliquely below the central oil chamber depending on an oblique position of the oil container. Oil is directed to the lateral oil chambers from the combustion engine, and, depending on the oblique position of the oil container, the central oil chamber can be coupled to a first lateral oil chamber that is adjacent to the central oil chamber on a first side of the central oil chamber, or to a second lateral oil chamber that is adjacent to the central oil chamber on a second side of the central oil chamber, via a respective passively controlled check valve. |
| US10947870B2 |
Coupling for a camshaft phaser arrangement for a concentric camshaft assembly
A camshaft phaser arrangement configured for a concentric camshaft assembly having inner and outer camshafts is provided. The camshaft phaser arrangement includes a first camshaft phaser, a second camshaft phaser, and a coupling that non-rotatably connects the first camshaft phaser to the concentric camshaft assembly. Each of the camshaft phasers is configured to be connected to either the inner or the outer camshaft. The coupling accommodates for radial and axial offset between the first camshaft phaser and the second camshaft phaser. |
| US10947865B2 |
Tie rod for a mid-turbine frame
A method of assembling a mid-turbine frame includes engaging at least two tabs in a radially inner end of at least one spoke in a groove in an inner frame case. The at least one spoke is secured to the inner frame case with a central bolt extending through the inner frame case into the at least one spoke. |
| US10947856B2 |
Axial turbine
A turbine assembly includes an axial turbine with an axially arranged series of rotor sections and an external sheath providing structural support for the axial turbine, wherein the sheath is made from dense silicon nitride. Each rotor section includes an outer ring and rotor blades and the outer rings of the rotor sections connect to form a rotating outer casing, wherein the rotor sections are made from reaction bonded silicon nitride. |
| US10947855B2 |
Mechanical reinforcement for a part made of composite material, in particular for a wind turbine blade of large dimensions
The invention relates to a reinforcement, containing fibers and resin, for an element made of a composite material, particularly a wind turbine blade, characterized in that the reinforcement is produced by stacking at least two parts produced by pultrusion. A reinforcement, containing fibers and resin, for an element made of a composite material, particularly a wind turbine blade, is characterized in that the reinforcement is produced by stacking at least two parts produced by pultrusion. |
| US10947853B2 |
Gas turbine component with platform cooling
A gas turbine engine component includes an airfoil that has a leading edge and extends from a first side of a platform that has a leading edge overhang. A root portion extends from a second side of the platform opposite the first side. A cooling passage extends through the platform and beneath a trailing edge of the airfoil. The cooling passage includes an inlet located on a second opposite side of the platform. The inlet is located axially upstream of the leading edge of the airfoil and the inlet is located axially upstream of the root portion in the leading edge overhang. |
| US10947850B2 |
Blade for a turbomachine
A blade (10) for a turbomachine is provided. The blade (10) includes an airfoil (16) having at least one thickening (22) on a pressure side (20) of the airfoil (16). The thickening (22) has a region (B) of constant thickness (D). A turbomachine, a compressor and a turbine having stator vanes and/or rotor blades including at least one such blade (10) is also provided. |
| US10947847B2 |
Engine crank and connecting rod mechanism
A crank and connecting rod mechanism, comprising at least one piston, which reciprocates within at least one cylinder, comprising: at least one connecting rod, comprising: a piston end pivotally connected to the at least one piston, a crank end; at least one gear set, comprising: a crankpin, the crank end pivotally connected to the crankpin; a crank gear; a crank gear shaft, the crank gear rotatably mounted on the crank gear shaft, the crankpin located between centerline of the crank gear shaft and radius of the pitch circle of the crank gear; a stationary gear, the crank gear meshing with the stationary gear, the crank end driving the crankpin, which drives the crank gear and the crank gear shaft about the stationary gear; the crank pin and the crank end rotating about the stationary gear and following the path of a roulette of a centered trochoid about the stationary gear. |
| US10947838B2 |
Echo velocity measurements without using recessed ultrasonic transceiver
A system for determining a borehole shape may comprise a measurement assembly, wherein the measurement assembly may comprise a housing with an outer surface, a transducer disposed flush along the outer surface of the housing, and an extruded boss that connects to the outer surface of the housing. A method may comprise disposing a downhole tool that includes an instrument section into a wellbore and transmitting an excitation from the transducer into the wellbore, wherein the excitation is reflected off a wellbore wall as an echo. |
| US10947837B2 |
Apparatuses and methods for sensing temperature along a wellbore using temperature sensor modules connected by a matrix
Apparatus (100) for use in sensing temperature along a wellbore, comprising: tubing (110) comprising a plurality of temperature sensor modules (120) provided at locations along the inside of the tubing, having electrical properties that vary with temperature; and an electrical network (115) comprising a plurality of wires and said plural temperature sensor modules, wherein the wires and plural temperature sensor modules are configured as a matrix by which the wires comprise a first group of wires and a second, different group of wires and each wire of the first group is electrically connected to each wire of the second group once, by different temperature sensor modules, such that each temperature sensor module can be individually electrically connected by a pair of wires comprising a first wire from the first group and a second wire from the second group. |
| US10947833B2 |
Diagnostics of downhole dynamometer data for control and troubleshooting of reciprocating rod lift systems
Techniques and apparatus are provided for improved diagnostics of downhole dynamometer data for control and troubleshooting of reciprocating rod lift systems. A method for pump fillage determination for a reciprocating rod lift system is provided. The method generally includes measuring downhole data during a pump cycle, wherein the downhole data comprises a first plurality of data points associated with an upstroke of the pump cycle and a second plurality of data points associated with a downstroke of the pump cycle, each data point comprising a rod position value and an associated rod load value; converting the data points to non-dimensional data points, calculating non-dimensional slope values between non-dimensional data points; and determining pump fillage based, at least part, on the calculated non-dimensional slope values. |
| US10947828B2 |
Downhole surveillance
Method and apparatus for surveying the downhole environment in a steam stimulated well such as a Steam Assisted Gravity Draining well are described. One method comprises interrogating an optic fibre (104) arranged along the path of a well shaft (202, 204) within a steam stimulated well with optical radiation. At least one downhole steam pulse is generated and data gathered from the fibre (104) in response to the steam pulse is gathered and processed to provide an indication of the acoustic signals detected by at least one longitudinal sensing portion of the fibre (104). In some examples, the processed data can be used to determine at least one characteristic of the steam chamber (210). |
| US10947827B2 |
Method for exerting a combined effect on the near-wellbore region of a producing formation
The invention allows for an increase in formation permeability and well flow rate. In a method for exerting a combined effect on the near-wellbore region of a producing formation, the following are fed separately and consecutively into the near-wellbore region: a process fluid No. 1 with a density of 1.3-1.4 g/cm3, followed by a process fluid No. 2 with a density of 1.6-1.8 g/cm3, which combines with the fluid No. 1. As a result, an exothermic reaction of heat and gas release occurs, producing an increase in temperature and pressure in the near-wellbore region. The process fluids contain hydroreactive mixtures, combustible oxidizing mixtures, and combustion initiators. Process fluid No. 1 contains, as combustion initiator, sodium hydride, NaH, and powdered nanoaluminium, Al. In a second step, a process fluid No. 3, an acidic solution containing hydrochloric acid, is fed into the wellbore. |
| US10947826B2 |
Steam injection monitoring, control and optimization using near wellhead sensors
A steam-assisted hydrocarbon recovery system includes a wellbore, a wellhead connected to the wellbore, and a steam plant. The steam plant includes a steam generator, one or more steam lines connected between the steam generator and the wellhead, and a sensor module configured to measure a steam characteristic in the steam line near the wellhead. The steam-assisted hydrocarbon recovery system may also include an artificial lift system. Measurements made by the sensor module can be used to optimize the production of steam and the operation of the artificial lift system. |
| US10947822B2 |
Monolithic manifold with embedded valves
In one illustrative embodiment, the manifold comprises a block with at least one drilled header hole formed within the block, a plurality of drilled flow inlet holes formed within the block, wherein the number of drilled flow inlet holes corresponds to the number of the plurality of external flow lines that supply fluid (e.g., oil/gas) to the manifold and a plurality of isolation valves coupled to the block wherein the valve element for each of the isolation valves is positioned within the block. |
| US10947818B2 |
System and method for detection and control of the deposition of flow restricting substances
A detection system for use with a pipeline network having a fluid flowing therethrough. The fluid contains an ingredient that deposits on the interior walls of the pipeline network. The detection system is interposed within the pipeline network and comprises a first fluid path and a second fluid path. A material is distributed throughout the interior of the second fluid path that is capable of inducing and accelerating the deposition of the fluid ingredient on the walls of the second fluid path. A sensor exposed to the second fluid path monitors changes in the path indicative of deposit build-up. The sensor communicates with a control system. The control system directs a chemical injector to introduce chemical inhibitors into the pipeline network to inhibit ingredient deposition on the walls of the pipeline network. |
| US10947814B2 |
Pilot controlled actuation valve system
A tool, e.g. a downhole tool, utilizes at least one actuator which may be actuated rapidly between positions during operation of the tool. The actuator is moved via flow of an actuating fluid controlled by a main valve which, in turn, is controlled via a pilot valve. The pilot valve is operated to selectively control flow of the actuating fluid to the main valve so as to shift the main valve between desired operational positions. |
| US10947811B2 |
Systems and methods for pipe concentricity, zonal isolation, and stuck pipe prevention
Systems and methods for moving a tubular string within a subterranean well include a structural collar sized with a ring outer diameter to fit within a bore of the subterranean well. A plurality of individual openings are spaced around an outer diameter surface of the structural collar, each individual opening associated with an inflatable member. The inflatable member is operable to vibrationally impact an internal surface of the subterranean well with repeated inflating and deflating the inflatable member. |
| US10947807B2 |
Method and apparatus for dropping a pump down plug or ball
An improved method and apparatus for dropping a ball, plug or dart during oil and gas well operations (e.g., cementing operations) employs a specially configured tool body assembly having valving members (e.g., safety or kelly values) and valving members holding plugs, balls, or darts to be dropped. In one embodiment, the ball(s), dart(s) or plug(s) are contained in a sliding sleeve that shifts position responsive to valve rotation. An optional indicator indicates to a user or operator that a ball or plug has passed a selected one of the valving members. A transmitter (or transceiver) provides an ability to generate a wireless signal that is received by receivers (or transceivers) on the tool body assembly. Each receiver (or transceiver) controls an electrical actuator that engages a valving member or the indicator. Wireless signals can be used to open or close a valve or to reset a “tripped” indicator. |
| US10947806B2 |
Surface deploying sleeve and plug launcher for an oil or gas well
A sleeve and plug launcher for launching a sleeve and plug down an oil or gas well includes sleeve and plug holders, a support plate beneath the open bottoms of the sleeve and plug holders, an aperture positioned in the support plate and a sleeve and plug discharge connectable to a well head of a well and positioned below the aperture. When one of the sleeve and plug holders stops over the aperture in the support plate, a sleeve and plug in the sleeve and plug holders drops through the aperture and is directed into a wellhead by the sleeve and plug discharge. |
| US10947804B2 |
Metal-to-metal annulus wellhead style seal with pressure energized from above and below
A system is disclosed as including a seal for sealing an area between a hanger and a housing of a wellhead. The seal is provided with at least a notch that defines at least a movable portion such as a wing or a lip. An e-ring is provided for a first energizing of the seal. The movable portion enables pressurized fluid from beneath the seal to cause the movable portion to protrude further against a mating side in the wellhead and the hanger for a second energizing of the seal. This type of seal maintains or improves the sealing of the wellhead in high pressure applications. Methods applied to the above seal are also disclosed. |
| US10947801B2 |
Downhole vibration enhanding apparatus and method of using and tuning the same
The present disclosure is directed to an apparatus for use with a vibratory tool in a bottom hole assembly to enhance the vibration of the bottom hole assembly. The apparatus includes at least one spring mechanism and a fluid passageway disposed within a housing. The apparatus can be tuned and/or parts of the bottom hole assembly can be manipulated to match the frequency of the vibratory tool and/or the frequency of the vibratory tool can be tuned to match the vibrational frequency of the bottom hole assembly and the apparatus. |
| US10947800B2 |
Pressure-retaining cap screwing and unscrewing device for marine natural gas hydrate pressure-retaining rock-core barrel
The present disclosure discloses a pressure-retaining cap screwing and unscrewing device for a marine natural gas hydrate pressure-retaining rock-core barrel, wherein it comprises a cap-unscrewing chuck, a support cylinder, a pressure-retaining cap screwing and unscrewing head, a spring, a screwing and unscrewing shaft, and a pressure-retaining cap screwing and unscrewing sleeve, a reducer and a motor; an input shaft of the reducer is connected to the motor, an output shaft of the reducer is the screwing and unscrewing shaft which is a tubular structure with a plurality of guide holes provided on a side wall thereof. The device is simple in structure, compact, light in weight, and convenient to control, and the pressure-retaining cap can be discarded. |
| US10947796B2 |
Power swivel and gooseneck
A gooseneck (100) and a power swivel (10) including a gooseneck (100) are disclosed. In an embodiment, the gooseneck includes an inlet section (120) including an inlet (124) and a first fluid flow path (170) extending from the inlet. In addition, the gooseneck includes an outlet section (150) coupled to the inlet section. The outlet section includes an outlet (156). In addition, the outlet section (150) includes a second fluid flow path (160) extending axially from the outlet. The second fluid flow path is in fluid communication with the first fluid flow path. Further, the outlet section includes a radially outer surface (150c) that includes a first polygonal section having a plurality of planar surfaces (166) joined at a plurality of corners (168). |
| US10947791B1 |
Device for centering a sensor assembly in a bore
A device for centering a sensor assembly in a bore comprises a mandrel, a first support member and a second support member axially spaced apart along a longitudinal axis of the mandrel. The first and second support members adapted to move axially along the mandrel. A plurality of arm assemblies are spaced circumferentially apart around the longitudinal axis of the device and connected between the first and second support members. Each arm assembly comprises a first arm pivotally connected to the first support member by a first pivot joint having a first pivot axis, a second arm pivotally connected to the second support member by a second pivot joint having a second pivot axis, and the first and second arms pivotally connected together via a third pivot joint having a third pivot axis. The third pivot axis is located on a first side of a plane coincident with the longitudinal axis of the device and the first pivot axis and the second pivot axis are located radially outside an outside diameter of the mandrel on an opposite second side of the plane. |
| US10947787B2 |
Underreamer for increasing a wellbore diameter
An underreamer for increasing a diameter of a wellbore. The underreamer may include a body having an axial bore extending at least partially therethrough. An electromagnetic activation system may be disposed at least partially within the bore of the body. A valve may be disposed within the bore of the body and coupled to the electromagnetic activation system. The valve may include a mobile element and a static element. The mobile element may be coupled to the electromagnetic activation system and move from a first position where the mobile element obstructs fluid flow through the valve to a second position where the mobile element permits fluid flow through the valve. A cutter block may be movably coupled to the body and move radially-outward as the mobile element moves from the first position to the second position. |
| US10947786B2 |
Roller reamer with mechanical face seal
At least one mechanical face seal is disposed within a cutter cartridge of a roller reamer. The cutter cartridge includes a roller cutter and a retention assembly. A bearing shaft of the retention assembly extends through an inner channel of the roller cutter. A first mechanical face seal is disposed or shared between the roller cutter and a first pillow block of the retention assembly. An optional second mechanical face seal is disposed or shared between the roller cutter and a second pillow block of the retention assembly. Each pillow block is rotatably coupled at an opposing end of the bearing shaft. The retention assembly includes two separately matched sets of one pillow block and a wedge. The wedges in combination detachably secure the pillow blocks to a tool body of the roller reamer. |
| US10947785B2 |
High-power fuse-protected capacitor for downhole electrocrushing drilling
A downhole drilling system is disclosed. The downhole drilling system may include a drill bit including a first electrode and a second electrode. The downhole drilling system may also include a pulse-generating circuit coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode. A capacitor within the pulse-generating circuit may include a plurality of electrode sheets and a plurality of dielectric sheets interleaved with the plurality of electrode sheets. Each of the dielectric sheets may include a composite material including a polymer matrix formed from a polymer component and a nanoparticle component that increases the dielectric constant of the composite material above that of the polymer component. |
| US10947783B2 |
Ladder stabilization system
A ladder stabilization system for holding a ladder in place on a support surface that can include a pair of opposed ladder stabilizer devices that are configured to be operatively placed in opposition to receive a bottom portion of the pair of spaced legs of the ladder to positionally fix the ladder relative to the vertical structure. The ladder stabilization system acts to secure and stabilize the bottom portion of the ladder to prevent the base of the ladder from sliding, skidding, or otherwise moving while a user is on the ladder. The present invention improves user safety and reduces the need for having a second individual support the base of the ladder. |
| US10947781B2 |
Universal automatic tensioning system for roller blinds and awnings with side rails
An universal automatic tensioning system, for roller blinds and awnings with side rails, comprising a crossbar (2) equipped with a spring pin (6) that can move along a side guide (3) that defines the rail for the shift of the awning (1), characterized in that it includes one or more fixed clip(s) (4) that can be hooked by the spring pin (6) causing the locking of the roller blind (1); a further movement of the awning's crossbar (2) will force the spring pin (6) engaging with a mobile flap (5) that works as a sort of “bridge” for the spring pin (6), causing the unlocking of the crossbar (2), so as to realize the setting for the automatic tensioning of the roller blind (1). |
| US10947780B2 |
Stop structure for cordless roller shade
A stop structure for a cordless curtain includes a bracket, a mounting seat, a rotation wheel, a locking piece, and a spring. The bracket has a resting portion. The mounting seat has an axle. The rotation wheel is mounted on the axle and has at least one positioning hole. The locking piece is rotatably mounted on the mounting seat and has a first end provided with a positioning projection positioned in the at least one positioning hole. A push member is biased between a second end of the locking piece and the mounting seat. When the resting portion presses the locking piece, the positioning projection is detached from the at least one positioning hole. The spring is mounted in the rotation wheel and connected with the rotation wheel and the axle. |
| US10947779B2 |
Method for mounting a flexible-panel door to a door frame of a building
A flexible-panel door is mountable to a door frame. Opposite ends of a top rail are slidably engaged with end caps respectively affixed to ends of first and second side rails, and opposite ends of a bottom rail are likewise slidably engaged with end caps respectively affixed to opposite ends of the first and second side rails. With the first side rail secured to or in contact with the first side of the door frame, the second side rail is moved into contact with the second side of the door frame such that the top and bottom rails slide relative to at least one of their respective end caps such that each combination extends across the width of the door frame. A flexible panel carried by one of the first and second side rails is extendable toward the other of the first and second side rails. |
| US10947776B1 |
Tensioned sheet wall system for a building
A wall system for forming a weather enclosure across a building opening in the frame of a building includes a flexible sheet of flexible material, a first rigid frame member secured across a first end of the flexible sheet, and a second rigid frame member secured across the flexible sheet in proximity to an opposing second end of the sheet. The first rigid frame remember is fixedly mounted on the building frame. A tensioning assembly is operatively connected between the second rigid frame member and the building frame so as to apply tension in the longitudinal direction to a portion of the flexible sheet. The tensioning between rigid frame members spanning across opposing ends of the sheet ensures that the sheet can be supported under significant tension throughout the sheet to enable the sheet to withstand considerable wind and precipitation loads. |
| US10947775B2 |
Quickly slideable and incrementally adjustable barrier
A barrier for the inside of a home. The barrier includes two partitions that slide relative to each other to increase and decrease a distance between ends of the barrier. The partitions slide into and out of confronting relationships with each other. The partitions engage each other at upper and lower locations and further at a medial location where an elongate member of one partition is received in a tube engaged to the other partition. A threaded piece upon being turned brings pressure to bear upon an end of the tube such that the partitions can be incrementally expanded apart and thereby pressurized between two locations within the home so as to block off one portion of the home. The threaded piece is slideable along the elongate member. |
| US10947773B2 |
One or more doors with one or more angled side flanges for electrical panel enclosure
An electrical panel enclosure includes a door hingedly secured to an enclosure body at the front side of the enclosure body. The door includes a door panel having a planar door panel body with opposite first and second side edge margins, and a first side door flange extending rearwardly from the first side edge margin of the door panel body. The first side door flange extends at an angle greater than 90 degrees relative to the planar door panel body. |
| US10947767B2 |
Vehicle provided with a sliding door
A vehicle having a door slidably mounted on a shell. The vehicle includes at least one assistance device, comprising both a winder carrying a strap and a receptacle, the winder including a brake for braking unwinding of the strap from the winder, one of the winder and receptacle being fastened to the shell and one of the winder and receptacle being fastened to the door, the strap carrying a latchplate suitable for being reversibly attached to the receptacle. |
| US10947766B2 |
Dampening hinges and table assemblies including the same
A dampened hinge construction for braking pivoting movement of one structure relative to another. The dampened hinge construction can be utilized in a folding table assembly in an aircraft passenger suite including a base panel and at least one folding panel pivotally attached to the base panel by multiple dampened hinges. Each dampened hinge includes a first assembly attachable to a first structure and a second assembly attachable to a second structure such that the first structure is pivotable relative to the second structure between a first condition and a second condition, such as a folded condition and a planar condition, and at least one damper that brakes pivoting movement of the first structure relative to the second structure as the first condition or second condition is approached. |
| US10947763B2 |
Arrangement for guiding a sliding door or folding-sliding door
An arrangement for guiding a sliding door or folding-sliding door on a furniture wall includes a first guide system to be fastened on the furniture wall and a second guide system to be fastened on the furniture wall at a vertical distance from the first guide system. The two guide systems each have at least one guide and a guide body which is displaceably mounted on the guide, and a carrier on which the sliding door or folding-sliding door is to be fastened and which is connected in a movement-coupled manner to the two guide bodies of the guide systems. The carrier is assembled in the vertical direction from at least two carrier portions, and the at least two carrier portions can be releasably connected. |
| US10947759B2 |
Side-door lock for a motor vehicle
A motor vehicle lock includes at least one electric component carrier, and said electric component carrier is a modular element that includes at least one conductor, a switch and/or an additional component. The electric component carrier includes a separate housing and can be fastened to an outer surface of the motor vehicle lock. |
| US10947757B2 |
Interlock security device
A mountable interlock security device for securing first and second sliding articles slidable relative to each other from an open position to a closed position such that in the closed position the sliding articles have overlapping interior edges. The security device comprises a first component mountable to the first sliding article and a second component mountable to the interior edge of the second sliding article. The two components of the security device are mounted to the overlapping end regions of respective sliding articles such that when the sliding articles are in the closed position, the two components of the security device cooperate to limit lateral movement of the sliding articles. In another aspect, a method of retrofitting interior and exterior sliding articles, such as doors or windows, of a building with a security device is provided. |
| US10947744B1 |
Hand tool for cleaning mastic from tile spacing lines
The invention is hand tool and methods of use therefor for removing excess mastic and other debris from spacing between tiles. The device has a polygonal body, with a single projection extending from each side. Each projection has a different width and/or length, and is sized to fit in the spacing between adjacent tiles. Methods of installing and/or renovating and/or repairing tile with the hand tool are also disclosed. |
| US10947743B2 |
System and method for applying a tile adhesive
A system for applying a tile adhesive, including: an adhesive supplying device for supplying the tile adhesive on a surface of a tile, including a nozzle for emerging the tile adhesive and a pump unit for pumping the tile adhesive in the direction of the nozzle; and an automated supporting and moving device, in particular robot, for supporting and positioning the tile with respect to the nozzle so that the tile adhesive is distributable onto the surface of the tile when emerging from the nozzle. |
| US10947739B2 |
Flooring support system
A flooring substrate system that uses one of three substrate components upon which various types of finish flooring may be attached above a deck structure. The deck structure may be open lumber framed or may be a waterproofed planar surface. Affixation of the flooring system may be by direct connection or by gravitational placement. Height and slope adjustable components interlock through a plunge, twist and locking teeth arrangement to form supporting members beneath the substrate components. A base mounting plate acts as a pivotal point in the system, having recesses and engageable configurations on both its faces for other system components. |
| US10947737B2 |
Awning assembly and method thereof
An awning assembly is provided which provides a push and lock assembly thereby removing the need for additional fastening structures. This also provides for improved assembly of the structures. |
| US10947734B2 |
Retention apparatus, system and method
An a clamp connector apparatus, system, and method for mounting a solar panel to a cross member while retaining snow, ice, items and other objects on a wall, rooftop and other structure. A clamp mounting apparatus, system, and method for mounting the retention apparatus and system to a stanchion assembly for a membrane roof thereby joining the cross member anchor assembly to a latch assembly of top block. |
| US10947732B2 |
Adjustable skylight guard
A skylight guard is provided for placement upon a skylight having a peripheral frame, and includes at least one generally vertical leg having an upper end and a lower end, at least one horizontal member having a first end, an opposite second end, and a middle portion located between the first and second ends. At least one of the first and second ends is configured for attachment to a corresponding one of the at least one leg. At least one of the horizontal members is axially variable, and at least one of the vertical legs has a foot associated with the lower end, the foot being constructed and arranged to contact the peripheral frame. |
| US10947730B2 |
Roofing trim saddle system and method of installing
The invention describes a novel roofing trim saddle system and method of installing for use in roofing and siding applications where a roofing hip or ridge must be covered (finished). The various implementations herein describe the system as having a multitude of saddle brackets, each with a multitude of tabs that retain the roofing material (such as tiles, shingles, panels, slates, etc.). The saddle brackets attach to the roof via a fastener such as nails or screws that engage holes formed by slot tabs in the saddle bracket body. The slot tabs are used to correctly space and align the saddle bracket during installation. The system is strong, secure, adaptable, adjustable, customizable, thin, light-weight, self aligning, weather-proof, can be readily designed to accommodate many different roofing styles and materials on site, or can be manufactured to the needs of any particular roofing and siding application. |
| US10947727B1 |
Prefabricated pole barn
A prefabricated pole barn including a truss assembly, a foundation assembly and a roof assembly is disclosed. The truss assembly includes specially made trusses made with galvanized square tubing or red iron tubing. The tubing helps to provide the trusses with added strength and stability. The design of the trusses along with a quickset foundation of the foundation assembly, particularly treated floor support poles of the foundation assembly, and a roof of the roof assembly help to provide with a quickly and easily assembled pole barn. The pole barn is further stronger, more stable and loadbearing in comparison to traditional pole barns using standard bar joist trusses made of wood. |
| US10947725B2 |
Suspended ceiling pass through grid connector
A pass through grid connector clip for a suspended ceiling. The grid connector clip is made of two identical halves connected back-to-back by a fastener passing through a first aperture of both identical halves or other joining method. The identical halves each have a web with a first side and an opposite second side defining a height; a third side and an opposite fourth side defining a length; a louver element closer to a fourth side than the third side; a half sleeve located between the clip and the louver element and extending from the first side to the second side the in a substantially semi-circular shape; the first aperture located between the half sleeve and the clip or the half sleeve and the louver element. The halves include a clip connected to the third side and two flanges projecting in substantially the same direction from opposite sides of the web. As a result, when the halves are joined back-to-back they form a pass through sleeve. |
| US10947724B2 |
Ceiling system
A ceiling system, comprising at least two elongate carriers, configured to support at least one ceiling panel; at least one elongate beam; and at least two connecting brackets; wherein each elongate carrier is supported at one or more suspension locations; each elongate beam is coupled to at least two elongate carriers by a respective connecting bracket; and the connecting brackets are coupled to the elongate carriers by a push-fit connection. |
| US10947721B2 |
Cavity wall through-wall flashing support system and method
A through-wall flashing support system for supporting a through-wall flashing membrane installed in a cavity wall. The system includes multiple support parts, multiple spline parts and a through-wall flashing membrane. Each support part has a flange, configured to abut and be attached to an inner wall of the cavity wall, and a base, extending with a downward slope from the lower portion of the flange such that the outer portion of the base penetrates an outer wall of cavity wall. Spline parts are configured to connect adjacent support parts. The through-wall flashing membrane extends across the cavity and covers the bases of the support parts and the spline parts. Weep holes are installed to enable water to flow through the outer wall along through-wall flashing membrane. Methods for installing this system in a new cavity wall and retrofitting an existing cavity wall are also provided. |
| US10947719B1 |
Modular hut
Embodiments are provided for a modular experience hut that may provide semi-enclosed structures for use in public or semi-public areas such as medical facilities. In an example, a modular hut includes a base, a ring rotatably coupled to the base, a seat portion coupled to an inner surface the ring, and a locking mechanism configured to lock the ring in at least a first position and a second position relative to the base. In this way, the modular hut may be positioned in different positions to allow for different seating or use arrangements. |
| US10947718B2 |
Modular building
A modular building unit for construction of a building comprises a structural frame 40 suitable for interconnection to another modular building unit in construction of the building; and a stud frame wall 80/82 internal to and fixed to the frame. The modular building unit is suitable for handling as a shipping container for transport. |
| US10947717B2 |
System for fixing to the ground walls of buildings
System for fixing to the ground walls of a building includes a plurality of supporting elements interposed between a concrete foundation of the building and the walls, connecting elements for connecting at least two supporting elements that are aligned on one another, adjusting elements for adjusting a distance of the supporting elements from the foundation and for correcting a possible tilt of the supporting elements with respect to a horizontal reference plane, anchoring elements for anchoring the supporting elements to the foundation, the supporting elements being made of plastics. |
| US10947716B2 |
Structural modular building connector
A connector assembly, having an upper connector coupled to a lower connector and a gusset plate sandwiched between the upper and lower connectors. Also, disclosed is a hoistable connector assembly, a lifting frame assembly, a coupling system for modular frame units, a method for assembling a module unit using the connector assembly, and a modular frame unit and building having the connector assembly. |
| US10947715B1 |
Root cutter collar with quick changing skids
A root cutter collar with quick changing skids preferably includes a base tube, a plurality of skid bosses, a plurality of skid retainers, a plurality of threaded fasteners and a plurality of skids. The plurality of skid bosses are attached to an outside perimeter of the base tube. A pair of tapped holes are formed through each skid boss. A location pin extends outward from the skid boss and is located between the pair of tapped holes. Each skid retainer includes two through holes, which are concentric with the two tapped holes in each skid boss. Each skid includes a pair of slotted openings and a pin notch located between the pair of slotted openings. The pin notch is sized to receive the location pin. Threaded fasteners are inserted into the pair of holes in the skid retainer and tightened in the skid boss to retain the skid. |
| US10947713B2 |
Toilet flange
A toilet flange has a hub configured to couple to a pipe on a first end, the hub having an inner circular wall forming a cylindrical channel and having at least one opening and a hub flange coupled to the hub on a second end, the flange having a reservoir for collecting liquid, the flange further configured to dump the liquid from the reservoir into the cylindrical channel through the opening. |
| US10947712B2 |
Device for delaying introduction of agents to a cistern
A refillable, stand-alone in-cistern device that is activated only by the rising and falling of the water in the cistern that will delay the introduction of a concentrated dose of liquid cleansing agent into the last part of the flush cycle of the toilet, thereby delivering a wide range of improved cleaning and deodorising consumer benefits. The invention only requires securement in any convenient position inside the cistern wall and requires no other customer installation maintenance. |
| US10947708B2 |
Container filling faucet
A faucet includes a base, a spout, a water level sensor, and a controller. The spout is coupled to the base and includes a first portion proximate to the base and a second portion adjustable relative to the first portion. The second portion includes a water outlet. The water level sensor is disposed on the second portion, and is configured to detect a distance between the water outlet and a level of water in a container disposed below the water outlet. The controller is configured to control the flow of water through the water outlet based on the detected distance between the water outlet and the level of water. |
| US10947705B2 |
Method for recycling water and a water recycling device
The present inventive concept relates to a method for recycling water in a water recycling device, the method comprising: receiving used water via a drain; determining a water quality measure of the used water; if the water; quality measure of the water is above a first quality threshold, feeding the used water to a valve arrangement; in the valve arrangement, forming water to be treated by providing external water, the used water or a combination of the external water and the used water; generating treated water by treating the water to be treated using a water treatment arrangement; and feeding the treated water to an outlet. The present inventive concept also relates to a water recycling device. |
| US10947701B2 |
Working vehicle
Provided is a working vehicle capable of, while reducing fuel consumption, improving traveling performance only when high traveling performance is required.A wheel loader 1 comprises: an engine 3; a variable displacement HST pump 41; a variable displacement HST motor 42 connected to the HST pump 41 through a closed circuit; pressure sensors 72A, 72B configured to load pressure of the HST motor 42; and a controller 5, wherein the controller 5 is configured to, in a case of determining that a load pressure detection value P is included in a predetermined pressure range of greater than load pressure Pα corresponding to flat ground traveling and smaller than load pressure Pγ corresponding to an excavation operation, increase maximum rotational speed of the engine 3 only within the predetermined pressure range. |
| US10947699B2 |
Construction machine
A construction machine incorporates a hydraulic closed circuit system capable of suppressing, even where a selector valve is stuck in an open state by a failure of the selector valve or a control system therefor, unintended operation of a hydraulic actuator and continuing operation of a machine body. The construction machine includes first sensors that detect open-closed states of a plurality of switching valves, first compulsory valve closing devices that change over the plurality of switching valves to a closed position irrespective of open-close control by a machine body controller, and a valve device controller that controls, when it is detected based on the open-closed states of the plurality of selector values detected by the first sensors that one of the plurality of selector values is stuck in an open state, the first compulsory valve closing device such that other selector valve connected to one of the plurality of closed circuit pumps to which the one selector valve is connected is closed. |