| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US09248950B2 |
Plunger for moisture tight dispenser
A dispenser includes a body, the body including a product housing defining an interior for housing a plurality of products. The product housing has a dispensing portion defining a dispensing opening configured to permit the removal of at least one of the plurality of products from the interior. The body further includes a plunger movably engaged with the product housing and including a product support that moves within the interior to move the plurality of products towards the dispensing opening, the dispenser comprising a moisture tight seal between the plunger and the product housing. |
| US09248948B2 |
Dispensing device
A dispensing device is disclosed having a cylinder, a piston disposed in the cylinder and moveable in priming and dispensing directions, including a spring device biasing the piston to move in the priming direction at a predetermined rate, and an operating plunger connectable to the piston and moveable along a path to move the piston in the dispensing direction. The operating plunger has an engagement device and is moveable between an engaged position in which the engagement device is connected to the piston and movement of the plunger along the path is transmitted to the piston, and a disengaged position in which the engagement device is disconnected from the piston and movement of the plunger along the path is independent of the piston. The engagement device is arranged such that movement of the plunger between the engaged and disengaged positions is of a different kind to movement along the path. |
| US09248944B2 |
Waterproof structure, method of forming the same, and terminal
Provided is a waterproof structure capable of facilitating positioning of a packing. A waterproof structure according to one aspect of the present invention includes a first case having a groove formed therein, a packing that is disposed in the groove, a second case that pushes the packing and forms a sealed space with the first case. The packing includes a bending part, and the groove includes a guiding part that guides a tip of the bending part to a predetermined position on the bottom surface of the groove in the first case. |
| US09248941B1 |
Rack-handling system
A rack-handling system includes a rack-handling device having a rack-coupling portion and one or more handles. The rack-coupling portion can be coupled with a rack. The handles can be gripped by a user to move the rack from one location to another when the rack-coupling portion is coupled to the rack. |
| US09248939B2 |
Furled bottle sleeve
A semi-rigid sleeve for a bottle that is open at both ends and can be inserted downward onto a freestanding bottle so as to cling thereto as a second skin. The sleeve generally comprises a cylindrical body defined by a resilient sheet of semi-rigid material (preferably high-density plastic) open at both ends and having an axial slit running end-to-end, the body being defined by an inward axial curvature and compression-formed with a shape-memory characteristic to normally retain a smaller (furled) first diameter which can be forcibly expanded by parting along said slit to a larger (unfurled) second diameter. An optional rubber coating may be applied to the interior/exterior of the body for insulation purposes. The smooth semi-rigid exterior surface of the bottle sleeve provides a superior advertising medium and outstanding multi-color graphics can be applied by thermoset printing processes, resulting in far more eyecatching graphics than traditional foam koozies. |
| US09248936B2 |
End closure with tab guidance features
An improved end closure for food and beverage containers is provided. The end closure contains a raised bead portion for guiding and directing the opening or lifting motion of a tab portion attached to the end closure. More efficient opening features are enabled by the guided action of the tab and raised bead features. |
| US09248928B2 |
Methods of manufacturing contact lenses for delivery of beneficial agents
Contact lenses comprising an ionic component are packaged with a beneficial cationic agent in a temperature-sensitive packaging solution and/or a low ionic strength packaging solution. |
| US09248925B2 |
Medicine supply apparatus
A medicine supply apparatus that subdivides and supplies medicines is provided. The medicine supply apparatus includes: a cassette unit that is provided movably between a fixed position and a drawn position, and can temporarily retain the medicines in a subdivided manner; a cover provided movably between a closed position to cover the cassette unit from above and an opened position where the cassette unit is exposed; and an association mechanism that associates operations of the cassette unit and the cover, wherein the association mechanism restricts an operation of the cover so as to keep the cover in the closed position when the cassette unit is in the drawn position. |
| US09248923B2 |
Ceramic composite thermal protection system
An apparatus comprises a thermal protection element, a number of washers, a ceramic layer, a number of blind fasteners, and a number of tabs. The thermal protection element has an upper surface, a lower surface, and a plurality of sides. The ceramic layer covers at least the plurality of sides of the thermal protection element. The number of tabs is connected to the number of sides by the number of blind fasteners secured to the ceramic layers. The tabs may be part of a frame secured to a groove around the plurality of sides. |
| US09248921B2 |
Method for mounting a pylon to an aircraft
An assembly and method for attaching an engine pylon to an aircraft wing. The method may include attaching a first forward wing-mounted fitting to the pylon at a first side of the pylon between upper and lower spars of the pylon and attaching a second forward wing-mounted fitting to the pylon at a second side of the pylon between the upper and lower spars of the pylon. The second side of the pylon is located opposite of the first side of the pylon. Mechanical attachment devices may be inserted through holes on the sides of the pylon aligned with holes formed through the forward wing-mounted fittings. The mechanical attachment devices may be made of steel and the forward wing-mounted fittings may be made of composite or aluminum material. |
| US09248920B2 |
Monitoring of steering-angle during aircraft transport
The subject matter disclosed herein includes, inter alia, a method and system which enables to determine the steering-angle between the longitudinal axis of a tractor and the longitudinal axis of an aircraft which is being led by the tractor (referred to herein as “steering-angle” in short). While an aircraft is being led, the steering-angle can be repeatedly calculated and compared to a threshold value defining a mechanical steering limit. In case the comparison complies with one or more predefined conditions (e.g. the steering-angle is equal or smaller the threshold value) a warning can be generated indicating to an operator that the steering-angle has reached (or is about to reach) its limit and should be adjusted accordingly. |
| US09248917B2 |
Fire detection system
A fire detection system for an aircraft, freight transportation vehicle or freight storage facility comprises one or more RFID tags associated with one or more items of freight being transported or stored. The RFID tag is configured to detect a condition indicative of a fire in or in the vicinity the item of freight, for example a temperature rise or generation of smoke. One or more RFID readers are arranged to read the RFID tags. The RFID reader is connected to or forms part of a control system, the RFID reader or the control determining whether the RFID tag has detected a fire. |
| US09248916B2 |
Aerial refueling indication system and method
An indication system and method for detecting and displaying the relative position during fuel transfer. The system comprises a first input device configured to be capable of detecting the extended length from the tanker aircraft of elongated hose and to be capable of sending the detected length of elongated hose to the control module. The control module is operably connected to a display and configured to be capable of receiving an input signal from the input device of hose extension, transforming it into a corresponding output signal of the position of the receiver aircraft inside a refueling range of limit positions and sending the corresponding output signal to the display, which is configured to be capable of displaying information indicating the position of the receiver aircraft inside the refueling range of limit positions. |
| US09248914B2 |
Managing fuel in aircraft
A method and apparatus for managing aircraft. Data about components for the aircraft is identified. Fuel efficiency of the aircraft is identified using the data about the components for the aircraft and a model of the aircraft. The model of the aircraft identifies fuel use. The aircraft is managed using the fuel efficiency identified for the aircraft. |
| US09248906B2 |
Method and apparatus for changing a deployed position for a tail skid assembly
A method and apparatus for positioning a tail skid assembly for a maximum rotation angle for an aircraft may be provided. A determination may be made as to whether the tail skid assembly is to be deployed for takeoff or landing. A set of parameters may be identified based on a determination of whether the tail skid assembly is to be deployed for takeoff or landing. A desired maximum rotation angle for the aircraft may be identified using the set of parameters. The tail skid assembly may be deployed to allow the desired maximum rotation angle for the aircraft. |
| US09248905B2 |
Aircraft landing gear
An aircraft (11) with at least an inflatable device (41) installed in a cavity (21) in its external surface which is equipped with a door (25) for opening/closing said cavity (21) is provided. The inflatable device (41), comprising a cushion (45) and a gas generator is configured for filling the cavity (21) with the cushion (45) when it is inflated with the gas supplied by said gas generator, without protruding from the cavity (21) for reducing the downstream air flow disturbances generated by said cavity (21) when the door (25) is open. The inflatable device (41) includes control means for inflating the cushion (45) in predetermined circumstances, being the door (25) open. The invention is particularly applicable to the cavities of the Main Landing Gear (31) for avoiding power losses to a Ram Air Turbine (51) placed behind it. |
| US09248899B2 |
Soundproofing covering having resonators, a panel provided with the covering, and an aircraft
A soundproofing covering (10) having resonators (30). Said covering (10) comprises a trellis (20) provided with at least two resonators (30) and at least one stud (50) for fastening at least two resonators (30) to a panel (5) that is to be treated, each resonator (30) including a blade (31) extending longitudinally in a plane (P1) from one end (32) of the resonator (30) that is fastened to a stud (50) to another end (33) of the resonator (30), said blade (31) having at least one transverse protuberance (35) for oscillating in an elevation direction (D1) perpendicular to said plane (P1), each stud (50) extending in elevation from a face for securing to the panel (5) that is to be treated towards each resonator (30) fastened to the stud (50), at least one stud (50) having damper means (60) interposed between said face and each of the resonators (30) fastened to the stud. |
| US09248898B1 |
Systems and methods for controlling speed of a marine vessel
A system that controls the speed of a marine vessel includes first and second propulsion devices that produce first and second thrusts to propel the marine vessel. A control circuit controls orientation of the first and second propulsion devices about respective steering axes to control directions of the first and second thrusts. A first user input device is moveable between a neutral position and a non-neutral detent position. When a second user input device is actuated while the first user input device is in the detent position, the control circuit does one or more of the following so as to control the speed of the marine vessel: varies a speed of a first engine of the first propulsion device and a speed of a second engine of the second propulsion device; and varies one or more alternative operating conditions of the first and second propulsion devices. |
| US09248886B1 |
Suspension architecture for a snowmobile
A rear suspension architecture is provided for coupled rear suspension systems. |
| US09248884B2 |
Children's tricycle
A children's tricycle comprises a body, a front wheel pivotally assembled to the body, a first pedaling assembly assembled to the front wheel, a second pedaling assembly assembled to the front wheel, a screw for making the first pedaling assembly threaded with the second pedaling assembly. A first inserting rod of the first pedaling assembly and a second inserting rod of the second pedaling assembly are connected to the front wheel separately, such that the first and second pedaling assemblies can be assembled to or detached from the front wheel quickly. The first and second pedaling assemblies can be assembled to the tricycle for the child to step on, and can also be detached from the tricycle when the child is learning to walk, such a tricycle is not only money-saving since the parents don't need to buy a special baby walker additionally, but also has high convenience and security. |
| US09248883B2 |
Bicycle fork with compliant tip
The present invention provides a bicycle comprising front and rear wheels, a frame supported on the front and rear wheels and including a front fork. The front fork comprises a steerer tube defining a steering axis, a fork blade coupled to and extending downward relative to the steerer tube, and a fork tip coupled between the fork blade and the front wheel. The fork tip includes a first arm extending at an angle of 40-85 degrees relative to the steering axis, a second arm extending at an angle of 70-120 degrees relative to the steering axis, and an axle support coupled between the second arm and the front wheel. In one embodiment, the first arm and second arm define a gap, and the fork tip further includes a resilient member positioned in the gap. |
| US09248882B2 |
Tri-fold, vehicle chassis
A compact vehicle drive mechanisms that can be used in the design of a foldable, carry-on vehicle. The compact drive mechanisms presented herein, for example, have contributed to the advent of the compact, carry-on bicycles set-forth in the teachings which include drive-and-steering units and drive-and-chassis units. |
| US09248875B2 |
Driving flipper with robotic arm
A driving flipper with a robotic arm and a method for protecting the robotic arm. A robotic platform having a main frame and at least one obstacle climbing flipper with a robotic arm. The robotic arm has a folded mode substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the obstacle climbing flipper. The robotic arm has an operational mode protruding away from the longitudinal axis in an angle of at least 45 degrees. |
| US09248872B2 |
Flexible skirt assembly
A flexible skirt assembly for a trailer, such as a trailer, is provided. The flexible assembly includes a first bracket and a first arm attachable to an underside of a vehicle, and a second bracket and a second arm attachable to the underside of the vehicle. A skirt body may include a first side and a second side. The first side of the skirt body attaches to the first arm and the second side of the skirt body attaches to the second arm. The first arm, second arm, and skirt body may be made of a flexible material. |
| US09248871B1 |
Multi-position endgate system
A multi-position endgate system includes a storage box wall and a storage box floor. A tailgate is mounted relative to the storage box floor and is pivotal about a tailgate axis. The tailgate is moveable between a fully-closed position proximal to the storage box wall and a fully-open position distal from the storage box wall. A cable mechanism has a first end pivotally attached to the tailgate and a second end pivotally attached to the storage box wall. A channel hook is attached to either the tailgate or the storage box wall at a connector. An arcuate ledge is spaced from the connector, by an arm, and defines a groove. The cable mechanism may be passed or routed through the groove of the arcuate ledge to selectively hold the tailgate in an intermediate position between the fully-closed and fully-open positions. |
| US09248849B2 |
Apparatus for bi-directional downstream adjacent crossing signaling
First and second crossing predictors communicate with each other, and each predictor transmits signals to instruct downstream adjacent predictors to activate their warning devices at a constant warning time (referred to as DAXing) by using train detection information from the other predictor. The communications between the predictors may be rail based, wireless or wired using conductors other than rails. Multiple predictors may be present between the first and second crossing predictors, and each such predictor may be DAXed by one of the outer predictors based on the train's direction. The predictor also transmits a signal to inform the other predictor of the presence of the train so that the other predictor may determine whether to suppress DAXing. Detecting an incoming train direction at a predictor by utilizing a second receiver attached to the track rails at a location offset from the first receiver. |
| US09248843B2 |
Device, system and method for ground line haul
A device for transporting freight articles in a ground or rail haul operations comprises a hollow housing including four corner sections, side walls, two center sections defining four openings each disposed between one edge of a center section and an edge of a respective corner section, a bottom portion and a top portion, wherein the two center portions are manufactured from see through or clear material. A door is mounted to selectively open and close a respective opening and swinging outwardly and towards a respective corner portion to selectively open the respective opening. Two channels are provided in the bottom portion, each in open communication with opposite sides of the bottom portion. Four feet or wheels are mounted on the bottom portion. Four receptacles are provided in the top portion, each sized and shaped to receive a foot therewithin. |
| US09248842B1 |
Environment-based function lock system for a vehicle
A computing device and methods for restricting driver interactions with vehicle functions based on a challenging driving environment are disclosed. One example method for restricting driver interactions with vehicle functions based on a challenging driving environment includes identifying a challenging driving environment based at least in part on information regarding a driving condition; and preventing a driver from accessing one or more vehicle functions based on the challenging driving environment exists. Example implementations include identifying a challenging driving environment based on information received from on-vehicle sensors and/or external communication links; identifying a driver's skill level; and selectively blocking vehicle functionality, selectively presenting information to a driver, and selecting available driver interactions based on the driving environment. |
| US09248838B2 |
System and method for a one-time departure schedule setup for charging battery-electric vehicles
A method and a system for making a one-time change to a primary departure schedule of a battery-electric vehicle for charging or pre-climate operations without affecting the future departure times of the primary departure schedule. The system can be a vehicle including an ECU, a memory, a battery, a charger connected to an external power source, a BMS, an HVAC and a display. The method may include receiving an alternate departure date and time different from the primary departure schedule, deactivating the charging or pre-climate operations based on the primary departure schedule and activating charging or pre-climate operations based on the alternate departure date and time. The method and system may also include receiving an immediate charge mode designation, deactivating the charging or pre-climate operations based on the primary schedule and immediately activating the charging operations without affecting the primary departure schedule. |
| US09248837B2 |
Method and system for controlling a speed of a vehicle
A method and system for controlling a speed of a vehicle. Acceleration data comprising acceleration samples of the vehicle on a segment of the road is captured. Jerk energy values associated with the vehicle on the segment is computed based upon the acceleration samples. Median jerk energy of the vehicle on the segment may be determined based upon the jerk energy values. Predictive median jerk energy of the vehicle on the segment is computed using a statistical equation. A score associated with the segment is calculated based upon the median jerk energy, the predictive median jerk energy, and a standard deviation (σ). The segment is classified into one of a first set of categories and a second set of categories based upon the score. A feedback signal indicative of controlling the speed of the vehicle is transmitted to a controller based upon the classification. |
| US09248831B2 |
Drive control device for hybrid vehicle
A drive control device for a hybrid vehicle is provided with a differential device including four rotary elements; and an engine, first and second electric motors and an output rotary member which are respectively connected to the four rotary elements. One of the four rotary elements is constituted by a rotary component of a first differential mechanism and a rotary component of a second differential mechanism selectively connected through a clutch, and one of the rotary components is selectively fixed to a stationary member through a brake. The drive control device comprises: an engine start control portion configured to switch an operating state of the clutch during cranking of the engine to raise its speed for starting the engine. The engine start control portion includes: a first clutch controlling portion configured to place the clutch in one of a released state and an engaged state in which a difference between a first dwelling speed to be established in a first half period of a rise of a speed of the engine and a first resonance speed of a drive line extending from the engine to the first electric motor connected to the first differential mechanism through a torsional damper is larger in the other of the released and engaged states, the first resonance speed corresponding to an explosion 1-order frequency of the engine; and a second clutch controlling portion configured to place the clutch in one of the released and engaged states in which a difference between a second dwelling speed to be established in a second half period of the rise of the speed of the engine and a predetermined second resonance speed of the drive line is larger in the other of the released and engaged states, the predetermined second resonance speed corresponding to a revolution 0.5-order pulsation frequency of the engine. |
| US09248830B2 |
Control apparatus of hybrid vehicle
The control apparatus of the present invention is applied to a hybrid vehicle having an internal combustion engine that is capable, during operation, of changing over its operational mode to lean combustion or to stoichiometric combustion. The control apparatus preferentially selects an operational mode having high system efficiency in relation to the requested power, and selects the stoichiometric combustion mode (S104) when, under the specific condition that the system efficiency is higher in the lean combustion mode as compared to the EV mode and moreover is lower in the stoichiometric combustion mode as compared to the EV mode, also the temperature (Tnc) of an exhaust purification catalyst is less than or equal to a first predetermined value (Tα) (S101, S102). |
| US09248827B2 |
Hybrid vehicle and control method thereof
A hybrid vehicle is mounted with a traction motor, a power storage device for storing electric power input to and output from the traction motor, an engine, and a power generation mechanism to generate charging electric power for the power storage device by an output from the engine. An ECU sets charging/discharging electric power of the power storage device to control SOC of the power storage device to be within a predetermined range centered about a SOC control target in a running mode with the engine operating. The output from the engine is set to ensure the charging/discharging electric power. The ECU sets the charging/discharging electric power such that the power storage device is discharged to an extent corresponding to a predetermined SOC higher than the lower limit SOC according to requirement power required for vehicle running, even when the SOC is lower than the SOC control target. |
| US09248823B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing parking instructions to reduce environmental vehicle effects
A system includes a processor configured to receive parking space environmental characteristics, from a vehicle parked in a parking space. The processor is also configured to download weather data for an area in which the parking space is located, covering a time duration for which the vehicle was parked. The processor is further configured to correlate the weather data to the received environmental characteristics to build a parking space environment profile for the duration of time and update a parking space model based on the environment profile. |
| US09248822B2 |
Control apparatus and method for regenerative braking of eco-friendly vehicle
A variable control apparatus and method of the amount of regenerative braking of a vehicle using a paddle shift are provided. The method includes sensing, by a controller, positive (+) and negative (−) shifting in a manual mode based on a signal from a shift-operating unit during regenerative braking with a drive (D) gear engaged while the vehicle travels. A regenerative braking torque map that corresponds to a selected gear is selected based on the signal from the shift-operating unit. In addition, regenerative braking of a driving motor is adjusted based on the torque value calculated from the selected regenerative braking torque map. |
| US09248820B2 |
Shifting procedure for powersplit systems
A method for shifting a transmission capable of operating in a hydrostatic power transmission mode or a blended hydrostatic and mechanical power transmission mode is provided. The transmission includes a mechanical portion and a hydraulic portion. The method comprises the steps of placing the transmission in the hydrostatic power transmission mode, reducing an amount of engagement of a primary clutch, adjusting a rotational speed of the hydraulic portion, increasing an amount of engagement of a secondary clutch, and engaging the secondary clutch and disengaging the primary clutch. The method for shifting the transmission minimizes torque interruption, increases a fuel efficiency of a vehicle, and increases a range of operating speeds of the vehicle the transmission is incorporated in. |
| US09248817B2 |
Anti-rollaway device for trucks and equipment with fluid and electrically actuated brakes
A vehicle anti-rollaway device includes a first switch responsive to the presence and absence of an operator at a predetermined location in the vehicle for controlling the on/off state of parking brake of the vehicle in the form of either a servo controlled parking brake or a fluid controlled parking brake. The device can also include a speed control responsive to a speed of the vehicle for controlling the on/off state of the parking brake as a function of the speed of the vehicle. The device can also include a second switch operative for controlling the response of the parking brake to the state of the first switch. |
| US09248815B2 |
System and method for emergency braking
A method for automatically decelerating a vehicle having a first side with a first front wheel brake and a first rear wheel brake and second side with a second front wheel brake and a second rear wheel brake, and in which the vehicle further has a braking system with a pump operable to deliver a flow of pressurized hydraulic fluid to the first and second front wheel brakes and to the first and second rear wheel brakes, includes receiving a signal associated with an emergency braking event. The method further includes increasing the hydraulic pressure at the first and second front wheel brakes at a greater rate than at the first and second rear wheel brakes. The method also includes directing hydraulic fluid from the first front wheel brake to the second rear wheel brake upon achieving a targeted level of deceleration or wheel slip. |
| US09248814B2 |
Vehicle brake hydraulic pressure control apparatus
A wheel deceleration calculating sections individually calculate, as negative values, wheel decelerations of front and rear wheels. If, at a time when the antilock braking control for at least one of the right and left front wheels is started or at a time when the antilock braking control for at least one of the right and left rear wheels is started, (i) a maximum value of the wheel decelerations calculated by the wheel deceleration calculating sections is equal to or larger than a first predetermined value and (ii) a difference between the wheel decelerations of the right and left front wheels or the right and left rear wheels which are in an antilock braking control state is equal to or larger than a second predetermined value, a split road determining section determines that road surfaces constitute a split road. |
| US09248810B2 |
Accelerator braking module
An accelerator pedal operated braking system for an automatic transmission vehicle; said braking system including monitoring of angular data and angular rate of change data of an accelerator pedal of said vehicle; said system further including a control module and an actuator acting on the brake pedal of said vehicle; said braking system responsive to said angular data and angular rate of change data. |
| US09248800B1 |
Side pillar assemblies with retention structures for side airbags
A vehicle includes a B-pillar garnish mounted at a side pillar assembly of the vehicle. The B-pillar garnish includes an airbag jump bracket engaging feature including a hook-shaped engaging portion extending upwardly beyond an end of an outwardly turned flange portion of the airbag jump bracket. The hook-shaped engaging portion includes a stem portion and an enlarged head portion that overhangs the end of the outwardly turned flange portion of the airbag jump bracket that engages the outwardly turned flange portion during an airbag deployment event. The stem portion is located adjacent the end of the outwardly turned flange portion of the airbag jump bracket. The stem portion is arranged to engage the end of the outwardly turned flange portion of the airbag jump bracket to limit movement of an upper end portion of the B-pillar garnish into the occupant compartment of the vehicle. |
| US09248796B2 |
Visually-distracted-driving detection device
A visually-distracted-driving detection device that can detect visually distracted driving with high accuracy. The visually-distracted-driving detection device includes a visually-distracted-driving determination unit that determines that a driver is visually distracted if the direction in which the driver is looking is greater than or equal to a predetermined angle with respect to the front of the driver; and a prohibition unit that, if it is specified that the present position of the vehicle as specified by a present-position specifying unit is within a first predetermined distance from an intersection, prohibits a process that is performed in cases where it is determined that the driver is visually distracted. |
| US09248792B2 |
Power supply device for electric vehicle
A battery pack locked to a vehicle body for mounting to and detaching from the vehicle body. A battery case is provided with an extension part extending to above a battery cell accommodating part. The extension part includes a handle including a grip part having an orientation set so as to extend in the vehicle longitudinal direction when the battery case is mounted on the vehicle. The handle is provided on the battery case in the state of being deviated toward either of vehicle-width-directionally left and right sides. A lock device attached to a main frame of the electric vehicle is provided with a lock pin that is advanced and retracted. The extension part on the battery case side is provided with an engagement hole for accepting the lock pin, the engagement hole being formed in either of side surface portions in the longitudinal direction of the electric vehicle. |
| US09248789B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting key-on and key-off states using time-to-frequency transforms
A key state detector for a vehicle collects a sequence of battery voltage samples and applies a time-domain to frequency-domain transform (TFT) to the collected samples. The results of the TFT are then applied to an artificial neural network (ANN) to determine if they represent a key-on or key-off state. The ANN is trained based on data collected from the vehicle and is periodically retrained so that the detection of key-on and key-off states conforms to the particular vehicle and tracks the aging of vehicle components. |
| US09248782B2 |
Pivot tray assembly and process of making and using the same
A number of variations may include a product including a tray comprising at least one face, at least one edge, and at least one female attachment, and a frame comprising an outline comprising a plurality of sides and at least one male attachment, wherein the male attachment of the frame attaches to the female attachment along the edge of the tray, wherein the female attachment comprises a deformable spring assembly constructed and arranged to both rotate the tray about the male attachment, and hold or maintain the tray face in a parallel or perpendicular direction with respect to the outline of the frame. |
| US09248780B2 |
Vehicle access apparatus and a method thereof
There is provided an access apparatus having a deployable step that is biased to move towards a stowed position, wherein in the stowed position, the deployable step restricts opening of a vehicle's door. Abutment of a portion of the vehicle's door controls movement of the deployable step. Wherein, when said vehicle door is closed, the deployable step is arranged in a stowed position and when said vehicle door is fully open, the deployable step is arranged in the deployed position to provide a step. Here, when in the deployed position, abutment of the portion of the vehicle's door with the deployable step, prevents the deployable step from moving towards the stowed position. Consequently, and because the deployable step is biased to move towards the stowed position, the deployable step is automatically opened and closed upon opening and closing of the door. Moreover, the automatic opening and closing relies on a simple mechanical relationship, which reduces the chance of a malfunction and allows the access apparatus to be more easily retrofitted. |
| US09248776B2 |
Vehicular light unit with multiple light sources
A vehicular lighting unit includes: a first light source in the form of an LED for providing illumination forward or rearward of a vehicle body, the first light source being mounted on one surface of a base plate in an orientation corresponding to the direction of the illumination; a second light source in the form of an LED for providing illumination laterally outward of the vehicle body, the second light source being mounted on another surface of the base plate; and a reflection section provided near the second light source for reflecting light emitted from the second light source laterally outward of the vehicle body. |
| US09248772B2 |
Method of delivering, transporting, and storing proppant for delivery and use at a well site
A method of delivering proppant to a well site has the steps of transporting a load of proppant in a vessel to a desired location, moving the load of proppant from the vessel into a container so as to create a proppant-loaded container, unloading the proppant-loaded container into a pneumatic bulk trailer, and transporting the unloaded proppant in the pneumatic bulk trailer to well site. The container is placed onto a bed of a truck and moved in proximity to the vessel. The proppant-loaded container is placed onto a tilting mechanism and then tilted so that the proppant is discharged through a flow gate of a container into a hopper. The proppant in the hopper can then be conveyed to the pneumatic bulk trailer. |
| US09248769B2 |
Carpet floor mat having plastic migrating prevention formation, and associated injection mold
An injection molded carpet mat includes a flexible base having an upper surface defining a carpet recess, and an opposite lower surface. A carpet sheet is secured in the carpet recess by being integrally formed with the base, and having a napped top surface, a bottom surface and a peripheral edge. The lower base surface having a plurality of spaced ribs supporting the carpet bottom surface adjacent the peripheral edge and defining a track on the lower base surface corresponding to the peripheral edge of the carpet sheet. |
| US09248768B2 |
Vehicle seat and method for cushioning two spring parts which are movable relative to each other
A vehicle seat having a seat part extending in the vehicle lengthwise direction (X) and in the vehicle width direction (Y) and having a backrest part and a seat substructure for cushioning and/or damping at least the seat part with respect to a body of a vehicle, in which the seat substructure comprises at least one horizontal spring device having a first spring part and a second spring part that is movable relative thereto and a deformable fluid spring element for cushioning the seat part with respect to the body in the vehicle lengthwise direction (X) and/or in the vehicle width direction (Y), the deformable fluid spring element being arranged with a first connecting region to the first spring part and a second connecting region to the second spring part, wherein the deformable fluid spring element is arranged between the first and second spring parts so as to be deformed solely by the first and second spring parts upon relative movement of the first and second spring parts relative to each other. |
| US09248766B2 |
Headrest stay and active headrest
A headrest stay includes a pair of first stay-composing parts extending in top and bottom directions of a seat back while supported by the seat back, the first stay-composing parts being arranged in different positions in a direction of vehicle width; and a second stay-composing part connecting specific parts of the first stay-composing parts in the direction of the vehicle width, the specific parts extending straight in the top and bottom directions of the seat back. The specific parts face a head of an occupant seated on the seat. A portion of the second stay-composing part, which portion is between the one specific part and the other specific part in the direction of the vehicle width, is not located further forward than the specific parts, and at least part of the portion is located further rearward than the specific parts. |
| US09248741B2 |
Torque indicating device and vehicle including same
Disclosed is a torque indicating device including: a first indicating section that indicates a torque transmitted to primary drive wheels of a vehicle; and a second indicating section that indicates a torque transmitted to secondary drive wheels of the vehicle. The second indicating section indicates a quantity that is less than or equal to the quantity indicated by the first indicating section. |
| US09248729B2 |
Vehicle door structure
A vehicle door structure includes a panel and a bracket. A window opening in the panel has an edge extending along a lower periphery of the window opening from a first side to a second side of the window opening. The edge defines a seal supporting lip and a glass installation slot. The seal supporting lip extends from the first side of the window opening toward the second side of the window opening to a terminal end of the seal supporting lip. The glass installation slot begins at the terminal end of the seal supporting lip and ends proximate the second side of the window opening. The bracket is removably attached to the panel filling the glass installation slot. The bracket has a lip extension aligned with the seal supporting lip extending from the terminal end of the seal supporting lip to the second side of the window opening. |
| US09248726B2 |
Sunroof apparatus for vehicle
A sunroof apparatus for a vehicle includes a movable panel, a guide rail, a support bracket, a first sliding member, a second sliding member, a check mechanism restricting a movement of the movable panel in a front-rear direction of a vehicle to bring the movable panel to a tilt-up state and releasing the restriction of the movement of the movable panel while maintaining the tilt-up state, an engagement and disengagement switching mechanism including a first member and a second member supported by one and the other of the first sliding member and the second sliding member, a holding portion provided at the first sliding member, and a retention portion provided at the second sliding member and held to be non-movable in a vehicle width direction by the holding portion in a case where the first member and the second member are engaged with each other. |
| US09248721B1 |
Sun visor assembly incorporating a magnetic detention system
A sun visor assembly is provided incorporating a magnetic detention system. That assembly includes a sun visor body, a ferromagnetic element held in that body and a permanent magnet in a headliner of the vehicle. The permanent magnet and the ferromagnetic element are aligned so that the body is attracted toward the headliner and positively held in a home position adjacent the headliner. |
| US09248717B2 |
Suspension with hydraulic preload adjust
A shock absorber for a vehicle having a damper and a first and second springs mounted coaxially around the damper and a preload adjuster for partially compressing at least one of the springs independently of the compression stroke. In one embodiment the preload adjuster is remotely controllable. In another embodiment the shock absorber includes an additional mechanism for preloading at least one of the springs. |
| US09248715B2 |
Suspension thrust bearing device and strut equiped with such a device
The present invention relates to a suspension bearing device, comprising a rolling bearing forming an axial stop along a main axis and at least one seal adapted for protecting the rolling bearing from ingress of water or of polluting particles. The device is characterized in that it also comprises a bottom cup and a top cup made of plastic, in contact with the rolling bearing, the bottom cup forming a bearing means for a suspension spring, and in that the or each seal is made of thermoplastic overmolded onto a first element between the cups and comprises a base of substantially annular shape from which extends at least one sealing lip in contact with the second element between the cups. The invention also relates to a strut of a motor vehicle, comprising a damper and a suspension bearing device as mentioned above. |
| US09248704B2 |
Tire with improved beads
Tire comprising two beads comprising an annular reinforcing structure, a carcass reinforcement anchored in the two beads so as to form a main portion and a wrapped-around portion, each wrapped-around portion extending radially outwards as far as an end situated at a radial distance DEC that is less than or equal to 10% of the radial height H of the tire; each bead comprising an apex made of a rubber composition having an elastic modulus greater than 40 MPa, extending radially as far as a radial distance DEE1 comprised between 10% and 15% of the height H; each bead further comprising an outer strip made of a rubber composition that has an elastic modulus G′ less than or equal to 15 MPa and a viscous modulus G″ such that: G″[MPa]≦0.2·G′[MPa]−0.2 MPa, extending at least between 20% and 25% of the height H, the apex having an axial thickness E(r) that is substantially a linear function of r, r denoting the distance with respect to the radially innermost point of the annular structure, wherein the entity formed by the apex and outer strip has a thickness ET(r) such that, in the range of distances r comprised between 25 and 45% of the height H of the tire, the variation in thickness ∂ ET ( r ) ∂ r is negative and has an absolute value that is greater than or equal to 0.25 mm/mm over at least 4% of the height H; and wherein said annular structure has a maximum axial width DE such that the ratio ET ( r ) max - DE ET ( r ) max , where ET(r)max is the maximum value of the thickness ET(r), is less than 10%. |
| US09248698B2 |
Wheel frame
A method of assembling a wheel rotatable about a main axis and having a plurality of peripheral rollers mounted on peripheral axles aligned tangentially about the wheel and radially spaced from the main axis, each peripheral axle joined to adjacent other peripheral axles to form a continuous ring comprising the peripheral axles, the method including the steps of: molding each peripheral axle in a die having a cylindrical cycle for forming the axle shaft of the peripheral axle without longitudinal separation tines, the peripheral axles each having a receiving head portion for receiving a free end of the axle shaft of an adjacent peripheral axle; mounting a roller on each axle shaft; joining the peripheral axles together to form a continuous ring of peripheral axles; and molding a wheel body including a support structure around the continuous ring. |
| US09248690B2 |
Nib assembly having a double wall and writing instrument comprising same
A nib assembly for a writing instrument comprises a ferrule having a first end and a second end. The ferrule includes an inner ferrule wall and an outer ferrule wall, the inner ferrule wall and the outer ferrule wall being separated by a well having an opening. A cap has a first end, a second end, and a first cap wall. The first cap wall is sized and shaped to be at least partially received within the well, the first cap wall being disposed at least partially within the well, between the inner ferrule wall and the outer ferrule wall, when the cap is coupled to the ferrule. |
| US09248689B2 |
Method for the production of security elements having registered layers of designs
The present invention relates to a method for producing a security element (1), to a security element (1) obtainable by the method according to the invention, to transfer materials having the security elements according to the invention, and to objects of value secured with the security elements according to the invention. The security element (1) according to the invention has two functional layers (12, 22) which are bonded together by means of a resist layer (30). The resist layer (30) has a pattern which is employed to generate a congruent pattern in the first functional layer (12). Then the pattern of the resist layer (30), and thus also of the first functional layer (12), is exactly reproduced in the second functional layer (22). This is achieved by bonding the second functional layer (22) in the form of the pattern of the resist layer (30). The non-bonded areas of the second functional layer (22) are removed, thereby forming negative writing. |
| US09248688B1 |
Motion greeting cards
The present invention and related disclosure describes greeting cards with moving elements or devices which are operable to create motion in connection with some portion of the greeting card. The greeting card may include a multi-panel greeting card body or a three-dimensional foam greeting card body. At least one movable object is contained upon or within the greeting card body. A sound module having at least one pre-recorded digital audio file saved therein and a motor module are contained and concealed within the greeting card body. One or more switches may be used to activate the sound and motor modules, causing the pre-recorded audio file to play and causing movement of the movable or mobile object. |
| US09248685B2 |
Print medium
The present invention concerns a print medium and a method of producing such a print medium. In particular, the present invention is directed to a print medium comprising a substrate having a first and a reverse side, and at least one coating layer on of the substrate sides. |
| US09248680B2 |
Method and device for used ribbon destruction
Methods and devices are described for securely destroying used ribbon from a document personalization machine in order to render any information retained on the used ribbon as unreadable. In one embodiment, the method includes tapering the used ribbon into a used ribbon strand by feeding the used ribbon through a tapering mechanism. The method also includes heating the used ribbon strand to fuse the used ribbon strand into a used ribbon string thereby rendering any data retained on the used ribbon unreadable. |
| US09248670B2 |
Conveyor device and inkjet recording apparatus
A conveyor device is disposed opposite to a recording head. The conveyor device includes a conveyor belt and a suction section. The suction section sucks on a recording medium through the conveyor belt. The suction section includes an air flow chamber and a guide member. The air flow chamber is disposed opposite to one surface of the conveyor belt, and negative pressure for sucking the recording medium onto another surface of the conveyor belt is created in the air flow chamber. The guide member covers the air flow chamber and supports the conveyor belt. The air flow chamber includes a partition wall dividing the air flow chamber into first and second spaces. The first space includes a third space overlapping with the recording head with the conveyor belt and the guide member therebetween. Pressure in the first space is less negative than pressure in the second space. |
| US09248668B2 |
Inkjet recording apparatus and inkjet recording method
An inkjet recording apparatus for forming an image by discharging an ink including an ink pigment and a polymerizable compound containing at least an N-vinyl lactam, in which the 90% diameter in cumulative volume distribution of the particle diameters of the ink pigment is equal to or less than 500 nm and the content of N-vinyl lactam is 3% to 24%, from nozzles of an inkjet head, which includes nozzle arrays having nozzles each of which discharges a curable ink cured by applied active energy and which are arranged in the first direction at a pitch P, the nozzle arrays being N (N≧4) nozzle arrays of every color, which respectively discharge thick inks of at least four colors and which nozzle arrays are arranged to be shifted by P/N away from each other in the first direction. |
| US09248666B2 |
Drying apparatus and printing apparatus
In an inkjet printing apparatus, heaters are enclosed with a heater casing, achieving accumulation of heated air and efficient performance of heating. A blowing fan blows air to the heaters. The heater casing includes a blowing port configured to narrow and blow warm air heated with the heaters to a transportation path outside the heater casing in a direction along the transportation path. The warm air narrowed at the blowing port obtains an increased air velocity thereof. In addition, uniform air-quantity distribution and uniform heat-quantity are obtainable. Moreover, the heaters face the transportation path. Consequently, the heaters are provided closer to the transportation path than a conventional external heater. This suppresses heat loss. |
| US09248665B2 |
Liquid discharge device and air blowing method
A liquid discharge device includes a platen, a head unit and an air blower. The platen is configured and arranged to support a medium. The head unit is configured and arranged to discharge liquid on the medium supported by the platen. The air blower is configured and arranged to send air toward the medium supported by the platen. The air blower is attached to the liquid discharge device such that the air sent by the air blower toward the medium flows in a direction at an angle to a normal line direction of the medium. |
| US09248661B2 |
Decoloring method and decoloring device
A decoloring device according to an embodiment comprises a decoloring unit configured to erase a first image formed with erasable colorant on a first side of a sheet and a second image formed with erasable colorant on a second side of the sheet, and a reading unit configured to read the first and second sides of the sheet and determine whether the first side and the second side are reusable. The decoloring device further comprises a single-side reusable paper tray configured to stack the sheet if the reading unit determines that only one of the first and second sides is reusable, and a reversing unit configured to reverse the sheet and discharge the sheet to the single-side reusable paper tray so that the one of the first and second side determined to be reusable is stacked on the single-side reusable paper tray in a predetermined orientation. |
| US09248657B2 |
Fluid storage container
A fluid storage container enables the easy removal of recovered fluid and reuse of the container without incurring the added costs of disassembly and replacing an absorbent material. In one exemplary embodiment, an ink cartridge 17 can have an ink storage unit 45 that stores waste ink, an ink inlet/outlet 55 disposed in a frame part 52 that can be the outside wall of the ink storage unit 45, an ink path 53 of which one end 53a communicates with the ink inlet/outlet 55 and the other end 53b is disposed opening into the ink storage unit, wall parts 54 that divide the ink storage unit 45 into an upper air chamber 61 and a lower fluid chamber 62 that communicate with each other through a communication path 58, and an outside air channel 87, of which one end 87a communicates with the air chamber 61 and the other end 87b enables communication with the outside at a position further from the air chamber 61 than the fluid chamber 62. Other embodiments of fluid storage containers are also disclosed. |
| US09248647B2 |
Liquid ejection head in which positional relationships of elements are not affected by curing of bonding adhesive
A liquid ejection head includes an electrical wiring substrate and a printing element substrate, wherein the position variation of the printing element substrate due to curing of a sealing agent is eliminated. Specifically, a gap between two support members is covered with the electrical wiring substrate so as to be able to prevent a sealing agent from flowing into the gap. As a result, even in the case where the size of the gap varies due to the variation in the dimensional accuracy and/or the variation in the assembly accuracy, the sealing agent will not enter this gap, and therefore the shape thereof can be made substantially uniform regardless of the positions. This results in a substantially uniform stress in curing and contracting of the sealing agent, and the variation in the mounting position of the printing element substrate can be suppressed. |
| US09248645B1 |
Control method to reduce printhead damage and contamination
A printing device includes an array of printheads, an actuator, and a controller. The actuator is configured to move the printheads between: a first distance from a surface on which an ink image is to be formed that enables the printheads to eject ink and form a portion of the ink image on the surface; and a second distance from the surface that is greater than the first distance. Both the first and second distances are within a print zone of the printing device. The controller is configured to identify at least one printhead that is not used for a portion of a print job, and is further configured to operate the actuator to move the identified printhead to the second distance from the surface. |
| US09248643B2 |
Method and apparatus for load-locked printing
The disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for preventing oxidation or contamination during a circuit printing operation. The circuit printing operation can be directed to OLED-type printing. In an exemplary embodiment, the printing process is conducted at a load-locked printer housing having one or more of chambers. Each chamber is partitioned from the other chambers by physical gates or fluidic curtains. A controller coordinates transportation of a substrate through the system and purges the system by timely opening appropriate gates. The controller may also control the printing operation by energizing the print-head at a time when the substrate is positioned substantially thereunder. |
| US09248631B2 |
Method of controlling working operation of a filling machine
A packaging laminate includes at least one material layer provided with magnetizable particles. A roller can be configured to apply crease line patterns on the packaging laminate while also applying magnetic fields for magnetizing at least some of the magnetizable particles in the packaging laminate. A method of controlling working operations on a packaging laminate in a filling machine involves supplying a packaging laminate to a filling machine, wherein the packaging laminate includes at least one material layer comprising magnetizable particles, with at least some of the magnetizable particles being magnetized particles. The method also involves controlling working operations of the filling machine on the packaging laminate supplied to the filling machine by reading information provided by the magnetized particles. |
| US09248627B2 |
Multilayer film having polyamide and polypropylene layers
Multilayer films of polyamide and polypropylene which have good layer adhesion and are suitable for a back cover of a solar module are provided. In a first embodiment, the multilayer film contains in the order listed: a) a layer containing at least 35% by weight, of polyamide; c) a layer containing at least 35% by weight of a polypropylene; and e) a layer containing at least 35% by weight, of polyamide; wherein the layer c) further comprises a polypropylene having acid anhydride groups or a polypropylene compatible functionalized polyolefin having functional groups to adhere the layer c) to each of layers a) and e). In a second embodiment adhesion promoter layers are present between the respective polyamide and polypropylene layers. |
| US09248624B2 |
Reinforcing fiber scrims and method for the production thereof
The invention relates to reinforcing fiber scrims, comprising multi-layer, multiaxial scrims, which each comprise individual fibers arranged next to each other in a layer, wherein at least two layers are at an angle to one each other in the layer plane and are connected by a fixing means. To improve the processing of the multiaxial scrims and significantly reduce the processing time, at least two prefabricated MD scrims are arranged at an angle in a layer plane and connected to each other. Thus a reinforcing fiber scrim is provided, which has at least two individual fiber scrims and which, for a 0° position of the individual MD scrims, has six individual fiber scrims. The number of MD scrims arranged one over the other can be arbitrarily increased so that an increased layer structure is already present when the reinforcing fiber scrim is produced. |
| US09248623B2 |
Grayscale rendering in 3D printing
An additive three-dimensional fabrication process uses multiple build materials with different optical properties (e.g., color, opacity) at different surface depths to achieve grayscale-rendered images on exterior surfaces thereof. |
| US09248619B2 |
Forming three-dimensional structure from receiver
A method for forming a three-dimensional structure includes depositing a first pattern of thermoplastic toner particles onto a first surface of a receiver to form a plurality of spaced-apart stacks of toner particles that extend above the first surface of the receiver. The receiver is bent so that non-overlapping first and second portions of the receiver are defined. At least part of a surface of the receiver in the second portion is brought into contact with the deposited stacks of toner particles. The toner particles are fused to bind the second portion to the first portion and provide a selected spacing between the first portion and the second portion. |
| US09248617B2 |
Tool and method for expanding a pipe end
A pipe end is expanded by an expander tool (1) comprising a plurality of jaws (10), which are radially movable in relation to a center axis between a retracted position and expanded position. The jaws (10) when retracted are intended to be inserted into the pipe end. The jaws (10) have outer jaw surfaces which are intended for engagement with the inner surface of the pipe end and which lie adjacent to one another in the retracted position of the jaws (10). The tool (1) further comprises a piston (2) or a cone with a tapered end for moving the jaws (10) between said positions and means moving the piston (2) or the cone in a reciprocating manner in the axial direction for expanding the pipe end. The tool (1) further comprises support structures whereby the jaws (10) are supported in a circumferential direction in the expanded position. A method for expanding a pipe using such a tool is also disclosed. |
| US09248612B2 |
Containment case and method of manufacture
A containment case comprises a composite core, with an inner and outer surface, at least one puncture resistant layer bonded to the inner surface of the composite core and at least one energy capture layer bonded to the outer surface of the composite core. The puncture resistant layer having a high through-thickness shear strength and high interlaminar toughness at impact. The energy capture layer having a high in-plane tensile strength and low resistance to delamination and fiber-matrix debonding at impact. A method of fabricating a containment case includes the steps of disposing one or more layers of a puncture resistant material on a layup mandrel, disposing one more layers of a structural composite material on an exterior surface of the puncture resistant material, disposing one or more layers of an energy capture material on an exterior surface of the structural material and curing a resin in the plurality of layers. |
| US09248608B2 |
Manufacturing method and manufacturing apparatus of an absorbent body
A manufacturing method of an absorbent body used for an absorbent article, includes molding the absorbent body by sucking in a gas, mixed with a liquid absorbent fiber and a superabsorbent polymer, using a suction hole at a bottom portion of a mold, and laminating the liquid absorbent fiber and the superabsorbent polymer on the bottom portion, and making a lamination thickness of the absorbent body thin by sucking out gas in the absorbent body placed on a placement surface on which the absorbent body is placed by, after the molding, in a state in which the gas is not supplied, sucking air through the suction hole on the placement surface, and creating an air pressure, in a space in between fibers in the absorbent body while sucking out the air, lower than that in a space in between fibers in the absorbent body while laminating in molding. |
| US09248603B2 |
Bottle with extended neck finish and method of making same
A blow molded synthetic resin bottle has a body and an elongated neck with the body providing a shoulder extending about the base of the neck. The neck has a first collar extending thereabout spaced adjacent the shoulder and at least one additional collar extending thereabout adjacent the upper end of the neck. The resin in the neck is substantially unoriented. To produce the bottle, a synthetic resin preform is injection molded with a generally tubular body and the elongated neck. This preform is placed in a blow mold cavity having a body receiving portion and a neck receiving portion that has a recess extending thereabout seating the first collar therein. The additional collar is disposed outwardly of the mold cavity and is disposed on the upper surface of the mold. |
| US09248599B2 |
High impact polymer interlayers
Multiple poly(vinyl butyral) layer interlayers that can be used in multiple layer glass panel type applications that require a high level of impact protection, for example in hurricane protection applications or in bullet proof glass applications. This effect is achieved by forming a poly(vinyl butyral) interlayer that has a relatively stiff poly(vinyl butyral) inner layer disposed between two relatively soft outer poly(vinyl butyral) layers, where the stiffness difference is achieved by a plasticizer differential that is achieved at least in substantial part by a residual hydroxyl content difference among the poly(vinyl butyral) layers. |
| US09248596B2 |
Injection apparatus
The injection apparatus is provided with a high speed step cylinder, a pressure accumulation part and a coupling mechanism. The high speed step cylinder has a rod and an operating chamber. The coupling mechanism is capable of switching between a coupled state in which the movement of the rod is restricted, and a non-coupled state in which the coupled state is released so as to enable the rod to move due to the operating pressure. The coupling mechanism includes a first coupling member, a second coupling member and a drive source. The coupling mechanism is kept in the coupled state in which the second coupling member is rotated to less than 90°. When the second coupling member is forced to rotate in the coupled state, the first coupling member rotates such that a first contact surface is in contact with a second contact surface. |
| US09248594B2 |
Injection molding apparatus with integrated hot runner system
A hot runner injection molding apparatus may comprise a machine injection unit with a machine nozzle, a first machine platen adjacent the machine nozzle, and a hot runner system. The first machine platen may include a multi-segment chamber. The hot runner system may include a movable plate, a manifold, a plurality of hot runner nozzles, and one or more actuators. The movable plate may be located in a first segment of the multi-segment chamber. The manifold and the plurality of hot runner nozzles may be located in a second segment of the multi-segment chamber. The one or more actuators may be located in a third segment of the multi-segment chamber. The movable plate may drive the plurality of valve pins and the manifold. The one or more actuators may drive the movable plate. |
| US09248591B2 |
Fiber application head including a segmented compaction roller
A fiber application head for a fiber application machine for the production of parts made of composite materials, comprising a compacting roller, said compacting roller comprising several independent roller segments mounted side by side on an axial rod. Each roller segment comprises a tubular central portion through which said segment is mounted on the axial rod, a tubular peripheral portion having a cylindrical outer surface and one or more curved spring plate arranged between the outer surface (31a) of the central portion and the inner surface of the peripheral portion. |
| US09248588B2 |
Meltable crack sealant packaging
A meltable crack sealant package that includes a polymeric container and a crack sealant material contained therein. The polymeric container includes a bottom portion including a rigid base and an upwardly extending rigid sidewall that terminates in and define an opening. The rigid base and upwardly extending rigid sidewall cooperate to define a reservoir. A rigid lid portion operatively engages with the bottom portion to close off the opening and thereby seal the crack sealant material within the reservoir in a watertight manner. Methods of making and using the meltable crack sealant package are also disclosed. |
| US09248587B2 |
Apparatus for manufacturing a flanged composite component and methods of manufacturing the same
A method of manufacturing a flanged composite component is provided. The method includes coupling a composite structure to s first composite material. The method includes coupling a second composite material to the composite structure and placing a first expansion device within the composite structure. A forming element is coupled to at least one of the first composite material, the composite structure, and the second composite material against the mold. The method includes coupling a pressure element to the forming element to define a space among the mold, the forming element, and the pressure element. The method includes expanding the first expansion device to impart a force to the second composite material to move the second composite material away from the composite structure and into the space to facilitate forming a first flange. |
| US09248583B2 |
Abrasive article and method of forming
An abrasive article may include a substrate, a tacking film overlying the substrate, abrasive particles that may include a coating layer bonded to the tacking film such that a bond between the coating layer and the tacking film defines a metallic bonding region, and a bonding layer overlying the abrasive particles and the tacking film. |
| US09248576B2 |
Direct acting extensible and retractable arm mechanism, and robot arm provided with direct acting extensible and retractable arm mechanism
A robot arm (50) of the present invention includes, as a direct acting extensible/retractable joint (J3), an arm section (2) constituted by an upper structure group (20) and a lower structure group (21). Groups (20) and (21), having an arrangement in which structures are connected in series, partially engage so as to form a direct rigid combined structure, and are separated so as to release the rigid structure. An arm length can be adjusted arbitrarily. Section (2) can have a plane surface having no gap to prevent entry of a finger/dust. Separation of Groups (20) and (21) allows an upper structure (22) and a lower structure (23) to rotate around their rotational axes, to realize compact storage inside a robot arm supporting member (1). It is thus possible to prevent significantly entry of a finger/dust, and provide a compact direct acting extensible and retractable arm mechanism. |
| US09248573B2 |
Calibration and programming of robots
The invention pertains to a method of calibrating robots without the use of external measurement equipment. The invention furthermore pertains to a method of copying working programs between un-calibrated robots. Both methods utilize the properties of a closed chain and the relative position of the links in the chain in order to update the kinematic models of the robots. |
| US09248568B2 |
Unequal link SCARA arm
A substrate transport apparatus comprising a drive section, a controller, an upper arm, forearm and substrate holder. A proximate end of the upper arm being rotatably mounted to the drive section at a shoulder joint. A proximate end of the forearm being rotatably mounted to a distal end of the upper arm at an elbow joint. The substrate holder being rotatably mounted to a distal end of the forearm at a wrist joint. The upper arm and the forearm being unequal in length from joint center to joint center. The substrate transport arm is adapted to transport substrate to and from at least two substrate holding areas with the drive section of the transport apparatus remaining in a fixed position relative to the holding areas. Each of the upper arm, forearm and substrate holder being independently rotatable with respect to each other. |
| US09248563B2 |
Machine tool having a drive motor
A machine tool having a drive motor includes an electronic unit and a switch for switching the drive motor on/off. An additional contact module is connected to the electronic unit, the drive motor being electrically connected only to the contact module. Also, the switch is connected to the contact module. |
| US09248561B2 |
Stuck threaded member extractor tool and extraction methods
Disclosed is a tool having a tapered first portion configured to translate a rotational force to the stuck member, a second portion connecting with the first portion and configured to translate the rotational force to the tapered first portion, a planar tip at an end of the first portion and perpendicular to a central axis passing through the first portion and the second portion, a plurality of left-handed splines extending helically around the central axis from the tip toward the second portion, a driver engaged with the second portion and configured to receive a third rotational force from a mechanical manipulator, and a leak seal connected to the driver and configured to form a seal around the stuck member and at least a portion of the driver and prevent gases opposite the stuck member from escaping. |
| US09248555B2 |
Locking V hinge tool device
The locking V hinge tool of this invention comprises three or more pieces. The first two pieces are fundamentally identical and reversed, comprised of three main sections in optional order of, a jaw end, a common axle, and a arc-like cam, assembled together and rotate through the common axle, allowing the jaw ends to open and close. A third pin holding piece holds a pin that rides in and moves, the criss-crossing arc-like slots in the other pieces, at or near an angle aimed at the corners of a diamond like opening where the two arc-like slots intersect. Any external force exerted on the jaw ends, attempt to force the pin in the arc-like slots to rise to an upright position but are blocked by the walls. |
| US09248554B2 |
Adjustable wrench
The present invention relates to an adjustable wrench. The adjustable wrench comprises a handle part, a curved jaw part, a linkage part, an adjusting element and a restoring element. The handle part comprises a toothed portion. The curved jaw part is pivotally connected to the handle part. When the adjusting element is pushed by an external force, the adjusting element further moves the linkage part simultaneously, and the linkage part pulls the curved jaw part to rotate so as to adjust a size of an opening between the curved jaw part and the toothed portion. Accordingly, the present invention has advantages and effects of fast and simple adjustment for use and a lever arm thereof being adjustable for labor saving, etc. |
| US09248553B2 |
Front action sealing tool
A crimping tool for applying a seal to strap material includes a tool head having pairs of jaws disposed in the tool head and operably mounted thereto, each pair including opposingly oriented jaw elements. Each pair of jaws is spaced from its adjacent pair and includes an upper and lower pivot openings. A shear is positioned between adjacent pairs of jaw elements. The shears extend between the jaw elements and include opposing openings that align with the jaw element upper openings. A pair of handles, each having a terminal end having first openings that align with the jaw element lower openings and are operably connected to one another at respective pivot openings. The tool includes at least one side plate having a pair of upper openings each aligned with the jaw element upper openings and the shear openings. The plate includes a centrally disposed notched opening. A pair of handle pins are disposed in respective handle first openings and jaw element lower openings and a pair of link pins are disposed in respective side plate upper openings and respective jaw element upper openings and a shear opening. A pivot pin is disposed in the side plate notched opening and in the handle pivot openings. The shear can be reversible to accommodate different sizes of seals. |
| US09248546B1 |
Idler assembly for part processing
The present disclosure includes a belt-and-pulley system for a part processing assembly. The part is retained on a spindle assembly of the belt-and-pulley system, and rotation of the spindle assembly is driven by a drive belt of the belt-and-pulley system that travels along a belt path. The belt-and-pulley system includes one or more idler assemblies that permit continuous rotation of the drive belt regardless of whether a part is being processed. As a part is processed, processing material, such as peening material, may be introduced near the belt-and-pulley system and may unintentionally interfere with operation of the belt-and-pulley system. The idler assembly of the belt-and-pulley system includes a vane sweep that is configured to block or prevent introduction of the processing material into the rotational operation of a circular pulley of the idler assembly. The vane sweep includes a top ledge that prevents introduction of peening material into a rotational aperture of the circular pulley and one or more fins that are configured to sweep or brush accumulated processing material away from the circular pulley. The vane sweep further includes an annular sheath that extends away from the circular pulley and surrounds a supporting member that supports or maintains the circular pulley, the annular sheath configured to further prevent processing material from interfering with rotational operation of the circular pulley. The location of the idler assemblies within the belt-and-pulley system may be determined to optimize the number of spindle assemblies that can be used to process parts simultaneously in the part processing assembly. |
| US09248539B2 |
Motor control device for implementing power failure protection of machine tool
A control device for a machine tool including a feed shaft motor for driving a feed shaft and a main shaft motor for driving a main shaft is provided with: a determination unit determining whether an operation of the feed shaft motor satisfies a predetermined determination condition; and an excitation command unit outputting an excitation current command to output excitation current larger than excitation current instructed by a master control unit to the main shaft motor, when the determination unit determines that the predetermined determination condition is satisfied. |
| US09248535B2 |
Machine tools and methods of operation thereof
A machine tool is provided which comprises a machine base; a first support provided on a first rotational machine axis, the first rotational axis being mounted on the base in a fixed position relative to the base; a second support provided on a second rotational machine axis, the second rotational axis being mounted on the base in a fixed position relative to the base, wherein the axis of rotation of the second rotational axis is parallel to and spaced laterally from the axis of rotation of the first rotational axis. A mount is carried by a support arm on the second support, with the support arm being moveable relative to the second support about a rotary axis. A control arrangement is operable to control the orientation of the first support relative to the axis of rotation of the first rotational axis, and the orientation of the mount relative to the axis of rotation of the second rotational axis and its rotational position about the rotary axis, so as to govern the position and orientation of the first support and the mount relative to each other. Combination of motion about three rotational axes in this way facilitates versatile and accurate control of the relative orientations of the first support and the mount on the second support. The machine base may include a central support located between the machine axes, with the machine axes mounted onto opposite sides of the support. |
| US09248532B2 |
Screw tensioning device
The screw tensioning device comprises a support tube (12), a cylinder member (15) and a piston section (17). The piston section serves for moving a tensioning bolt (20) screwed onto the thread of a threaded bolt (31). Provided according to the invention is a depth measuring device (35), which presents an externally visible indication of the screw-in depth (ET) of the threaded bolt (31). This ensures that, when the threaded bolt (31) undergoes extension under strain, there is a threaded engagement with the tensioning bolt (20) along a sufficiently long distance. This avoids the hazard that the screw tensioning device might break off from the threaded bolt. |
| US09248527B2 |
Method of rebuilding solenoids for automatic transmissions
A method of rebuilding a solenoid for use in automatic transmissions is disclosed. In one embodiment, an improvement over the original equipment design allows for increased durability of the solenoid. In another embodiment, a lower cost method is disclosed for reusing an expensive component. In either case, various components within the solenoid are reused, reconditioned or replaced. A preferred process for disassembling the solenoid is also disclosed. |
| US09248526B2 |
Method for manufacturing welding material and welding material
A method for manufacturing a welding material includes: a compound preparing step in which a compound is prepared by mixing alloy powder containing first alloy powder having a first average particle size and second alloy powder having a second average particle size, a water soluble binder and water; a drying step; an extruding step; a degreasing step in which the extruded formed body is heated to a predetermined temperature of 400° C. or above; a C—O reaction step in which the extruded formed body is heated to a predetermined temperature which falls within a range of 950° C. to 1150° C. under a vacuum atmosphere; and a sintering step in which the extruded formed body is heated to a predetermined temperature which falls within a range of 1200° C. to 1350° C. under a nitrogen gas atmosphere thus forming a welding material. |
| US09248523B2 |
Laser machine, laser machine system
A laser machine (1), in particular for drilling, cutting, welding or engraving, comprising at least one laser light source (3,4,5) for generating a laser beam (9) and an optical system (6) to guide and/or manipulate the laser beam (9), whereby the optical system (6) comprises at least one tool (23), in particular an optical lens (24) or a nozzle, which is attached to an interchangeable tool holder (12). It is provided that a guiding system (16) for the tool holder (12) is configured such that the tool holder (12) can only be slid sideways into or out of a tool bay (10) provided by the laser machine (1), the guiding system (16) comprising an operable locking system (37) for restraining the movement of the tool holder (12) in the tool bay (10). |
| US09248521B2 |
Method of linear friction welding
A method of linear friction welding, the method comprising: a friction phase comprising oscillating a first workpiece (2) relative to a second workpiece (4) with a surface of the first workpiece (2) being forced against a surface of the second workpiece (4), such that a plasticised layer is formed at the interface between the first and second workpieces (2, 4); wherein the friction phase is divided into a plurality of sub-phases, each sub-phase being configured to form a plasticized layer at the interface between the first and second workpieces (2, 4), each plasticized layer comprising a stagnation zone (10a, 10b); wherein the stagnation zone (10a) of one sub-phase is offset from the stagnation zone (10b) of another sub-phase. |
| US09248514B2 |
Arbor assembly for use with a cutting device, such as a cutter or hole saw
An assembly is provided for forming holes in a workpiece. The assembly includes an arbor, a pin sleeve and a cutting device. The arbor has a nose having at least one threaded portion and at least one unthreaded portions on an external surface thereof. The arbor also has at least one pin passageway extending therethrough. The pin sleeve has at least one pin extending from a main body. The arbor extends through the pin sleeve. The cutting device has a back plate and a plurality of teeth extending therefrom. The back plate has a passageway defined by a wall with at least one threaded portion and at least one unthreaded portion. The at least one threaded portion of the cutting device is capable of engaging with the at least one threaded portion of the nose, and the at least one pin of the pin sleeve is capable of engagement with the at least one pin passageway of the arbor to secure the components together. |
| US09248511B2 |
Drilling tool and method for drilling
A drilling tool extends in a longitudinal direction and has a drill point and first and second major cutting edges, which extend approximately radially outward. The drill point is arranged eccentrically relative to a central axis, which is the same as the axis of rotation. The second major cutting edge is arranged by a cutting-height difference higher than the first major cutting edge. The first major cutting edge has a shorter radial edge length than the second major cutting edge. A method of utilizing the tool is also disclosed. |
| US09248507B2 |
Hand-held power tool
The invention relates to a hand-held power tool with a tool clamping unit and an adjustment ring. The invention provides that the adjustment ring protrudes forwards in an axial direction beyond an axially rear end of the tool clamping unit, at least when the tool clamping unit is completely open. The invention further relates to an adjustment ring for a hand-held power tool. |
| US09248506B2 |
Tool shank
The tool shank contains a taper member, a flange member, a holder member, a clamped member, and a number of slits. The taper member has a conic shape extended along an axial direction with a top section and a bottom section. The flange member is beneath the bottom section of the taper member. The holder member is extended downward from a bottom side of the flange member along the axial direction. The clamped member is extended upward from the top section of the taper member. The slits are configured at intervals around the bottom section surrounding the axial direction. Each slit defines a slightly outwardly bulge. The bulges increase the contact area with and avoid gaps to a tapered socket of a spindle. As such, the tool shank is tightly jointed to the spindle during high-speed rotation without causing vibration and damage. |
| US09248505B2 |
Boring and facing head
A boring and facing head, rotatively driven by the mandrel of a machine tool, with a turning tool mounted on a mounting slide, which may be controllably driven transversely of the axis (X) of the head body by a threaded shaft (12) operatively connected to a cylinder body (11), integral with a mandrel (4) and rotatably housing a ring gear (17), operatively connected to a gear wheel (19), driven by a controllable motor (8) and wherein the ring gear (17) comprises a circumferential tooth arrangement engaging with a gear wheel (52), integral with the driving shaft (12). |
| US09248504B2 |
Copper powder for conductive paste and method for producing same
There are provided a copper powder for conductive paste, which comprises monodisperse and spherical fine copper particles having a sharp particle size distribution and containing no coarse particles and which can form a thinner electrode film while avoiding a bad influence on electric characteristics thereof, and a method for stably producing such a copper powder for conductive paste. After copper is complexed by adding a complexing agent to an aqueous solution containing copper while blowing air into the solution, the blowing of air is stopped, and then, a reducing agent is added to the solution to deposit copper particles by reduction. |
| US09248503B2 |
Powder metal forging and method and apparatus of manufacture
A method of forming a powder metal forging, which includes the steps of providing a preform including a sintered powder metal composition; inserting the preform in at least one part of a die set having a top die and a bottom die, at least one of the top die and the bottom die defining a helical forge form therewithin; closing the die set wherein the top die is contacting the bottom die; and compressing the preform in the forge form using an upper punch including a core rod and a lower punch, the compressing step occurring after the closing step, the compressing step resulting in a formed part having a helical outer surface. The method and apparatus of the present invention is particularly advantageous when forming a powder metal forging helical outer surface and an inner contour such as a cylindrical inside diameter. |
| US09248500B2 |
Method for protecting powder metallurgy alloy elements from oxidation and/or hydrolization during sintering
A method for protecting powder metallurgy alloy elements from oxidation and/or hydrolyzation during sintering. The method includes (1) coating the admixed alloy elements in an inert (e.g., nitrogen) atmosphere with a hydrophobic lubricant that is capable of becoming mobile during pressing, the amount of lubricant being at least 45% of the total volume of all components to be added to the base metal powder; (2) mixing the lubricant-coated admixed alloy elements with the base metal powder to form a mixture; (3) pressing the mixture to form a pre-sintered part having a green density that is from about 95% to about 98% of a calculated pore-free density; and (4) sintering the part. |
| US09248498B2 |
Method for automatically pouring molten metal by tilting a ladle and a medium for recording programs for controlling a tilt of a ladle
A method for controlling the respective input voltages transmitted to a servomotor that tilts the ladle such that the molten metal that flows from the ladle drops accurately into the pouring gate in the mold, a servomotor that moves the ladle back and forth, and a servomotor that moves the ladle up and down, by using a computer. In the method, a mathematical model of the area on which the molten metal that flows from the ladle will drop is produced, and then the inverse problem of the produced mathematical model is solved. In view of the effect of a contracted flow, the position on which molten metal drops is estimated by the estimating device for estimating the pouring rate and the estimating device for estimating the position on which molten metal will drop. |
| US09248490B2 |
Method of manufacturing a tubular structural part, and tubular structural part
In a method of making a tubular structural part for a motor vehicle, a metal plate is contoured and preformed in at least one shaping step into a tubular body. Subsequently, the tubular body is end-formed into the structural part by internal high-pressure application while free contact regions snugly bear upon one another. The structural part is at least partially heated and quenched in a holding tool acted upon with a coolant. |
| US09248486B2 |
Roller leveler
A roller leveler is provided having a substantially uniform pitch of leveling rolls arranged in a zigzag manner. The roller leveler has a first roll group with first leveling rolls at a pitch “P1”, a second roll group with second leveling rolls at the pitch “P1”, a first retract mechanism for retracting the middle first leveling rolls, and second retract mechanisms for retracting pairs of end second leveling rolls. The second roll group also has third leveling rolls at the pitch “P1” with respect to the outermost second leveling rolls. |
| US09248484B2 |
Method and apparatus for applying uniaxial compression stresses to a moving wire
An apparatus and method for moving a wire along its own axis against a high resistance to its motion causing a substantial uniaxial compression stress in the wire without allowing it to buckle. The apparatus consists of a wire gripping and moving drive wheel and guide rollers for transporting the moving wire away from the drive wheel. Wire is pressed into a peripheral groove in a relatively large diameter, rotating drive wheel by a set of small diameter rollers arranged along part of the periphery causing the wire to be gripped by the groove. The drive wheel can have a smooth peripheral surface and a groove or grooves parallel in the outer surface of small diameter rollers. |
| US09248483B2 |
Method and device for the optimized circulation of rods in the production of a seamlessly hot-fabricated steel pipe according to the continuous pipe method
A device for the optimized circulation of mandrels includes a presentation and/or cooling table for mandrel rods, a lubricating station for the mandrel rods, optionally an additional drying station for the lubricant applied to the mandrels, and associated roller conveyors. An additional secondary rod circulation of is arranged upstream of the standard rod circulation and includes two redundantly operating transfer tables connected to the presentation and/or cooling table by a third roller conveyor or the first roller conveyor for the discharge of no longer needed rods from the standard rod circulation. The third roller conveyor either forms the continuation of the first roller conveyor or is arranged parallel thereto with an offset. A fourth roller conveyor for accommodating mandrel rods or passing mandrel rods intermittently into the standard circulation via an intermediate buffer is arranged on the opposite side of the transfer tables parallel to the first roller conveyor. |
| US09248480B2 |
Method for contamination prevention in fluid storage tank requiring temperature control, and device therefor
A method and a plant for preventing contamination of a fluid in a fluid storage tank with a liquid cooling or heating medium is provided. In a method of controlling a temperature of a fluid in a fluid storage tank under a predetermined pressure by allowing a liquid cooling or heating medium to flow in an enclosed pressure-resistant jacket provided around the outer wall of the fluid storage tank, said method comprises allowing the cooling or heating medium to flow in the enclosed pressure-resistant jacket at a pressure not higher than the pressure x (atm) applied within the fluid storage tank, preferably lower than x (atm), whereby preventing contamination of said fluid with said cooling or heating medium. A plant for the method is also provided. |
| US09248479B2 |
Cleaning device for cleaning optical lenses in tray
Provided is a cleaning device for cleaning optical lenses positioned in a tray. The cleaning device includes a supporting base for supporting the tray, two sliding members, a connecting plate, and a magnetic member. The supporting base includes a bottom plate and two parallel rails formed on a surface of the bottom plate. The sliding members are spatially corresponding to the rails, and each sliding member is slidably mounted on a corresponding one of the rails. The connecting plate is fixedly supported on the sliding members. The magnetic member is attached on a surface of the connecting plate facing toward the bottom plate. |
| US09248477B2 |
Pipeline pig signal trigger cavity seal
A pipeline pig signal includes sealing means located within a lower end of the trigger cavity of the signal which prevents pipeline debris from entering the trigger cavity. The sealing means moves between a first sealing position and a second sealing position in response to the trigger moving between a non-triggered and triggered position. The sealing means may be a polymer boot, a filter arrangement, a sliding piston arrangement, or a sliding shelf arrangement. |
| US09248476B2 |
Multispeed device for polishing and cleaning jewelry
A device for cleaning and polishing jewelry having a housing and a motor in the housing. A first gear is operatively engaged with the motor and has a drive shaft extending from the gear. The first gear is driven by the drive gear at a first speed. A second gear has a hole therein with the drive shaft extending therethrough. The second gear is operatively driven by the drive gear at a second speed and the hole. |
| US09248472B2 |
Thin films with high near-infrared reflectivity deposited on construction material granules
Disclosed are construction granules surmounted by at least one thin film having substantial reflectance of near-infrared radiation, substantial transmittal of radiation in the visible light range, and substantial emissivity in the medium-infrared range to render the granules energy-efficient and aesthetically pleasing. Also disclosed are related methods for fabrication of the construction granules. |
| US09248470B2 |
Colorized retroreflective material and method
A colorized retroreflective materials for use on clothing are colorized by including a substantially transparent colorizing overlayer composition applied to a retroreflective layer, the overlayer further comprising an amount of a suitable pigmented ink; an amount of at least one species of polyurethane material; and an amount of a silane material. |
| US09248459B2 |
Arc and range of coverage adjustable stream rotor sprinkler
A sprinkler head nozzle assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes a nozzle housing with an inlet for pressurized water and an outlet downstream of the inlet, a rotatable arc of coverage adjustment ring mounted on the housing such that rotation of the arc of coverage adjustment ring extends and reduces an arcuate exit opening, a range adjustment ring, or upstream flow area adjustment ring is also provided with an upstream flow area throttling element that increases or decreases the flow area as the range adjustment ring is rotated. |
| US09248456B2 |
Centrifugal separator with extended post
A centrifugal separator includes a separation barrel with an upper end, a lower end, a central axis, and a cylindrical wall defining a separation chamber. A spin plate extends substantially across the separation chamber adjacent to the lower end thereof. A post including a central passage extends from the spin plate along the central axis of the separation barrel. The post includes at least one opening for fluid to flow from the central passage of the post to the separation chamber. An inlet in fluid communication with the separation chamber allows solids-laden fluid to flow into the separation chamber. An outlet in fluid communication with the separation chamber allows substantially-clean fluid to flow out of the separation chamber and out of the device. |
| US09248455B2 |
Filter melting method for separating mixtures
The present invention provides a method and apparatus using a meltable filter medium for separating a mixture to be separated (liquid-solid or liquid-liquid mixture). The mixture to be separated is separated into a liquid passing through a filter layer of the filter medium and a captured material captured in the filter layer. The filter medium and the captured material are separated by melting the filter medium. |
| US09248454B2 |
Device and method for recovering magnetic particles trapped on a magnetic plug
A device for recovering magnetic particles trapped on a magnetic plug, which includes a supporting end and a magnetized element for retaining the magnetic particles in a liquid resulting from the wear of parts with which the liquid has been in contact, the recovery device including a magnetization device and an enclosure having an opening, the enclosure to receive the magnetic plug via the opening such that the magnetized element is located inside the enclosure and the supporting end is located outside the enclosure. The opening is sized such that the supporting end blocks the opening. The device also includes an injection nozzle to inject a gaseous fluid inside the enclosure, the nozzle being oriented such that the flow of gaseous fluid expels the magnetic particles retained on the magnetized element toward the bottom of the enclosure. The magnetization device traps the particles urged toward the bottom of the enclosure. |
| US09248453B2 |
Cutting tooth for a rotary cutter
A cutting tooth for a rotary cutter that has a mounting bore arranged such that when a fastener disposed in the mounting bore is used to attach the cutting tooth to a tooth holder, the cutting tooth is attached into the holder so as to pull both a rear trailing surface and a bottom radially inner surface into tight contact with abutting surfaces of the tooth holder. |
| US09248451B2 |
Sample analyzer comprising a reagent container holder
The present invention is to present a sample analyzer comprising: a reagent container holder for holding a reagent container for containing a reagent to be used for analyzing a sample; a measurement unit for measuring a value representing an amount of the reagent in the reagent container held by the reagent container holder; an instruction receiver for receiving an instruction to obtain a remaining amount of the reagent in the reagent container; a measurement controller for controlling the measurement unit so as to measure the value representing the amount of the reagent in the reagent container, when the instruction receiver has received the instruction; and a remaining reagent amount obtainer for obtaining remaining reagent amount information indicating the remaining amount of the reagent in the reagent container, based on a measurement result by the measurement unit. |
| US09248449B2 |
Interlocking cap and receptacle with detent feature
System, apparatuses, and methods for performing automated reagent-based analysis are provided. Also provided are methods for automated attachment of a cap to a reaction receptacle, and automated removal of a cap from a capped reaction receptacle. |
| US09248448B2 |
Multisample bionanochip platform
A bionanochip cartridge for analysis of multiple samples or analytes is provided herein, and the cartridge is dimensioned to take advantage of existing robotic microtiter plate handling equipment. Fluidics are specially designed to provide a small footprint and to prevent cross contamination. |
| US09248447B2 |
Polymers for use in centrifugal separation of liquids
Contemplated compositions and methods allow for in-situ formation of a rigid seal layer in a blood collection tube between a cell-depleted phase and a cell-enriched phase. Preferably, the seal layer is formed upon brief UV irradiation and comprises an acrylate, a methacrylate, an epoxy, a urethane, and/or a thiol-ene polymer. |
| US09248442B2 |
Porous carbon and method of manufacturing same
A porous carbon and a method of manufacturing the same are provided, which can inhibit metal particles from being oxidized and can keep the effect obtained by adding the metal particles for a long period of time by allowing the metal particles to disperse sufficiently.The method is characterized by comprising the steps of: mixing a polyamic acid resin varnish 1 as a carbon precursor, magnesium oxide 2 as template particles, and chloroplatinic acid 6 as a metal salt; heat-treating the mixture in a nitrogen atmosphere at 1000° C. for 1 hour to reduce the chloroplatinic acid into platinum and thermally decomposing the polyamic acid resin to prepare a carbon 3 containing the platinum particles 7; and washing the resulting carbon 3 with a sulfuric acid solution added at a concentration of 1 mol/L to completely dissolve MgO away. |
| US09248434B2 |
Catalyst for the oxychlorination of ethylene to 1, 2-dichloroethane
This invention relates to a catalyst containing from about 2 up to about 8% by wt. of copper, zero up to about 0.6 moles/kg of one or more alkali metal(s), from about 0.08 up about 0.85 moles/kg of one or more alkaline earth metals and from about 0.09 up to about 0.9 moles/kg of one or more transition metals selected from the group consisting of Mn, Re and mixtures thereof, where all the metals are impregnated in form of their chlorides or other water soluble salts on a fluidizable support with a BET surface area of from about 80 up to about 220 m2/g. A process for the oxychlorination of ethylene to form 1,2-dichloroethane using such a catalyst having good activity, good selectivity and low tendency to stickiness in fluidized bed oxychlorination reactions. |
| US09248431B2 |
Stepwise hydrogenation of specific isoprenoids
The present invention relates to a stepwise hydrogenation of specific isoprenoids of formula using a specific catalyst. |
| US09248430B2 |
Method for synthesis of 1-decene oligomer
A method for synthesis of 1-decene oligomer is provided, wherein 1-decene is polymerized at 80-120° C., 0.8-1.4 MPa in the presence of aluminum trichloride catalyst supported on gamma-alumina and n-hexane solvent where the volume ratio of 1-decene to n-hexane is 3:8-4:1. The catalyst is treated as follows: impregnating gamma-alumina carrier in 0.5-2.0 M of hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid or mixtures thereof, then vacuum drying at 80-100° C. and calcining at 400-800° C.; dissolving 5-10 g of anhydrous aluminum trichloride in 100 ml of tetrachloromethane, trichloromethane or dichloromethane solvent; adding the obtained solution into 10-20 g of activated alumina carrier and obtaining the catalyst after vacuum drying. The conversion of 1-decene is 50 wt % or more. The oligomer has a kinematic viscosity at 40° C. of 6.0-25 mm2/s and a viscosity index of 160-262. |
| US09248416B2 |
Apparatus for the pressurization and evacuation of a container
A device for the pressurization and evacuation of a gas in a bottle, in order to approximate the unopened (ambient) conditions of a previous gaseous state in said bottle. Two units comprise this system, namely a charging unit and a sealing-valve unit. When the charging unit is coupled to the sealing-valve unit three functions can be performed. The first is a priming function where the bottle is partially evacuated of its ambient air and replaced with a gas from a cartridge. The second is a charging function where the primed bottle is pressurized with the same gas type or mixture from the pressurized gas cartridge. The third is an evacuating function where the charged bottle can be bled of gas to achieve the approximate ambient condition of an unopened bottle. This function is used when a bottle is overcharged and a lower pressure is desired. |
| US09248415B2 |
Systems and methods for maximizing dissolved gas concentration of a single species of gas from a mixture of multiple gases
An apparatus and method for maximizing the dissolved concentration of ozone in a liquid. The apparatus includes a dissolution tank having a pressure vessel configured to contain a treated fluid and at least one gas in a head space above the treated fluid, an inlet configured to permit passage of an untreated fluid into the head space, and an outlet configured to permit passage of the treated fluid out of the vessel; a gas supply system configured to transport the at least one gas to the head space; a fluid supply system configured to provide the untreated fluid to the tank; a bleed-off system for removing gas from the head space so as to maximize the dissolved concentration of the ozone gas in the liquid; and a discharge device configured to pass the treated fluid from the tank into the target liquid. |
| US09248405B2 |
Forward osmosis separation processes
Separation processes using engineered osmosis are disclosed generally involving the extraction of solvent from a first solution to concentrate solute by using a second concentrated solution to draw the solvent from the first solution across a semi-permeable membrane. Enhanced efficiency may result from using low grade waste heat from industrial or commercial sources. |
| US09248400B2 |
Zeolitic imidazolate framework membranes and methods of making and using same for separation of C2− and C3+ hydrocarbons and separation of propylene and propane mixtures
Certain embodiments are directed to processes for fabrication of zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF) membranes. These ZIF membranes can be used in separating C2− hydrocarbons from C3+ hydrocarbons and propylene/propane mixtures. |
| US09248399B2 |
CO2 recovery system
Provided is a CO2 recovery system including: a high-pressure absorption tower; a high-pressure regeneration tower that partially regenerates a CO2 absorption solution from the absorption tower through a first liquid feed line; a second liquid feed line that extracts a semi-lean solution having a heat resistance temperature thereof or lower from the high-pressure regeneration tower and introduces a portion of the semi-lean solution into a middle stage of the high-pressure absorption tower; a branch line that introduces a rest of the semi-lean solution into a flash drum; a third liquid feed line that introduces a lean solution after adding pressure thereto into a top of the high-pressure absorption tower; a high-pressure CO2 compression device where high-pressure CO2 gas from the high-pressure regeneration tower is introduced; and a low-pressure CO2 compression device where low-pressure CO2 from the flash drum is introduced. |
| US09248398B2 |
High pressure high CO2 removal configurations and methods
CO2 is removed from high-pressure feed gas in configurations and methods according to the inventive subject matter by contacting feed gas with cooled semi-rich solvent to form a two-phase mixture that is flashed into the bottom section of an absorber. Rich solvent from the absorber is then reduced in pressure to generate refrigeration for the semi-rich solvent and lean solvent countercurrently contacts the partially treated feed gas in the absorber to produce the semi-rich solvent. Among other advantages, cooling of the feed gas and semi-rich solvent by the pressure reduced rich solvent heats the rich solvent to allow enhanced regeneration of the solvent, and external refrigeration and heating of the solvent can be entirely avoided. |
| US09248394B2 |
Air scoop-cyclone filter assembly
An air scoop-cyclone filter assembly having an air scoop for guiding untreated air, which including an inlet opening, a deflection area for deflecting untreated air and an outlet opening, and having a cyclone filter for cleaning untreated air, which is connected downstream of the air scoop in the flow direction and is connected in an airtight manner to the air scoop A perforated plate is arranged in the cyclone filter as a filter inlet opening. The perforated plate has a first passage area having a high number of holes, a second passage area having a low number of holes at the geodetically deepest point, and a baffle plate. The baffle plate distributes the untreated air flow through the first and second passage area and, with the outer wall of the air scoop, forms a collecting chamber that stabilizes the flow. |
| US09248393B2 |
Cup-shaped housing, device for separating liquid from air, and method for mounting the cup-shaped housing on a nipple
A cup-shaped housing assembly for a device for separating liquid from air has a cup-shaped housing body having an interior. At least one annular filter element for separating liquid from air is arranged in the housing body. A housing cover closes off an end face of the housing body. The housing cover has an inner side that is facing the interior and an outer side that is facing away from the interior. The housing cover has at least one raw air inlet through which raw air is supplied to the interior. The housing cover has at least one clean air opening though which filtered clean air is discharged from the interior. For sealing the raw air inlet relative to the clean air opening, at least one sealing surface is arranged at the outer side of the housing cover across sections thereof. |
| US09248389B2 |
Filter cloth retention
Cloth retention apparatus for retaining the edges of a filter cloth comprises an edge strip having a bead, which can engage with a channel in a frame member, and be retained therein by a wedging member. The wedging member may be separate or attached to the bead, or incorporated therein. The wedging member may be a spring member. |
| US09248388B1 |
Skimming apparatus
A skimming apparatus with a pivot arm and a drive follower on the pivot arm that guides a belting to facilitate precise placement of the belting for efficient skimming. |
| US09248385B2 |
Centrifuge separator
A centrifuge separator for different specific gravity fluid separation. Gas enriched influent is then fed into a rotary impeller, where rotational energy of the impeller is transferred to the incoming fluid creating a forced vortex. Centripetal force exerted on the fluid particles help to separate the fluid/solids to rotate at different radius. Solids are moved towards a periphery of the tube where a cone collector facilitates to collect the solids. The conical shape allows the solids to slide into an annulus. The lighter specific gravity fluids are forced to segregate into two different rotating vortexes by virtue of the rotary motion of the impeller. The gas bubbles mixed with the influent help to accelerate the separation of two different specific gravity fluids. |
| US09248384B2 |
Fat processing system
Methods and devices for treating lipoaspirate for use in fat grafting procedures are provided and generally include a canister for containing lipoaspirate, a separation mechanism structured to separate both oils and other materials from cellular components of lipoaspirate contained in the canister. The separation mechanism includes filters having different filtering capacities, for example, different pore sizes. |
| US09248380B1 |
Programmable dancing figurine and method of conducting a performance using the same
A programmable dancing figurine visually representative of a religious or biblical figure, and a method of conducting a dance routine with the programmable dancing figurine are presented herein. The method includes selecting a song or biblical verse and defining a dance portion of the song, which may begin on the first lyric and end on the last lyric of the song. Utilizing a remote control disposed in a communicative relation with the figurine, the user will pre-program one or more dance routes by consecutively selecting a particular button mode and a button corresponding to a dance maneuver. During the performance, the user must synchronize or time the execution of the dance routine with the dance portion of the song, wherein the collective time it takes to perform the pre-programmed dance routine(s) must be substantially equal to the time of the dance portion of the song. |
| US09248378B2 |
Method and apparatus for remote racing
A system includes a processor configured to communicate with a remote server to provide and obtain vehicle performance information, wherein the processor is further configured to receive and present a list of one or more available race opponents respond to the server with an opponent selection present a countdown timer and measure and report to the server one or more vehicle statistics relating to a race beginning at the end of the countdown timer. |
| US09248375B2 |
System and method to represent a resource object in a virtual environment
A system, computer-readable storage medium storing at least one program, and a computer-implemented method for representing a resource object in a virtual environment are presented. To begin, a graphical user interface may be provided to a player. The graphical user interface may display a virtual environment that includes the resource object and a game object. A resource production event may be detected. The resource production event may be generated based on a resource production attribute that specifies that a quantity of resource units have been generated. Based on the detected resource production event, at least some portion of the quantity of generated resource units is allocated to the resource pool. Then, responsive to detecting a user initiated game action being applied to the game object, a determinable amount of resource units is removed from the resource pool. |
| US09248373B2 |
System and method for connecting gaming users in a social network environment
A computer implemented method includes receiving, through at least one input device, an indication of an activity by a first user on a first gaming user account from a first computer implemented gaming system. A communication can be sent to a computer implemented social network system causing the computer implemented social network system to display a notification based on the indication of the activity by the first user in the first computer implemented gaming system. The communication can include information enabling the computer implemented social network system to affiliate the indication of the activity by the first user with a first social network user account belonging to the first user. The first gaming user account and the first social network user account can be different user accounts. |
| US09248367B2 |
Noseguard assemblies for skateboards and related methods of use
The present disclosure provides advantageous skateboard assemblies (e.g., advantageous skateboard guard assemblies). More particularly, the present disclosure provides advantageous guard/noseguard assemblies for skateboards and related methods of use. The present disclosure provides for mountable, interchangeable and/or removable guard/noseguard assemblies for skateboards. The skateboard guard assemblies typically include a contoured or shaped top surface, each contoured/shaped top surface configured and dimensioned to provide the user/rider at least one advantageous surface that a user/rider can position a foot onto/over during use (e.g., a surface that a user/rider can utilize to place or position a foot directly onto/above, with the bottom side of the user's foot contacting the top surface of the guard assembly). Exemplary guard/noseguard assemblies of the present disclosure also provide protection purposes for the skateboard deck, and/or modify the bottom surface angle of the board kicktail to change the point of contact (e.g., during an Ollie or the like). |
| US09248363B1 |
Miniaturized hockey game
A miniaturized hockey game having a wall structure and a floor structure configured to represent a hockey rink along with hockey sticks and a puck. The wall structure is removable from the floor structure. To that end the floor structure include recessed grooves for receiving and supporting the wall structure. A faceoff platform is on top of a dividing wall of the wall structure. The wall structure includes scoring apertures for simulating nets and center apertures for providing obstacles to increase the difficulty of play. In use players stand along the perimeter of the hockey game and manipulate a puck using their hockey sticks to cause the puck to pass through the scoring apertures to score points. |
| US09248358B2 |
Interactive cognitive-multisensory interface apparatus and methods for assessing, profiling, training, and improving performance of athletes and other populations
A cognitive stimulation system for assessing, profiling, training, and improving performance of athletes and other populations is provided. A sensory semantic language is established with an athlete for relating semantic meaning of a number of sensory signals to corresponding possible actions, the sensory semantic language being essentially new to the athlete. The athlete is instructed to perform an athletic exercise involving skills and full body movement. During the exercise sensory signals are provided to the athlete to require rapid discernment by the athlete of the semantic meaning of the sensory signal to correctly choose one possible action. Whether the athlete correctly responds to the selected sensory signal during said exercise is determined. The system simulates sports scenarios during real sports actions by stimulating different perceptive-cognitive and motor mechanisms typically experienced by athletes during real competition. The cognitive stimulation provided elicits both low and high level cognitive processing. |
| US09248357B2 |
Bean bag tossing game
An adapter for modifying a cornhole platform. The adapter may include an insert that may fit within the opening of the cornhole platform. Attached to the insert may be at least one barrier including sidewalls that may rest on the surface of the cornhole platform when the insert is within the opening. The barrier may include multiple rings attached to the insert. |
| US09248355B2 |
Sporting-good implement with rotatable handle
A sporting-good implement, such as a ball bat or a lacrosse stick, includes a first handle section rotatably connected to a second handle section. The second handle section may be attached to or integral with a tapered region or barrel region of a ball bat, or with a shaft section or head of a lacrosse stick, or with another sporting-good feature. This rotatable engagement allows the relative position of the user's hands to change during the course of a swing, shot, or pass, ideally placing the user's hands in a position to generate improved power or control. |
| US09248353B1 |
Golf club tracking system
Apparatuses, methods, and systems for tracking movements of golf clubs and alerting a golfer when one or more golf clubs are misplaced from a group of golf clubs. A peripheral unit is associated with and affixed to each of a number of golf clubs, and transmits signals that are detected and collectively processed by a base unit to determine the status of those clubs. A club may be designated as misplaced based on the sequence and timing of status events, upon which an alarm is activated to alert the golfer. Also the base unit may process signals regarding movement of golf clubs in conjunction with location data from a Global Positioning System device to obtain information regarding the user's golf performance. |
| US09248352B1 |
Visual adjustable alignment system
A visual adjustable alignment system for adapting the alignment device according to the particular user. The visual adjustable alignment system includes an implement member for performing a task, an adjustment assembly in communication with the implement member and an alignment member pivotably supported by the adjustment assembly for aligning the implement member relative to an object. |
| US09248347B2 |
Golf ball
The present invention provides a golf ball comprising a golf ball body with a spherical core having one or more layers, an intermediate layer disposed outside the spherical core and a cover disposed outside the intermediate layer and a paint film formed on a surface of the golf ball body, and having a friction coefficient calculated using a contact force tester of 0.35 or more and 0.60 or less, wherein the golf ball body has specific plurality of dimples on the surface thereof, at least one layer of the spherical core is a rubber layer having a specific hardness distribution, and the rubber layer has a hardness at the outermost point which is greater than a hardness at the innermost point, and the intermediate layer has a slab hardness (Hm) which is greater than a slab hardness (Hc) of the cover. |
| US09248334B2 |
Adjustable handle weight bar
A multi-use exercise device includes a shaft extending between ground-engaging support structures with a pair of arms rotatable around the shaft into a plurality of various angular positions relative to the ground providing a plurality of different exercises with a plurality of different levels of difficulty. The exercise device can be used as a support structure for pushup and planking exercises, as well as shoulder mounted weight support for squats and lunges. |
| US09248325B2 |
Assist unit for large outdoor fires
The invention is designed to be used for the large outdoor fires such as fires on the U.S. Navy's aircraft carriers, in forests and grasslands and at airports and chemical plants. The operators of an “assist unit” should always be behind the firefighters. At long range it can blow fire suppressors into a fire and smother it. The suppressors can be water or chemicals by the firefighters. Soot, ashes, dirt or sand around a fire itself are good suppressors. The “assist unit” will blow them into the fire and it blows away the smoke and fumes as well. There are two versions of the “assist unit”: the ALL MANUAL one and the VEHICLE MOUNTED one. |
| US09248321B2 |
Fire evacuation installation
Disclosed is a fire evacuation installation. When evacuees are not able to evacuate through an emergency exit or other means of evacuation when a fire occurs, the fire evacuation installation may safely protect the evacuees from flames and poisonous gas until rescue workers arrive. Further, the fire evacuation installation may be prevented from being damaged by exposure to rain, and the fire evacuation installation may have an elegant outer appearance and be more easily installed. In addition, the fire evacuation installation may be selectively moved between the floors of a building. |
| US09248316B2 |
Feature tracking using ultrasound
Various implementations of the invention provide techniques and supporting systems that facilitate real-time or near-real-time ultrasound tracking for the purpose of calculating changes in anatomical features during a medical procedure. More specifically, anatomical features within a patient undergoing a medical procedure are tracked by obtaining temporally-distinct three dimensional ultrasound images that include the feature of interest and obtaining a targeted subset of ultrasound images focused on the feature. Based on the targeted subset of ultrasound images, a displacement of the feature is determined and image parameters used to obtain the targeted subset of ultrasound images are adjusted based on the displacement. This results in a time-based sequence of three dimensional images and targeted ultrasound images of the feature that identify changes in the position, size, location, and/or shape of the feature. |
| US09248304B2 |
Defibrillator with overridable CPR-first protocol
Methods and apparatus are provided for determining a defibrillation treatment protocol in an external defibrillator whereby a user may override a CPR-first default protocol. The method includes following steps configured in a defibrillator controller of issuing an inquiry; waiting for a response to the inquiry for a set time; ordering a CPR treatment protocol if no response is received within the set time; analyzing a response; ordering a CPR treatment protocol upon receiving a non-affirmative response to the inquiry; and ordering a shock treatment protocol upon receiving an affirmative response to the inquiry. Upon selecting a shock treatment protocol, the defibrillator performs a shock analysis under the shock treatment protocol, and either orders a CPR treatment protocol if shock treatment is not indicated by the shock analysis or provides a defibrillation shock if shock treatment is indicated by the shock analysis. Queries may be presented to a user in visual, audible, or both visual and audible format. |
| US09248298B2 |
Medical device programmer with selective disablement of display during telemetry
In general, the invention is directed to a patient programmer for an implantable medical device. The patient programmer may include one or more of a variety of features that may enhance performance, support mobility and compactness, or promote patient convenience. |
| US09248294B2 |
Method and apparatus for optimization of cardiac resynchronization therapy using vectorcardiograms derived from implanted electrodes
A cardiac resynchronization pacemaker and a method of adjusting the pacemaker. The method includes deriving a vectorcardiogram from implanted electrodes (D-VCG), analyzing the D-VCG, deriving optimal CRT pacing parameters from the analysis of the D-VCG, and adjusting the CRT pacemaker according to the derived parameters. The pacemaker may include a processor configured to perform the method. |
| US09248289B2 |
Systems and methods for the treatment of pain through neural fiber stimulation
Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for the treatment of pain through activation of select neural fibers. The neural fibers may comprise one or more afferent neural fibers and/or one or more efferent neural fibers. If afferent fibers are stimulated, alone or in combination with efferent fibers, a therapeutically effective amount of electrical stimulation is applied to activate afferent pathways in a manner approximating natural afferent activity. The afferent fibers may be associated with primary receptors of muscle spindles, golgi tendon organs, secondary receptors of muscle spindles, joint receptors, touch receptors, and other types of mechanoreceptors and/or proprioceptors. If efferent fibers are stimulated, alone or in combination with afferent fibers, a therapeutically effective amount of electrical stimulation is applied to activate intrafusal and/or extrafusal muscle fibers, which results in an indirect activation of afferent fibers associated therewith. |
| US09248285B2 |
Devices and methods for stimulating nerves
A device for stimulating nerves adjacent the vagina includes a nerve stimulating element coupled to a main body. The nerve stimulating element is positioned and designed to stimulate the vesical, Frankenhauser's and/or inferior hypogastric plexuses. The device may reside in the vaginal formices. An implant is also provided which has a nerve stimulating element in contact with a uterosacral ligament. The device positioned in the vagina may be used to charge a power source for an implant, which may be a capacitor. |
| US09248284B2 |
Sacral neuromodulator
A stimulation electrode for a stimulation device for stimulating organs in the case of spinal paraplegia, more particularly in the case of detrusor sphincter dyssynergia, including an electrode shaft, at one end of which an electrode tip is arranged for emitting a stimulation signal and at the other end of which a connection region is provided for a signal line, and also at least one fixing mechanism for fixing the position of the electrode shaft in the surrounding tissue along the longitudinal axis of the electrode shaft, the fixing mechanism having at least one holding member preventing a withdrawal and at least one holding member preventing an advance. |
| US09248275B2 |
Methods of making leads with retention features for segmented electrodes
One embodiment is a stimulation lead including a lead body comprising a longitudinal surface, a distal end, and a proximal end; and multiple electrodes disposed along the longitudinal surface of the lead body near the distal end of the lead body. The multiple electrodes include multiple segmented electrodes with each of the segmented electrodes having an exterior surface, an interior surface opposite the exterior surface, a proximal end, and a distal end. At least one of the segmented electrodes includes one or more of a) at least one channel formed in the segmented electrode and extending from the proximal end to the distal end of the segmented electrode, b) an arcuate groove formed in at least one of the distal end surface or the proximal end surface, or c) a notch formed in the segmented electrode and extending from the proximal end to the distal end of the segmented electrode. |
| US09248274B2 |
Neurostimulator and method for regulating same
The present invention relates to an electrode (30,30′) for implantation in contact with a neural tissue, said electrode extending along an axis, said neural tissue being capable of generating one or more action potentials, and said one or more action potentials propagating with a given speed in said neural tissue. The electrode comprises a carrier (31, 31′) of biocompatible electrically insulating material; stimulation electrode contacts (32a; 32′a; 32b; 32′b) deposited on a surface of said carrier (31, 31′) for applying an electrical stimulation to said neural tissue so as to generate, after a given latency time, a compound action potential when stimulated by said electrical stimulation; one or more sensing electrode contacts (33a; 33b; 33c; 33′a; 33′b; 33′c) deposited on said surface of said carrier and provided at a distance from said stimulation electrode contacts, said sensing electrode contacts being adapted to be connected to measuring means (23) having a given inactive period. The invention includes means to reduce the stimulation artifact. The invention also relates to an apparatus (20) and method for using various signals obtained from the stimulation probe itself and used to control the parameters of the current pulses applied to the electrodes. |
| US09248273B2 |
3D microelectrode device for live tissue applications
A 3D microelectrode device includes a flexible substrate containing poly-dimethyl siloxane (PDMS). The device may be fabricated in a miniature form factor suitable for attachment to a small organ such as a lateral gastrocnemius muscle of a live rat. In addition to providing a miniaturized, conformable attachment, the device provides an anchoring action via one or more microelectrodes, each having an insertable tip particularly shaped to provide the anchoring action. Furthermore, a base portion of each of the microelectrodes is embedded inside conductive poly-dimethyl siloxane (cPDMS). The cPDMS is contained in a pad that is coupled to a conductive track embedded in the flexible substrate. Embedding of the base portion inside the cPDMS material not only allows the microelectrode to bend in various directions, but also provides good electrical conductivity while eliminating the need for attachment processes using solder or epoxy adhesives. |
| US09248269B2 |
Neural device with modular electrode array
An apparatus comprises a flexible substrate including a modular electrode array disposed on the flexible substrate. The modular electrode array includes a plurality of electrode modules, where an electrode module includes a plurality of electrodes. The flexible substrate also includes a spatial separation between the electrode modules of the modular electrode array, and conductive interconnect coupled to the electrodes of the plurality of electrodes. |
| US09248262B2 |
Vascular dilator for controlling blood flow in a blood vessel
A vascular dilator for controlling blood flow in a blood vessel, includes an elongate body for inserting into a blood vessel and a generally tapered distal end portion and a proximal end portion, and a plurality of inflatable members positioned adjacent the distal end portion. The inflatable members are longitudinally spaced from one another by a predetermined distance. |
| US09248260B2 |
Catheter strain relief clip
A catheter strain relief clip includes a body having an upper surface, and a plurality of arm members extending upwardly from the upper surface. Each of the arm members defines an undercut region for receipt of a catheter. The arm members are disposed so as to define a bent path for a catheter threaded under each of the arm members from a first side to an opposite side of the body. |
| US09248256B2 |
Device for medical treatment
A medical treatment device enables an injection needle to accurately puncture brain tissue at a prescribed position and a drug solution to be injected into brain tissue, while avoiding damage to the brain tissue as the injection needle is handled. The use of the medical treatment device involves inflating a first balloon located on the outside of a catheter, directing a distal portion of a puncture needle, which is located inside the catheter, to outside the catheter through an opening in the catheter, after which the first balloon is deflated and a second balloon is inflated, and moving the catheter towards the brain tissue located on the opening side so that the injection needle projecting from the opening punctures the brain region. |
| US09248250B2 |
Patient interface device with limited support area on the face
A patient interface device includes a support member, a sealing assembly attached to the support member, and a pair of contacting members. The contacting members are coupled to the support member on each side of the sealing assembly. The contacting members are each configured and arranged to contact the user over a limited contacting region, which corresponds to a junction of the orbicularis oris facial muscle, the zygomaticus facial muscle, and the risorius facial muscle. |
| US09248249B2 |
Point-of-care pathogen monitoring devices and systems
Various embodiments of a secretion collection and/or sample analysis device are provided for point-of-care collection and/or analysis of secretions collected from the airways of intubated patients. The disclosed embodiments include a variety of placements of the device with respect to a tracheal tube that include in a secretion reservoir, between an evacuation conduit and the secretion reservoir, and connected in series after the evacuation conduit and the secretion reservoir. Certain embodiments may include a lab-on-a-chip device that analyzes secretions via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based DNA sequencing. |
| US09248238B2 |
Syringe with passive safety lock
A new syringe design is provided with a safety feature that prevents inadvertent or otherwise unintended release of any contents within the syringe. This safety feature is accomplished by way of an automatic (passive) plunger locking mechanism. The new syringe design also providing for automatic (passive) disengagement of the automatic plunger locking mechanism so as to not inhibit the operating use and function of a syringe. |
| US09248237B2 |
Indication mechanism for an automatic applicator, particularly for insulin
The present disclosure concerns an indication mechanism for an automatic applicator, particularly for insulin or other liquid preparations, particularly for multiple injection administration of set doses of a medicine from an exchangeable container, for example for the self-application of insulin by diabetes patients. An indication mechanism for an automatic applicator, having an assembly of at least two barrels movably coupled to each other has an indication barrel mounted on the driving barrel contains only marking on its external surface and is co-axially connected to the pull-push control nut. |
| US09248233B2 |
Fluid delivery systems and methods
A method of dispensing fluid includes three processes. A first one of these processes includes pumping fluid into a resilient variable-volume dispensing chamber. The dispensing chamber is in series with a normally present finite fluid impedance and an output. The impedance is sufficient so as to cause expansion of the dispensing chamber as it receives pumped fluid even while some fluid flows through the output. Another one of these processes includes repeatedly measuring a parameter related to volume of the dispensing chamber over time. A third one of these processes includes controlling the pumping of fluid based on repeated measurements of the parameter to produce a desired fluid flow through the output. A corresponding system for dispensing fluid implements these processes. |
| US09248231B2 |
Devices and methods for adjusting basal delivery profile
The present disclosure presents systems, devices and methods for administration of a therapeutic fluid to the body of a patient at a transient basal delivery profile, and enabling modification of the transient profile. Some embodiments include a user interface enabling input of one or more transient basal related parameters, and a processor having a basal programming application operating thereon. The basal programming application configured for determining a transient basal profile based on at least one or more transient basal related parameters. The transient basal profile comprises a plurality of phases and wherein each of the plurality of phases is characterized by a duration and at least one basal rate. In some embodiments, at least one of the plurality of phases includes either a basal overshot or a basal undershot. Some embodiments may also include a pump for dispensing the therapeutic fluid from a reservoir to the body of the patient. |
| US09248226B2 |
Device and method for detecting the recirculation during an extracorporeal blood treatment
A device and method for detecting recirculation for an extracorporeal blood treatment apparatus and an apparatus with a device for detecting recirculation are based on targeted haemodilution by administration of a substituate bolus, causing a pressure change in venous and arterial branches of the extracorporeal circuit due to a viscosity change of flowing fluid. Recirculation is detected based on detection of the pressure change. The device includes a control unit cooperating with a device for conveying blood and a device for supplying substituate. The control unit provides an operating mode for detecting recirculation, in which blood flow rate is reduced during administration of a substituate bolus. With simultaneous substituate bolus administration and reduction of blood flow rate, the composition of fluid flow is optimized for detection of recirculation, so that fairly large pressure changes result in venous and arterial branches, thereby improving sensitivity and reliability of the measurement method. |
| US09248222B2 |
Wound closure and drainage system
A vacuum system for draining an open wound from liquids exuded therefrom, comprising an enclosure sealable to the wound circumference, a vacuum pump including a disposable pump unit detachably attachable to a non-disposable drive unit, and a waste container for collection of drained liquids. The enclosure has an outlet connected by means of a tube to an inlet of the pump unit and the waste container is connected to an outlet of the pump unit, such that when the vacuum pump is operated the drained liquids flow through the vacuum pump. The enclosure has one or more bleeding holes provided therethrough or adjacent to its outlet so that ambient air may enter the tube and flow together with the drained liquids. The enclosure and the waste container are disposable so that the drained liquids contact only disposable elements and may be disposed of together with all disposable elements. |
| US09248215B2 |
Injectable bone void filler
The present invention relates to a biodegradable fibrin based composition for injection into osseous defects or voids, which can be the result of osteoporosis, surgery, bone cysts, tumor removal or traumatic bone injury. |
| US09248210B2 |
Dual purpose cartridge dispensing system
A package for a refill for dispensing a volatile material is disclosed that includes a wall portion and a cartridge refill removably attached to the wall portion. Attachment means removably attach the cartridge refill to the wall portion. The package in a first state is substantially planar in structure. The cartridge refill may be removed from the package for use in a separate dispenser or the package may be used as a dispenser for the volatile material held within the cartridge refill. |
| US09248207B1 |
Electron microscope plasma cleaner
The present invention relates to an electron microscope plasma cleaner for cleaning an electron microscope by using plasma, the cleaner including a vacuum chamber in which the sample is disposed; an electron gun for producing the electron beam and outputting the produced electron beam to the sample; an electron lens for magnifying the electron beam transmitting the sample and projecting the electron beam onto a fluorescent screen; a radio frequency controller for producing a first signal having radio frequency within a given range; and a plasma head for producing the plasma, receiving the first signal from the radio frequency controller, producing activated oxygen radicals and ions by using the plasma and the first signal, and supplying the activated oxygen radicals and ions to the interior of the vacuum chamber. |
| US09248206B2 |
Sanitizing composition and method of preparation
The invention provides a sanitizing composition in the form of a viscous liquid or gel suitable for use as a handwash composition comprising alcohol, water and a thickener wherein the viscous liquid or gel has particles suspended therein, wherein said particles provide the composition with a granular texture and are capable of being worn away when rubbed. The particles may deliver one or more agents to the skin e.g. antimicrobial, antibacterial or antiviral agents, emollients and/or moisturizers, fragrances, colorings or UV markers. |
| US09248193B2 |
Formulations of phenyl uracil compounds
A pharmaceutical product comprising at least one phenyl uracil-based pharmaceutically active agent or an agent of related structural type and processes for obtaining such product. |
| US09248190B2 |
Compositions and methods for inhibition of the JAK pathway
The invention encompasses compounds having formula I-V and the compositions and methods using these compounds in the treatment of conditions in which modulation of the JAK pathway or inhibition of JAK kinases, particularly JAK3, may be therapeutically useful. |
| US09248186B2 |
Composition and method for treating nosebleeds
A composition and method for treating nosebleed, that is, epistaxis. The composition comprises bismuth subgallate and a vasoconstriction agent, preferably oxymetazoline. The composition is preferably a paste administered intranasally. |
| US09248164B2 |
Growth factor anchoring type bone graft material, method for producing growth factor anchoring type bone graft material, kit for producing growth factor anchoring type bone graft material, and method for forming bone
Provided is a growth factor anchoring type bone graft material, wherein a bone graft substrate exposing at least a collagen fiber is bound to a collagen-binding-site-containing growth factor which contains a growth factor receptor agonist peptide and a collagen-binding peptide. The same can be produced by mixing a bone graft substrate and a collagen-binding-site-containing growth factor which contains a growth factor receptor agonist peptide and a collagen-binding peptide, and is also superior in osteogenic ability. |
| US09248163B2 |
Insulin-like growth factor binding protein 7 for treatment of cancer
Methods of treating a tumor in a subject include identifying a subject having, at risk for, or suspected of having a tumor, and administering to the subject an effective amount of an IGFBP7 agent if the tumor has increased Ras-BRAF-MEK-Erk signaling, is dependent for growth and/or survival upon the Ras-BRAF-MEK-Erk signaling pathway, and/or expresses an activated or oncogenic BRAF or RAS. |
| US09248162B2 |
Factor H for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis
The present invention provides a method for preventing or inhibiting allograft rejection by a recipient of that allograft by treating the recipient with a composition comprising Factor H (FH). The invention also encompasses methods in which the recipient is also administered one or more immunosuppressants in addition to the Factor H. |
| US09248158B2 |
Herbal supplements and methods of use thereof
In one embodiment, the present application provides an herbal supplement and method for treating bloating, constipation and/or weight gain in a human subject comprising orally administering to a subject in need thereof an effective amount of the herbal supplement comprising a red quebracho extract. In other embodiments, the supplement may additionally include a triterpenoid saponin, an anti-spasmodic agent, or both. |
| US09248156B2 |
Use of extracts or materials extracted from Piper cubeba L. as an effective component in a drug for the treatment of cancer diseases
The present invention is directed to the use of extracts or of extract compounds from Piper cubeba L. as active components in a medicament for the treatment of cancer. The invention also relates to a method for the preparation of a dry extract from the fruit of Piper cubeba L. |
| US09248153B2 |
Wound healing profile
The present invention relates to compositions and methods for tissue regeneration, particularly for treating skin lesions such as wounds. In one aspect, the invention provides wound healing composition characterized by the higher expression levels of phenotypic marker genes such as apolipoprotein D, matrix metalloprotease (2), collagen 3a1 and smooth muscle actin than the housekeeping gene ribosomal protein L32. The compositions and methods of the invention are useful especially for assisting the process of wound healing, particularly chronic open lesions that are slow to heal or resistant to healing. |
| US09248152B2 |
Human neural stem cells expressing human choline acetyltransferase, and use thereof
The present invention relates to human neural stem cells (NSCs) transfected with a vector comprising a polynucleotide encoding human choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and thereby stably expressing the human ChAT, a composition for treating Alzheimer disease or for improving a cognitive disorder comprising the human NSCs expressing a human ChAT. The present human NSCs genetically modified to express human ChAT, when transplanted into the brain of the animal AD model, successfully integrated into the host tissues and differentiated into the normal neuronal cells or glial cells. The instant genetically modified human NSCs stably express ChAT in the brain tissue of AD animal and thereby restore the acetylcholine level, and learning and memory function comparable to normal animal. The present genetically modified human NSCs expressing ChAT can be used for the treatment of AD as well as cognitive disorders due to other brain diseases and aging. |
| US09248149B2 |
Methods for treating a neoplastic disease in a subject using inorganic selenium-containing compounds
The invention features methods and selenium-containing compositions for treating a neoplastic disease in a subject. In particular, the invention features methods for enhancing sensitivity of a tumor to cancer therapy by treating the tumor with an inorganic selenium-containing (iSe) compound and with a cancer therapy, particularly a cancer therapy that also affects the cellular redox status of a tumor cell (e.g., radiation). |
| US09248146B2 |
Dissolvable adhesive films for delivery of pharmaceutical or cosmetic agents
The invention provides disintegratable adhesive films containing a mixture of high molecular weight and low molecular weight water soluble components; and a pharmaceutically or cosmetically active ingredient. Optionally, the films contain a starch component, a polysaccharide component, a filler, a plasticizer and/or humectant. The films are preferably in the form of an adhesive layer having a thickness sufficient to disintegrate, when exposed to a moist environment and/or a trigger compound, and release the active ingredient. The films can be cut to any desired size or shape to provide conveniently useable unit dosage forms for administration to wet or moist body surfaces for human, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, or veterinary applications. The invention further provides various end uses and methods of administering the film compositions. |
| US09248135B2 |
Prostaglandin and vasoconstrictor pharmaceutical compositions and methods of use
Compositions containing a prostaglandin agent and a vasoconstrictor agent for ophthalmic applications are provided as well as methods of treating ophthalmic diseases using the same. In certain embodiments, the compositions and methods are useful for treating glaucoma without causing conjunctival hyperemia. |
| US09248130B2 |
Methods and compositions for treating thyroid-related medical conditions with reduced folates
The present invention provides methods and compositions for treating thyroid-related medical conditions. Many thyroid-related medical conditions exist that go undiagnosed and untreated. These conditions may be prevented and treated with reduced folates and vitamin B12. Administration of reduced folates and vitamin B12 will prevent or treat cerebrospinal folate deficiency, which is linked to thyroid-related medical conditions. Administration of reduced folates and vitamin B12 will also prevent or treat conditions associated with masked megaloblastic anemia and hypothyroidism, and other conditions brought upon through improper thyroid function. Additionally, it is commonplace to treat many thyroid conditions with anti-thyroid drugs or thyroid stimulating drugs. This practice alone is also responsible for causing, or not beneficially addressing, adverse conditions that can be prevented or treated through the methods and compositions discussed herein. |
| US09248128B2 |
Method for enhancing remyelination using GLI1 inhibitors
The invention provides a method of treatment of multiple sclerosis and other neurological disorders characterized by myelin loss or myelin deficiency by inhibiting Gli1 transcription factor. In a related aspect, the invention provides a method for enhancing neuroprotection of a central nervous system (CNS) or peripheral nervous system (PNS) neuron in a subject in need thereof comprising administering to said subject an effective amount of a Gli1 inhibitor. In one embodiment, the subject has a neurological disorder characterized by myelin loss or myelin deficiency. |
| US09248127B2 |
Aqueous gel formulations containing immune response modifiers
Aqueous gel formulations, including an immune response modifier (IRM), such as those chosen from imidazoquinoline amines, tetrahydroimidazoquinoline amines, imidazopyridine amines, 6,7-fused cycloalkylimidazopyridine amines, 1,2-bridged imidazoquinoline amines, imidazonaphthyridine amines, imidazotetrahydronaphthyridine amines, oxazoloquinoline amines, thiazoloquinoline amines, oxazolopyridine amines, thiazolopyridine amines, oxazolonaphthyridine amines, thiazolonaphthyridine amines, pyrazolopyridine amines, pyrazoloquinoline amines, tetrahydropyrazoloquinoline amines, pyrazolonaphthyridine amines, tetrahydropyrazolonaphthyridine amines, and 1H-imidazo dimers fused to pyridine amines, quinoline amines, tetrahydroquinoline amines, naphthyridine amines, or tetrahydronaphthyridine amines, are provided. Methods of use and kits are also provided. |
| US09248123B2 |
Methods of providing weight loss therapy in patients with major depression
Disclosed are methods of providing weight loss therapy, particularly for patients suffering from major depression. |
| US09248121B2 |
Medical devices for controlled drug release
The present invention is a medical device for controlling the release of an active agent. The medical device has a supporting structure having a porous body disposed therein. At least one elution rate controlling matrix containing an effective amount of at least one active agent is disposed within the pores of the porous body in a manner that protects the matrix from mechanical damage. The medical device may therefore be used for controlled drug release applications. Additionally, the present invention discloses a method for using the medical device for the treatment and prevention of diseases in mammals. This invention further relates to a method for using the medical device for treating and preventing vascular diseases. |
| US09248118B2 |
Compositions and method for treatment of ischemic neuronal reperfusion injury
A method and composition for the treatment of ischemic neuronal reperfusion injury are provided. The composition can include a compound which is a combination of dantrolene and a residue of FMOC-valine. This composition can be used to provide a faster and higher CNS penetration than heretofore experienced with dantrolene. In another form, dantrolene may be formulated as a pro-drug, a pro-pro-drug and the like. |
| US09248109B2 |
High penetration prodrug compositions of peptides and peptide-related compounds
The invention provides compositions of novel high penetration compositions (HPC) or high penetration prodrugs (HPP) of peptides and peptide-related compounds, which are capable of crossing biological barriers with higher penetration efficiency comparing to their parent drugs. The HPPs are capable of being converted to parent drugs or drug metabolites after crossing the biological barrier and thus can render treatments for the conditions that the parent drugs or metabolites can. Additionally, the HPPs/HPCs are capable of reaching areas that parent drugs may not be able to access or to render a sufficient concentration at the target areas and therefore render novel treatments. The HPPs/HPCs can be administered to a subject through various administration routes, e.g., locally delivered to an action site of a condition with a high concentration or systematically administered to a biological subject and enter the general circulation with a faster rate. |
| US09248107B2 |
Vaccine stabilizer
Disclosed herein is a formulation capable of enhancing thermostability and shelf-life of a biological product, the formulation comprising: a tertiary amine N-oxide or a derivative thereof represented by the formulae: wherein R1, R2, and R3 may be identical or different and each is a straight or branched lower alkyl group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms; an inorganic salt; glutamic acid or a salt thereof; a polyol; a physiologically acceptable buffer, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. The tertiary amine N-oxide may be trimethylamine-N-oxide, (CH3)3NO. The formulation is useful for vaccine stabilization. |
| US09248105B2 |
Multilaminate backing construction
A novel backing construction for a transdermal drug delivery system is disclosed. In particular, the invention relates to a system and method for labeling a transdermal drug delivery system, wherein the backing layer contains a writable medium capable of inkless printing. |
| US09248093B2 |
Catheter locking solution having antimicrobial and anticoagulation properties
The present invention includes a catheter locking solution having both antimicrobial and anticoagulant properties including a local anesthetic and a viscosifying agent. The local anesthetic of the present invention may be an amino amide; an amino ester; an aminoacylanilide; an aminoalkyl benzoate; an amino carbonate; an N-phenylamidine compound; an N-aminoalkyl amid; an aminoketone, or combinations and mixtures thereof. In a particular embodiment of the present invention, the local anesthetic is tetracaine or dibucaine. |
| US09248091B2 |
Nail polish composition and method of making a nail polish
A method of making a nail polish comprising using a rotor-stator to prepare a suspension base by mixing dry clay and film forming material in a solvent or solvent mixture to make a clay gel, allowing the resultant clay gel to thicken, and letting the thickened clay gel down in additional solvent, film forming polymer, and plasticizer and then adding pigment paste. The rotor-stator can be used before and/or after adding the pigment paste or can be used to make the pigment paste itself. Nail polish cosmetic compositions, UV curable cosmetic nail gel compositions, and nails coated with the compositions. |
| US09248078B2 |
Lithium silicate materials
Lithium silicate materials are described which can be easily processed by machining to dental products without undue wear of the tools. |
| US09248072B2 |
Fixing device for adjusting a telescoping arrangement
A fixing device for adjusting a telescoping arrangement comprises a seat disposed on an outer telescoping tube, a propelling arrangement disposed on the seat and inserted into limiting slots of an inner telescoping tube, a locking arrangement pivotally disposed on the seat to prop against the propelling arrangement, and a fastening arrangement fixing the locking arrangement to the seat. The movement of the locking arrangement toward the seat pushes the propelling arrangement to position the telescoping tubes, and concurrently an elastic member of the fastening arrangement springs against a fastening member of the fastening arrangement to make a fastening part of the fastening member lock with a fastened member which is disposed on the seat and thus position the locking arrangement, thereby preventing an unexpected slide of the telescoping tubes caused by touching the locking arrangement carelessly and increasing the use safety efficiently. |
| US09248062B2 |
Automated systems for powered cots
A cot can include a support frame that extends between a front end and a back end. A front leg and a back leg can be slidingly coupled to the support frame. A front actuator can be coupled to the front leg and slide the front leg to retract and extend the front leg. A back actuator can be coupled to the back leg and slide the back leg to retract and extend the front leg. One or more processors can execute machine readable instructions to receive signals from one or more sensors indicative of the front end of the cot and the front leg. The one or more processors can actuate the back actuator to extend the back leg to raise the back end of the cot, when the front end of the cot is supported by a surface and the front leg is retracted a predetermined amount. |
| US09248061B2 |
Mobile patient bed
A mobile patient bed includes a bench that may be moved vertically via a lifting mechanism. Vertical movement may be effected via a first, electric drive mechanism including a drive device that may be operated when connected to an energy supply. As an alternative, vertical movement may be effected via a second drive mechanism that may be actuated by the operator using a foot pedal. The drive device is a drive motor that is coupled to the lifting mechanism via a motor shaft and is coupled to the second drive mechanism via a clutch. The clutch is closed with no connection to the energy supply and is opened with connection established. The motor shaft may be driven via the second drive mechanism when the clutch is closed. |
| US09248053B2 |
Manufacturing method and manufacturing equipment of composite body of sheet-like member of absorbent article
A method of manufacturing a composite body of a sheet-like member of an absorbent article, the method includes: holding a first sheet-like member on a holding surface of a holding section; and delivering and attaching the first sheet-like member from the holding surface to a second sheet-like member. The first sheet-like member has a section that is to be delivered first, and a section that is to be delivered subsequently during delivery to the second sheet-like member. The first sheet-like member is held on the holding surface with suction air from a plurality of holes that have been formed on the holding surface. The holding section has at least two suction chambers. A first suction chamber is in communication with holes that suck the section that is to be delivered first, and a second suction chamber is in communication with holes that suck the section that is to be delivered subsequently. |
| US09248047B2 |
System for protecting tissue in the treatment of eyes
To protect tissue in the treatment of an eye (3) with a focused pulsed laser beam (21) generated by a laser system (2), e.g. a femtolaser system, operating data which define an operating area operated on by the focus (F) of the laser beam (21) during the treatment are acquired in a device (1). The device (1) comprises a processing module (14) for providing control data for the laser system (2) on the basis of the operating data and taking into consideration the light propagation in the eye. The control data limit the time of the treatment by the focus (F) at positions within the operating area in each case in such a manner that tissue damage resulting from the treatment by the laser beam (21) is essentially prevented in eye structures located outside the operating area. In particular, the control data determine movements of the focus (F) within the operating area and/or the activity of the laser beam (21) in such a manner that the mean irradiation intensity is reduced and the maximum temperatures in the tissue of eye structures located outside the operating area, particularly in the iris and the retina, are reduced. |
| US09248044B2 |
Undergarment for post-surgical mastectomy patients
An undergarment is provided in the form of a brassiere which includes comfort and stylistic features to assist in post-surgical recovery. In other implementations, a camisole is provided which includes comfort and stylistic features to assist in post-surgical recovery. In one application, the post-surgical undergarment is configured to assist in the recovery of mastectomy patients. |
| US09248041B2 |
Elbow orthosis
An orthosis includes a first arm cuff for attachment to a first body portion, a first arm member, a first extension member, a second cuff for attachment to a second body portion, a second arm member, and a second extension member. The orthosis can also include a drive assembly comprising a knob and a shaft. The first cuff and the second cuff may each include at least one cuff strap and at least one loop connector for receiving the at least one cuff strap. A method of using the orthosis includes coupling a first cuff to a first body portion, coupling a second cuff to a second body portion, wherein the second cuff is coupled to the first cuff, and rotating the first and second cuff from a first position to a second position, relative to the second cuff. |
| US09248033B2 |
Adjustable socket system
An adjustable socket system is configured to accommodate a residual limb. The adjustable socket system has first and second opposed sides and includes a rigid first component arranged along the first side of the socket. An adjustable second component has a plurality of interconnected vertebrae elements connected to the first component and is arranged along the second side of the socket system. The adjustable prosthetic socket also has a base connector secured to the distal end area of the first component. |
| US09248032B2 |
Suspension liner system with distensible seal
A suspension liner is adapted to provide an interface between a residual limb and a prosthetic socket. The liner includes an elongate, generally conical body portion, and a volume control pad located along the body portion. The volume control pad is arranged to distend outwardly from the body portion. A resilient seal element is connected to the body portion and protrudes radially from the body portion, and is located in correspondence with the volume control pad. |
| US09248024B2 |
Ankle prosthesis for the arthrodesis of the calcaneum
A prosthetic ankle assembly including an astragalar component with an upper articular surface that forms part of an ankle joint prosthesis and a lower surface with a shape adapted to engage an upper face of an astragalus. An astragalocalcanean rod is positioned in an astragalocalcanean channel extending from the lower face of the calcaneus to the upper surface of the astragalus. A first end of the astragalocalcanean rod is engage with the lower surface of the astragalar component and a second end of the astragalocalcanean rod is engaged with a lower region of the calcaneus. A distance between the second end of the astragalocalcanean rod is adjustable relative to the lower surface of the astragalar component to adjustably compress the calcaneus against the astragalus. |
| US09248021B1 |
Morse taper protective sleeve
A removable orthopedic protective sleeve adapted to be applied over the male Morse taper of modular orthopedic implants thereby preventing contamination of the taper contact surface from blood, body fluid or tissue particles responsible for electrochemical corrosion and fretting at the level of Morse taper. Said sleeve having a conical tube shape and a rim at its upper narrow end. A plurality of vertical grooves situated on the outer surface of the protective sleeve will split open as the female Morse taper of the articular ball is slidingly pushed downward and seated over the male taper. The split sleeve is then removed after the male and female tapers are assembled in-situ. |
| US09248020B2 |
Ceramic monoblock implants with osseointegration fixation surfaces
Monoblock orthopedic and/or dental implants are disclosed. The monoblock implants include a ceramic articulating surface and an osseointegrative bone-contacting surface. Methods of making such implants also disclosed. |
| US09248017B2 |
Support device for valve prostheses and corresponding kit
A support device for implanting stentless valve prostheses, such as biological heart valves, includes a hub and a plurality of support portions for supporting the stentless valve prosthesis. The hub defines a manipulation axis for the device and is flexibly connected to the support portions to allow displacing the manipulation axis for the device between the support portions. |
| US09248015B2 |
Production of tissue engineered heart valves
The invention is directed to methods for preparing artificial heart valves by preconditioning a matrix seeded with endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells differentiated from isolated progenitor cells. These cell seeded matrices are exposed to fluid conditions that mimic blood flow through the heart to produce tissue engineered heart valves that are analogous to native heart valves. |
| US09248005B2 |
Dental obturator point
Dental obturator point having an obturation body containing a composite material comprising (a) a polymer and b) a particulate filler, whereby the obturation body has a radio opacity of at least 3 mm/mm Al, characterized in that the composite material has (i) a tensile strength of from 5 to 70 MPA1 (ii) a flexural strength of from 5 to 90 MPA, (iii) a flexural module of from 0.1 to 2.5 GPa, and which has (iv) a 300 rpm drilling coefficient at 37° C. in the range of from −1 to 7.00. |
| US09247995B2 |
Tattoo removal with two laser beams via multi-photon processes
A method for removing tattoos using two laser beams and a multi-photon process is disclosed. A 0.1 to 100 nsec pulse secondary laser beam focused to 108 W/cm2 creates a temporary channel from the skin surface to the tattoo pigment. A 100 fsec pulse main laser beam is then guided through the channel to the pigment and focused to sufficient intensity, i.e., 1012 W/cm2 or more, to initiate a multi-photon process that breaks up the pigment, disrupting its light reflecting properties. The channel allows the main laser beam unobstructed passage to the pigments, resulting in efficient use of the main laser. The pigment fragments escape through the temporary channel or diffuse into the blood stream. A suitably configured Ti/Sapphire laser beam is split into two components, with an uncompressed component used as the secondary laser beam, and a compressed component as the main laser beam. |
| US09247994B2 |
Ablation systems, probes, and methods for reducing radiation from an ablation probe into the environment
The ablation systems, ablation probes, and corresponding methods according to the present disclosure reduce or eliminate energy radiating from an ablation probe into the environment. Some ablation probes include a retractable sheath that shields at least the radiating portion of the ablation probe. The retractable sheath and/or the ablation probe may include conduits through which a fluid may flow to shield the radiating portion and to drive the retractable sheath to an extended state. Other ablation probes include apertures defined in the probe walls through which the fluid can flow to expand a balloon surrounding the radiating portion. Yet other ablation probes include a thermal indicator to indicate the temperature of the ablation probe to a user. The ablation systems include fluid circuits and associated mechanical controls for varying the contents and/or flow rate of the fluid provided to the radiating portion of the ablation probe. |
| US09247972B2 |
Customized osteosynthesis assembly
Disclosed embodiments relate to a customized assembly of osteosynthesis plates. The customized assembly of osteosynthesis plates is custom-made, for example I-shaped and/or L-shaped and/or cross-shaped and/or crow's-foot-shaped ones which are themselves customized according to the operation to be carried out and the future anatomy of the patient, characterized in that the osteosynthesis plates are connected together by a rod, the rod further comprising two protrusions (4) protruding from the rod towards the nasal orifice (8) of the patient into positions that correspond to the two ends (5, 6) of the base (7) of the nasal orifice (8) of the patient. The invention can be used during dental occlusion operations, for example. |
| US09247968B2 |
Spinous process implants and associated methods
The present invention provides spinous process implant and associated methods. In one aspect of the invention the implant limits the maximum spacing between the spinous processes. In another aspect of the invention, a spacer has at least one transverse opening to facilitate tissue in-growth. In another aspect of the invention, an implant includes a spacer and separate extensions engageable with the spacer. In another aspect of the invention, instrumentation for inserting the implant is provided. In other aspects of the invention, methods for treating spine disease are provided. |
| US09247966B2 |
Modular pedicle screw system
Provided is a modular pedicle screw assembly which includes various components that may be configured in various manners so as to provide different functionalities to the pedicle screw assembly. This advantageously decreases surgery time, reduces repetitive and tedious surgical steps, and allows for streamlining inventory of expensive medical equipment. In one embodiment, a pedicle screw assembly includes a pedicle screw, a rod holding element, an insert, a rod, and a set screw. The insert may have a uniplanar configuration which allows movement of the insert, prior to final attachment, in a plane of motion. The insert may optionally have a monoaxial configuration which prevents movement of the insert. A method is also provided for securing a rod to a pedicle screw assembly. Also provided is an assembly tool for use in assembling a pedicle screw assembly. |
| US09247962B2 |
Laminar hook insertion device
A surgical hook insertion device includes an elongate body defining a lumen therethrough and an actuation assembly. The elongate body has a retaining portion configured and dimensioned to releasably retain a laminar hook therein. The actuation assembly includes an actuation rod and an actuator member. The actuation rod is slideably disposed within the lumen of the elongate body. The actuator member is operatively coupled with the actuation rod and is slideably mounted on the elongate body, wherein the actuation assembly is transitionable between a first position in which a portion of the actuation rod engages the laminar hook releasably disposed in the retaining portion and a second position in which the actuation rod disengages the laminar hook. |
| US09247959B2 |
Recovery and processing of human embryos formed in vivo
Among other things, uterine lavage is performed to withdraw at least 50% of in vivo fertilized preimplantation embryos produced after superovulation of a woman and artificial insemination using sperm of her sexual partner. After genetic diagnosis or sex determination or gene therapy, or any combination of any two or more of them, of the recovered embryos and selection of at least one of the embryos to be implanted, the selected embryos are returned to the woman for implantation in her uterus. |
| US09247957B2 |
Access sheath with blade
A surgical penetrating system includes a cannula and an obturator. The cannula has an outer wall arranged about a longitudinal axis and a longitudinal opening. At least one substantially linear penetrating member is mounted with respect to the outer wall of the cannula and extends in a general longitudinal direction with respect to the longitudinal axis. The penetrating member is adapted to facilitate passage of the cannula through tissue. Another embodiment of the surgical penetrating system includes a cannula having a longitudinal bore and a penetrating member at least partially and slidably mounted within the longitudinal bore of the cannula. The penetrating member has at least one leg and is axially movable between non-deployed and deployed positions. Moreover, the penetrating member can be mounted for movement relative to the leading end of the cannula and within the longitudinal bore of the cannula between a non-deployed position and a deployed position. |
| US09247954B2 |
Safety knife with retractable and extendable blade and guard
A safety surgical knife has a blade guard and a knife blade holder. The knife blade is covered when the guard is extended to protect it. When the blade is extended to its full operating position the guard is simultaneously retracted. When the blade is retracted the guard is simultaneously extended to return to its protective position. A shaped knife handle acts as an orientation guide and an anti-roll prop keeps the knife from rolling over when placed on a flat surface. |
| US09247951B1 |
Microsurgical handle and instrument
A microsurgical handle and instrument may include an actuation structure having an actuation structure distal end and an actuation structure proximal end, a plurality of actuation arms of the actuation structure, and an actuation structure base. A compression of the actuation structure may be configured to extend the actuation structure distal end relative to the actuation structure proximal end. A compression of the actuation structure may be configured to expand an extension joint of an actuation arm of the plurality of the actuation arms. A decompression of the actuation structure may be configured to retract the actuation structure distal end relative to the actuation structure proximal end. A decompression of the actuation structure may be configured to collapse an extension joint of an actuation arm of the plurality of actuation arms. |
| US09247948B2 |
Change-out handle system and medical instrument
A change-out handle system is provided for releasably coupling two elongated, axially relatively displaceable functional parts to a medical instrument unit. The change-out handle system includes a first and a second handle part disposed axially relatively displaceably, a first coupler for releasably axially rigidly immovably coupling a first of the two functional parts to the first handle part and a second coupler for releasably, axially rigidly immovably coupling the second of the two functional parts to the second handle part. The second handle part has a pass-through opening for passing at least the first of the two functional parts. The change-out handle system can be used, for example, for medical solids trapping instruments. |
| US09247946B2 |
Method of using a drill sleeve
A drill sleeve is provided for guiding a bone drill in alignment with the screw holes and drill guides. The drill sleeve includes a cylindrical body having a first end, a second end and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween. The cylindrical body includes a longitudinal bore therethrough that is sized for passage of a bone drill. The drill sleeve also includes a frictional retaining element for exerting a bearing force against the surface of the bone drill, such that the frictional retaining element may support at least the weight of the drill sleeve on the bone drill. The bone drill has graduated indicia, and a portion of the drill sleeve may be referenced relative to the indicia so as to be used as a depth gauge for determining the length of a drilled hole in order to select a screw fastener having the appropriate length. |
| US09247941B2 |
Cellulose-containing medical device having a multi-layer structure produced without adhesive
Implants include a film layer containing cellulose secured to a surface of the porous layer that also contains cellulose, wherein the film layer is secured to the porous cellulose without the use of an adhesive. |
| US09247923B2 |
Received data processing apparatus of photoacoustic tomography
There is provided a received data processing apparatus of photoacoustic tomography including a minimum constitution unit data composition unit that sequentially reads receiving digital signals from first storage units and composes minimum constitution unit data of the acoustic wave of the minimum constitution units by performing a delay-and-sum processing. A second storage unit stores the minimum constitution unit data of the entire region of the specimen, and an image construction unit constructs an image of the specimen based on the minimum constitution unit data stored in the second storage unit. A control unit sequentially stores the minimum constitution unit data calculated by the minimum constitution unit data composition unit in the second storage unit and reads the stored minimum constitution unit data of the entire region of the specimen to transmit the minimum constitution unit data to the image construction unit. |
| US09247918B2 |
Computation of hemodynamic quantities from angiographic data
Methods for computing hemodynamic quantities include: (a) acquiring angiography data from a patient; (b) calculating a flow and/or calculating a change in pressure in a blood vessel of the patient based on the angiography data; and (c) computing the hemodynamic quantity based on the flow and/or the change in pressure. Systems for computing hemodynamic quantities and computer readable storage media are described. |
| US09247909B2 |
Lumen based pressure sensing guidewire system with distortion correction
A guidewire is disclosed that is constructed using tubular members that create a hollow lumen that runs from the proximal end of the guidewire to a window towards the distal end of the wire. This internal lumen is filled with a fluid that allows pressure exerted at the window to exert pressure at the proximal end of the guide wire proportional to the pressure exerted at the window. This pressure exerted at the proximal end of the guidewire is measured using a pressure transducer external of the guidewire. The pressure transducer converts the measured pressure into an electrical signal that is proportional to the pressure at the window. The electrical signal is manipulated to correct for errors that are due to the pressure signal traveling though the inner lumen of the guidewire to ensure the electrical signal matches the pressure exerted at the window. |
| US09247903B2 |
Using affect within a gaming context
Mental state data is collected as a person interacts with a game machine. Analysis is performed on this data and mental state information and affect are shared across a social network. The affect of a person can be represented to the social network or gaming community in the form of an avatar. Recommendations can be based on the affect of the person. Mental states can be analyzed by web services which may, in turn, modify the game. |
| US09247902B2 |
Sterile sampling methods and apparatus
An apparatus and method that allow multiple samples of a liquid in a primary container (here called a ‘pouch’) to be taken with minimal danger of contaminating the liquid in the container during the sampling process are disclosed. In an embodiment, a closed sterile sight chamber is connected with the pouch in a sterile manner to allow fluid to flow into the chamber white at the same time allowing air within the chamber to be displaced through a bacterial fitter to atmosphere. The connection between the sight chamber and the pouch is then terminated (severed or closed), isolating the pouch from the sampling apparatus. Only then are samples of liquid withdrawn from the sight chamber, while allowing air to flow into the chamber through the bacterial filter. |
| US09247901B2 |
Systems and methods for replacing signal artifacts in a glucose sensor data stream
Systems and methods for minimizing or eliminating transient non-glucose related signal noise due to non-glucose rate limiting phenomenon such as interfering species, ischemia, pH changes, temperatures changes, known or unknown sources of mechanical, electrical and/or biochemical noise, and the like. The system monitors a data stream from a glucose sensor and detects signal artifacts that have higher amplitude than electronic or diffusion-related system noise. The system processes some or the entire data stream continually or intermittently based at least in part on whether the signal artifact event has occurred. |
| US09247899B2 |
Blood draw device with retractable needle
The Invention comprises a body, an actuator pivotally connected to the body, and a retractable needle adapted to provide fluid communication between a patient and a fluid collection tube, typically a blood collection tube, attachable to the device. A significant feature of the subject device is a retraction cavity disposed inside the actuator that is manually positionable to receive a portion of the needle retraction assembly following removal of the blood collection tube. Retraction is initiated by depressing the forwardly extending end of the actuator relative to the body, thereby causing a retainer clip to release the needle holder, after which the needle holder and a part of the needle are propelled into the retraction cavity by expansion of a compressed spring. The needle is thereby withdrawn from the patient and into the housing, reducing the likelihood of accidental needle sticks and preventing reuse of the device. |
| US09247898B2 |
Magnetic lancet device
Embodiments of the present invention provide magnetic lancet devices and methods for driving a lancet. For example, a magnetic lancet device may include a driving mechanism having a plurality of magnets and a lancet coupled to the driving mechanism. A magnetic interaction between the plurality of magnets is configured to drive the lancet from an engaged position to a penetrating position. |
| US09247891B2 |
Prediction of cardiac resynchronization therapy response based on variability of repolarization
Techniques for determining whether a patient will respond to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) include identifying a plurality of consecutive cardiac beats within a cardiac electrogram of the patient and, for each of the consecutive cardiac beats, measuring a repolarization interval. The techniques also include determining a variability of the measured repolarization intervals. The variability of the measured repolarization intervals indicates whether the patient will respond to CRT. For example, a variability lower than a predetermined threshold may indicate that the patient is a CRT responder, while a variability greater than the predetermined threshold may indicate that the patient is a CRT non-responder. |
| US09247884B2 |
Biometric monitoring device having a body weight sensor, and methods of operating same
A system comprising a biometric monitoring device including a housing including a platform to receive at least one foot of the user, a body weight sensor to generate body weight data, processing circuitry to calculate user weight data which corresponds to the user's weight, using the body weight data, and communication circuitry to: (a) receive user identification data which identifies the user or a portable activity monitoring device, and (b) transmit the user weight data to data storage associated with the user identification data. The system further includes the portable activity monitoring device including a housing having a physical size and shape that is adapted to couple to the user's body, a sensor to generate sensor data, and communication circuitry to receive physiologic data which is based on the user weight data, and processing circuitry to calculate activity data using the sensor data and physiologic data. |
| US09247879B2 |
Method and system for automatic interpretation of computer tomography scan data
Disclosed is a method for interpreting image data that represents variations in density of matter inside a subject. A data processing system may receive image data from a scan of a subject. The data processing system automatically discerns one or more bones, one or more arteries, and one or more organs of the subject, based at least in part on the image data. The data processing system may also automatically identify one or more of the discerned bones, arteries, and organs. The data processing system may also automatically discern an outer or inner margin of a body wall of the subject. The data processing system may also produce output that depicts one or more of the identified bones, one or more of the identified arteries, one or more of the identified organs, and/or or the outer or inner margin of the body wall. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US09247870B2 |
Method and apparatus for system synchronization in video oculography based neuro-otologic testing and evaluation
A video oculography based neuro-otologic testing and evaluation apparatus and associated method comprises the steps of: Obtaining images of the subject's eyes with a digital camera; Selectively displaying visual stimulus to the subject on a display; Generating each visual stimulus to be displayed from a controller; Receiving and storing data signals from each digital camera in the controller; Calculating eye related data from the digital camera images and visual stimulus; Displaying the eye related data to users; Generating a video synchronization signal by the controller associated with each visual stimulus which identifies when the display is displaying the associated visual stimulus; Receiving and coupling the video synchronization signal with at least the eye data from the digital camera; and Synchronizing calculations based upon the eye data and the visual stimulus by the controller. |
| US09247868B2 |
Ophthalmologic apparatus and control method of the same
An ophthalmologic apparatus includes: a position control unit configured to control a position changing unit which changes a position of an examination unit, such that fine movement driving of the examination unit is performed in a case where a tilt angle of the operating member is smaller than a first angle, and coarse movement driving of the examination unit is performed in a case where the tilt angle of the operating member is equal to or greater than the first angle; and an angle control unit configured to control an angle changing unit which changes the angle of the operating member such that the tilt angle of the operating member is automatically changed to a second angle which is smaller than the first angle, in accordance with a change from the coarse movement to the fine movement. |
| US09247865B2 |
Three-dimensional-image forming device, three dimensional-image forming method and program
In a three-dimensional image forming device for forming a phantom three-dimensional image in accordance with an image of an inner face of a tubular structure to be observed, luminance information of pixels corresponding to a prescribed range of each frame image of the tubular structure is obtained under prescribed lighting conditions when an imaging device with an optical axis extending to an axial direction of the tubular structure moves, a relative distances in a depth direction between points and an objective lens is calculated in accordance with the luminance information, pixels corresponding to the prescribed range of each frame image in the inner face of the tubular structure is arrayed in reflection of the relative distance, and the arrayed pixels are combined for a plurality of the frame images to form a three-dimensional image of the inner face of the tubular structure. |
| US09247861B2 |
Compact monitor stand
The present specification provides an apparatus for supporting one or more monitors. The apparatus includes a base stand having one or more wheels for enabling movement of the apparatus; a first rigid frame having a top end and a bottom end attached with the base stand; a second extendable frame having a top end and a bottom end and telescopically movable within the first rigid frame; a monitor arm assembly removably coupled with the top end of the second frame and configured to receive a plurality of monitors. The apparatus is transformable from a first collapsed configuration for transport and storage into a second operational configuration by rotating or removing the monitor arm assembly and by moving the second extendable frame relative to the first rigid frame. |
| US09247857B2 |
Dishwasher and a water tank adapted for a dishwasher
The invention relates to a dishwasher comprising a cabinet, a door for allowing access to a washing volume inside of the cabinet, and a water tank to be filled with water for washing. According to the invention, the water tank may be positioned within the washing volume inside the cabinet. |
| US09247850B2 |
Cooking hob with rotary blade driving means and assembly comprising a cooking hob and cooking vessel with rotary blades
The cooking hob (1) has a support plate (2) made of glass or glass ceramic, a lower magnetic coupling member (5) rotatably arranged below the support plate (2), a drive motor (6) operatively connected for rotating the lower magnetic coupling member (5), and position changing means (33) for moving the lower magnetic coupling member (5) between an operative position, in which the lower magnetic coupling member (5) is close to the support plate (2) and magnetically transmits torque to an upper magnetic coupling member (54) connected to rotary blades (53) installed in a cooking vessel (50) located on the support plate (2), and an inoperative position, in which the lower magnetic coupling member (5) is far enough from the support plate (2) for not magnetically transmitting the torque. |
| US09247844B2 |
Infusion unit with variable volume infusion chamber
An infusion unit includes an infusion chamber for coffee or other product where, through water under pressure, flavors are extracted for making a beverage. The infusion chamber includes at least one yielding wall for adjusting a volume of the closed infusion chamber according to the amount of product contained into the infusion chamber. Moreover, a variable volume chamber is provided, which is filled with a liquid and connected to the yielding wall, so that a volume of the variable volume chamber filled with liquid varies according to a position taken by the yielding wall when the infusion chamber is closed. The position of the yielding wall is locked when the infusion chamber is closed, preventing the liquid flow from and into the variable volume chamber filled with liquid. |
| US09247840B2 |
Roller blind with installation frame
A screen assembly for a window comprising a screen supported by an elongate support member adapted to be mounted in an upper region of the window opening, a pair of mounting brackets being provided for attachment to respective sides of the window opening adjacent the top face of the window opening, each end of the elongate support member having means for engaging a respective mounting bracket, whereby the mounting brackets may be attached the sides of a window opening such that the support member may be engaged onto the mounting brackets to mount the support member in the window opening. |
| US09247839B2 |
Modular floor tile connectable with another modular floor tile to form an area mat that resists separation during use
A modular floor tile comprising a substrate having a first land with a support surface and first and second perimeter portions each defining a second land with a surface recessed relative to the support surface, the first and second perimeter portions each defining spaced-apart T-lugs and alternating T-recesses, the T-lugs defining extending abutments and notches, whereby two tiles join together by the T-recesses of a first tile receiving respective T-lugs of a second tile, with each notch receiving a respective one of the abutments and the contacting edges thereof resist separation of adjacent joined tiles during use of the mat. |
| US09247838B2 |
Collapsible clothes and article hanger
Described is a clothing hanger capable of collapsing into an enclosed unit that is easily stored and is convenient for travel. The hanger comprises a hook and a pair of arms rotatable about the hook and adapted to support the shoulders of a garment. The hanger further comprises a first and second pants bar element that are hingeably connected to one another and which are in hinged connection with the hanger arms. The hanger can be collapsed into an enclosed unit by folding the pants bar elements towards one another and into the hollow undersides of the hanger arms. The hook of the hanger is able to rotate so as to be enclosed by the hanger arms. The hanger further includes an elastic cord that can be removably connected to the arms of the hanger and that is adapted to secure garments in place over the pants bar elements. |
| US09247833B2 |
Security hook device and method
A security system includes a display tray, header panel, hook, hook base cover, and hook end cover. The display tray is to display an item. The display tray includes a slot. The header panel has a tab portion and a head portion. The tab portion is configured to mate with the slot. The head portion has one or more prong receiving holes. The hook has one or more prongs. The hook is to receive the item. The one or more prongs are configured to mate with the one or more prong receiving holes. The hook base cover is to secure the hook to the head portion. The hook end cover is configured to lock to an end of the hook. The item received on the hook is secured by locking the hook end cover to the hook. |
| US09247824B2 |
Furnishing element with a conditioning function, and relative method to make it
A furnishing element with a conditioning function, which includes a base structure having a determinate aesthetic and/or functional conformation for furnishing, and one or more conditioning components, able to carry out a heat exchange with the environment to determine the conditioning thereof. The base structure defines at least a radiant surface and is made by lost mold casting. The mold or core used for casting is destroyed at the end of casting. The conditioning components are constrained to the base structure and are suitably shaped to be disposed in proximity to the radiant surface, so that the radiant surface determines a desired radiation, able to condition a room and/or one or more users. |
| US09247823B2 |
Seating unit with improved structure
A seating unit includes a spring unit mounted in a frame, the spring unit having spring structures with end and middle stacked arches and interconnected to one another by tie bars, the spring unit being mounted in a frame having side rails, bottom slats, a continuous front rail, side rails, reinforcing blocks and brackets formed and arranged as a space frame. |
| US09247819B2 |
Tube fixing device
A tube fixing device has an outer tube, an inner tube, two fixing pins, and a fixing stick. The outer tube has an aligning hole formed through the outer tube. The inner tube is rotatably inserted into the outer tube and has two tapered fixing recesses formed in the inner tube and selectively aligned with the aligning hole. The fixing pins are combined with the inner tube and abut the outer tube at different locations according to the rotation of the inner tube relative to the outer tube. The fixing stick is retractably combined with the outer tube and has a stick tube and a tapered insertion stick inserted in one of the fixing recesses. The insertion end, the fixing pins and the inner tube selectively form a three-point contact status. |
| US09247817B2 |
Portable, collapsible stadium seat
A collapsible seat includes a seat bottom, a back support, and armrests, all interconnected for movement between an operative, or set-up, condition and a collapsed, or bundled, condition. The seat bottom comprises first and second portions interconnected together and foldable into generally parallel relationship with one another associated with the collapsed condition of the seat. The back support is pivotally disposed relative to the seat bottom such that, in the seat's set-up condition, the back support extends generally upwardly from a rear portion of the seat bottom and is capable of pivotal movement relative to the seat bottom for collapsing the seat to its collapsed condition. The armrests are located on the outer edges of the seat bottom when the seat is in its set-up condition, and are pivotally connected with the first and second seat bottom portions, respectively, for movement relative thereto during set-up and collapsing of the seat. |
| US09247816B2 |
Table having adjustable legs
A table having independently adjustable legs. The table includes a tabletop having a bubble level thereon for allowing a user to determine if the tabletop is level. The tabletop may further include adjustable side rails that can be used to help prevent objects from falling off of the side of the tabletop. A plurality of legs extends from the underside of the tabletop, wherein each leg includes an upper section and a lower section movably positioned therein. A foot is pivotally connected to the lower end of each leg to enable the table to be positioned on uneven surfaces. Thus, the table allows a user to maintain the tabletop in a level orientation on uneven or sloped surfaces. |
| US09247798B2 |
Epilating device
An epilator (100) comprising an epilating unit (1) for plucking and/or pulling hair (51) out of the skin (50) over an epilating width (E). Such an epilator is disadvantageous in that typically not all of the hairs are detected by the epilating unit (1) and some remain in the skin after the epilation. A subsequent epilation would then be required. In order to solve this problem, the epilator (100) has a hair removal unit (2) following the epilating unit (1) in the direction (B) of use, such that, in at least one operating mode, the hair removal unit (2) removes the hairs (51) that have not been pulled out by the epilating unit (1). |
| US09247789B2 |
Buckle assembly
A buckle assembly (10) includes a frame (12) having a base (66) connected to opposed side walls (68). The frame (12) has a latch chamber (70) between the base (66) and the opposed side walls (68). The buckle assembly (10) also includes a lever (14) pivotally secured with in the latch chamber (70) between the opposed side walls (68), and a latch (16) configured to be secured in the latch chamber (70) by the lever (14). The latch (16) may include a frame-engaging member (30) having an ogived leading end (36). The ogived leading end (36) is configured to self-align the latch (16) within the latch chamber (70) when the latch (16) is mated into the latch chamber (70). |
| US09247786B2 |
Fixturing apparatus
A fixturing apparatus that includes a base, a housing attached to the base and formed to include a semi-circular arcuate surface in a bottom portion, a circular member comprising a periphery and rotatably attached to said base, wherein a portion of said periphery is disposed adjacent the arcuate surface to create a channel between the housing and the circular member, a plurality of locking teeth disposed around the periphery, a ratchet gear attached to the circular member, and a pawl pivotably attached to the housing. |
| US09247780B2 |
Accessory with integrated impact detection device for a head-worn member
An integrated protective accessory for a helmet comprising: a protective element for rigidly attaching to an external shell of the helmet via one or more fasteners; The protective element includes an impact detection device integrated with the protective element via one or more device fasteners such that a portion of the protective element has a compatible fastening element to that of the one or more device fasteners so that the impact detection device is rigidly attached to the protective element, the impact detection device having: a housing; one or more sensors within the housing for sensing an impact event of a wearer when wearing the helmet and for producing sensor data; an alarm element coupled to the housing such that an alarm condition produced by the alarm element is detectable by one or more persons near the wearer; and a processor within the housing for processing the sensor data against an impact threshold and for producing an alarm condition signal for expression by the alarm element as the alarm condition. One or the sensors can be a gyroscope for measuring rotational aspects of G forces from the impacts forces. |
| US09247769B2 |
Wrapper having reduced ignition proclivity characteristics
Wrappers for smoking articles are disclosed having reduced ignition proclivity characteristics. The wrappers include discrete areas treated with a reduced ignition composition. In accordance with the present disclosure, the amount of burn promoting agents is controlled over the surface of the wrapper in order to, in one embodiment, increase the permeability of the treated areas. |
| US09247759B2 |
Identification of human T2R receptors that respond to bitter compounds that elicit the bitter taste in compositions, and the use thereof in assays to identify compounds that inhibit (block) bitter taste in compositions and use thereof
The present invention relates to the discovery that specific human taste receptors in the T2R taste receptor family respond to particular bitter compounds present in, e.g., coffee. Also, the invention relates to the discovery of specific compounds and compositions containing that function as bitter taste blockers and the use thereof as bitter taste blockers or flavor modulators in, e.g., coffee and coffee flavored foods, beverages and medicaments. Also, the present invention relates to the discovery of a compound that antagonizes numerous different human T2Rs and the use thereof in assays and as a bitter taste blocker in compositions for ingestion by humans and animals. |
| US09247756B2 |
Device for simultaneous consumption of a fluid and a frozen substance
The present disclosure relates to a device for molding a freezable substance and dispensing a stored fluid substance. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a device that, when assembled, creates a Popsicle®-like frozen confection having a container containing an alcoholic liquid, where the user employs a plunger to drive the alcoholic liquid upward through a lumen in the frozen confection so that the user may simultaneously consume the frozen confection and ingest the alcoholic liquid. The device is a four-piece assembly. The first member is a handle with a plunger disposed at one end. The second member is a flange and a container extending from the flange and receiving at a first end of the container the plunger, the container defining an inner volume to receive and store a fluid substance. The end of the container generally opposite the end receiving the plunger has an orifice. The third member interacts with the second member at the flange. Finally, the fourth member interacts with the orifice of the container. |
| US09247752B2 |
Apparatus and method for curled extrudate
A shaping assembly for producing a discrete spiral shaped food product includes a die that defines at least one aperture that is centered on an aperture axis. The at least one aperture extends to an aperture exit and allows for the movement of a stream of food mass through the aperture and out the aperture exit. A shaping tool includes at least one slicing blade that is disposed over at least a portion of the aperture exit to slice the stream of food mass into a plurality of food mass portions. A coupling arrangement engages the shaping tool to facilitate rotation of the slicing blade to spin the plurality of food mass portions into a spiral shaped stream of food mass. The slicing blade simultaneously slices and spins the stream of food mass to create the spiral shaped stream of food mass. A crimper is used to cut the spiral shaped stream of food mass into the discrete spiral shaped food products. |
| US09247745B2 |
Substituted pyridazines for controlling invertebrate pests
The present invention relates to hetaryl (thio)carboxamide compounds of formula I, to the tautomers and N-oxides thereof and to the salts thereof: wherein X, R1 and A are as defined in the description. The present invention further relates to a method for controlling invertebrate pests, to a method for protecting plant propagation material and/or the plants which grow therefrom, to plant propagation material, comprising at least one hetaryl (thio)carboxamide compound according to the present invention, to a method for treating or protecting an animal from infestation or infection by parasites and to an agricultural composition containing at least one compound according to the present invention. |
| US09247740B2 |
Isoxazoline derivatives as insecticidal compounds
The present invention provides compounds of formula (I), wherein G1 is oxygen; R1 is hydrogen; R2 is group P (P) L is a bond, methylene or ethylene; one of A1 and A2 is S, SO or SO2 and the other is —C(R4)R4—R3 is hydrogen or methyl; each R4 is independently hydrogen or methyl; Y1 is C—R6, CH or nitrogen; Y2 and Y3 are independently CH or nitrogen; wherein no more than two of Y1, Y2 and Y3 are nitrogen and wherein Y2 and Y3 are not both nitrogen; R5 is hydrogen, halogen, cyano, nitro, NH2, C1-C2alkyl, C1-C2haloalkyl, C3-C5cycloalkyl, C3-C5halocycloalkyl, C1-C2alkoxy, C1-C2haloalkoxy; R6 together with R5 forms a —CH═CH—CH═CH— bridge; X2 is C—X6 or nitrogen; X1, X3 and X6 are independently hydrogen, halogen or trihalomethyl, wherein at least two of X1, X3 and X6 are not hydrogen; X4 is trifluoromethyl, difluoromethyl or chlorodifluoromethyl. The invention also provides intermediates useful for the preparation of compounds of formula (I), as well as methods of controlling insects, acarines, nematodes or molluscs using the compounds of formula (I). |
| US09247732B2 |
Agrochemical formulations containing a compatibility agent
Agrochemical compositions are described which contain a carboxylic acid salt of dodecylguanidine and a compatibility agent for slowing down the dissociation reaction of the carboxylic acid salt of dodecylguanidine in an aqueous medium. Also, the formation of anionic dodecylguanidine is suppressed or prevented. The ratio of the dodecylguanidine acetate to that of the compatibility agent in the agricultural compositions is below 5.0, preferably between 3.0 and 0.5, more preferably equals 1.4. |
| US09247731B2 |
Aryloxyphenoxypropionic acid herbicide emulsifiable concentrates with non-petroleum derived built-in adjuvant
Herbicide emulsifiable concentrates containing an aryloxyphenoxypropionic acid herbicide and a non-petroleum derived built-in adjuvant such as a plant-derived methylated seed oil or a vegetable oil concentrate are useful for controlling undesirable vegetations, and exhibit improved herbicidal efficacy on weeds, particularly in an aquatic environment such as in flooded rice paddy or field. |
| US09247727B2 |
Tiered-domed blind
A wildlife hunting and/or observation blind having tiered-ledges and angled windows to provide a natural landscape element. The blind having earthen materials and/or vegetative material applied to the exterior surface, and the ledges at different levels to provide natural vegetation growth. The blind can be manufactured using a mold comprising a plurality of sides separated by a plurality of progressively tiered ledges providing the tiered-ledged hunting blind. The blind may comprise a plurality of layers to provide the structure, including at least one structural layer located between at least one interior rubber layer and at least one exterior gelcoat layer, the earthen material adhered to the exterior most layer of the hunting blind. |
| US09247722B2 |
Fishing reel
The fishing reel includes a spool 5A rotatably supported between side plates of a reel body 2, and a level wind device 50 with a fishing line guide body 60 configured to thread a fishing line unreeled from the spool 5A and reciprocate between the right and left side plates. The fishing line guide body 60 is supported in front of the spool and switchable between fishing line winding/unwinding states, and includes a fishing line guide section 67 for guiding the fishing line to the spool in the winding state and having a narrow width in the right and left direction, an opening 68 to reduce resistance against unwinding line in the unwinding state and having a wide width in the right and left direction, and a regulator 69 configured to prevent the fishing line from slipping out of the fishing line guide section in the winding state. |
| US09247712B2 |
Sow lactation feeder with adjustable actuator
An on-demand feed actuator includes a sealing portion disposed within a feed reservoir and connected to a downwardly extending stem portion protruding a distance past a discharge opening. The sealing portion includes a first component and a second component that are adjustable relative to each other in order to define an overall static dimension of the sealing portion. A spring biases the first and second components away from each other while permitting the first and second components to be compressible relative to each other in response to movement of the actuator by the animal to provide the first and second components with a corresponding combined overall dynamic dimension that is less than the combined overall static dimension. |
| US09247711B2 |
Animal carrier for transporting animals onboard a vehicle
A method and an apparatus for transporting animals onboard a vehicle, particularly in the passenger cabin of the vehicle, wherein there is a separate arrangement in the form of an animal carrier for placing the caged animals in the passenger cabin. The animal carrier includes a plurality of features, including but not limited to a ventilation system, a monitoring system, camera surveillance, sound-proofing, filtration etc. |
| US09247710B2 |
Cat carrier with destabilizing sliding floor
A portable cat carrier has a sliding floor that momentarily and mildly destabilizes a cat's footing to facilitate transferring the cat in and out of the carrier. The floor is the bottom portion of a movable insert that has a receptacle for receiving the cat. The insert has relatively low side panels to provide the cat with a calming, unrestricted side view. After the cat is lowered into the receptacle, the insert is slid horizontally into an outer housing for containing the cat. When the insert is fully inserted within the housing, a front panel of the insert closes the housing's access opening to prevent the cat from escaping. A back panel of the insert has an elevated impassable rear barrier that prevents the cat from jumping into a trapped area between the insert and the outer housing. |
| US09247706B2 |
Compositions and methods for minimizing nornicotine synthesis in tobacco
Compositions and methods for reducing the level of nornicotine and N′-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) in tobacco plants and plant parts thereof are provided. The compositions comprise isolated polynucleotides and polypeptides for a root-specific nicotine demethylases, CYP82E10, and variants thereof, that are involved in the metabolic conversion of nicotine to nornicotine in these plants. Compositions of the invention also include tobacco plants, or plant parts thereof, comprising a mutation in a gene encoding a CYP82E10 nicotine demethylase, wherein the mutation results in reduced expression or function of the CYP82E10 nicotine demethylase. Seed of these tobacco plants, or progeny thereof, and tobacco products prepared from the tobacco plants of the invention, or from plant parts or progeny thereof, are also provided. Methods for reducing the level of nornicotine, or reducing the rate of conversion of nicotine to nornicotine, in a tobacco plant, or plant part thereof are also provided. The methods comprise introducing into the genome of a tobacco plant a mutation within at least one allele of each of at least three nicotine demethylase genes, wherein the mutation reduces expression of the nicotine demethylase gene, and wherein a first of these nicotine demethylase genes encodes a root-specific nicotine demethylase involved in the metabolic conversion of nicotine to nornicotine in a tobacco plant or a plant part thereof. The methods find use in the production of tobacco products that have reduced levels of nornicotine and its carcinogenic metabolite, NNN, and thus reduced carcinogenic potential for individuals consuming these tobacco products or exposed to secondary smoke derived from these products. |
| US09247703B2 |
Maize inbred PH1W4Z
A novel maize variety designated PH1W4Z and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PH1W4Z with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH1W4Z through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. Hybrid maize seed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the variety PH1W4Z or a locus conversion of PH1W4Z with another maize variety. |
| US09247699B1 |
Maize inbred PH25M7
A novel maize variety designated PH25M7 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PH25M7 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH25M7 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. Hybrid maize seed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the variety PH25M7 or a locus conversion of PH25M7 with another maize variety. |
| US09247691B2 |
Device for pruning plant growth
A device for pruning plant material includes a frame, a vertical arm extending from the frame, and an angled pruning head extending from the vertical arm. The angled pruning head includes at least one cutting disk attached to a first shaft, and an anvil assembly having at least one anvil pair attached to a second shaft. The first and second shafts are substantially parallel to one another. The at least one cutting disk is aligned to be selectively positionable between the anvils of the at least one anvil pair. |
| US09247690B1 |
Combined leaf blower/vacuum
The combined leaf blower/vacuum includes a nozzle affixed to a housing. A secondary hose extends between the housing and a collection bag. The housing includes a motor and impeller that is in fluid communication with the nozzle and an outlet. The impeller is able to create wind that is expelled via the nozzle. The wind created via the impeller is adapted to blow leaves and lawn debris via the nozzle. Conversely, the motor is able to reverse the direction of the impeller, and upon which shall form a vacuum at the nozzle. A mulching member is located adjacent the motor, and is responsible for mulching up the leaves and lawn debris immediately before exiting the housing, and transferring via the secondary hose to the collection bag. |
| US09253932B2 |
Display device having improved properties
An image display device having improved properties, comprising an image display panel, heat dispersion material positioned proximate to the image display panel, an open frame positioned proximate to the heat dispersion material opposite the image display panel, and a plurality of electronic components engaging the open frame, the image display device exhibits a support factor of less than about 375 mm-W/m° K. |
| US09253926B2 |
Servo amplifier having cooling structure including heat sink
A servo amplifier includes a housing, a heat source arranged in the housing, and a heat dissipating structure including a heat sink arranged in the housing and thermally connected to the heat source. The heat sink has heat dissipating fins extending from at least a portion of a surface of the heat sink, other than a connecting face thermally connected to the heat source. The at least a portion of the surface of the heat sink, other than the connecting face, is thermally connected to a surface of the housing. |
| US09253919B2 |
Electronic component cooling system and method
An electronic device includes a fan field replaceable unit (FRU). The fan FRU includes a fan FRU chassis defining an airflow pathway through the fan FRU. A fan within the fan FRU chassis causes air to flow along the airflow pathway. The fan FRU further includes an edge connector located at a front face of the fan FRU out of the way of the airflow pathway. Accordingly, the edge connector does not block airflow through the fan FRU thus maximizing the efficiency of the fan FRU and the cooling of the electronic device. |
| US09253917B1 |
Mounting bracket
An improved mounting bracket that provides an indication to an installer when a mount is not correctly aligned. The mounting bracket comprises a mounting contact portion and at least one side portion integrally connected to the mounting contact portion, with the at least one side portion defining a receiving region for accepting one or more retaining portions of a mount. The at least one side portion includes a first ramped surface at least partially outside of the receiving region. The first ramped surface configured to contact a retaining portion when the retaining portion is misaligned with the receiving region, thereby informing an installer of the misalignment. |
| US09253916B2 |
Cable backplane system having a cable tray guide and support system
A cable backplane system includes a backplane and a chassis supporting the backplane. A cable rack is coupled to the chassis and backplane. The cable rack includes upper trays and lower trays each having a frame and cable connector assemblies held by the corresponding frame. The upper trays have upper tray guides configured to interact with corresponding upper chassis guides on the upper support for supporting the upper trays relative to the backplane. The lower trays have lower tray guides configured to interact with corresponding lower chassis guides on the lower support for aligning the lower trays to the backplane. The upper trays have upper hanging guides and the lower trays have lower hanging guides coupled to corresponding upper hanging guides to support the lower trays with the corresponding upper trays relative to the backplane. |
| US09253894B2 |
Electronic assembly with detachable components
An electronic assembly including a substrate, an electronic component, a fixture, and a housing. The substrate includes a first contact array. The electronic component includes a second contact array. The fixture includes an opening adapted to position the electronic component on the substrate and to connect the second contact array to the first contact array when the fixture is aligned at a first position on the substrate. The housing is adapted to hold the substrate populated with the electronic component. The housing includes a first conductive pathway adapted to connect from an external surface at the housing to the substrate in a serial continuous conductive path when the fixture is aligned at the first position on the substrate. The electronic assembly includes a sensing device connected to the continuous conductive path to detect the integrity of the electronic assembly. |
| US09253888B2 |
Method for integrating an electronic component into a printed circuit board or a printed circuit board intermediate product, and printed circuit board or printed circuit board intermediate product
In a method for integrating at least one electronic component into a printed circuit board or a printed circuit board intermediate product, the following steps are provided: providing a layer for at least temporarily supporting the electronic component, fixing the electronic component on the layer, arranging a conductive layer on the supporting layer with at least one cutout corresponding to the dimensions of the electronic component to be fixed, at least partly encapsulating or covering the component fixed on the supporting layer with an insulating material, exposing the electronic component, and at least partial regions of the conductive layer, which adjoins the component and is arranged on the supporting layer, and at least partly making contact between the electronic component and the conductive layer adjoining the component. Furthermore, a printed circuit board and a printed circuit board intermediate product having an integrated electronic component are provided. |
| US09253887B2 |
Fabrication method of embedded chip substrate
An embedded chip substrate includes a first insulation layer, a core layer, a chip, a second insulation layer, a first circuit layer, and a second circuit layer. The core layer disposed on the first insulation layer has an opening that exposes a portion of the first insulation layer. The chip is adhered into a recess constructed by the opening and the first insulation layer. The second insulation layer is disposed on the core layer for covering the chip. The first circuit layer is disposed at the outer side of the first insulation layer located between the first circuit layer and the core layer. The second circuit layer is disposed at the outer side of the second insulation layer located between the second circuit layer and the core layer. The first circuit layer is electrically connected to the second circuit layer that is electrically connected to the chip. |
| US09253879B2 |
Wired circuit board and producing method thereof
A wired circuit board includes a wire, and a terminal formed continuously to the wire to be electrically connected to an electronic element at one surface thereof in a thickness direction of the wired circuit board. The terminal includes, at the one surface thereof in the thickness direction, a projecting portion projecting toward one side thereof in the thickness direction, and a covering layer covering one end portion of the projecting portion in the thickness direction. |
| US09253878B2 |
Conductive composition and conductive film
Provided is a conductive composition that has a high conductivity and from which a coating can be formed easily. Also provided is a conductive film that has a high conductivity and in which electric resistance is less likely to increase even during expansion. A conductive composition is prepared by including an elastomer component, a fibrous carbon material having a graphite structure and a fiber diameter of not less than 30 nm, and a conductive carbon black having a structure. A conductive film formed from the conductive composition. The viscosity of the conductive composition formed into a coating with a solid content concentration of not less than 20% by mass, which is measured with a B-type viscometer with an H7 rotor under the conditions of a temperature of 25° C. and a rotation speed of 20 rpm, is not more than 200 Pa·s. |
| US09253872B2 |
Inductor assembly and circuit assembly
An inductor assembly includes an inductor body including an inductor core and a mounting bracket that includes a first leg, a second leg, and a third leg. A portion of the mounting bracket passes through the inductor body, at least one of the first leg and the second leg of the mounting bracket is arranged to be mounted on a substrate, and the third leg of the mounting bracket is arranged to be mounted on an electrical component mounted on the substrate. |
| US09253870B2 |
Fire resistant electrical panel
A rigid electrical panel and a method of manufacturing a rigid electrical panel is provided with a fire protection layer on at least one side. The fire protection layer comprises fibers and an intumescent material. The rigid electrical panel comprises electrical conductors embedded in a rigid organic matrix composite. In the event of a fire, the fire protection layer protects the embedded electrical conductors, and any other features or components carried by the electrical panel. |
| US09253867B2 |
Plasma processing apparatus and plasma processing method
A plasma processing apparatus includes: an evacuable processing chamber including a dielectric window; a substrate supporting unit, provided in the processing chamber, for mounting thereon a target substrate; a processing gas supply unit for supplying a desired processing gas to the processing chamber to perform a plasma process on the target substrate; a first RF antenna, provided on the dielectric window, for generating a plasma by an inductive coupling in the processing chamber; and a first RF power supply unit for supplying an RF power to the first RF antenna. The first RF antenna includes a primary coil provided on or above the dielectric window and electrically connected to the first RF power supply unit; and a secondary coil provided such that the coils are coupled with each other by an electromagnetic induction therebetween while being arranged closer to a bottom surface of the dielectric window than the primary coil. |
| US09253865B2 |
Method of calibrating a DPP-generated EUV light source
A method for controlling a discharge plasma-based radiation source for stabilizing a radiation dose emitted in a pulsed manner is disclosed. A calibration function is determined from a relationship between values of an input quantity and values of an operating parameter of the source by applying different values of the input quantity to the source. Reference value selected from the values of the operating parameter is brought about during a pulse of the source. The value of a test quantity is acquired at each pulse. Any quantity influencing the emitted radiation dose can be selected as test quantity. A statistical value is formed from a defined quantity of values of the test quantity. A deviation between the statistical value and the reference value is determined. A result of a comparison of the deviation with a predefined tolerance range determines whether the method is repeated. |
| US09253862B2 |
Plasma processing method and plasma processing apparatus
In a plasma processing method, plasma processing is performed in a state where the object is attracted and held on the electrostatic chuck by applying a first voltage as an application voltage thereto and a thermal conduction gas is supplied to a gap between the electrostatic chuck and the object. The application voltage is decreased while stopping the supply of the thermal conduction gas and exhausting the thermal conduction gas remaining between the electrostatic chuck and the object upon completion of the plasma processing. The object is separated from the electrostatic chuck by setting the application voltage to the electrostatic chuck to zero after the application voltage is decreased. |
| US09253849B2 |
LED lighting device with incandescent lamp color temperature behavior
In a lighting device, sets of LEDs are employed using the natural characteristics of the LEDs to resemble incandescent lamp behavior when dimmed, thereby obviating the need for sophisticated controls. A first set of at least one LED produces light with a first color temperature, and a second set of at least one LED produces light with a second color temperature. The first set and the second set are connected in series, or the first set and the second set are connected in parallel, possibly with a resistive element in series with the first or the second set. The first set and the second set differ in temperature behavior, or have different dynamic electrical resistance. In various embodiments, the sum of the currents provided to the first and second sets may be substantially equal to a magnitude of an input current. |
| US09253848B2 |
Lighting system and method to control a lighting system
An LED lighting system is disclosed, which generally consists of an enclosure, one or more LED modules, one or more transformers, and one or more drivers. A lamp assembly is disclosed, which generally consists of one or more vertically oriented LED chips, thermally conductive shells, and a thermally dissipating means positioned at the back of the LED chips. An LED module is disclosed, which generally consists of a lamp assembly, one or more reflectors and modules caps. A method of controlling light intensities is disclosed, which generally consists of method of decreasing light intensities in areas with little occupancy while minimizing user annoyance resulting from drastic light intensity fluctuations. A universal mounting bracket is disclosed, which generally consists of a fixture plate, mounting plate, and an adjustable means. |
| US09253842B2 |
Dimmable light emitting diode lighting system
An LED lighting system including a first group of LEDs, a second group of LEDs, and a controller. The first group of LEDs and the second group of LEDs are configured to be independently driven by a first LED drive signal and a second LED drive signal, respectively. The controller is configured receive a dimming signal from a dimmer having a preheat function. The controller is also configured to compensate the dimming signal for the preheat function of the dimmer to generate a compensated dimming signal, generate the first LED drive signal based on the compensated dimming, and generate the second LED drive signal based on the compensated dimming signal. The first LED drive signal is then transmitted the first group of LEDs and the second LED drive signal is transmitted to the second group of LEDs. |
| US09253838B2 |
LED backlight driving circuit and method for driving the LED backlight driving circuit
A light emitting diode (LED) backlight driving circuit includes a power supply, at least two connected-in-parallel LED lightbars coupled to an output end of the power supply, a power feedback assembly coupled to each of the LED lightbars, and an adjusting-power block coupled to the power feedback assembly. A reference end of the power feedback assembly receives a reference power, and the power feedback assembly receives an output power of each of the LED lightbars. The power feedback assembly obtains a difference value of the reference power compared with the output power of the LED lightbar, and the adjusting-power block adjusts the output power of a corresponding LED lightbar according to the difference value until the difference value is less than a preset threshold value. |
| US09253819B2 |
Communication device
A communication device may receive first information from a terminal device in a case where a first communication link is established via a first type of interface between the communication device and the terminal device. The communication device may determine whether a communication via a second type of interface between the communication device and the terminal device is performable, establish a second communication link via the first type of interface between the communication device and the terminal device, and perform a two-way communication of second information with the terminal device by using the second communication link in a case where it is determined that the communication via the second type of interface is performable. The communication device may not perform the two-way communication of the second information with the terminal device in a case where it is determined that the communication is not performable. |
| US09253816B1 |
Self-contained area network system
A method and apparatus for routing information. A wireless network is established using a portable wireless communications node comprising a portable platform, an energy harvesting system connected to the portable platform, and a wireless communications system connected to the portable platform. The wireless communications system is configured to transfer information using radio frequency signals. |
| US09253815B2 |
Session suspend and resume using a transient binding option messaging
The present invention uses a message with a suspend/resume flag setting sent to the local mobility anchor from the foreign agent that was supporting downlink transmissions to the mobile node. Namely, a transient binding option is proposed for creating a transient BCE state at the home agent/local mobility anchor during an inter-MAG handover, which will suspend down-link traffic from the home agent/local mobility anchor until the transient BCE (suspend) state is cleared by the foreign agent previously supporting downlink transmissions. After the transient BCE (suspend) state is cleared, the downlink traffic from the home agent/local mobility anchor can resume with forwarding of downlink traffic to the mobile node through the foreign agent. The present invention can be implemented using a new protocol application or modified messages from prior registration applications. |
| US09253810B2 |
Localizing a mobile data path in a radio access network under control of a mobile packet core in a network environment
A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes establishing a control channel between a first entity associated with an access network and a second entity associated with a core network. The control channel is associated with a session identifier identifying a user session. The method further includes receiving policy information associated with the user session from the second entity using the first control channel. The policy information is indicative of one or more policies to be applied in the access network to user data associated with the user session. |
| US09253805B2 |
Wireless device, network and methods
Apparatus, methods, and computer programs are disclosed that include sending an update message to a core network by a voice centric user equipment coupled to a legacy access network supporting circuit switched voice service, receiving an updating accept message containing a status report of possible enhanced network capabilities of a non-legacy access network, and, in response to receiving the status report of possible enhanced network capabilities, determining whether to enable the non-legacy access network. |
| US09253803B2 |
Managing short range wireless data transmissions
An apparatus and method for relaying short range communication data between electronic devices. In one example, a first and second short range wireless communication link is established with a first and second wireless communication device, respectively. The first wireless communication device maintains a wireless connection to a wireless telecommunications network. A first and second set of data is received from the first and second wireless communication devices over the first and second links, respectively. At least one of the first set of data and the second set of data is relayed to at least one of the second wireless communication device and the first wireless communication device, respectively, over the second and first links, respectively. The relaying forms a multi-party connection with the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device to the wireless telecommunications network. |
| US09253795B2 |
Method and apparatus for scheduling an uplink data transmission
A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided to schedule the uplink grant in a manner that efficiently utilizes uplink resources. In the context of a method from the perspective of the user equipment, an indication regarding data to be transmitted is received and a scheduling request is caused to be provided via a control channel. The scheduling request is configured to indicate a size of the data to be transmitted. In response to a grant, data may be caused to be transmitted via allocated uplink resource blocks. In the context of a method from the perspective of a base station, a scheduling request including an indication of the requested size of the uplink grant is received via a control channel. The method may cause the grant to be provided to a user equipment and, in response, may receive data from the user equipment via allocated uplink resource blocks. |
| US09253785B2 |
Multi-cell incremental redundancy
Embodiments enable cooperative transmissions from a group of cells (can include the serving cell and one or more neighboring cells) to a user equipment (UE). The cooperative transmissions emulate Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) transmissions to the UE. Specifically, when the UE is experiencing high interference, the UE's serving cell can create a transmit incremental redundancy (IR) group for the UE, which is used to transmit information in a HARQ-like fashion to the UE. Because interference is reduced, the UE can decode the information at a lower coding rate and higher coding gain. |
| US09253783B2 |
Management of uplink resources in multi-carrier CDMA system
The method an apparatus described herein manages uplink resources to increase spectral efficiency and system capacity. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a base station may be assigned two or more downlink carriers for downlink transmission and two or more corresponding uplink carriers. In a multi-carrier mode, the base station may transmit signals on two or more downlink carriers to the same mobile terminal, and receive signals from the mobile terminal on one of the paired uplink terminals. The uplink carriers can be operated at different interference levels and the uplink traffic can be divided between the available uplink carriers based on the type of traffic and/or data transmission parameters. The mobile terminals may also be allowed to switch between the uplink carriers to improve overall efficiency. |
| US09253755B2 |
High performance mobility network with autoconfiguration
A high performance wireless mesh architecture which has been optimized for mobile end points is described. The mesh architecture is intended for Navy applications, where the wireless mesh network extends between mobile ships and includes ship-to-shore links, but it is equally applicable to other mobile elements on, in, or under land, air, sea, or space. |
| US09253749B2 |
System and method for locating a mobile terminal using secure user plane location
A method and a server for determining a location of a targeted mobile set using Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) in a wireless communications network are provided. The method includes receiving a request message requesting location information of the targeted mobile set, from a SUPL agent; sending a location initiation message (SUPL INIT) to the targeted mobile set in response to the received request message from the SUPL agent; determining a positioning method for the location service of the targeted mobile set after receiving a location capability from the targeted mobile set; and performing each of a plurality of positioning procedures by using the determined positioning method until a timer related to the determined positioning method is due or the target mobile set obtains a new positioning method, wherein the plurality of the positioning procedures are performed when an event of the targeted mobile set occurs or when triggered periodically. |
| US09253747B1 |
Automatic pre-registration in response to earlier release and redirect
Disclosed is a method and corresponding system for managing CSFB pre-registration. A first network serving a UE releases the UE from being served by the first network and redirects the UE to transition from being served by the first network to being served by a second network. The first network then detects that the UE has returned to be served by the first network. In response to detecting the return of the UE, and based on the previous releasing and redirecting of the UE, the first network then initiates a pre-registration of the UE with the second network to inform the second network that the UE is now reachable via the first network. |
| US09253744B2 |
Method for transmitting information to synchronize a use between a mobile telephone and a receiver
A method for transmitting information between a mobile telephone having an internal device time, and a recipient having an internal time standard, includes: A) telephone transmits a query signal to recipient, B) recipient reads out the internal time standard and sends to telephone, C) a time difference delta-t1 between the internal device time and the received time data is calculated/stored, D) apply time is set to the value of the internal device time minus delta-t1, E) data stream is sent to the recipient, including apply time at time of pressing a key, F) apply time of E) is read-out from the stream and compared with predetermined maximum time, G) if apply time is earlier/simultaneous with the maximum time, further processing of data stream is carried out; if apply time is later than the maximum time, a warning signal is generated/assigned to the data stream of E) and stored. |
| US09253734B2 |
Control device and control method for dynamically adjusting power of small-cell base stations
A control device and a control method for dynamically adjusting power of small-cell base stations are provided. The control device determines the number of interfered terminals of each small-cell base station according to signal quality information of terminal devices, divides the small-cell base stations into a plurality of groups, and adjusts the power of the small-cell base stations of each group in order. |
| US09253730B2 |
Transmitter and receiver for reducing power consumption in FM-UWB communication system
A transmitter and a receiver for reducing power consumption in a frequency modulation-ultra-wideband (FM-UWB) communication system are provided. The transmitter includes a detector configured to generate a pulse signal when an edge of a digital signal is detected. The transmitter further includes a first modulator configured to modulate the digital signal into a first modulation signal based on a value of the digital signal. The transmitter further includes a second modulator configured to modulate the first modulation signal into a second modulation signal based on a frequency of the first modulation signal when the pulse signal is generated. |
| US09253720B2 |
Energy-efficient on-the-fly Wi-Fi hotspot using mobile devices
One or more mobile devices and a cloud server computing device are utilized to provide Internet access to one or more client computing devices. One of the clients is designated as a Wi-Fi access point. The Wi-Fi access point implements a reverse-infrastructure Wi-Fi mode which tethers available mobile devices and other clients to the access point. The cloud server periodically computes an optimal number of the mobile devices to be used for data striping, and transmits a webpage to a requesting client by striping data associated with the webpage across the optimal number of the mobile devices. |
| US09253711B2 |
Conditional parallel execution of access stratum (AS) and non-access stratum (NAS) signaling
The present invention relates to methods and arrangements for facilitating an efficient connection setup. The present invention specifies rules for defining the signaling of connection setup messages from user equipments such as to apply one single transmission if an assigned uplink transmission grant for transmitting the connection setup messages is sufficiently large while applying separate transmissions if the size indicated in said uplink transmission grant is not sufficient. Thus, a sufficiently large grant allows a parallel execution of the connection setup messages. |
| US09253708B2 |
Mobile communication method, relay node, and wireless base station
To reduce interference to an own receiver of a relay node due to concurrent transmission/reception processing in a Un radio bearer and in a Uu radio bearer when the relay node RN is handed over from a radio base station DeNB#1 to a radio base station DeNB#2. A mobile communication method includes a process A, in the handover procedure, of notifying the radio base station DeNB#2, by the relay node RN, of “Un subframe pattern #1” indicating a pattern of a Un subframe #1 and “RN subframe config req” indicating whether it is necessary to set a Un subframe #2 in a radio bearer #2 between the radio base station DeNB#2 and the relay node RN. |
| US09253701B2 |
System and method for device-to-device (D2D) assisted dynamic traffic control for cellular networks
Method and apparatus are provided for offloading data from a cellular network via a secondary network. The offloaded data may be transported over a connection existing independently from the cellular network, such as a direct device-to-device (D2D) or direct mobile communications (DMC) link. The connection may be established between a first peer mobile device and a benefactor peer mobile device, and the benefactor peer mobile device may relay the data to/from a backhaul network via the secondary network. The benefactor peer mobile device may receive compensation for offloading the traffic, and may compete with one or more candidate benefactor devices for the task of offloading the data. The offloaded data may be uplink data originating from the beneficiary peer mobile, or downlink data destined for the beneficiary peer mobile. |
| US09253696B2 |
Optimized broadband wireless network performance through base station application server
In embodiments of the present disclosure improved capabilities are described for increasing the bandwidth in a large area broadband LTE wireless network, where regional optimization servers are incorporated near the wireless network in association with the public data network gateway, thus reducing the time-latency for applications being run from a mobile cellular device. Further, by associating additional optimization servers at base stations, application functionality may be optionally transferred from the regional optimization server to the local base station optimization server in instances where a number of mobile cellular devices are requesting the same data via their access through the same cell, and in other instances, to the effect that back haul network bandwidth utilization is reduced or eliminated. |
| US09253691B2 |
Method, terminal, base station, and system for adjusting control parameters
The present invention discloses a method for adjusting control parameters. The method includes: when a terminal fails to be handed over from a source cell to a target cell, or when the terminal is handed over from a source cell to a target cell successfully and a radio link connection failure occurs on a radio link established between the terminal and the target cell, reestablishing, by the terminal, a radio link with a reestablished cell; and sending, by the terminal, a report message to a base station of the reestablished cell, where the report message carries moving speed information of the terminal and/or size information of the target cell. |
| US09253677B2 |
Methods and apparatus for enhancing network positioning measurement performance by managing uncertain measurement occasions
Method and apparatus for enhancing network positioning measurement performance, wherein uplink measurement is a measurement performed on radio signals configured for a wireless device by a first network node, and wherein the first network node is different from a measuring node. Information is obtained about a plurality of measurement occasions in which the wireless device is scheduled to transmit one or more configured radio signals, wherein a measurement occasion comprises one or more time and/or frequency resources. Information is also obtained about uncertain measurement occasions, wherein an uncertain measurement occasion comprises one of the plurality of measurement occasions in which the wireless device may or may not transmit the one or more configured radio signals. A radio signal measurement is selectively performed based on the obtained information and the radio signals received from the wireless device, and is used for determining positioning of the wireless device. |
| US09253676B2 |
Apparatus and method of reporting measurement result in wireless communication system
A method and apparatus of reporting a measurement result in a wireless communication system are provided. A user equipment receives a measurement configuration for a serving cell and performs a measurement in accordance with the measurement configuration to acquire an actual measurement result. The user equipment determines whether the serving cell is deactivated and transmits a measurement result including a pre-defined value if the serving cell is deactivated. |
| US09253670B2 |
Method and apparatus for performing communication in a wireless communication system
A method and apparatus for performing communication in a wireless communication system are provided. The method includes receiving Measurement Gap (MG) configuration information related to the measurement gap, determining a subframe number specifying a starting point of the measurement gap based on the measurement gap configuration information, starting the measurement gap at an end of a subframe immediately before a subframe of the determined subframe number, performing a predetermined measurement operation during the measurement gap, and performing a predetermined operation in a subframe immediately after the measurement gap based on a duplexing mode of a User Equipment (UE) and a type of the subframe immediately before the measurement gap. |
| US09253663B2 |
Controlling mobile device communications on a roaming network based on device state
A device that determines an aspect of a service policy based on a state of the device, and applies the service policy. The state is based on a user interaction, or a lack of user interaction, with the device. The service policy applies a first control to a first activity over a roaming network and a second control to the first activity over a home network, wherein the first control controls the first activity differently than the second control controls the first activity. The first activity is caused by a first software component on the device and comprises a first set of prospective or successful communications over an available wireless network. The aspect of the service policy controls the first activity differently from a second activity over a roaming network, where the second activity is associated with a second software component on the device. |
| US09253662B1 |
Method and system for dynamically activating a relay
Disclosed is a method and corresponding system for dynamically activating a relay in a radio access network (RAN) that includes a plurality of base stations. Each base station may radiate to define one or more respective wireless coverage areas, and each coverage area may operate on one or more carrier frequencies. The RAN may be arranged to receive, from a user equipment device (UE) that is being served by a base station of the RAN on a first carrier frequency, a report indicating threshold low wireless performance on the first carrier frequency. In response to the report indicating threshold low wireless performance, the RAN may be arranged to then activate a relay that functions to communicate with the base station over a relay backhaul interface, and communicate with the UE on a second carrier frequency that is different from the first carrier frequency. |
| US09253660B2 |
Reporting in communications systems
A communication network comprises a management system, a core network element, and a radio access network element. The core network element may be a subscriber database or a mobility entity. It is capable of: receiving consent information; receiving from the management system a measurement reporting activation in a network; checking whether at least part of the activation request applies to a subscriber for whom consent information consenting to measurement reporting has been provided; and in the event that consent information consenting to measurement reporting has been provided, ensabling the activation request by communicating with the radio access network element so that measurement reporting in respect of that subscriber may take place. The measurement reporting activation may be for subscriber-based or area-based measurements to be made. |
| US09253659B2 |
Method and apparatus for efficiently reporting a CQI/CSI measurement report
To solve the above-mentioned problem, a method in which a terminal reports channel state information comprises the following steps: receiving, from a base station, information on a plurality of patterns to be used in a channel state measurement; receiving, from the base station, selection information for selecting a pattern from among the plurality of patterns that is to be used in the channel state information to be reported to the base station; measuring a channel state using the information on the plurality of patterns; and selecting a portion of the measured channel state based on the selection information, and reporting the selected portion to the base station. The above-described solution enables the efficient reporting of channel state information including CQIICSI, thus improving communication efficiency. |
| US09253648B2 |
Systems, methods, and devices for electronic spectrum management
Devices and methods enable optimizing a signal of interest based on identifying and analyzing the signal of interest based on radio frequency energy measurements. Signal data is compared with stored data to identify the signal of interest. Signal degradation data is calculated based on noise figure parameters, hardware parameters and environment parameters. The signal of interest is optimized based on the signal degradation data. Terrain data may also be used for optimizing the signal of interest. |
| US09253642B2 |
System and method for online activation of wireless internet service
The present invention is related to method and system for online activation of a wireless internet service, which are capable of automatically transferring a MAC address required for an online activation of wireless internet services to an online activation server, thereby eliminating the subscriber burden of having to know the MAC address and preventing incorrect input of the MAC address. |
| US09253639B1 |
Methods and systems to enable presence related services
Methods and apparatus for monitoring the presence of a mobile device in at least one special area, wherein a radio communication defining device transmits a radio distinctive defining signal that defines the special area by its coverage. The mobile device processes signals received to determine whether or not the signals are a distinctive defining signal that at least partially defines the special area. Upon a determination that the mobile device is in a special area the mobile device sends an updating signal to a special operating means of a provider of presence related services via a mobile telephone network, the special operating means adapts the value of one or more operating parameter in response to receiving the updating signal. The mobile device also generates a One-Time-Password (OTP) calculated based on information in the distinctive defining signal and sends the OTP to a server of the provider of presence related services. |
| US09253632B2 |
Portable bridge device
A portable bridge device and methods for transmitting application data from the portable bridge device to one or more local devices of varying types, platforms and operating systems are described. In one embodiment, the method comprises establishing communication channels between the portable bridge device and first and second local devices, determining a platform or operating system of the local devices, and formatting, based on the determined platform or operating system, application data and transmitting the formatted application data to a portable bridge device interface module of the local devices via the communication channels. The portable bridge device may also establish a long-range communication channel to a remote computing device, and may operate as a gateway to a remote source of applications or resources. Operation of locally connected devices with the portable bridge device is not impacted by a temporary loss of connectivity between the portable bridge device and remote sources. |
| US09253629B2 |
Method of handling mobile station identifiers
In an embodiment of the method of handling mobile station identifiers, at least one network element that used entire mobile station identifiers in performing packet data session handling functions is programmed to use less than the entire mobile station identifiers. |
| US09253628B2 |
Method of exchanging data between two electronic entities
A method of exchanging data between a first electronic entity and a second electronic entity includes the following steps: initiating (E400) communication between the first electronic entity and the second electronic entity subsequently to bringing the first and second electronic entities closer together; in consequence of the initiation, transmitting (E415) an application from the second electronic entity to the first electronic entity; storing (E416) the application in the first electronic entity. |
| US09253620B2 |
Methods, apparatuses, and devices for wireless transceiver discovery using re-allocated scan times
Methods, apparatuses, and devices are disclosed that may be used re-allocate active scan times of available frequency channels used by wireless transceivers within range of a mobile device. Re-allocation of active scan times may comprise increasing and/or decreasing active time scans based, at least in part, on a number of wireless transceivers discovered transmitting on one or more of the available frequency channels. |
| US09253606B2 |
Structure access characteristics determined from mobile unit data
In an embodiment, a system receives mobile device data from a plurality of mobile devices. The system compares the mobile device data with cartographic data representing a structure and determines a structure access characteristic based on the comparison. The structure access characteristic may be the location of an entrance or exit to the structure. The structure access characteristic may also be a structure access type, a structure access status, a structure access schedule, or any other structure access characteristic. |
| US09253604B2 |
Mobile device for distinguishing user's movement, method therefor, and method for generating hierarchical tree model therefor
A mobile device for distinguishing a user's movement, a method therefor, and a method for generating a hierarchical tree model therefor. Particularly, the mobile device includes: an acceleration sensor; a buffer for collecting the acceleration data outputted from the acceleration sensor according to a user's specific movement; an extraction unit for extracting the characteristic elements of the user's specific movement based on the acceleration data collected by the buffer; and a movement judgment unit for determining to which class the user's specific movement belongs by inputting the characteristic elements extracted by the extraction unit into a pre-structured hierarchical tree model, wherein the hierarchical tree model is pre-structured based on the characteristic elements extracted for each movement. |
| US09253594B2 |
Dynamic characterization of mobile devices in network-based wireless positioning systems
Embodiments disclosed pertain to apparatuses, systems, and methods for dynamically characterizing a mobile station (MS) in a wireless network by determining the variability of measured Round Trip Time (RTT) parameter values, the variability of measured Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) parameter values and other determined characteristics and classifying the MS into at least one of a plurality of classification groups based on the values of at least one of the RTT variability, the RSSI variability, or the other determined characteristics. The classification groups associated with a mobile station may be used to selecting a positioning method to determine the position of the MS. |
| US09253592B1 |
Inter-device bearing estimation based on beamforming and motion data
Disclosed herein are techniques and systems for inter-device bearing estimation. Particularly, sensor fusion techniques are disclosed that combine motion data of a local computing device with beamforming data of the local computing device to determine a line-of-site path between the local computing device and a remote computing device. A motion sensor(s) of a local computing device may generate motion data from movement of the local computing device. The local computing device may further determine a direction, relative to the local computing device, of a beampattern in which an antenna(s) of the local computing device radiates energy, the beampattern direction being along a communication path between the local computing device and a remote computing device. The local device may then determine, based at least in part on the motion data and the direction of the beampattern, whether the communication path corresponds to a line-of-sight path between the local and remote devices. |
| US09253588B2 |
Virtual subscriber identity module
A mobile trusted platform (MTP) configured to provide virtual subscriber identify module (vSIM) services is disclosed. In one embodiment, the MTP includes: a device manufacturer-trusted subsystem (TSS-DM) configured to store and provide credentials related to a manufacturer of the MTP; a mobile network operator-trusted subsystem (MNO-TSS) configured to store and provide credentials related to a mobile network operator (MNO); and a device user/owner-trusted subsystem (TSS-DO/TSS-U) configured to store and provide credentials related to user of the MTP. The TSS-MNO includes a vSIM core services unit, configured to store, provide and process credential information relating to the MNO. The TSS-DO/TSS-U includes a vSIM management unit, configured to store, provide and process credential information relating to the user/owner of the MTP. The TSS-DO/TSS-U and the TSS-MNO communicate through a trusted vSIM service. |
| US09253573B2 |
Acoustic signal processing apparatus, acoustic signal processing method, program, and recording medium
The present technology relates to an acoustic signal processing apparatus, an acoustic signal processing method, a program, and a recording medium for improving a localization of sound of a sound image at a position deviated from the front center plane of a listener to the left side of the right side. A binauralization processing unit generates a first binaural signal by superimposing an HRTF on an opposite side of a sound source on an acoustic signal and a second binaural signal by attenuating components of a band in which a first notch and a second notch of the HRTF on the opposite side of the sound source appear among components of a signal obtained by superimposing an HRTF on a side of the sound source on the acoustic signal. A crosstalk compensation processing unit performs, with respect to the first binaural signal and the second binaural signal, a crosstalk compensation for canceling out an acoustic transfer characteristic and a crosstalk. The present technology can be applied to, for example, an AV amplifier. |
| US09253561B2 |
Orientation-responsive acoustic array control
An audio device incorporates a plurality of acoustic drivers and employs them to form either a first acoustic interference array generating destructive interference in a first direction from the plurality of acoustic drivers or a second acoustic interference array generating destructive interference in a second direction from the plurality of acoustic drivers in response to the orientation of the casing of the audio device relative to the direction of the force of gravity. |
| US09253549B2 |
Program modeling tool
Method, device, and non-transitory storage medium to receive peak viewership parameters that indicate one or more program channels to be modeled; query a device that stores viewership data based on the peak viewership parameters; determine a peak viewership for the one or more program channels; query another device that stores network configuration data pertaining to a program delivery network; obtain channel path information pertaining to the one or more program channels; generate peak channel delivery data based on the channel path information and the peak viewership data; and simulate, based on the peak channel delivery data, resource utilization of the program delivery network stemming from a provisioning of the one or more program channels according to a delivery channel format that is different from another delivery channel format that was used to deliver the one or more program channels to subscribers. |
| US09253547B2 |
Methods and systems for facilitating remote control of a television by a support technician
An exemplary method includes a remote support management system 1) receiving a television support request from a user of a television, 2) generating, in response to the television support request, a ticket identifier associated with the television support request, and 3) facilitating, in accordance with the ticket identifier, remote control of the television by a support technician by way of a computing device associated with the support technician. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed. |
| US09253539B2 |
Systems and methods for settings management across multiple titles
Systems and associated methods for managing application settings across titles are described. A settings management application allows for setting, saving and accessing preferences for one or more applications. Users can manage their application settings as desired and once saved, these application settings can be accessed repeatedly, even upon loading of a new title/disc into the media player. |
| US09253535B2 |
Sink device receiving an image signal from a source device and power supply method for same
In a system in which an image signal is transmitted from a source device to a sink device and the sink device (or source device) supplies power to the source device (or sink device), power saving of standby power supplied by the sink device (or source device) is realized.There is a feature that a sink device or a source device detects connection with the other device, starts the supply of standby power, confirms that the standby power does not flow or confirms that message exchange with the other device is possible even if the standby power is temporarily stopped, and stops the supply of the standby power. |
| US09253528B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining a media encoding format of a media stream
A device and a method are disclosed. The device contains a network interface configured to receive a media stream, a processing device coupled to the network interface and configured to implement the method to determine an unknown media encoding format of a media stream, and a decoder device configured to decode media frames of the media stream. |
| US09253524B2 |
Selective post-processing of decoded video frames based on focus point determination
In general, in one aspect, a graphics driver receives information related to where eyes of a user watching a video are focused, determine if the user is focusing their attention on a particular location of the video, and generates post processing instructions for pixel macro blocks of decoded video frames. The instructions are based on whether it is determined that the user is focused. The graphics driver is further to determine a focus area associated with the particular location the user is focusing their attention on, determine a peripheral area around the focus area, generate a first set of post processing instructions for pixel macro blocks within the focus area, generate a second set of post processing instructions for pixel macro blocks within the peripheral area, and generate a third set of post processing instructions for pixel macro blocks not within either area. |
| US09253520B2 |
Video capture, processing and distribution system
Novel tools and techniques for implementing remote control of image and video capture devices, and/or for implementing remote control of processing and sharing functions associated with captured image and/or video data. In accordance with some techniques, a first image capture device (“ICD”) at a customer premises and/or another computer (such as a control server) can identify and/or authenticate a user. Once identified and/or authenticated, the user is provided options to remotely control one or more second ICDs over the network. The user may also be provided options for displaying, processing, creating time lapse videos of, or sharing captured image data or video data. |
| US09253516B2 |
Systems, methods, and computer products for periodic-fee limited access to videos
Systems, methods and computer products for providing periodic fee limited access to videos via Internet Protocol Television. Exemplary embodiments include a method for providing video, the method including receiving a request to download a video to a communications device via an Internet-Protocol-enabled connection, determining whether the download is permitted based on a periodic fee arrangement for providing the video to the communications device and providing the video to the communications device in response to a determination that the download is permitted. |
| US09253509B2 |
Apparatus, systems and methods for shared viewing experience using head mounted displays
Systems and methods are operable to share a viewing experience of a free viewpoint format media content event. An exemplary embodiment receives the free viewpoint format media content event, receives unique geometric orientation information from each one of a plurality of head mounted displays (HMDs), determines a unique viewpoint location for each one of the plurality of HMDs based upon the geometric orientation information received from each one of the plurality of HMDs, determines a unique viewpoint area for each one of the plurality of HMDs based upon the determined unique viewpoint location, and communicates each one of the unique viewpoint areas to the associated one of the plurality of HMDs. |
| US09253504B2 |
Methods and apparatus for adaptive reference filtering
There are provided methods and apparatus for adaptive reference filtering. An apparatus includes an encoder for encoding at least one picture. The encoder performs adaptive filtering of at least one reference picture to respectively obtain at least one filtered reference picture, and predictively codes the at least one picture using the at least one filtered reference picture. The at least one reference picture is a picture wherein at least one sample thereof is used for inter-prediction either of subsequent to the at least one sample being applied to an in-loop filter or in an absence of the at least one sample being applied to an in-loop filter. |
| US09253499B2 |
Method for inducing a merge candidate block and device using same
The present invention relates to a method for inducing a merge candidate block and a device using same. An image decoding method involves decoding motion estimation region (MER) related information; determining whether or not a predicted target block and a spatial merge candidate block are included in the same MER; and determining the spatial merge candidate block to be an unavailable merge candidate block when the predicted target block and the spatial merge candidate block are included in the same MER. Accordingly, by parallely performing the method for inducing a merge candidate, parallel processing is enabled and the computation amount and implementation complexity are reduced. |
| US09253480B2 |
Image display device, image display method, and image correction method
A viewpoint detection unit detects a user viewing a stereoscopic image, including a parallax image of a subject as viewed from a predetermined position defined as a reference view position, and tracks a viewpoint of the detected user. A motion parallax correction unit determines, if a speed of movement of the viewpoint becomes equal to or higher than a predetermined level, an amount of motion parallax correction for the parallax image, on the basis of an amount of movement of the viewpoint, so as to generate a stereoscopic image corrected for motion parallax, generates, if the speed of movement of the viewpoint subsequently becomes lower than a predetermined level, a stereoscopic image by changing the amount of motion parallax correction in steps until the parallax image return to parallax images as seen from the reference view position. |
| US09253476B2 |
Display apparatus and control method thereof
A display apparatus is provided. The display apparatus includes an image receiver which receives an image, an image processor which divides the received image into a left-eye image and a right-eye image and processes the same, an image output device which alternatingly outputs the left-eye image and the right-eye image, and a controller which calculates a difference in a pixel value between the left-eye and right-eye images based on units relating to the pixels that constitute the left-eye and right-eye images, detects a crosstalk generating area by using the calculated pixel value difference and a preset response speed of a display panel, and controls so that the detected crosstalk generating area is displayed distinguishably from at least one other area. |
| US09253474B2 |
Dual-view image display device and dual-view image display method used for the same with nonlinear enlargement for obtaining fullscreen images
A dual-view image display device includes a signal input module, a video processing module, a dual-view processing module and a display module, and the video processing module includes a nonlinear processing module. A dual-view image display method includes: inputting a video signal having a frame image that is split into two first images, processing the video signal to obtain the two first images, horizontally or vertically splitting each of the two first images into areas, nonlinearly enlarging each of the areas, and interpolating pixels to each of the enlarged areas to obtain two fullscreen second images. The nonlinear enlargement is used to allow the enlarged images generated during the dual-view image display to be robust to distortion, resulting in better image quality. |
| US09253473B2 |
Light-field display
A light-field display is provided that renders a light-field at one or more viewing apertures through a microlens array. The light-field display includes a display such as a monitor that is positioned behind the microlens array. The monitor and the microlens array are positioned so that light emitted from a pixel of the monitor reaches the one or more apertures through at most one microlens from the microlens array. For each microlens in the microlens array, the pixels of the monitor visible through that microlens of the microlens array at the one or more apertures is determined, and a light-field is then rendered at each of the one or more viewing apertures by rendering the determined pixels corresponding to each microlens. |
| US09253470B2 |
3D camera
A 3D camera includes a first photographing lens unit; a first image sensor which obtains first image information of an object through the first photographing lens unit; a beam division unit disposed on an optical path between the first photographing lens unit and the first image sensor and which propagates light along a first path on which the first image sensor is positioned and along a second path that is different from the first path; a second photographing lens unit disposed on the second path; a second image sensor which obtains second image information of the object through the first photographing lens unit and the second photographing lens; and an image processing unit which generates 3D image information from the obtained first image information and the obtained second image information. |
| US09253457B2 |
Image processing apparatus, projection apparatus, and computer readable medium
An image processing apparatus includes: a storage section to store a projection image to be used for projecting a video content on a screen; an imaging section to image an audience looking at the screen; a detecting section to detect a direction of the audience from an imaged image which is imaged by the imaging section; and a correcting section to correct the projection image, on the basis of the direction of the audience, so that a projected image of the video content is directed to the audience. |
| US09253451B2 |
Image restoration method, image restoration apparatus, and image-pickup apparatus
A method includes performing an approximate partially coherent imaging operation for elements of a first basis generated from a model image having no noise and no blur, and generating based upon the first basis a second basis that is blurred, the approximate partially coherent imaging operation being expressed by a convolution integral on an eigenfunction corresponding to a maximum eigenvalue of a Kernel matrix and each element of the first basis, generating an intermediate image in which each pixel value of the observed image that has been denoised is replaced with its square root, and obtaining a restored image by approximating each of a plurality of patches that are set to entirely cover the intermediate image, using a linear combination of elements of the first basis and linear combination coefficients obtained when each patch is approximated by a linear combination of elements of the second basis. |
| US09253450B2 |
Total bus surveillance system
A synchronized video monitoring system may include a plurality of separate sensor modules that each include a lens assembly, an image sensor, and a sensor controller. Each sensor module may be connected to a data bus. A collection module that includes a digital image compressor engine may also be connected to the data bus. Each sensor module may capture an image of a field of view of a monitored area. Each sensor module may insert its image data onto the data bus within a different allotment of time within a frame capture cycle. The collection module may compress and encode the image data received from each sensor module, and may generate a composite video image frame. Each region of the composite video image frame may depict image data captured by a different sensor module. |
| US09253447B2 |
Method for group interactivity
A computer implemented method of generating a scoreboard display comprising capturing and storing digital images at an entertainment venue during an entertainment event, selecting at least one of the captured images including selecting at least one template within which to dispose the selected image, and displaying on the scoreboard the template and the at least one selected digital image disposed therein. The captured image preferably includes a person attending the entertainment event and can be a motion image or a live motion image. |
| US09253439B2 |
Managing complex video call scenarios in volte calls
A device may determine to adjust from a first state for an existing communication between the device and another device. The first state may be associated with utilizing a first audio and/or video configuration for communication. The device may determine a second state associated with a second audio and/or video configuration for the communication. The second audio and/or video configuration may be different from the first audio and/or video configuration. The device may provide state information associated with the second audio and/or video configuration via a first session initiation protocol message. The first session initiation protocol message may include directionality information associated with the second audio and/or video configuration. The device may receive confirmation information via a second session initiation protocol message based on providing the state information. The device may adjust from the first state to the second state, during the communication, based on receiving the confirmation information. |
| US09253434B2 |
Method and apparatus for tagging media with identity of creator or scene
An electronic device for contemporaneously obtaining, with a processor connected to a memory, a forward image from a forward facing camera of the electronic device and a rear image from a rear facing camera of the electronic device, and embedding the rear image in the forward image or the forward image in the rear image, thereby creating a composite image. Optionally, the rear image is embedded as a watermark in the forward image thereby creating the composite image. Alternatively, the rear image is steganographically embedded in the forward image thereby creating the composite image. |
| US09253427B2 |
Solid-state image pickup apparatus capable of realizing image pickup with wide dynamic range and at high frame rate, control method therefor, and storage medium
A solid-state image pickup apparatus which is capable of enlarging dynamic range and taking images at high frame rate. The solid-state image pickup apparatus has a pixel unit having first pixels with a first sensitivity to the light and second pixels with a second sensitivity lower than the first sensitivity, and the first pixels and the second pixels being alternately arranged in a row direction. Pixel signals are read out from the first pixels as first pixel signals, and analog-to-digital conversion of the first pixel signals is performed to obtain first digital signals. Pixel signals are read out from the second pixels as second pixel signals, and analog-to-digital conversion of the second pixel signals is performed to obtain second digital signals. The first digital signals and the second digital signals are output as image data. |
| US09253423B2 |
Solid-state image sensing device
There is provided a solid-state image sensing device that can prevent the occurrence of vertical line noise with a simple circuit. A timing adjustment circuit generates a first clock supplied to a ramp generator and a second clock supplied to a counter so that a phase difference between the first clock and the second clock is within a predetermined range and differs according to lines in an image sensor. |
| US09253414B2 |
Imaging-observation apparatus
An imaging-observation apparatus according to the present disclosure includes: an image capturing section that shoots a subject under multiple different shooting optical conditions at the same time and sequentially generates a plurality of images under those multiple different shooting optical conditions; a display control section that accepts an operator's input; an image synthesizing section that synthesizes together the plurality of images in accordance with the input to the display control section at a synthesis ratio specified by the input and sequentially generates synthetic images one after another; and a display section that presents the synthetic images. |
| US09253410B2 |
Object detection apparatus, control method therefor, image capturing apparatus, and storage medium
An apparatus includes a first operation unit configured to instruct to change an angle of view, an object detection unit configured to detect an object from an image, and a control unit configured to control the angle of view. In response to a first operation via the first operation unit, the control unit executes a first mode. In the first mode, if the object is detected in a first area set within the image, the control unit changes the angle of view to a first angle of view, and sets the angle of view before the change as a second angle of view, and if, at the first angle of view, the object is detected in a second area, the control unit changes the angle of view to the second angle of view. |
| US09253408B2 |
Photographing device, photographing device controlling method, photographing device controlling program, and computer-readable recording medium in which photographing device controlling program is recorded
A photographing device comprises a detector configured to detect a plurality of subjects from an image photographed by a photographing part; a priority setting part configured to set a priority on each of the plurality of subjects detected by the detector using one or a plurality of pieces of photographing history information, the photographing history information including focused subject information that shows one or a plurality of focused subjects in a history image, the focused subject information being related to the history image, the history image being photographed by the photographing part in the past; a focused subject selector configured to select the subject on which a lens is focused from the plurality of subjects, in order of the priority set by the priority setting part; and a presenting part configured to present the subject selected by the focused subject selector. |
| US09253404B2 |
Portable device enabling a user to manually adjust locations of focusing and photometry and method for taking images
Disclosed is a portable device adapted to enable its user to manually adjust the focus and photometry locations during photography and a method for taking images with the device. A GUI for indicating the focus or photometry location is provided on the screen so that the user can manually move the GUI on the screen with a keypad or a touch panel. In this manner, a desired object is taken at the focus or photometry location. |
| US09253395B2 |
Automatic focus detection apparatus, control method for the same, and image pickup apparatus
In the case where a predetermined subject can be detected from an image with a first detection method but cannot be detected with a second detection method, an in-focus direction of a subject detected with the first detection method is determined during a focusing operation. In the case where, when the predetermined subject becomes detectable with the second detection method, the in-focus direction of the predetermined subject detected with the second detection method has been determined by a determination unit, the focus-detecting operation is started using the determined in-focus direction. Speeding up of the focus-detecting operation that utilizes subject detection results is thereby realized, while suppressing any drop in the image quality of recorded images. |
| US09253388B2 |
Image processing device and method, and program
The present invention relates to an image processing device and method, and a program whereby a subject can be imaged in a simpler manner with a desired imaging range.A size ratio calculating unit 553 calculates a size ratio between a region of interest that is a region of a subject of interest, and a partial region that is the region of a portion of the subject included in the region of interest with an imaged image that has been imaged, and a lens driving control unit 556 controls the zoom power of an imaged image according to a zoom operation by a user so that the size ratio calculated by the size ratio calculating unit 553, and a predetermined value match or generally match. The present invention may be applied to an imaging apparatus. |
| US09253383B2 |
Phone adapter for optical devices
An adapter that optically couples a camera on a mobile device to an eye piece of an optical device. The adapter includes a base plate configured to retain the mobile device without obstructing a display screen on the mobile device. The base plate includes an optical interface configured to attach to the eye piece of the optical device. A mounting structure is configured to secure the optical interface to the eye piece of the optical device. The mounting structure includes a high friction interface that prevents rotation of the adapter relative to the eye piece. An adjustment system with threaded micro-adjust mechanisms is configured to move the base plate relative to the optical interface in at least two degrees of freedom to optically couple the camera on the mobile device with an optical axis of the eye piece. Images captured by the optical device are displayed on a viewing screen of the mobile device. |
| US09253382B2 |
Zoom lens and image pickup apparatus
The zoom lens includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens unit having a positive refractive power, a second lens unit having a negative refractive power, a third lens unit having a positive refractive power, a fourth lens unit having a positive refractive power, and a fifth lens unit having a negative refractive power. During zooming, the second lens unit is not moved and the first, third and fifth lens units are moved. A distance between the first and second lens units at a telephoto end is larger than that at a wide-angle end, a distance between the second and third lens units at the telephoto end is smaller than that at the wide-angle end. A condition of 0.7 |
| US09253381B2 |
Camera module having rotation prevention means
The present invention relates to a camera module configured to prevent de-focusing during correction of hand-shake, and to prevent damages to devices during correction of hand-shake, the module including: a module part including a lens assembly formed with at least one or more lenses, an image sensor having an image pickup device for converting light concentrated through the lens to an electrical signal, and a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) mounted with the image sensor; a case supporting the module part by accommodating the module part; a driving part tilting the module part; and a rotation preventing part preventing the module part from rotating on a vertical axis. |
| US09253373B2 |
Flare detection and mitigation in panoramic images
Lens flare mitigation techniques determine which pixels in images of a sequence of images are likely to be pixels affected by lens flare. Once the lens flare areas of the images are determined, unwanted lens flare effects may be mitigated by various approaches, including reducing border artifacts along a seam between successive images, discarding entire images of the sequence that contain lens flare areas, and using tone-mapping to reduce the visibility of lens flare. |
| US09253370B2 |
Normalization method for a value of an equivalent lightness and a value of a degree of vividness of an arbitrary color, tone type identification method, munsell value calculating method, image formation method and interface screen display device
[Problem] To provide a technique for calculating the psychophysical value of a color corresponding to an arbitrarily defined tone by modeling a tone concept defined in the PCCS (Practical Color Co-ordinate System).[Solution] A method for, regarding multiple types of tones defined in the PCCS, generating a definitional equation for each saturation to which each of the tones belongs, wherein a computer acquires the Munsell values of colors belonging to respective multiple tones belonging to the same saturation among the multiple types of tones defined in the PCCS, the computer stores the acquired multiple Munsell values in a predetermined storage device, the computer converts each of the multiple Munsell values stored in the storage device into a value in a predetermined color space composed of two axes of values representing lightness and values representing vividness, and the computer performs a predetermined regression calculation on a point group projected to the predetermined color space to find a regression equation passing through the origin of the predetermined color space. |
| US09253351B2 |
Original reading apparatus with detecting device for detecting existence of original
In an original reading apparatus, a conveying mechanism and a reading device start a conveying operation and a reading operation to acquire a read image when a detecting device detects an existence of an original. The read image is acquired in a first direction and has a prescribed width in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The first direction corresponds to a conveying direction of the original. A control device determines whether or not the read image includes an overall solid region with a single color. The overall solid region has: a length in the first direction longer than or equal to a prescribed length; and a width in the second direction equal to the prescribed width. When the read image includes the overall solid region, the control device outputs a signal indicative of incorrect detection of the existence of the original due to external light. |
| US09253347B2 |
Data processing device
When a first device and a first attribute are specified, a data processing device registers the first device in association with first attribute and transmits an instruction to perform a process relating to the first attribute to the first device. If the first device possesses the second attribute, the data processing device registers the first device in association with the second attribute. The data processing device displays, on a display unit, a first image representing identification data of the first device when the second attribute is specified and the first device is registered in association with the second attribute. When the first image is selected, the data processing device transmits an instruction to perform a process relating to the second attribute to the first device corresponding to the selected first image. |
| US09253341B2 |
Execution instructing apparatus, execution instructing method, and storage medium
An execution instructing apparatus that operates to communicate with at least one processing apparatus executing a predetermined processing includes: a determination unit determining whether, of a first communication method where the execution instructing apparatus communicates with an image processing apparatus via a server which is neither the image processing apparatus nor the execution instructing apparatus, and a second communication method where the execution instructing apparatus communicates with the image processing apparatus without the server, communication can be performed using the second communication method; and a communication control unit controlling communication with the image processing apparatus so that when a determination is not made or when communication cannot be performed using the second communication method, communication regarding the predetermined processing is performed using the first communication method, and when communication can be performed using the second communication method, communication regarding the predetermined processing is performed using the second communication method. |
| US09253339B2 |
Image processing apparatus, control system for image processing apparatus, and recording medium storing a control program for image processing apparatus
A control system for an image processing apparatus that uses an information processing device. The image processing apparatus includes an authentication processor that authenticates users with reference to user information that associates, for multiple users, information regarding the user with starting screen information used to start operating the image processing apparatus and a screen information transmitter that transfers screen information to the information processing device independent of the image processing apparatus. The screen information is used to display the starting screen on the image processing apparatus based on the starting screen information associated with the user authenticated by the authentication processor. The information processing device includes a screen information management unit that receives the screen information and a screen display processor that displays the starling screen on a display unit of the information processing device based on the received screen information. |
| US09253334B1 |
Method and system for balancing soft handoff gain and resource usage
A controller monitors resource usage in each of a plurality of sectors and identifies any sector with resource usage that exceeds a threshold value as a high usage sector. The controller evaluates the mobile stations in its area and identifies any mobile station that is using a high usage sector and at least two other sectors for a communication session as a candidate mobile station. The controller applies a predictive algorithm to determine whether any candidate mobile station is able to continue its respective communication session without using its respective high usage sector. In this determination, the signal levels that a mobile station reported for the sectors in its active set, other than the high usage sector, may be used to calculate a combined signal level. If the combined signal level exceeds a predefined value, the mobile station is instructed to drop the high usage sector. |
| US09253325B1 |
Online technical support management
Methods and implementations of online technical support management are described herein. In some examples, techniques are described to estimate an allocation of resources (e.g., technical support agents) to consumers (e.g., technical support users), through the definition of desired scenario data inputs, the definition of resource scenario changes, and the generation of a projected scenario to model resource demand and projected queues. A regression analysis may be performed on the projected scenario to determine relationships among variables in the projected scenario. Based on the results of the regression analysis, metrics such as waiting times in the queue (including an average time to answer) may be calculated, and appropriate human and technical resources may be scheduled, re-allocated, or otherwise controlled. |
| US09253322B1 |
Method and apparatus of estimating optimum dialog state timeout settings in a spoken dialog system
Example embodiments of the present invention may include a method that includes collecting caller response timings to each of a plurality of dialog states conducted during a call, and estimating a plurality of parameters based on the caller response timings. The method may also include selecting a response completeness value responsive to the estimated plurality of parameters, the response completeness value is used to calculate at least one optimal timeout value. The method may also include selecting the at least one optimal timeout value, and setting the at least one optimal timeout value for each of the corresponding dialog states. The timeout value(s) may be used for subsequent calls to provide optimal user satisfaction and call success rates. |
| US09253320B2 |
Implementing a network of intelligent virtual service agents to provide personalized automated responses
An intelligent virtual service agent implemented on a computer platform is assigned a responsibility to automatically interact with different users across a communication network when a predetermined characteristic of content provided by the different users is identified. Content provided by a user over the communication network is analyzed to determine whether the content provided by the user possesses the predetermined characteristic. When the content possesses the predetermined characteristic, account data of the user for an account specific to the user is obtained, and the account data specific to the user is analyzed. The intelligent virtual service agent is assigned to automatically interact with the user based on the account data specific to the user and based on determining that the content possesses the predetermined characteristic. |
| US09253311B2 |
Controlled recorded 3-way calling
Agencies issue recording devices to personnel for administrating and monitoring controlled calls during the course of their duties. To provide flexible capabilities to agencies, a virtual number is provisioned and configured to enable an operator to administrate controlled calls without dedicated recording devices. Using the virtual number, the operator may setup a controlled call between a victim and a baddie. The victim is contacted via the virtual number by the operator and optionally informed about the controlled call process. In turn, the baddie is contacted using number information of the victim's phone and connected with the victim. Call audio between the victim and baddie is transmitted to the operator. When necessary, the operator may terminate the call remotely from the telephonic device the operator used to setup the call. |
| US09253310B2 |
Outbound effectiveness through management of idle agent pool
A contact center is described along with various methods and mechanisms for administering the same. The contact center proposed herein provides the ability to, among other things, establish and maintain a pool of idle agents so that when an outbound call attempt is successful, the agent which is assigned to the successful outbound call attempt can be selected from a plurality of agents based on the agent's superior efficiency rather than being based on the fact that the agent is the next in line to be assigned to such a contact. |
| US09253301B2 |
System and method for announcing and routing incoming telephone calls using a distributed voice application execution system architecture
A system and method for announcing and handling incoming telephone calls utilizes a distributed processing architecture. The distributed processing architecture makes use of local devices that can be located at various different locations where the user is often located. For instance, local devices could be at a user's home, a user's office and/or on a user's mobile device. The local devices are linked such than when there is an incoming telephone call directed to any one of multiple telephone numbers associated with the user, an announcement of the incoming call is provided at all of the user's locations. The user is also able to specify how the incoming call is to be handled on a call-by-call basis. The user may also be able to specify default call handling instructions so that an incoming telephone call directed to one of the user's telephone numbers is received by a device normally associated with a different one of the user's telephone numbers. The system allows the user to selectively forward incoming telephone calls to another specified number on a call-by-call basis. |
| US09253297B2 |
Sound-transmitting membrane for microphone, sound-transmitting membrane member for microphone provided with the membrane, microphone, and electronic device provided with microphone
The present invention provides a sound-transmitting membrane for a microphone, to be disposed to a sound-collecting opening of the microphone so as to allow sound to transmit through the membrane while preventing a foreign matter from entering into the microphone through the opening. This membrane for a microphone prevents the entry of a foreign matter, such as fine dust and water vapor, that is difficult for conventional sound-transmitting membranes to block, and ensures the microphone performance. This membrane for a microphone is composed of a nonporous film or a multilayer membrane including a nonporous film, has a surface density of 30 g/m2 or less, and has a sound transmission loss of less than 3 dB in a frequency range of 300 to 4000 Hz. |
| US09253287B2 |
Speculation based approach for reliable message communications
Described are a system and method for lossless message delivery between two processing devices. Each device includes a remote direct memory access (RDMA) messaging interface. The RDMA messaging interface at the first device generates one or more messages that are processed by the RDMA messaging interface of the second device. The RDMA messaging interface of the first device outputs a notification to the second device that a message of the one or more messages is available at the first device. A determination is made that the second device has resources to accommodate the message. The second device performs an operation in response to determining that the processing device has the resources to accommodate the message. |
| US09253267B2 |
Portable electronic apparatus functioning as pen-table and computer system using the same
A portable electronic apparatus functioning as a pen-table, includes a touch-screen module for detecting contact with an external object and creating position data of a detected region. The portable electronic apparatus, by functioning as a pen-table, eliminates the need to install or carry a mouse, a pen-table, etc. for controlling a personal computer, a laptop computer or the like. A local area communication module transmits and receives data based on a local area communication protocol, and a display module displays the detected region and information on a user interface (UI) and functions of the apparatus. A controller controls the operations of the modules in response to the user's input so as to transmit position data created by the touch-screen module to an electronic device that includes the functions of a pen-table and local area communication. |
| US09253259B2 |
Patient support, communication, and computing apparatus
A patient support apparatus includes an electronic control system with client browser software running on a general purpose operating system that connects with a remote server via a high speed network connection. The browser and operating system allows the patient support apparatus to access and run programs not designed exclusively for patient support apparatus electronics systems. A general purpose microprocessor along with network converter circuitry allows the patient support to deliver messages in frames having intended recipient addresses. The microprocessor communicates with one or more graphical user interfaces and with a control system that controls actuators of the patient support. The control system may comprise networked nodes, such as CAN nodes for example. Isolation circuitry isolates the patient support from a network of a care facility with which it communicates. |
| US09253256B2 |
Automatic multipath iSCSI session establishment over an arbitrary network topology
A method and apparatus for establishing multiple network sessions over an arbitrary network topology comprises receiving network configuration information describing an initiator system and a target controller. The initiator system contains one or more initiator ports. The target controller contains one or more target ports. Each target port is associated with one or more target nodes. A set of pre-defined rules is identified. The set of pre-defined rules governs the establishment of network sessions between the initiator ports and the target nodes through the target ports. One or more network sessions are established based on the set of pre-defined rules and the network configuration information. |
| US09253248B2 |
Parallel information system utilizing flow control and virtual channels
Embodiments of a data handling apparatus can include a network interface controller configured to interface a processing node to a network. The network interface controller can include a network interface, a register interface, a processing node interface, and logic. The network interface can include lines coupled to the network for communicating data on the network. The register interface can include lines coupled to multiple registers. The processing node interface can include at least one line coupled to the processing node for communicating data with a local processor local to the processing node wherein the local processor can read data to and write data from the registers. The logic can receive packets including a header and a payload from the network and can insert the packets into the registers as indicated by the header. |
| US09253244B1 |
Subscription based polling for resource updates
Techniques are described for updating resources provided to a user device, using subscription based polling. A user device may send initial requests for resource to a server, each initial request including a resource identifier and a subscriber identifier. In some cases, the subscriber identifier may uniquely identify the communication session. The server maintains subscription information correlated with the subscriber identifier, the subscription information listing which resources the user device has requested and which versions of the resources are currently available on the user device. Updates to the subscribed resources may then be provided to the user device in response to a request for updates that specifies the session identifier but that may not specify the particular subscribed resources. |
| US09253242B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for assigning separate dedicated bearers for audio and video streams in a test simulation environment
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for assigning separate dedicated bearers for separate audio and video streams in a test simulation environment are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes generating dedicated bearer information associated with each of a dedicated audio bearer and a dedicated video bearer to be used for a communication session and providing the dedicated bearer information to a simulation device. The method further includes, from the simulation device, using the dedicated bearer information to negotiate establishment of the dedicated audio bearer and the dedicated video bearer between the simulation device and a system under test (SUT) and sending simulated traffic data to the SUT over the dedicated audio bearer and the dedicated video bearer in accordance with a mapping based on the dedicated bearer information and identifiers included in the simulated traffic. |
| US09253238B2 |
Device-initiated codec rate change during a voice call
A method for initiating a codec rate change during a VoIP call by a wireless communication device is disclosed. The method can include the wireless communication device establishing a first codec rate for use in the VoIP call during a call establishment phase; using the first codec rate to encode voice data for transmission during a first portion of the VoIP call; determining a channel quality while using the first codec rate; determining that the channel quality satisfies a threshold for requesting a codec rate change; requesting a codec rate change from the first codec rate to a second codec rate in response to the channel quality satisfying the threshold; and using the second codec rate to encode voice data for transmission during a second portion of the VoIP call. |
| US09253230B2 |
Reducing latency in multiple unicast transmissions
A transmitter for transferring a data stream to multiple receivers, the transmitter being configured to sample a first portion of the data stream to form a first sample dataset, encode the first sample set to form a first encoded dataset and transmit the first encoded dataset to a first one of the receivers; sample a second portion of the data stream to form a second sample dataset, encode the second sample set to form a second encoded dataset and transmit the second encoded dataset to a second one of the receivers; and to perform at least part of the step of sampling the second portion of the datastream while the first sample dataset is being encoded or the first encoded dataset is being transmitted. |
| US09253224B2 |
Method and system for on-demand communities
In an embodiment, communities are generated on demand. In this specification a community is a group of webpages in which users share ideas with one another by posting ideas and sending messages for one another to read. An on-demand community is a community that may be created via tools specialized for creating communities, with just a few keys strokes and/or mouse clicks and by adding information (e.g., about the members and/or the topic or set of topics that the community is focused upon), such that a community maybe established within a short amount of time, such as a few minutes or a few hours. Optionally, the communities may be initially populated with ideas related to a particular topic or set of topics. Optionally, each member may be provided with tools for establishing one or more profile page and/or one or more friend pages. |
| US09253221B2 |
Information distribution system, service-providing method for an information distribution system, and a program for the same
The effort of changing an application in conjunction with a change in process content or change in the type or specifications of a receiver can be reduced, and a cooperative process involving a plurality of receivers without going through an application can be achieved. An integrated device control service acquires output data, information related to the address of a first receiver and a first style sheet for the first receiver, and information related to the address of a second receiver and a second style sheet for the second receiver from an application and a style sheet database that stores a plurality of style sheets describing information conversion rules. In accordance with the success or failure of first conversion data distribution, the integrated device control service sends second conversion data, which is the output data converted according to the second style sheet, to the second receiver. |
| US09253220B2 |
Method and apparatus for the fast detection of connectivity loss between devices in a network
A method and apparatus for quickly determining the status of a network device in a network communicates status inquiry messages over the forwarding plane of one network device to at least one neighboring network device. The status inquiry messages indicate the connectivity status with at least one neighboring network device. |
| US09253215B2 |
Control plane to manage domain-based security and mobility in an information centric network
A networking system comprising a virtual group controller in an information centric network configured to enable mobility and security for a plurality of users groups of the information centric network, a plurality of user groups coupled to the virtual group controller and associated with the users, a plurality of agents that are each associated with one of the user groups, and a database for trusted service profile coupled to the virtual group controller, wherein the virtual group controller is configured to interact with the agents to enable mobility for the user groups using a server-less domain-based naming scheme. |
| US09253209B2 |
Policy-based dynamic information flow control on mobile devices
A system is provided for securing data on a mobile device that supports both enterprise and personal applications. According to the technique, information flows and data accesses are tracked on the device at run-time to enable access control decisions to be performed based on a policy, such as an enterprise privacy policy that has been distributed to the device from an enterprise server. The policy may be updated by events at the device as well as at the enterprise server. |
| US09253208B1 |
System and method for automated phishing detection rule evolution
System and method for automatically developing phishing detection rules. Based on detected phishing indicia, a quantitative score is computed for each of a plurality of predefined parameters, with each of the parameters relating to at least one of the phishing indicia. A requirement for evolving a phishing detection rule is assessed, and a new phishing detection rule is generated based on selected parameter scores meeting the rule evolution criteria and on corresponding content of the phishing indicia relating to those selected parameter scores. New phishing detection rules are applied recursively to detect phishing indicia, and more new rules can be further evolved in recursive fashion. |
| US09253202B2 |
IT vulnerability management system
A system for automatically managing vulnerabilities may determine vulnerability data describing vulnerabilities in an information technology environment and then assign each vulnerability to a stakeholder for remediation. The system may receive a remediation proposal from the stakeholder, obtain approval for the remediation proposal, and facilitate remediation of the vulnerability based on the proposal. |
| US09253201B2 |
Detecting network anomalies by probabilistic modeling of argument strings with markov chains
Systems, methods, and media for detecting network anomalies are provided. In some embodiments, a training dataset of communication protocol messages having argument strings is received. The content and structure associated with each of the argument strings is determined and a probabilistic model is trained using the determined content and structure of each of the argument strings. A communication protocol message having an argument string that is transmitted from a first processor to a second processor across a computer network is received. The received communication protocol message is compared to the probabilistic model and then it is determined whether the communication protocol message is anomalous. |
| US09253199B2 |
Verifying authenticity of a sender of an electronic message sent to a recipient using message salt
A server receives a verification request sent by a client associated with a recipient of an electronic message to verify authenticity of a sender of the electronic message, where the verification request comprises message data of the electronic message and a salt hash value. The server identifies a key for the sender for generating a salt hash value and generates the salt hash value using the salt key and the message data. The server determines whether the generated salt hash value matches the salt hash value received in the verification request and sends a result to the client based on the determination of whether the salt hash values match. |
| US09253197B2 |
Method and apparatus for token-based real-time risk updating
According to one embodiment, an apparatus may store a plurality of tokens indicating a user is accessing a resource over a network. The plurality of tokens may include a risk token indicating a risk associated with access by the user to the resource. The apparatus may detect a token indicating a change associated with accessing the resource, and determine that the change triggers a risk update. The apparatus may then generate a dataset token that represents the risk token and the token indicating the change, and communicate the dataset token to a token provider to perform the risk update. The apparatus may then receive a recomputed risk token representing an updated risk. The updated risk may indicate the risk associated with continuing access to the resource with the change. |
| US09253187B2 |
Computer system and method
A method for use in a simplified login system, involving operating a computer to identify user name, password and submit fields on a remote website. The method comprises identifying a password field on a webpage, defining a first area around the password field for a user name field and a second area around the password field for a submit field, locating a field for user text entry in the first area and locating a field for a user click entry in the second field. There is also described a computer programmed to carry out the method, a data carrier containing program data by which a computer may be programmed to carry out the method, and a secure password storage and login system comprising a central server and a number of user computers, and which operates using the method. |
| US09253185B2 |
Cloud centric application trust validation
In accordance with the exemplary embodiments of the invention there is at least a method and an apparatus to perform the method of sending towards a key management device associated with an application service provider for an application, a key request for the application being booted in the cloud network; and in response to the key request, receiving an application specific key for the application, where the key is based on multiple factors associated with the application server. Further, there is at least a method and an apparatus to perform the method of receiving a key request from an application server of a cloud network for the application being booted in the cloud network; in response to the key request, authenticating the request using multiple attributes associated with the application server; and sending an application specific key for the application towards the application server. |
| US09253183B2 |
Systems and methods for authenticating an avatar
Systems and methods for authenticating an avatar are provided. This system is useful with an avatar having an identifier, virtual environments, and a user who uses the avatar in the virtual environments. Transoms are generated, each with a unique identifier configured to exist in a specific location, and registered with an identity provider. The transom initiates a request. An offer is conveyed that includes the transom identifier, the location and the avatar identifier. The avatar is then authenticated by a shared secret. The identity provider then responds to the offer with avatar identification information, including reputation information. Reputation information is for the avatar and the user, and is compiled from external avatar data sources by using a trust matrix. An avatar gallery is generated by linking each avatar owned by each user to the account and compiling avatar profiles from the account, and the reputation information. The avatar profiles are searchable, and include micro formats. |
| US09253176B2 |
Computerized method and system for managing secure content sharing in a networked secure collaborative exchange environment
In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for securely sharing computer data content that allows for the secure un-sharing of the content. The facility to un-share content may be implemented through a secure exchange server, where the content is being shared along with a secure protection feature that when altered results in the un-sharing of the content. This secure un-sharing facility may be used to securely share content beyond the secure protective facilities of an enterprise, out to users in other companies, into the public space, to users not intended to get the content, and the like, where the sender maintains control to access of the content no matter where or to who the content has been distributed. In this way, the secure sharing of content is made to be easy across corporate boundaries at the user level and at the individual document level. |
| US09253171B2 |
Distributed network encryption key generation
Embodiments of methods and network devices for securing data within a network are generally described herein. One such method includes a key aggregation server receiving a request for an encryption key to secure the data. The server may query a plurality of network devices for a respective key from each queried network device. The server may then receive the respective key from each of the plurality of network devices and select a key element from each of the plurality of keys. An encryption key may be constructed from the key elements and transmitted to a client. |
| US09253163B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for encrypting diameter identification information in a communication network
The subject matter described herein includes systems, methods, and computer readable media for encrypting Diameter identification information contained in Diameter signaling messages. The system includes a Diameter agent that comprises a network interface configured to receive, from a first Diameter node, a Diameter signaling message that includes Diameter identification information associated with the first Diameter node and a Diameter encryption topology hiding module (ETHM) configured to encrypt the Diameter identification information to generate encrypted Diameter identification information and to replace the Diameter identification information in the Diameter signaling message with the encrypted Diameter identification information. The Diameter agent further includes a routing module configured to route the Diameter signaling message with the encrypted Diameter identification information to a second Diameter node. |
| US09253148B2 |
System and method for logging communications
A method for logging communication includes determining when a target user is active and identifying an access device and private Internet Protocol (IP) address associated with the target user when the target user is active. The method further includes causing the access device to provide traffic information associated with the target user to a logging device. |
| US09253142B2 |
Providing telecommunication services based on an E.164 number mapping (ENUM) request
Data associated with an E.164 number mapping (ENUM) request can be received from an element of a telecommunications network. Logical trunk-group information and gateway information can be associated with the ENUM request. A call is managed by the computing element through a packet-based network based at least in part on the logical trunk-group information and the gateway information. |
| US09253138B2 |
Filtering message posts in a social network
A social media mechanism processes messages for content that may require filtering of recipients of the message, and informs a user who drafted the message when the message might need to be filtered so it is not sent to all potential recipients of the message. The user may then select to send the message to all potential recipients, or to filter the recipients so the message is sent to less than all of the potential recipients. User profiles are created and maintained, and may include information that helps to determine when filtering of messages is desirable. Feedback buttons are also provided to provide feedback when a user does not like a message. |
| US09253133B2 |
Message thread identification and management
Systems and methods for identifying threads of related messages. A computer can associate messages with threads by storing a thread identifier (thread ID) identifying a thread and associating the thread ID with a message identifier (message ID) of each known message that belongs to the thread. The computer can inspect a message to determine whether the message identifies a reference message. Before assigning a thread ID to the message or a reference message, the computer can determine whether a message ID for either message is stored in association with a thread ID. If a thread ID is stored for a message ID of either message, the computer can assign the thread ID to message IDs of other reference messages. If a thread ID is not stored for a message ID of either message or is different for either message, store a common thread ID in association with both messages. |
| US09253125B2 |
Managing a messaging state across multiple clients
Embodiments of the invention relate to managing a messaging state across multiple clients and devices which use respective communications systems. In one embodiment, a plurality of users are connected to multiple messaging communications systems. The multiple messaging communications systems use a plurality of associated messaging clients on each of the users' respective devices, for messaging communications between the users. The users' messaging communications are stored from the multiple messaging communications systems and their respective messaging clients, using a proxy service. A device, of the plurality of messaging clients, being used by a messaging user of the plurality of users is tracked. A current messaging communication of the messaging user from the stored messaging communications is routed to the currently used device, using the proxy service, for maintaining a state of the messaging communications of the users. |
| US09253124B2 |
Techniques for sending and relaying information over broadcast and non-broadcast communications media
Sending and relaying of information includes: a direct receiver receives messages from a server over a broadcast communications medium, each message having associated targeter data attributes; the direct receiver selects messages from the server for storage in a message store of the first receiver device based on the targeter data attributes associated with each message from the server; the direct receiver connects with an indirect receiver over the non-broadcast communications medium; the direct receiver receives a message request from the indirect receiver for messages in the message store of the direct receiver over a non-broadcast communications medium; and in response to the message request, the direct receiver sends messages in the message store of the direct receiver to the indirect receiver over the non-broadcast communications medium. The direct receiver receives data from the server, and the indirect receiver receives data via another receiver. |
| US09253123B1 |
Methods and apparatus for load balancing VLAN traffic
In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a first core device configured to be disposed within a network. The network has a set of access nodes and a second core device. The first core device is configured to receive a signal designating the first core device as a master device for a virtual group identifier such that the second core device is designated as a back-up device for that virtual group identifier. |
| US09253122B1 |
Preamble for communication in power line channel
Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with using a preamble with at least two polarity transitions to communicate over a power line channel are described. According to one embodiment, an apparatus includes a transmitter configured to transmit a communication signal on a communication channel for communicating with a remote device. The communication channel is a power line channel that carries electric power transmissions. The apparatus also includes a transmission logic configured to control the transmitter to generate at least two polarity transitions in a preamble of the communication signal. |
| US09253116B2 |
Multi-media data rate allocation method and voice over IP data rate allocation method
A multimedia bitrate adaption method for individual users wherein only a set of predetermined bitrates may be selected as the multimedia bitrate of the user. The predetermined bitrates are quantized into exponentially distributed levels, and the users' experiences corresponding to the predetermined bitrates are with the same intervals, thereby increasing the service capacity and improving user satisfaction. |
| US09253112B2 |
Network node and packet control method
To control a timing of transmitting real-time packets, it is provided a network node for transferring a packet, comprising: ports for inputting and outputting a packet to be transferred; a buffer memory for temporarily storing the input packet; a search engine for determining a port from which the input packet is output; and a timing adjusting unit for adjusting a difference in period of time needed from reception of a specific type of packet to transmission thereof. |
| US09253111B2 |
Bandwidth distribution based on prior granting cycles
An apparatus comprises a receiver configured to receive a reported queue depth for a current granting cycle, and a processor coupled to the receiver and configured to determine accumulated bandwidth credits from at least one granting cycle prior to the current granting cycle. An apparatus comprises a transmitter configured to transmit a reported queue depth for a second granting cycle, a processor coupled to the transmitter, and a receiver coupled to the processor and configured to receive a transmission grant size that is based on the reported queue depth and accumulated bandwidth credits from a first granting cycle prior to the second granting cycle. |
| US09253105B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for facilitating determination of a state of a receiver buffer
Methods and apparatuses are provided for facilitating determination of a state of a receiver buffer. A method may include receiving, at a first time, a data packet of a data stream transmitted by a sending apparatus. The method may further include generating, at a second time, a periodically generated receiver reporting message. The method may additionally include determining an interval time defining an interval between the first time and the second time. The method may also comprise causing an indication of the interval time to be sent to the sending apparatus. Corresponding apparatuses are also provided. |
| US09253097B1 |
Selective label switched path re-routing
In one example, a method includes establishing a plurality of label switched paths (LSPs) having a common transit network device other than an ingress network device or an egress network device of any of the plurality of LSPs, and, by the transit network device along the plurality of LSPs, detecting a congestion condition on a link along the plurality of LSPs and coupled to the transit network device. The method also includes, responsive to detecting the congestion condition, and by the transit network device, selecting a subset of the plurality of LSPs to evict from the link, wherein the subset comprises less than all of the plurality of LSPs, and updating a forwarding plane of the transit network device to reroute network traffic received for the selected subset of the plurality of the LSPs for forwarding to a next hop on a bypass LSP that avoids the link. |
| US09253095B2 |
Network control of applications using application states
Application states of applications associated with a communication device can be network controlled. An application agent, associated with an application used by the communication device, controls transitioning the application between application states based on network indicators received or network events detected from a communication network. The application states include active state or doze state. An application management component associated with the communication network at least partially controls transitioning the application between application states to facilitate controlling network traffic or reducing network congestion. The application agent or application management component can map application states to various factors, including radio states, congestion level, application performance indicators, network policies, or user policies, to facilitate determining which application state to apply to an application at a given time. The application agent can be in a centralized location, or at a same or different location as the application source. |
| US09253091B2 |
Method for processing a request in an information-centric communication network
A method for processing a request for content by a routing device in a communication network implementing a name-based routing. The device includes plural interfaces to receive a request for content and a data packet associated with a content, and a routing table adapted to determine, based on a content name, at least one interface to route the request. The method includes: receiving the request through a first interface; if the device is not able to provide said data packet, searching for the name of the content in a table of pending requests associated with the first interface; in case the content name does not appear in the table, storing the name of the content in the table; and transmitting the request through at least one second interface, the second interface being determined as a function of the name of the content on the basis of the routing table. |
| US09253087B2 |
Principal-identity-domain based naming scheme for information centric networks
A network node in an information centric network (ICN), comprising a receiver configured to receive a request for content from a user, wherein the request comprises a name, wherein the name uniquely identifies the content associated with the name, wherein the name provides persistently locatable routing to the content, wherein the name provides meaning to an application, and wherein the name comprises a security verifier, a processor coupled to the receiver and configured to determine a next hop to which to forward the request based on the name, and a transmitter coupled to the processor and configured to forward the request to the next hop. |
| US09253085B2 |
Hierarchical asymmetric mesh with virtual routers
A network-on-chip configuration includes a first plurality of cores arranged in a two-dimensional mesh; a first plurality of routers, each of the first plurality of routers associated with a corresponding local one of the first plurality of cores, each of the first plurality of routers having a plurality of directional ports configured to provide connections to other ones of the first plurality of routers; a second plurality of cores disposed around a periphery of the two-dimensional mesh arrangement; and a second plurality of routers, each of the second plurality of routers associated with a corresponding local one of the second plurality of cores, and having a directional port configured to provide a connection to a neighboring one of the first plurality of routers. |
| US09253081B2 |
Trigger message routing according to a service class
In one embodiment, a machine type communication (MTC) device can receive registration associated with a new device upon the new device registration for a computer network. The MTC device can further determine a machine-to-machine (MTM) service class for the new device based on the registration data with the service class associated with at least one network route for messages destined for the new device. The MTC device can further receive a trigger message destined for the device and route the trigger message according to the network route associated with the determined MTM service class. |
| US09253069B2 |
Method and system for testing configuration of environments
A method for testing configuration of environments is provided. A probe for connection to a network and/or devices interacts to launch a configuration analyzer tool. The configuration analyzer tool includes a test mechanism for running a set of tests for the probe relating to connectivity and configuration of attached networks and devices before connection and suggesting solutions to test results. The tests may be externalized and dynamically loaded at run time of the configuration analyzer tool. |
| US09253066B2 |
Remote monitoring and controlling of network utilization
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by processors, cause the processors to perform: at a management computer, receiving, from a gateway located in a managed network, device information about devices in the managed network; for a particular device: determining a match between the device capabilities of the particular device and features of a particular network software application configured to control the particular device, and determining a particular protocol endpoint configured to communicate control instructions from the particular network software application to the particular device; receiving, from the gateway, aggregated data that reflects network utilization by the devices located in the managed network; for the particular device: based at least in part on the aggregated data, using the particular network software application, determining control instructions for the particular device; causing the particular protocol endpoint to transmit the control instructions for the particular device to the device. |
| US09253060B2 |
System and method of monitoring and controlling application files
A system and method for updating, monitoring, and controlling applications on a workstation. The workstation includes a workstation management module configured to detect the launch or request to access a network by an application. A workstation application server receives data associated with the application from the workstation. The application server module can determine one or more policies or categories to associate with the application by referencing an application inventory database. Once the application server module has the category or policy, it forwards a hash/policy table to the workstation management module. Upon receipt of the hash/policy table, the workstation management module applies the policy that is associated with the application to control network access by the application. |
| US09253057B2 |
Evaluation of performance of software applications
A method and system for evaluating performance of software applications of different web sites. Steps in a first software application of a first web site are mapped to respective similar-function steps in a second software application of a second web site. The mapping for each step in the first software application includes associating both each step in the first software application and the respective similar-function step in the second software with a respective task. Measures of performance of each mapped step in the first software application and measures of performance of the respective similar-function steps and of other steps in the second software application are determined and included in a report. A measure of performance of the first software application and a measure of performance of the second software application are included in the report. |
| US09253055B2 |
Transparently enforcing policies in hadoop-style processing infrastructures
Method, system, and computer program product to facilitate selection of data nodes configured to satisfy a set of requirements for processing client data in a distributed computing environment by providing, for each data node of a plurality of data nodes in the distributed computing environment, nodal data describing the respective data node of the plurality of data nodes, receiving a request to process the client data, the client data being identified in the request, retrieving the set of requirements for processing the client data, and analyzing the retrieved data policy and the nodal data describing at least one of the data nodes, to select a first data node of the plurality of data nodes as a delegation target, the first data node selected based on having a higher suitability level for satisfying the set of requirements than a second data node of the plurality of data nodes. |
| US09253051B2 |
System and method for delivering content in a content delivery network
A content delivery method and system based on popularity-driven pre-provisioning of content in a content delivery network (CDN). In one method, a network element may obtain trend data relative to a particular content to be distributed by the CDN. The network element may also obtain demographic data of subscribers serviced by the CDN. An expected popularity distribution of the particular content is forecasted based on a metric derived from at least one of the trend data and the demographic data. A push policy for pushing and/or pre-provisioning of the content to one or more nodes of the CDN is effectuated at the network element based on the expected popularity distribution of the content relative to the geographical region serviced by the CDN. |
| US09253048B2 |
Releasing computing infrastructure components in a networked computing environment
Embodiments of the present invention relate to the release of computing infrastructure components (e.g., hardware, software, combinations thereof, etc.) from a networked computing environment for potential use by another networked computing environment. In a typical embodiment, a computing infrastructure component is identified from set of computing infrastructure components associated with a networked computing environment. It may then be determined whether the computing infrastructure component can be released from the networked computing environment. Then, responsive to the determination, the computing infrastructure component may be released from the networked computing environment. |
| US09253046B2 |
Controlling the state of duplexing of coupling facility structures
A coupling facility is coupled to one or more other coupling facilities via one or more peer links. The coupling of the facilities enables various functions to be supported, including the duplexing of structures of the coupling facilities. Duplexing is performed on a structure basis, and thus, a coupling facility may include duplexed structures, as well as non-duplexed or simplexed structures. |
| US09253043B2 |
Methods and apparatus to convert router configuration data
Methods and apparatus to convert configuration data associated with a first router are disclosed. Example methods include receiving via a graphical user interface a user selection of a first port associated with the first router and a second port associated with a second router and detecting data flow on a subinterface associated with the first port. The method also includes converting the configuration data from a first format to a second format based on the detected data flow, the configuration data being associated with the subinterface. In some examples, the method further includes preventing conversion of the configuration data associated with the subinterface if data flow is not detected. |
| US09253039B2 |
Device management system and device management apparatus
A device management system includes an accommodation apparatus, a network device, and a device management apparatus. The accommodation apparatus includes a plurality of storage spaces. Each of the plurality of storage spaces is capable of storing an electronic device. The network device is connected to an electronic device accommodated in the accommodation apparatus. The device management apparatus includes a processor. The processor obtains connection information when a first electronic device is newly placed in the accommodation apparatus. The connection information indicates an expected connection point in the network device. The first electronic device is to be connected to the network device at the expected connection point with a cable. The processor identifies an actual connection point at which the network device has been connected to the first electronic device with the cable. The processor determines, based on the connection information, whether the actual connection point is appropriate. |
| US09253023B2 |
Network management system with a switchable flood revention mode pregarding fault events for a managed device
A network management system comprises a server connected to a plurality of probes, each probe connected to one or more managed devices. A method of operating the system comprises the steps of receiving fault events for the managed devices at the probes, detecting that the rate of received fault events has reached or is approaching an overload level for the server, identifying a managed device contributing to the reached or approached overload level, switching the probe for the identified managed device to a flood prevention mode, and operating the switched probe in the flood prevention mode thereby combining multiple fault events for the identified managed device into a single fault event for transmission to the server. |
| US09253021B2 |
Hierarchical schema to provide an aggregated view of device capabilities in a network
In one embodiment, an aggregation device within a computer network domain receives one or more capability messages from one or more devices in the computer network domain. The aggregation device may then aggregate device capabilities from the capability messages, and provides the aggregated device capabilities to a management device located outside of the computer network domain. |
| US09253018B2 |
Sharing an application configuration among social networks
A machine may generate and store a correlation among multiple identifiers of the user that enable access to an application through multiple systems. For example, the user may have a first identifier for using a first social network system, and a second identifier for using a second social network system, and the machine may generate and store a correlation between the first identifier and the second identifier. The machine may identify the user based on the first identifier and access a database that stores the correlation. The machine may then access a configuration of the application based on the correlation and configure the application in accordance with the configuration. The machine may generate a visual representation of the configured application, provide the visual representation to a device of a further user, receive an indication of an opinion of the further user on the visual representation, and present the indication. |
| US09253006B2 |
Apparatus for transmitting broadcast signals, apparatus for receiving broadcast signals, method for transmitting broadcast signals and method for receiving broadcast signals
A method and an apparatus for transmitting broadcast signals thereof are disclosed. The apparatus for transmitting broadcast signals comprises an encoder for encoding service data, a mapper for mapping the encoded service data into a plurality of OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex) symbols to build at least one signal frame, a frequency interleaver for frequency interleaving data in the at least one signal frame by using a different interleaving-seed which is used for every OFDM symbol pair comprised of two sequential OFDM symbols, a modulator for modulating the frequency interleaved data by an OFDM scheme and a transmitter for transmitting the broadcast signals having the modulated data. |
| US09253005B2 |
Signaling of sequence generator initialization parameters for uplink reference signal generation
A base station initializes pseudo-random sequence generators on which wireless devices base generation of uplink reference signals. The base station determines a first sequence from a first subset of possible initialization sequences for a sequence generator of a first device, and determines a second sequence from a second subset of possible initialization sequences for a sequence generator of a second device. The range of this second subset spans at least the range of the first subset. The base station further encodes the first sequence as a first set of two or more parameters, and encodes the second sequence as a second set of one or more parameters. This second set includes at least one parameter not included in the first set, and comprises fewer bits than the first set. The base station initializes the sequence generators by transmitting the first and second sets of parameters to the devices. |
| US09253004B2 |
Apparatus and method for signal phase control in an integrated radio circuit
An apparatus and method to control signal phase in a radio device includes an analog phase rotator that accepts differential in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) inputs, connected in two differential pairs. The analog phase rotator is driven by a local oscillator and is configured to control a phase of the local oscillator's output. A phase error determination module is configured to determine phase error information based on received I and Q (IQ) signal values. A phase correction module is configured to derive from the received IQ signal values a correction signal and apply the correction signal to the phase rotator in a path of the local oscillator. |
| US09253002B2 |
Non-contact power supply transmitter system and receiving device
A non-contact power supply transmitter system 100 transmitting an electric power from a transmitting device (TX) 200 to a receiving device (RX) 300 with a non-contact power supply transmitter method, the TX 200 including: a transmitting coil 202; a driver 204 causing the transmitting coil to generate a power signal of the electromagnetic field; and an FSK modulation unit 240 transmitting an FSK signal Sf through the transmitting coil, the RX 300 including: a receiving coil 302; a rectifier circuit 320 rectifying an electric current induced by the receiving coil; an FSK demodulation unit 340 demodulating the FSK signal received through the receiving coil; and a controller 312 controlling so that a rectifying mode of the rectifier circuit is switched to a diode rectifying mode during the FSK communication. The non-contact power supply transmitter system 100 and the RX 300 can execute a stable FSK communication. |
| US09253000B2 |
Digital broadcasting system and method for transmitting and receiving digital broadcast signal
A digital broadcasting system and a method for transmitting and receiving digital broadcast signal are disclosed. The method of processing a digital broadcast signal comprises encoding signaling information for mobile data, forming data groups including mobile data, a plurality of long known data sequences, a plurality of segmented known data sequences and the encoded signaling information, interleaving data in the data groups, transmitting the digital broadcast signal including the data groups having the interleaved data, and wherein the signaling information includes concatenation information indicating whether the segmented known data sequences are concatenated between the data groups included in the digital broadcast signal. |
| US09252994B2 |
Network apparatus and network signal processing method
A network apparatus, for processing a network signal and outputting an output signal, includes an asynchronous signal processing module, a sampling rate converter and a synchronous signal processing module. The asynchronous signal processing module operates in an asynchronous domain, and is utilized for receiving and processing the network signal to generate a first processed signal. The sampling rate converter is coupled to the asynchronous signal processing module, and is utilized for performing sampling rate conversion on the first processed signal to generate the output signal. A first operating frequency of the asynchronous signal processing module is different from a second operating frequency of the synchronous signal processing module. |
| US09252992B2 |
Method, apparatus and system for multi-antenna transmission
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, an apparatus and a system for multi-antenna transmission, wherein a third precoding matrix determined by a sending end device is a function of a first precoding matrix and a second precoding matrix. That the first precoding matrix has a block diagonal structure and that sub-matrices corresponding to two blocks are Hermitian matrices enable the above-mentioned third precoding matrix to match with a transmit spatial autocorrelation matrix of a cross-polarized antenna or a distributed antenna, thereby enhancing precoding performance and improving system throughput effectively. |
| US09252984B2 |
Bus communication transceiver
A semiconductor device including a bus communication transceiver configured to be adopted in an automobile, including a transmission circuit to receive an input signal from an input node and generate a transmission signal; a bus connection node to couple with an external single wire bus to transmit the transmission signal to the external single wire bus and to receive a reception signal from the external single wire bus, the external single wire bus being coupled with an on-board battery of the automobile; a reception circuit to receive the reception signal or the transmission signal from the single wire bus to generate an output signal; and a delay time measurement circuit to measure a delay time from a rising time of the input signal to a rising time of the output signal generated from the input signal, and to generate a delay time measurement result signal group. |
| US09252971B2 |
System and method for provisioning connections as a distributed digital cross-connect over a packet network
A method includes receiving a request to provision a path associated with at least a portion of a packet network and determining whether a router is associated with the path in the packet network. The method also includes provisioning a first connection between a first gateway and a second gateway when the router is not associated with the path. The method further includes provisioning a second connection between the first gateway and the router and a third connection between the router and the second gateway when the router is associated with the path. In addition, the method includes at least one of associating and disassociating a first endpoint of the first gateway and a second endpoint of the second gateway with one or more of the connections. |
| US09252962B1 |
Electronic idea notebook
A computer-implemented method includes receiving, from a device associated with a user of a hosted computer system, entries in a template of an electronic invention disclosure form; linking the invention disclosure form to at least one portion of an inventor's notebook containing disclosure of an invention addressed by the invention disclosure form; providing invitations to a collaboration space for the invention, whereby acceptance of the invitation provides access to at least a portion of the invention disclosure form; and providing secure access to invitees into the collaboration space, wherein the invitees are determined to have been invited to the particular collaboration space. |
| US09252961B2 |
Identify experts and influencers in a social network
On embodiment accesses a set of information comprising one or more elements of information relating to a subject matter, wherein the one or more elements of information have been shared among one or more users of a social-networking system; for each element of information, determines a rate of sharing of the element of information among the one or more users and identifies one or more first users who cause the rate of sharing of the element of information to increase; and identifies one or more influencers associated with the subject matter from the one or more first users identified for each element of information. |
| US09252957B2 |
Method for preventing laundering and repackaging of multimedia content in content distribution systems
A method for distributing content in a content distribution system is disclosed which comprises the steps of: encrypting at a Content Packager a content using a content encryption key to generate an encrypted content; sending the content encryption key to a Licensing Authority; receiving from the Licensing Authority a distribution key containing an encryption of the content decryption key (Kc) for a given set of authorized devices; creating a secure link between the content encryption key (Kc) and the content protected by this content encryption key using a signature of the content; and distributing the encrypted content together with the signature of the content. A method for receiving content distributed according to the above-mentioned method in a device able to play back the content is also disclosed where the content signature is checked before any play back of the content. |
| US09252945B2 |
Method for recognizing a manipulation of a sensor and/or sensor data of the sensor
A method for data transmission between a sensor and an electronic control and/or regulating unit (ECU), the transmitted sensor data (x1, . . . , xt) and the sensor being secured against a manipulation. The system provides a particularly simple, but very secure method for manipulation protection, the sensor data (x1, . . . , xt) being transmitted via a first logical data transmission channel at a first data transmission rate, and security data (MAC; CMAC) for securing the transmitted sensor data and/or the sensor being transmitted via a second logical data transmission channel at a second data transmission rate from the sensor to the ECU. At least once at the beginning of a data transmission session, a session key is transmitted from the ECU to the sensor via a third logical data transmission channel and received by the latter, the session key being used at least for the ongoing session to generate the security data. |
| US09252932B2 |
Method, device, and system for reporting channel quality indicator
Disclosed are a method, device, and system for reporting a channel quality indicator (CQI), applicable in solving the problem in coordinated multipoint transmission technology of the incapability of a network side to execute accurately resource distribution and scheduling due to the incapability of the network side to have accurate knowledge of the interference that a terminal is being subjected to. The method is: on the basis of measurement reference signals transmitted by each device in a measurement collection, the terminal feeding back to a network side device an initial CQI of each device in the measurement collection; on the basis of the initial CQI of each device fed back by the terminal, and of channel matrix reference information fed back by the terminal, the network side device calculating a target CQI of the terminal. This allows the network side to learn accurately the interference that the terminal is being subjected to, thus allowing for accurate execution of terminal scheduling, resource distribution, and MCS selection, for effectively improved system throughput in coordinated multipoint transmission, and for improved system performance. |
| US09252922B2 |
System and method for improved error response in data mirroring
Systems and methods are provided to improve performance in backup data storage systems by improving response to errors. The system and method provide for transferring data from a primary storage controller to a secondary storage controller, where the secondary storage controller is linked to the primary storage controller by a plurality of links. The system and method includes transmitting a first transaction from the primary storage controller to the secondary storage controller using a first of a plurality of links. Then, in response to the first transaction crossing a first timeout boundary without completing, the system and method includes transmitting a second transaction from the primary storage controller to the secondary storage controller using a second of the plurality of links, the second of the plurality of links preferentially selected to be on a different network failure boundary from the first of the plurality of links. |
| US09252918B2 |
Method and apparatus for control channel transmission and reception
A communication system is provided wherein a user equipment (UE) receives control information from a wireless network. The UE monitors control channel candidates using common reference signals (CRS) and monitors enhanced control channel candidates using demodulation reference signals (DMRS) when the UE is configured in a first transmission mode, such as transmission mode 9, for receiving a downlink shared traffic channel based on DMRS. The UE monitors control channel candidates only using CRS when the UE is configured in a second transmission mode, such as any of transmission modes 1-6, for receiving a downlink shared traffic channel based on CRS. The UE then receives downlink control information (DCI) in a subframe in one of the monitored control channel candidates or enhanced control channel candidates in the subframe. |
| US09252916B2 |
Mobile video delivery
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for mobile video delivery. A method includes, in a mobile network comprising at least a core element and one or more evolved Node Bs (eNBs), receiving a request to initiate a progressive download of a video object, splitting the requested video object into self-contained independent video segments, transrating each of the self-contained independent video segments for different rates, and delivering a segment from a rate bucket that matches a current network condition determined by bandwidth estimation. |
| US09252913B2 |
Systems and methods for optical dark section conditioning
Embodiments of the disclosure are directed to optical dark section conditioning. An embodiment generates at least one of a broadband noise or signal at the head end of a section for a first module of the section; and operates all other modules of the section in gain control mode. |
| US09252910B2 |
Expandable multicast optical switch
A scalable multicast M×N optical switch (MCS) includes a non-scalable MCS having a plurality of (L+1)×1 selector switches east coupled at one of its L entrance ports to egress ports of the non-scalable MCS, the remaining L−1 entrance ports being coupled to an L*N upgrade ports, where M and N are integers ≧2, and L is an integer ≧1. This allows the scalable MCS to be cascaded in a daisy-chain fashion, providing scalability from the M common ports to L*M common ports. In another embodiment, the selector switches are integrated into the MCS, providing scalability of common MCS ports. |
| US09252909B2 |
Single-rotator latent space switch with an embedded controller
A single rotator successively connects a set of access ports to a set of memory devices and a multi-port controller and connects the set of memory devices and the multi-port controller to the set of access ports. The rotator has a set of inlets and a set of outlets and cyclically connects each inlet to each outlet during a rotation cycle. A set of inlet selectors connecting to the inlets of the rotator and a set of outlet selectors connecting to the outlets of the rotator are coordinated to concurrently connect the access ports to the memory devices and to the master controller through the rotator, and concurrently connect the memory devices and the master controller to the access ports. Each memory device connects to an inlet selector and a corresponding transposed outlet selector. |
| US09252905B2 |
Antenna resource management for multi-antenna structure
A radio network node antenna management system dynamically manages a multi-antenna structure (200). The multi-antenna structure (200) includes a set of n antennas with beamforming capability. The antenna management system monitors a condition in a radio network cell served by the radio network node. If the monitored condition is less than or equal to a predetermined criteria, a beamforming operation is disabled and a subset, less than n, of the set of n antennas is managed according to a predetermined antenna hopping pattern. |
| US09252887B2 |
Optical receiver, station-side optical network unit, and light reception level monitoring method
An optical receiver includes a light receiving element configured to convert an input light signal into an electric current, a current mirror circuit including a reference current side transistor and a mirror current side transistor, the transistor being connected to the light receiving element, a current-voltage conversion circuit configured to convert an output current from the transistor into a voltage and output the voltage as a light reception level monitor voltage of the light receiving element, and a current sink circuit connected to the transistor and configured to feed an electric current to the transistor. |
| US09252881B2 |
Amplitude noise squeezing on multi-amplitude modulated signals
A method for regenerating optical signals includes determining an input including a source amplitude-modulated optical signal, regenerating the source amplitude-modulated optical signal by using successive saturation modes of amplification, and producing an output optical signal from the regeneration. The source amplitude-modulated optical signal includes input power modulation levels that each indicate information carried on the source amplitude-modulated optical signal. The output optical signal includes output power modulation levels that include information equivalent to information of the input power modulation levels. |
| US09252876B2 |
Hybrid communication apparatus for high-rate data transmission between moving and/or stationary platforms
The invention relates to a hybrid communication apparatus for high-rate data transmission between moving and/or stationary platforms, comprising at least one transmission and reception device, wherein the transmission engineering used is radio-frequency engineering. The invention provides for light waves to be used for the data transmission either as an alternative or in addition. The transmission and reception devices (2) comprise a radio-frequency transmitter/receiver (9) and a multiplicity of optical transmitters/receivers (10) which are arranged in annular fashion around the radio-frequency transmitter/receiver (9). |
| US09252875B2 |
Apparatus and method for aligning visible light communication devices in visible light communication system
A method for aligning among visible light communication devices comprises the following steps: generating a visible light signal and transmitting same to a corresponding device; determining whether the visible light signal that is output via the screen of the device is identifiable; correcting the color of the visible light signal that is output on the screen if the visible light signal is not identifiable; and using the visible light signal that is corrected to perform alignment for visible light communicating with the corresponding device. |
| US09252871B2 |
AIS-Schiffstransceiver
The invention relates to an AIS ship transceiver which, after reception of an AIS base station message, validates the transmitting AIS base station and activates or deactivates the emitting of AIS radio signals in dependence on the validation. |
| US09252866B2 |
Relay node aggregation of data transfers in a wireless telecommunication system
A relay node for aggregating data transfers in a wireless telecommunications network includes a receiver configured to receive uplink signals from multiple terminals, each uplink signal including respective uplink data, a decoder operatively connected to the receiver and configured to decode the uplink signals to obtain the uplink data, a machine-readable storage medium operatively connected to the decoder and configured to store the uplink data, an encoder operatively connected to the machine-readable medium and configured to encode an aggregate uplink signal including the uplink data obtained from the uplink signals, and a transmitter configured to transmit an uplink transmission of the aggregate uplink signal to the base station. |
| US09252857B2 |
Embedded control signaling for wireless systems
Enhancement of wireless Channel Order and rank (ECHO) systems and ECHO repeater devices for enhancement of a wireless propagation channel for point to point or point to multipoint radio configurations are disclosed. The enhancement may be used for MIMO communications channels. Aspects support a richer multipath environment to increase the rank of the channel propagation matrix and/or to increase the magnitude of the coefficients of the propagation matrix between two or more radios. Such enhancement is applicable to backhaul radios in terms of increased range or in the number of supportable information streams. The installation provisioning optimization control monitoring and adaptation of such devices within a network of backhaul radios is also disclosed. Wireless links and control between IBR and ECHO devices and between ECHO devices and other ECHO devices are also disclosed. |
| US09252856B2 |
Method and apparatus for rank override
Methods and apparatuses for use in a MIMO transmission is provided. The method comprises: receiving a rank reported by a user equipment; determining a rank at least partly based on a transmission block size, TBS, index generated from link adaptation decision; and overriding the reported rank with the determined rank. By utilizing downlink link adaption decision, such as TBSidx and rank to quantify PDSCH radio channel quality, improper RI value can be combated, so that transmission of multiple layers only occurs at high SINR region and single layer transmission happens at low SINR region. |
| US09252852B2 |
Method for transmitting feedback by using codebook in wireless communication system and apparatus for same
The present invention relates to a method for a transmission end transmitting a feedback by using a codebook in a wireless communication system, which supports a multiple antennas, comprising the steps of: determining a first codeword for a first horizontal antenna group from a first codebook, which comprises at least one precoding matrix and is selected for a plurality of horizontal antenna groups from a predetermined codebook; determining a second codeword for a second horizontal antenna group; determining a third codeword for each of the antenna groups other than the first and second horizontal antenna groups, from the plurality of horizontal antenna groups; and providing a feedback of at least one of first, second and third codewords to a receiving end, wherein the third codeword is determined according to a phase increase value, which is determined in accordance with the first and second codewords. |
| US09252850B2 |
Context aware multiple-input and multiple-output antenna systems and methods
A method, a system, and a server provide context aware multiple-input-multiple-output MIMO antenna systems and methods. Specifically, the systems and methods provide, in a multiple MIMO antenna or node system, techniques of antenna/beam selection, calibration, and periodic refresh, based on environmental and mission context. The systems and methods can define a context vector as built by cooperative use of the nodes on the backhaul to direct antennas for the best user experience as well as mechanisms using the context vector in a 3D employment to point the antennas in a cooperative basis therebetween. The systems and methods utilize sensors in the nodes to provide tailored context sensing versus motion sensing, in conjunction with BER (Bit Error Rate) measurements on test signals to position an antenna beam from a selection of several “independent” antenna subsystems operating within a single node, as well as, that of its optically connected neighbor. |
| US09252847B2 |
Communication apparatus, method and storage medium for short range communication
A communication apparatus (image forming apparatus) according to an aspect of the present invention is capable of communication with an external apparatus via short-range wireless communication (NFC) and while in a powered-on state (first state), registers a piece of data being held by the communication apparatus as NFC transmission data that is to be transmitted by the communication apparatus in a powered-off state (second state). Furthermore, when shifting from the powered-on state to the powered-off state, the communication apparatus sets the registered NFC transmission data in an NFC controller as data that is to be transmitted to an external apparatus such as a mobile terminal via NFC communication. |
| US09252842B2 |
Power over coaxial cable
An image communication system includes a coaxial cable having first and second ends. A monitor station is coupled to the first end and a camera is coupled to the second end. The monitor station provides power to the camera through the cable, while the cable is also used to carry communication signals transmitted by the camera to the monitor station. The image communication system includes a first active inductor coupled to the first end and a second active inductor coupled to the second end. A current-compensation circuit may also be provided. |
| US09252827B2 |
Signal splitting carrier aggregation receiver architecture
A wireless communication device configured for receiving a multiple carrier signal is described. The wireless communication device includes a primary signal splitting carrier aggregation architecture. The primary signal splitting carrier aggregation architecture includes a primary antenna and a transceiver chip. The primary signal splitting carrier aggregation architecture reuses a first diversity/simultaneous hybrid dual receiver path. The wireless communication device also includes a secondary signal splitting carrier aggregation architecture. The secondary signal splitting carrier aggregation architecture includes a secondary antenna and a receiver chip. The secondary signal splitting carrier aggregation architecture reuses a second diversity/simultaneous hybrid dual receiver path. |
| US09252804B2 |
Re-aligning a compressed data array
Some embodiments include an apparatus and a computer program product configured to re-align two-dimensional compressed data sets while preserving compression of the data. A set of one or more shifts and a corresponding set of one or more first dimension indices into a two-dimensional compressed data set for re-aligning the two-dimensional compressed data set are determined. Impact of re-aligning upon each vector in the second dimension of the two-dimensional compressed data set is determined while the two-dimensional compressed data set remains compressed. New compressed vectors are created in the second dimension resulting from re-aligning. Compression information is modified for each of the original vectors of the two-dimensional compressed data set that remain after re-aligning based, at least in part, on the new compressed vectors. A re-aligned version of the two-dimensional compressed data set is created with the new compressed vectors, and the remaining original vectors with their modified compression information. |
| US09252801B2 |
Sigma-delta converter system and method
A sigma-delta converter may include a filter coupled to a first summation circuit and a second summation circuit. A multi bit quantizer may be coupled to the second summation circuit. A single bit digital-to-analog converter (DAC) may be included that defines a feedback path between the multi-bit quantizer and the first summation circuit. A feed-forward coefficient circuit defining a feed forward path between the first summation circuit and the second summation circuit may be included. |
| US09252800B1 |
Enhanced resolution successive-approximation register analog-to-digital converter and method
An enhanced resolution successive-approximation register (SAR) analog-to-digital converter (ADC) is provided that includes a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), a comparator and enhanced resolution SAR control logic. The DAC includes analog circuitry that is configured to convert an M-bit digital input to an analog output. The comparator includes a plurality of coupling capacitors. The enhanced resolution SAR control logic is configured to generate an M-bit approximation of an input voltage and to store a residue voltage in at least one of the coupling capacitors. The residue voltage represents a difference between the input voltage and the M-bit approximation of the input voltage. The enhanced resolution SAR control logic is further configured to generate an N-bit approximation of the input voltage based on the stored residue voltage, where N>M. |
| US09252798B2 |
Method and system for broadband analog to digital converter technology
Methods and systems are provided for generating correction estimates. Training signals may be injected into one or more particular spectral regions, and one or more correction estimation parameters may be determined based on the injecting of the training signals, where the one or more correction estimation parameters reduce distortion in at least the one or more particular spectral regions. The particular spectral regions may comprise originally-unoccupied spectral regions. The one or more correction estimation parameters may be applied during correcting of digital signals generated based on processing of received analog signals. The training signals may be generated, such as based on one or more pre-defined characteristics. The one or more correction estimation parameters may then be determined based on the one or more pre-defined characteristics of the training signals and/or changes thereto. |
| US09252783B2 |
Oscillator, electronic device and moving object
An oscillator includes an oscillation element; an oscillation circuit which causes the oscillation element to oscillate; a heat generation element which heats the oscillation element; a temperature control circuit which controls the heat generation element; and a temperature correction circuit which corrects frequency-temperature characteristics of an output signal of the oscillation circuit. |
| US09252780B2 |
TCXO replacement for GPS
To determine the level of frequency drift of a crystal oscillator as a result of a change in the its temperature, the temperature of the crystal oscillator is sensed and used together with previously stored data that includes a multitude of drift values of the frequency of the crystal oscillator each associated with a temperature of the crystal oscillator. Optionally, upon initialization of a GPS receiver in which the crystal oscillator is disposed, an initial temperature of the crystal oscillator is measured and a PLL is set to an initial frequency in association with the initial temperature. When acquisition fails in a region, the ppm region is changed. The temperature of the crystal oscillator is periodically measured and compared with the initial temperature, and the acquisition process is reset if there is a significant change in temperature. The GPS processor enters the tracking phase when acquisition is successful. |
| US09252779B2 |
Semiconductor device and metering apparatus
A semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes: an oscillator; a semiconductor chip that includes an oscillation circuit connected to the oscillator, a timer circuit that generates a timing signal of a frequency according to a oscillation frequency of the oscillation circuit, and a frequency correction section that corrects a frequency of the timing signal based on temperature data; and a discrete device that includes at least one of a temperature sensing device that detects a peripheral temperature, that supplies the detected temperature as temperature data to the frequency correction section, and that is provided as a separate body to the semiconductor chip, or a capacitor that is electrically connected to both the oscillator and the oscillation circuit and that is provided as a separate body to the semiconductor chip, wherein the oscillator, the semiconductor chip and the discrete device are contained within a single package. |
| US09252768B2 |
Position-sensing panel
A touch position sensing panel including first and second electrode layers shaped with repeating patterns. Each electrode pattern is interpolated with adjacent electrode patterns. |
| US09252762B2 |
Pulse generation device and pulse generation method
A pulse generation circuit (12) includes a PWM waveform outputting part (20) which outputs a PWM waveform having a duty ratio in which one linear PWM pulse is defined with a first number of bits, an input connector (22) which receives as an input a control signal indicating a duty ratio defined with a second number of bits larger than the first number of bits, and a setting part (24) which sets a PWM waveform to be output from the PWM waveform outputting part (20) based on the control signal input to the input connector (22) with one cycle being made up of a set comprised of a plurality of consecutive linear PWM pulses according to the second number of bits. |
| US09252759B1 |
Linear progression delay register
An adjustable delay line includes a series of delay elements for adjusting the accumulative delay. Each element has a plurality of registers indicating to various devices within the delay element to be ‘on’ or ‘off’, thereby changing the time delay through the element. A master control indicates to the delay line whether to go faster (increment) or go slower (decrement). When one of these control signals is applied to the delay line, it is applied to half the elements, either the odd or the even numbered elements. Only one element will have its state changed by the increment or decrement control signal, and it will be the element for which the previous delay's corresponding element is already set or un-set depending upon the applicable case. |