Document Document Title
US09713683B2 Grid element for an inhaler
The invention relates to a grid element for an inhaler which can be arranged in an air duct between a mouthpiece and a capsule chamber of the inhaler, it being possible for turbulence to be generated by means of the grid element in an airflow passing through the air duct. The grid element is characterized in that it comprises a preferably planar grid-type portion having a grid front side which points towards the capsule chamber and a grid rear side, at least one protruding element being arranged on the grid front side, by means of which a capsule that can be arranged in the capsule chamber can be loosely supported.
US09713682B2 Device for dosing and dry nebulization
The invention relates to a device 1 for dosing and dry nebulization of nebulizable material 12 chosen from the group comprising anti-infective agents and immunomodulators, comprising a nebulization channel 3, which has a first attachment piece and a second attachment piece, and a source of compressed carrier gas connected to the first attachment piece via a valve 16 for the purpose of sending a carrier gas pressure pulse into the nebulization channel. The device is characterized in that between the first attachment piece and second attachment piece, and above the nebulization channel, a reservoir 10 open only towards the nebulization channel, which contains the nebulizable material 12, is connected to the nebulization channel such that it is gas-tight with respect to the environment, and that, when the valve is closed, a pressure compensation takes place in the nebulization channel and in the reservoir. The invention also relates to a method for dosing and dry nebulization of such a nebulizable material by means of such a device.
US09713662B2 Smart tip LVAD inlet cannula
Embodiments of the invention provide a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) cannula that includes multiple independent sensors may help decrease the incidence of ventricular collapse and provide automatic speed control. A cannula may include two or more independent sensors. One sensor may measure ventricular pressure, while another may measure ventricular volume and/or ventricular wall location. With this information an automatic control system may be configured to adjust pump speed to minimize the likelihood of ventricular collapse and maximize LVAD flow in response to physiologic demand. Typically the volume sensors are conductance sensors. Further embodiments provide LVADs that are powered by RF energy.
US09713653B2 Polymer fibre
The present invention provides a polymer fiber comprising a thermoplastic polymer comprising the following building blocks A and B: —O—(CH2—CH2—O)n— (A) —O—[CH2]y—O— (B), wherein n is an integer of 10-400, and y is an integer in the range of 2 to 16, wherein A is present in an amount of 15-30 mole %, B is present in an amount of 20-40 mole % and wherein building blocks A and B are linked by the following linking group C: —[(C═O)—NH—CH2—CH2—CH2—CH2—CH2—CH2—NH—(C═O)]— (C) wherein C is present in an amount of 45-55 mole %. The present invention further relates to a method for preparing a polymer fiber, absorbent articles comprising a polymer fiber and the use of a fiber in a product for treating wounds and/or burns.
US09713650B2 Magnetic graphene-like nanoparticles or graphitic nano- or microparticles and method of production and uses thereof
A magnetic graphene-like nanoparticle or graphitic nano- or microparticle exhibits a high relaxivity, and is useful as a MRI contrast agent. A composition for use with MRI imaging, comprising a sufficient amount of the magnetic graphene-like nanoparticles or graphitic nano- or microparticles and one or more physiologically acceptable carriers or excipients. Methods of using the magnetic graphene-like nanoparticles or graphitic nano- or microparticles as MRI contrast agents. Methods of producing the magnetic graphene-like nanoparticle or graphitic nano- or microparticle.
US09713637B2 Bacillus anthracis HtrA-defective-derived vaccines
The invention provides an isolated Bacillus cereus sensu lato strain, selected from Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus cereus and Bacillus thuringiensis, in which the htrA gene or any part thereof is silenced, and vaccines comprising the same.
US09713634B2 Process for concentration of a polypeptide
The present invention comprises a method of concentrating a composition comprising a polypeptide of interest and the use of such concentrated composition for the treatment of diseases in mammals, in particular by subcutaneous injection.
US09713633B1 Suppression of bone loss by introducing FoxP3+ CD8 T-cells (TcREG)
Systems and methods for inhibiting bone loss using FoxP3+ CD8 T-cells (TcREG). Osteoclasts are induced to produce FoxP3+ CD8 T-cells (TcREG) through introduction of a low-dose of a RANK agonist such as RANKL. The RANKL was found to best work when provided in accordance with a schedule resulting in a pulsed administration.
US09713626B2 CFTR mRNA compositions and related methods and uses
Pharmaceutical compositions comprising an mRNA-loaded nanoparticle, wherein the mRNA is an in vitro transcribed mRNA and has a coding sequence at least 80% identical to SEQ ID NO: 3, and wherein the mRNA encodes a human cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 are provided. The present invention is particularly useful for treating cystic fibrosis.
US09713623B2 Triazine cationic polymers and methods of use thereof
The present invention provides compounds of Formula I or Formula II: wherein: T, V, W, Y and Z are each independently selected from the group of substituents described herein, and X is a linker as further described herein. The present invention further provides compositions and conjugates including the compounds as well as methods of using these compounds including, but not limited to, methods of preventing, treating and/or diagnosing genetic disorders, such as muscular dystrophy, or non-genetic disorders as described herein.
US09713613B2 Methods and compositions for the treatment of cancer and related hyperproliferative disorders
The present invention relates to methods of treating a disease related to cell hyper-proliferation via administration of a therapeutically effective amount of a compound having a general tripartite structure A-B-C. In the tripartite structure A, B, and C are identical or non-identical structures, for example, but not limited to, heterocyclic, phenyl or benzyl ring structures with or without substitutions and are described in detail herein. The methods may utilize particular compounds, for example, having a piperidinyl, a pyrrolinyl or pyridinyl A ring, a thiazole B ring, and a phenyl C ring which may be further substituted independently.
US09713606B2 Methods for treating pulmonary emphysema using substituted 2-Aza-bicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-3-carboxylic acid (benzyl-cyano-methyl)-amides inhibitors of cathepsin C
This invention relates to 2-Aza-bicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-3-carboxylic acid (benzyl-cyano-methyl)-amides of formula 1 and their use as inhibitors of Cathepsin C, pharmaceutical compositions containing the same, and methods of using the same as agents for treatment and/or prevention of diseases connected with dipeptidyl peptidase I activity, e.g. respiratory diseases.
US09713584B2 Internal olefin sulfonate composition and cleansing composition containing same
Provided is an internal olefin sulfonate composition which is capable of exerting good foamability together with good volume of foam, foaming speed, foam dissipation property, foam quality, foam durability in the presence of sebum, and volume of foam in the presence of sebum at high levels, and a cleansing composition containing the same. The internal olefin sulfonate composition of the present invention comprises (A) an internal olefin sulfonate having 16 carbon atoms and (B) an internal olefin sulfonate having 18 carbon atoms, wherein a mass content ratio (A/B) of component (A) to component (B) is from 75/25 to 90/10, and wherein a mass ratio (hydroxy form/olefin form) of a content of a hydroxy form in the internal olefin sulfonate of the component (A) and the component (B) to a content of an olefin form in the internal olefin sulfonate of the component (A) and the component (B) is from 75/25 to 100/0.
US09713575B2 Tablet production module and method for continuous production of tablets
The contained module (1) comprises inlets for an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and for an excipient. The inlets are in fluid communication with at least one mixing unit (41,46), and the outlet of the tablet press (6) is in fluid communication with the releasable outlet port for tablets. The material stream comprising the API and the excipient is mixed in the mixing units. During operation parameters of the contents of the material stream are measured with one or more analytical sensors upstream of the tablet press. The speed of the tablet press is controlled in response to the parameters measured upstream of the tablet press. The finished tablets are discharged at an outlet of the tablet press (6).
US09713557B2 Absorbent article with high absorbent material content
An absorbent article having an absorbent core comprising a core wrap (16, 16′) enclosing an absorbent material (60), which comprises at least 80% of superabsorbent polymers (“SAP”) by weight. The absorbent core further comprises at least one channel (26, 26′) and an acquisition-distribution system (ADS) between the topsheet and the absorbent core, the ADS comprising one, two or more layers wherein the ADS does not comprise a layer comprising at least 50% by weight of synthetic fibers and having a basis weight above 150 gsm.
US09713550B2 Reduced-pressure, composite manifolds
A reduced-pressure treatment system for treating a wound on a patient includes a composite manifold that may help prevent or minimize injury to a wound edge of the wound being treated with reduced pressure. The composite manifold includes a perimeter manifold member and an inboard manifold member. The perimeter manifold member is designed to not collapse substantially under reduced pressure in a therapy range. The perimeter manifold member may be more rigid with respect to compressibility than the inboard manifold member. A sealing member is used to form a fluid seal over the wound, and a reduced-pressure subsystem provides reduced pressure to the composite manifold. Other systems, methods, and dressings are presented.
US09713545B2 Adjustable lumbo-sacral orthosis
A lumbo-sacral orthosis having a main body member sized to wrap substantially around a body of a wearer at the wearer's lumbar and sacral region. An outer holds the main body member at the wearer's lumbar and sacral region. An inner belt is cinched to compresses the wearer's body at the waist groove. A lumbar panel with an independently movable flexible element may be supported by the main body member. Side panels may also be supported by the main body member along with an abdominal panel which may include an independently movable lower element.
US09713533B2 In-line pegged hybrid glenoid
A glenoid implant can include a body, a first fixation member, a second fixation member, and a third fixation member. The body can include an articular surface and a scapula-engaging surface opposite from the articular surface. The first, second and third fixation members can extend from the scapula-engaging surface. The third fixation member can include a porous titanium material and be disposed between the first and second fixation members, such that the first, second and third fixation members define a substantially linear configuration.
US09713527B2 Multilens intraocular lens system with injectable accommodation material
The invention relates to a multi-lens intraocular lens system having an accommodation material between the lenses. The system comprises an posterior lens attached to the posterior surface of the capsular bag and an anterior lens attached to the anterior surface of the capsular bag. The anterior and posterior lenses have different optical properties providing different degrees and types of correction. An accommodation material is place between the anterior and posterior lenses. The accommodation material may comprise of one or more macromers, which, when polymerized, adjust the properties of the accommodation material.
US09713511B2 Apparatus and method for endodontic treatment
An apparatus for endodontic treatment, comprising: a nozzle connected to a fluid source comprising: a tip small enough to be inserted into a pulp chamber of a tooth; an inner geometry which forms a flow parameters including non-axial flow direction of nozzle fluid flowing through the inner geometry such that discharge fluid discharged from the inner geometry increase rotation of root canal fluid within a root canal sufficiently to remove tissue from the root canal.
US09713508B2 Ultrasonic systems and methods for examining and treating spinal conditions
A method for correlating a 2D ultrasonagraphic image of a patient's spine with a relative location along the spine may include storing a generic 3D model of a spine in a database of an ultrasonagraphic system, recording a patient-specific spine contour line via an ultrasound probe, resizing the length of the generic 3D model according to the patient-specific contour line, distorting the shape of the generic 3D model according to the patient-specific spine contour line to create a patient-specific 3D model of the patient's spine, capturing a first ultrasound image of the patient's spine via the ultrasound probe and concurrently determining a 3D location of the ultrasound probe. The method may include correlating the 3D location of the ultrasound probe with a corresponding location on the patient-specific 3D model. A rendering of the patient-specific 3D model may be displayed, including an indication of the relative location of the ultrasound probe.
US09713500B2 Surgical robot control apparatus
Disclosed herein is a surgical robot control apparatus, in which a control stick member is connected to an upper surface of a base member, pivots and rotates around a connection portion, and is provided with a rotary button control member, a mode switching button member, and a control member which can be operated with the thumb. Thus, the surgical robot control apparatus can realize multiple functions. A surgeon can grasp the control stick member to easily control operation of a surgical robot and can perform other work using the other hand. Thereby, when performing surgery, the surgical robot control apparatus remarkably reduces the fatigue of the surgeon, thereby providing a surgical environment that is convenient and safe; and which provides maximized efficiency. Further, the surgical robot control apparatus can increase the safety of a patient using a safety device based on a buttons, software, and hardware while performing surgery.
US09713499B2 Active bed mount for surgical robot
A robotic surgical system incorporating a surgical robot attached to a patient's bone by an attachment member, such that motion of the bone induces corresponding motion of the robot, maintaining the robot/bone positional relationship. The robot is supported on a mechanical mounting member attached through a controlled joint to a bed-mounted base element. The controlled joint can alternatively enable the mechanical mounting member to move freely relative to the base element, or its position can be controlled by signal inputs adapted to prevent excessive force being applied in the system. Two modes of operation are available (i) free motion in which the control system is decoupled from the mounting member, which rides freely with patient bone motion, and (ii) servo-controlled motion, in which drive mechanisms control the joint motion to prevent application of excessive force on the patient bone or attachment member.
US09713496B2 Dual antenna assembly with user-controlled phase shifting
An electrosurgical ablation system includes an energy source adapted to supply energy to an energy delivery device. The energy delivery device includes a handle assembly configured to couple a pair of antennas extending from a distal end thereof to the energy source for application of energy to tissue. A power splitting device is operatively associated with the handle assembly and has an input adapted to connect to the energy source and a pair of output channels operably coupled to the respective pair of antennas. A phase shifter is operatively associated with the handle assembly and is operably coupled to the pair of output channels. The phase shifter is configured to selectively shift a phase relationship between the pair of output channels.
US09713493B2 Method of switching energy modality on a cordless RF device
The present disclosure is directed to an electrosurgical instrument having a housing that includes a generator configured to output electrosurgical energy and a controller configured to control the output of the generator. The instrument also includes a switch coupled to the controller and configured to provide a signal to the controller to select the energy modality of the electrosurgical energy. An indicator is also included to provide an indication of the selected energy modality.
US09713492B2 Switch assemblies for multi-function surgical instruments and surgical instruments incorporating the same
A surgical instrument includes an end effector assembly and a switch assembly. The end effector assembly includes a monopolar assembly and a bipolar assembly. The switch assembly includes first and second bipolar inputs, first and second bipolar outputs, a monopolar input, and a monopolar output. The switch assembly is transitionable between a first condition, wherein the first and second bipolar inputs are coupled to the first and second bipolar outputs, respectively, for supplying energy to the bipolar assembly, and a second condition, wherein the monopolar input and the monopolar output are coupled to one another for supplying energy to the monopolar assembly.
US09713490B2 Ablation system, methods, and controllers
In a multi-electrode ablation system, method, and controller, the controller is configured to measure a first current through a common return path when a first voltage is applied by a power supply to a first electrode of a plurality of electrodes, measure a second current through the common return path when a second voltage is applied by the power supply to a second electrode of the plurality of electrodes, measure a third current through the common return path when a third voltage is applied by the power supply concurrently to the first electrode and the second electrode, and determine a common path impedance based at least in part on the first voltage and the first current, the second voltage and the second current, and the third voltage and the third current.
US09713489B2 Electrosurgical methods and systems
Electrosurgical methods and systems. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods including maintaining plasma proximate to an active electrode in a first energy range, and a second energy range. During periods when plasma is proximate to the active electrode, the illustrative method may include controlling flow of fluid drawn into an aperture of an electrosurgical wand, and in some situations increasing fluid flow drawing into the aperture responsive to the active electrode being in operational relationship with tissue, and in other cases decreasing fluid flow drawing into the aperture responsive to the active electrode being in operational relationship with tissue. Further, during periods when plasma is proximate to the active electrode, the illustrative method may include providing output energy at a default energy setpoint, and then providing output energy at a second energy setpoint.
US09713486B2 Method and apparatus for spinal fixation
Disclosed is a fixation device for spinal fixation. The fixation device includes an elongated body comprising a bone anchor at a distal end. An axially moveable proximal anchor is carried by the proximal end of the fixation device. In one embodiment, the device is inserted through a first vertebra and the bone anchor is rotated into positioned within a second vertebra. The proximal anchor is distally advanced with respect to the bone anchor to provide compression across the first and second vertebra. In other embodiments, the device is used to secure stabilization devices across two or more vertebra.
US09713483B2 Catheters and related devices for forming passageways between blood vessels or other anatomical structures
The inventions described in this patent application include i) a torqueable introducer sheath which is useable in conjunction with a transvascular passageway forming catheter to effect precise rotational control of the catheter; ii) an anchorable guide catheter which is useable in conjunction with an intravascular imaging catheter and a transvascular passageway-forming catheter to effect precise positioning and aiming of the passageway-forming catheter; iii) a passageway forming catheter having a torqueable proximal portion to facilitate precise rotational positioning of the distal portion of the catheter; iv) a deflectable-tipped passageway forming catheter, v) various markers and other apparatus useable in conjunction with any of the passageway-forming catheters to facilitate precise positioning and aiming of the catheter, and vi) an apparatus which may be formed within a catheter to prevent a member, apparatus of flow of material from being inadvertently advanced through a lumen of the catheter.
US09713467B2 Compound barb medical device and method
A compound barb medical device is provided which includes an elongated body having at least one barb formed along the length of the body, the barb defining an inner surface with a first portion disposed at a first orientation relative to a longitudinal axis of the elongated body, and a second portion disposed at a second orientation relative to the longitudinal axis. Optionally, the barb defines a third portion disposed at a third orientation relative to the longitudinal axis. A method for forming a compound barb on a medical device is also provided.
US09713464B2 Anchor assembly including expandable anchor
An anchor assembly can include at least one anchor member, such as a pair of anchor members that are configured to be implanted in a target anatomical location in a first configuration, and can subsequently be actuated to an expanded configuration that secures the anchor members in the target anatomy. The anchor assembly can further include a connector member that attaches the pair of anchor members together across a gap so as to approximate the anatomical defect.
US09713459B2 Method and system for in vivo hydrogen peroxide detection with ultrasound
A method and system are provided for detection of localized hydrogen peroxide within tissue by introducing a catalase-containing material into at location of interest, positioning an ultrasound transducer over the location, and generating an ultrasound image to detect microbubbles, where the presence of microbubbles indicate the presence of localized hydrogen peroxide. The catalase-coated surface may be the inner surface of a microtube, on the surface of or incorporated within a nanosphere or microsphere, or an implantable device.
US09713458B2 Ultrasonic imaging system with body marker annotations
An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system is operated to acquire an ultrasound image of a region of the body containing suspect anatomy such as a suspected lesion. A body marker template (104, 106) of the region of the body is displayed on a touchscreen display of the imaging system. The operator records the location of the suspect anatomy by touching a corresponding point on the body marker template displayed on the touchscreen display. The mark (120a, 120b) on the template can be finely adjusted by one or more controls on the imaging system control panel. The body marker template can also record a graphic indicating (120c) the orientation of the ultrasound probe relative to the body when the suspect anatomy was imaged. A report generator produces a report containing both the ultrasound image of the suspect anatomy and the body marker template with the indicated location of the suspect anatomy.
US09713452B2 Generation of monochromatic images
Identification of an optimal monochromatic energy for displaying monochromatic images is disclosed. In certain embodiments, determination of an optimal monochromatic energy may be performed by generating histograms for various monochromatic images generated based on a set of acquired multi-energy projections and by evaluating the histogram dispersion for the respective histograms.
US09713444B2 Human-digital media interaction tracking
A system for human-digital media interaction tracking. One example system includes a database that stores information regarding a user's activity history for various different cognitive tasks, and a computing device that receives user behavior information indicating usage by a user of an interactive software program, the interactive software program associated with at least one of the cognitive tasks. The computing device, in response to the receipt of user behavior information indicating usage by the user of the interactive software program, updates the database information regarding the user's activity history for the at least one of the cognitive tasks.
US09713435B2 Cardiac mapping using non-gated MRI
A method includes accepting a plurality of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) data points of a cardiac chamber, acquired over multiple phases of at least one cardiac cycle. A simulated surface of the cardiac chamber is constructed by processing the MRI data points. Measurements of a parameter, acquired at respective points on a surface of the cardiac chamber, are accepted from an intra-cardiac probe. The measurements are overlaid on the simulated surface constructed from the MRI data points, so as to produce a map of the parameter on the surface.
US09713434B2 Microwave contactless heart rate sensor
A heart-rate sensor for detecting artery blood-flow volume per unit length change in a human or animal subject, which comprises an antenna for sensing the instantaneous volume of blood in the artery of the subject, to be measured; a RADAR unit for transmitting microwave signals into a subject's body part or limb representing tissue targets. The output of the RADAR unit includes a superposition of signals each of which corresponding to a different tissue target with amplitudes that relate to the target's reflection strength; a sampling circuitry for converting reflected signals to digital; a window function circuitry for suppressing unwanted spectral sidebands originating from the subsequent processor operating on time truncated data; an FFT processor following the window function circuitry, for splitting the superposition according to its relative frequency into a multiplicity of bins, each of which with an amplitude that represents the reflection magnitude of a target at a specific distance from the antenna; a signal processor for filtering out the effect of the sensor movement with respect to the subject body part, or the movement of the body part, and for generating a signal, the amplitude of which is proportional to the artery varying dilatation representing the heart-rate; a heart-rate estimator for measuring the frequency of the artery dilatation variations and for canceling the interference of the amplitude of any signal that does not originate from the artery; a battery for powering the sensor.
US09713428B2 Physiological parameter monitoring with a mobile communication device
Systems and methods that enable physiological monitoring with a mobile communication device and that allow detection of motion artifacts so that the results reported are of acceptable quality are disclosed.
US09713424B2 Volume analysis and display of information in optical coherence tomography angiography
Computer aided visualization and diagnosis by volume analysis of optical coherence tomography (OCT) angiographic data. In one embodiment, such analysis comprises acquiring an OCT dataset using a processor in conjunction with an imaging system; evaluating the dataset, with the processor, for flow information using amplitude or phase information; generating a matrix of voxel values, with the processor, representing flow occurring in vessels in the volume of tissue; performing volume rendering of these values, the volume rendering comprising deriving three dimensional position and vector information of the vessels with the processor; displaying the volume rendering information on a computer monitor; and assessing the vascularity, vascular density, and vascular flow parameters as derived from the volume rendered images.
US09713421B2 Wavefront interactive refraction display
Embodiments of this invention generally relate to systems and methods for wavefront interactive refraction display and more particularly to systems and methods for capturing and displaying eye wavefront interactive refraction data based on the desired refractive state of the patient's eye.
US09713413B2 Dishwasher for treating dishes
A dishwasher for treating dishes according to at least one cycle of operation including a tub at least partially defining a treating chamber for receiving the dishes, at least one sprayer, a liquid recirculation system, a liquid filtering system including a housing defining and a filter located within the interior and a heater configured to heat liquid that has passed through the inlet opening of the housing.
US09713404B2 Personal hygiene device
A personal hygiene device may be provided. An exemplary personal hygiene device may include an elongated member having a handle section, a spacing section, and an attachment section. The sections of the personal hygiene device may be integrally formed or may be rotatably connected. A variety of attachments may be affixed to the attachment section of the personal hygiene device.
US09713402B2 Container lid for vacuum sealing having locking parts and vacuum-sealed container employing same
Disclosed is a container lid for vacuum sealing which generates negative pressure in the internal space of a container, which is provided by covering the open upper part of a container main body, and seals same. An annular packing is mounted so as to go around the inner surface of a lid main body, and a check valve is mounted in the inner part of the outer surface of the lid main body. The check valve generates negative pressure in the internal space of the container by allowing air inside the container to flow to the outside but preventing outside air from flowing into the container when a pressure difference occurs between the inside and outside of the container. A plurality of self catching protrusions are provided respectively at a plurality of points on the edges of the lid main body, and a plurality of locking members are mounted respectively and pivotably in sections adjacent to the plurality of self catching protrusions. Each locking member comprises: self-locking protrusions which are press-fitted and coupled to the self catching protrusions in a closed state so that the locking members are not released; and main body-locking protrusions which prevent the container lid from being taken off from the container main body by being caught by the circumference of the opening part of the container main body or a main body catching protrusion, even if the container lid rises due to the expansion of the packing as a result of a decrease in the negative pressure generated inside the container.
US09713397B2 Modular display frames and system for magnetically coupled arrangements
A modular display frame and system for hanging a plurality of modular display frames is provided. In embodiments, a modular display frame may be magnetically coupled to other modular display frames as well as a hanging bar component to create a plurality of display iterations. Each modular display frame includes two portions, each portion partially housing at least one magnet within a corner-located pocket, in embodiments. The modular display frame further includes a rounded side for creating a range of display angles when magnetically coupled to another frame along the rounded side, as well as a flat side for facilitating upright displays and vertically stacking magnetically coupled display frames, in further embodiments. A hidden hanging feature with auto-centering ability enables the modular frame to be hung on a wall, for example.
US09713394B1 Modular retail product display unit with improved pusher
A retail product display unit in one aspect includes a pusher disposed on a pusher rail. The pusher has features to constrain movement of the pusher along a length of the pusher rail. The pusher rail extends from a forward end of the display unit to a rear end of the display unit. The at least one pusher rail comprises a channel in an upper surface thereof for receiving a pusher spring therein as the at least one pusher is moved from the forward end toward the rear end of the display unit. In another aspect, the pusher has at least one roller mounted to a pusher housing opposite the pusher face such that torque generated by application of rearward force applied to the pusher face is transferred to the at least one roller and then to the pusher rail.
US09713393B2 Product management display system
A merchandise display system having a pusher structure slidably-coupled to a track. The pusher structure comprises a lock arm configured to selectively engage with a ratchet rack to allow for selective unidirectional motion of pusher structure upon application of a manual force to a pusher face of the pusher structure. Further, selective disengagement of the ratchet rack from the lock arm is facilitated by a manually-actuated pull strip having a ramp structure that slidably engages with the lock arm to lift a pawl out of the ratchet rack. This selective disengagement allows for bidirectional sliding of said pusher structure along said track, thereby allowing displayed products to be moved towards a front of a display shelf, or for products to be reloaded into the merchandise display system.
US09713389B2 Bedhead and collapsible bed frame with the bedhead
A bedhead and a collapsible bed frame with the bedhead are provided. The bedhead includes at least two unitary frames. Each unitary frame has at least one storage room at a back thereof. After the collapsible bed frame is disassembled, it can be accommodated in the storage room of the bedhead. For transportation, the parts of the bed frame are accommodated in the storage room of the bedhead, and the unitary frames of the bedhead are folded to form a box. The volume of the bed frame and the bedhead after folded is reduced greatly to be transported and stored conveniently.
US09713386B2 Sun shade and chair assembly
A sun shade assembly includes a sun bathing chair including an upper section with an upper surface to support a person's head. Each of a pair of supports has a bottom end and an upper end. The supports are vertically oriented and each bottom end has a base attached thereto to retain the supports in a vertical orientation. A pair of mounts is provided and each of the supports has one of the mounts positioned thereon. The mounts are movable between associated ones of the upper and lower ends. The mounts are releasably secured to an associated one of the supports to retain the mounts at a selected position on the supports. An elongated rod extends between and is mounted on the mounts. The rod is positioned over the upper surface to block sun over a portion of the sun bathing chair.
US09713379B1 Shelf supporting beam configuration for shelving apparatus
A shelf supporting beam configuration for a shelving apparatus, includes a shelf platform, a plurality of shelf retaining members, and shelf supporting arrangement. Each shelf retaining member has two coupling ends for detachably coupling with two vertically extending posts of the shelving apparatus, and first and second longitudinal edges extended between the two coupling ends to form a boundary frame. The shelf supporting arrangement is integrally extended from each of the shelf retaining members between the first and second longitudinal edges to rigidly support the shelf platform within the boundary frame.
US09713375B1 Collapsible portable table
The present invention relates to a collapsible portable table having a top, two pivot frames, a center leg frame and two outer legs. An end support is at each end of a lower surface of the top. A center support is centrally aligned on the lower surface and two pivot supports are provided. Each of the pivot frames is pivotally connected to one of the pivot supports. The center leg frame is pivotally connected to one pivot frame. The outer legs are pivotally connected to the other pivot frame. The pivot supports pivot approximately 180 degrees relative to the table top. The legs can be in a storage position wherein they are generally parallel to the table top. The legs can also be in a deployed position wherein the respective distal ends of the legs are separated by a distance with a midpoint generally aligned with a top midpoint.
US09713368B1 Umbrella opening and closing system
An umbrella apparatus having a canopy portion hingedly coupled to a pole portion. The umbrellas apparatus includes a rechargeable electrical power system that provides electrical power to an electromechanical opening and closing system and a light assembly and an entertainment system. A solar energy system is conductively coupled to the rechargeable electrical power system and is utilized to collect and convert solar energy to electrical energy for recharging the electrical power system. The entertainment system features a USB port and allows users to stream music and control the color of the light assembly.
US09713357B2 Asymmetric shoes
An asymmetric pair of shoes to optimize performance during a sporting activity, the asymmetric pair of shoes, including: a first shoe having a first upper and a first sole attached to the first upper, wherein the first upper comprises a first support feature configured to provide increased support to at least one portion of the first upper during performance of a first predetermined action of a first foot of a wearer, and the first sole comprises a first traction feature configured to provide increased traction to at least one portion of the first sole during performance of the first predetermined action of the first foot; and a second shoe having a second upper and a second sole attached to the second upper, wherein the first support feature and first traction feature are not present at corresponding mirror-image locations of the second shoe.
US09713353B2 Leg handle comprising thin stretch fabric and rounded cylindrical section
A leg handle with preferably hollow cylindrical sections is used to aid in lifting a jumping player, especially for lineouts in World Rugby. The handles are preferably made of one or more foam sausages attached to a thin stretch fabric sleeve which is placed the leg of the jumper and when jumping allow for secure grasp by lifters. To use, leg handles are applied to one or more legs of a jumper and held in place with tape. When the jumper jumps, one or more lifters place their hands against the leg handle. The lifters lift the jumper higher, support the jumper in the jump while the jumper attempts to intercept a ball, and safely lower the jumper. Leg handles comprising cylindrical sections are embodied with a single sausage; a lower front sausage and a higher back sausage; or as a pair of such sausages integrated into respective legs of a pair of compression shorts. To comply with the World Rugby law regarding clothing thickness, a wall thickness of four millimeter is preferred resulting in a combined thickness of five millimeters.
US09713349B2 Two sock system
A two sock system, including an inner sock, and an outer sock surrounding the inner sock, wherein the inner sock and the outer sock include a support band system that prevents movement of the inner sock relative to the outer sock. A method of preventing movement between an inner sock and outer sock in a two sock system, by preventing movement of the inner sock on a user's foot, and preventing movement of the outer sock on the inner sock, wherein the inner sock and outer sock are unattached.
US09713339B2 Method for debittering olives
A method for debittering olives is described. The method includes contacting olive flesh with a granular polymeric resin under conditions sufficient to remove one or more bittering compounds from the olive flesh, thereby debittering olives.
US09713338B2 Multi-textured animal treats
The invention provides multi-textured animal treats and methods for making the multi-textured animal treats. In a general aspect, the multi-textured animal treat includes one or more soft component comprising a mechanical joint that is wrapped around a hard component fixedly attached to the mechanical joint on the soft component. The soft component can include a mechanical joint alone or a combination of edible adhesives and a mechanical joint for providing an additional attachment mechanism to the hard component.
US09713333B2 Product and method for managing Ganoderma disease in oil palm
A product for treating and/or preventing diseases such as basal stem rot caused by Ganoderma infection, in plants such as oil palms, comprising a growth medium used to grow Pseudomonas fluorescens bacteria, said growth medium including palm oil mill effluent.
US09713322B2 Fishing rod having fitting mounted on rod body
One object of the present invention is to provide a fishing rod wherein a fitting can be stably and securely fixed on a rod body with a mounting thread and cracking in a resin layer is less visible to a user. A fishing rod according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a rod body, a fitting mounted on an outer circumferential surface of the rod body via a mounting portion of the fitting, and a thread-like part-fixing member wound around the mounting portion and the rod body across a predetermined width in an axial direction of the rod body. On the surface of the part-fixing member is provided a cover member which may be opaque.
US09713321B2 Customizable fishing lure system and accompanying apparatus
A customized fishing lure system having a lip and a body. The lip being adapted to provide resistance when said fishing lure is moved within water. The body having a keyway adapted to receive, engage and lock the lip. The lip being adapted to releasably engage with the body without the need of another structural element or hand-tool. The lip further having a stem portion and a protrusion portion being adapted to releasably engage within the keyway. The lip is not capable of being releasably disengaged from the body by merely apply a longitudinal tensile force to the lip. The lip is releasably engaged within the keyway by applying a rotational force no greater than 360 degrees. The lip being adapted to receive different weighted-inserts to achieve different depth of dive in water when being retrieved.
US09713319B2 Two-in-one finch bird feeder
A bird feeder is provided having a seed reservoir with a side wall that has at least one seed access opening and an adjustable feed port assembly. The feed port assembly includes a base mounted to the side wall in a fixed relationship thereto and having a central opening in communication with the seed in the reservoir. Fitted to the base is a rotatable insert having a perch coupled thereto in fixed relationship so that the perch and insert rotate as a unit. The insert is rotatable between two positions, an upright position in which the perch is below the base central opening enabling birds to feed while standing on the perch, and an upside down position in which the perch is above the base central opening, requiring birds to hang upside down from the perch to feed.
US09713307B1 Electrohydraulic dynamic spool position control for a proportional valve in a work vehicle
A work machine to cut timber including a control system, a felling head, a hydraulic motor configured to adjust the position of the felling head, and a spool valve operatively connected to the hydraulic motor, the spool valve being configured to move the felling head responsively through operation of the hydraulic motor. A machine controller coupled to the operator controller and the spool valve executes stored program instructions to generate a first control signal responsive to an operator control signal provided by the operator controller, generate a second control signal as a function of the generated first control signal, adjust a position of the spool of the spool valve in response to a concurrent receipt of the first control signal and the second control signal by the first proportional control valve and the second proportional control valve to move the felling head through operation of the hydraulic motor.
US09713303B2 Robotic working tool
Disclosed is a robotic work tool (100) for use with at least one guiding wire (250; 260) adapted to conduct electric current to generate a magnetic field around the guiding wire. The robotic work tool has a sensing system (510) adapted to detect a strength of the magnetic field, a steering system (540), a controller (530) configured to control the steering system in response to output from the sensing system by means of a feedback control loop (532) so as to cause movement of the robotic work tool along the guiding wire. The controller is configured to determine a measure indicative of a distance between the robotic work tool and the guiding wire, and adjust at least one parameter of the feedback control loop in response to the determined distance measure.
US09713302B2 Robot confinement
An autonomous coverage robot system includes an active boundary responder comprising a wire powered with a modulated current placed along a perimeter of a property, at least one passive boundary responder placed on a property interior circumscribed by the active boundary responder, and an autonomous coverage robot. The robot includes a drive system carried by a body and configured to maneuver the robot across the property interior. The robot includes a signal emitter emitting a signal, where the passive boundary responder is responsive to the signal and a boundary responder detection system carried by the body. The boundary responder detector is configured to redirect the robot both in response to the responder detection system detecting an active boundary responder and in response to detecting a passive boundary responder.
US09717168B2 Composite cable mounted in industrial robot
Suppression of the effects of electromagnetic waves on the signals which are transmitted by signal lines and manufacturing composite cables more compactly and with higher efficiency have been sought. For this, provision is made of a composite cable 30 comprised of a center member 32 for supplying the fluid or wire material used for the work of the industrial robot, first signal lines 34 which are arranged at the outer circumferential side of the center member 32, a tubular shield 36 which surrounds the first signal lines 34 and shields them from electromagnetic waves, power lines 40 which are arranged at the outer circumferential side of the shield 36, and a tubular sheath 42 which surrounds the power lines 40.
US09717166B2 Cooling system for a server
Embodiments of the disclosure may include a system for cooling a computer server including a plurality of server modules. The system may include a first cooling system configured to remove heat from the plurality of server modules, the first cooling system including a first plurality of conduits for circulating a first cooling medium through the first cooling system, a second cooling system configured to remove heat from the first cooling system, the second cooling system including a second plurality of conduits for circulating a second cooling medium through the second cooling system, and a manifold configured to couple the first cooling system and the second cooling system, wherein the first plurality of conduits is removably connected to the manifold.
US09717164B2 Current converter apparatus having a multi-phase current converter
A current converter apparatus includes a multi-phase current converter having current-converter modules for each phase that are electrically connected to one another and arranged in a current-converter cabinet. Each current-converter module has at least one semiconductor component arranged on a heat sink and includes just two semiconductor components connected to each other and connected to be controlled by a control component. The current-converter modules in the current-converter cabinet are arranged so that the current-converter modules of each current-converter phase form a horizontal row of modules arranged one beside the other and the rows are arranged vertically one above the other.
US09717163B2 Electronic component mounting structure, manufacturing method and electronic component product
An electronic component mounting structure, manufacturing method and an electronic component product are provided. The electronic component mounting structure comprises a printed circuit board, a metal flange, and a plurality of electronic components provided on the metal flange; a groove is provided on the printed circuit board, a metal layer is coated on a wall of the groove, the metal flange is restricted to the metal layer on the wall and is fixed in the groove, the one or more electronic components are connected to each other through a plurality of wires based on a circuit requirement, an input electrode and an output electrode are provided on the printed circuit board in a portion adjacent to the metal flange, and the input electrode and the output electrode are connected to the one or more electronic components mounted on the metal flange through wires respectively.
US09717160B2 High-density server with redundant power source for server modules
A high-density server includes a plurality of server enclosures, each of which includes an enclosure housing with a pair of module insertion/extraction parts, a pair of power source units, a plurality of cooling fans, and two pairs of server modules. Cooling fans are linearly aligned in a crosswise direction and positioned in proximity to the rear opening of the enclosure housing with upper rear openings and lower rear openings, while server modules are installed in module insertion/extraction parts inside the enclosure housing in an insertable/removable manner. Server modules have module trays for mounting electronic components and interface units. Interface units are retractively inserted into upper rear openings or lower rear openings in connection with power source units when server modules are moved in a lengthwise direction along module insertion/extraction parts inside the enclosure housing. The server enclosure is equipped with a redundant power transmitter establishing redundant multipoint-to-multipoint connections between power source units and server modules.
US09717158B2 Handle mechanism
A system is provided herein. The system includes a cage and a handle mechanism. The handle mechanism includes a handle member and a cam member. The handle member is formed to rotate between a closed position, a top open position, and a bottom open position. In the closed position, a handle latch holds the handle in the closed position. In the top open position, the handle rotates a first amount to the top open position and engages with a top cam surface. Rotation of the handle member to rotate a cage a second amount. In the bottom open position, the handle member rotates the first amount to the bottom open position and engages with a bottom cam surface. Rotation of the handle member to rotate the cage the second amount. The cam member to control a rate of rotation of the handle member and the cage.
US09717148B2 Methods of forming a microelectronic device structure, and related microelectronic device structures and microelectronic devices
A method of forming a microelectronic device structure comprises coiling a portion of a wire up and around at least one sidewall of a structure protruding from a substrate. At least one interface between an upper region of the structure and an upper region of the coiled portion of the wire is welded to form a fused region between the structure and the wire.
US09717147B2 Electronic device manufacturing system
An electronic device manufacturing system may include a mainframe to which one or more process chambers of different size may be coupled. A different number of process chambers may be coupled to each facet (i.e., side wall) of the mainframe. The process chambers coupled to one facet may be of a different size than process chambers coupled to other facets. For example, one process chamber of a first size may be coupled to a first facet, two process chambers each of a second size different than the first size may be coupled to a second facet, and three process chambers each of a third size different than the first and second sizes may be coupled to a third facet. Other configurations are possible. The mainframe may have a square or rectangular shape. Methods of assembling an electronic device manufacturing system are also provided, as are other aspects.
US09717131B2 Motion detector system, lighting system with such system and method for detecting moving vehicles and/or pedestrians
The invention relates to a motion detector system (2), a lighting system (14) with such detector system and a method for detecting moving vehicles and/or pedestrians. The motion detector system comprises: —a first motion detector (6a, 6b) for detecting vehicles and/or pedestrians having a speed in a first speed range, the first detector being arranged to detect moving objects in a first detection zone (d1, d2) having a first size, the first size determining the first speed range; and —a second motion detector (8a, 8b) for detecting vehicles and/or pedestrians having a speed in a second speed range, the second detector being arranged to detect moving objects in a second detection zone (d3, d4) having a second size, the second size determining the second speed range.
US09717130B2 Control device having an integral reflecting structure for a sensing circuit
A wall-mounted keypad may include a light detector circuit located inside the keypad that is configured to measure an ambient light level in a space. The light detector circuit may receive ambient light through an aperture that is hidden from view by the keypad. The keypad may include a reflector for directing ambient light onto the light detector circuit. The keypad may include an enclosure that houses the light detector circuit. The enclosure may define a recess that exposes at least a portion of the light detector circuit. The enclosure may include a reflector that may focus ambient light received through the aperture onto the light detector circuit. The keypad may include a control circuit that may be configured to illuminate the indicia of respective buttons of the control device in response to actuations of the one or more buttons, in accordance with the measured ambient light level.
US09717126B1 Current control circuits
A current control circuit for a driving circuitry system of an LED component is provided. In the driving circuitry system, a rectifier provides a rectified voltage to an anode of the LED component, and a current module sets a current flowing through the LED component. In the current control circuit, input and output terminals of a voltage regulator are respectively coupled to the input terminal of the current module and a non-inverting input terminal of an operational amplifier. An inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier is coupled to an output terminal of the current module, and an output terminal thereof is coupled to one terminal of a capacitor. An output-terminal voltage of the first operational amplifier is provided as a reference voltage for the current module. One terminal of a resistor is coupled to the inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier.
US09717112B2 Method and apparatus for small cell configuration in a heterogeneous network architecture
A method at a UE operating in a hybrid network, the method receiving a separate discontinuous reception configuration at the UE for the macro cell than for a small cell; and configuring a receiver on the UE according to the separate discontinuous reception configurations. Further, a method at a macro cell, the method determining a mobility state of a UE; finding a service at the UE; and limiting the UE to associate only with the macro cell based on at least one of the determining and the finding. Further, a method at a UE in an environment with a macro and small cell using the same frequency, including receiving a first allocation for small cell within a common small HARQ subframe set; and receiving a second allocation for a macro cell within a common macro HARQ subframe set, wherein the sets do not overlap.
US09717110B1 User equipment centric mobility management in a mesh network
Systems and methods are disclosed for efficient signaling between devices. A leaf device initiates association with chirp signals to relay devices. Relay devices respond with keep alive signals. The leaf device selects a relay (from those that responded) and associates with it. Alternatively, selection of the relay may be offloaded to a base station. In another embodiment, an available relay device transmits a discovery broadcast to leaf devices. A leaf device responds with a chirp signal to the relay and association occurs. After association, the leaf device periodically sends a chirp signal and the relay responds with a keep alive signal. If either device fails to send its signal, link breakage is assumed. The leaf device reverts to uplink communication with a base station while searching for another relay. Downlink paging may be synchronized with the chirp/keep alive signaling. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also claimed and described.
US09717091B2 Mobility-based fractional frequency reuse
Fractional frequency reuse (FFR) is defined based on a mobility condition of an access terminal. For example, upon determining that an access terminal is moving (or at a cell edge, or experiencing poor link conditions, etc., due to mobility), FFR may be defined for the serving access point of the access terminal and/or for neighbor access points to maintain acceptable link quality for the access terminal. In particular, FFR may be defined in a manner that frees-up or otherwise reserves resources for the access terminal. For example, the serving access point may allocate additional sub-bands for the access terminal and/or increase the power levels used on the sub-bands allocated for the access terminal. In addition, neighbor access points may back-off these sub-bands.
US09717090B2 Providing notifications of call-related services
A first near-end terminal is able to conduct voice or video calls with at least one far-end terminal via a packet-based communication system, the first near-end terminal being a mobile user terminal of a near-end user. The first near-end terminal is enabled to discover proximity of at least one second near-end terminal available to provide a resource for use by the near-end user in conjunction with the first near-end terminal when conducting one of said calls, the resource being for use in conducting at least part of the call or in conjunction with the call. The first near-end terminal is also arranged, based on discovering said proximity, to present the near-end user with a message indicating the availability of the second near-end terminal to provide the resource when conducting the call.
US09717089B2 Method and apparatus for transmitting acknowledgement of reception in wireless communication system
One embodiment of the present invention relates to a method with which a terminal transmits an acknowledgement of reception in a wireless communication system, the method comprising the steps of: acquiring downlink control information (DCI) via an enhanced physical downlink control channel (EPDCCH); receiving downlink data via physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH); and transmitting an acknowledgement of reception on the downlink data via a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource; and when the PDSCH is transmitted on a SCell (secondary cell) and the PDSCH is instructed by the EPDCCH, the PUCCH resource is determined on the basis of the transmit power control (TPC) field included in the DCI.
US09717088B2 Multi-nodal wireless communication systems and methods
A multi-nodal wireless communication system comprises a system controller configured to create a link layer communication network. The system controller comprises a set of hardware finite state machines configured to receive a frame from a device associated with the link layer communication network as a request for data transmission, identify that the frame includes a unique ID value, transmit the unique ID value to an associated hardware queue, the hardware queue configured to construct at least one frame header associated with a base station to facilitate data transmission between the base station and the first device or between the first device and the network using one frame header, and process the frame in the link layer communication network by facilitating communication between the first device and the base station using the at least one frame header or between the first device and the network using one frame header.
US09717087B2 Techniques for transmitting data over an unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band in accordance with an agreement between operators
Techniques are described for wireless communication. A first method includes performing a clear channel assessment (CCA) for a first node associated with a first operator in a deployment of operators over an unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band, and transmitting data over the unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band when the CCA is successful. The data may be transmitted by the first node in accordance with an agreement between the first operator and a second operator in the deployment of operators. A second method includes receiving over an unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band, at a user equipment (UE), a first transmission from a first node associated with a first operator in a deployment of operators. The first transmission may include data originating from a second operator in the deployment of operators.
US09717083B2 Method and device for allocating dedicated scheduling request resource
A method and device for distributing the specific scheduling request resources. The method includes: in the multi-carrier aggregation system, according to the set scheduling principle determine the terminal sending carrier resources which may be used by the specific scheduling, the carrier resources comprises the number of carrier and serial number, the carrier resources of the specific scheduling request resources are distributed and sent to the terminal on the determined carrier according to the set scheduling principle; the distributed carrier and time frequency resources which may be used on every carrier are informed to the terminal.
US09717068B2 System and method for supporting cell updates within a small cell cluster for idle mobility in cell paging channel mode
An example method is provided in one example embodiment and may include assigning an identifier to each of a plurality of Home Node Bs (HNBs); receiving a cell update for a user equipment (UE) transitioning from a first HNB to a second HNB, wherein the cell update for the UE includes a first identifier associated with the first HNB and wherein the UE is in a cell paging channel (PCH) mode; determining based, at least in part, on the first identifier associated with the first HNB, whether the first HNB is operating within a cluster of HNBs including the second HNB; and withholding registration of the cell update for the UE with an HNB gateway (HNB-GW) if the first HNB is operating within the cluster of HNBs including the second HNB until packet switched (PS) traffic for the UE is received by the second HNB.
US09717046B2 Low power consumption mode for WLAN access point
Method for managing the power consumption in a WLAN wireless communication network, comprising an access point device for access to the wireless network and a remote station connected to the access point device. The access point transmitting control and information frames to the remote station, the method comprising the steps of insertion of at least one item of information, into at least one of the control and information frames, relating to a future period of inactivity of the access point, of deactivation of the WLAN access point and of reactivation of the WLAN access point at the end of the period of inactivity.
US09717034B2 Communication system and communication control method
A communication control method and a communication system are provided that realize traffic offload while reducing the processing load on a base station. A base station in a mobile network includes a gateway (PO-GW) for connecting a mobile terminal (UE) in the mobile network to a packet data network (PDN), and a control function (MME, DNS, HSS) of the mobile network allows the mobile terminal to access the gateway (PO-GW), in response to a request from the mobile terminal to connect to the PDN via the base station.
US09717030B2 Wireless communication system and method therein for transferring at least part of services originally provided by a second station to a third station and a first base station in the system
A wireless communication system, and method, including: first, second, and third base stations, and user equipment, the first base station and the second base station performing wireless data connections with the user equipment by adopting different carriers, and a trigger node triggers a transfer procedure in the case of judging a preset transfer condition of transferring a service to the third base station is satisfied. The service is provided by the second base station to the user equipment, so that the user equipment releases the wireless data connection with the second base station and establishes the wireless data connection with the third base station, and thus the first base station and the third base station perform wireless data connections with the user equipment by adopting different carriers, wherein at least part of the service provided by the second base station initially is transferred to the third base station.
US09717029B2 Radio access management system and method
A radio access management system includes a radio access network including a number of base stations, a backhaul network to which the base stations are connected via backhaul links, and a backhaul resource controller configured to acquire information about both the load of the radio access network and of the backhaul network and to at least one of suggest or enforce handovers of user terminals connected to the base stations based on the acquired load information.
US09717025B2 Method and apparatus for managing neighbour relations
A method of managing neighbour relations between cells in a cellular communication system comprising the steps of: receiving requests (350) for admission of a neighbour relation by an admission policy block (310) having a leaky bucket maintained in respect of that neighbour relation; adding tokens in respect of each request to the leaky bucket; removing tokens from the leaky bucket as time passes; and admitting the neighbour relation (320) if the number of tokens passes a threshold.
US09717022B2 Method for dynamically adjusting channel bandwidth in wireless communications systems
A method of reducing the usable channel bandwidth and increasing the channel bandwidth at run time is provided. The method allows a receiving wireless communications device to inform its corresponding transmitting communications device to either increase, reduce, or maintain the number of usable narrow band channels for the succeeding frame exchange. In a wireless communications channel, channel reduction is accomplished by using a usable channel indicator in a response frame responding to the preceding receiving frame. The usable channel indicator is the means for the receiving communications device to inform the transmitting communications device the preferred narrow band channels that it deems having good channel characteristics.
US09717017B2 Mobile device equipped with mobile network congestion recognition to make intelligent decisions regarding connecting to an operator network for optimize user experience
The disclosed technology includes methods, systems, and computer readable media for optimizing network traffic management in a mobile network. One method includes determining, by a network optimization client of a mobile device, a packet call quality (PCQ) associated with transmission of packets between the mobile device and a mobile communications network. The PCQ includes a numerical indication of call quality. A congestion recognition (CR) module of the mobile device determines a measure of user congestion based on the PCQ that indicates a total delay experienced by a user of the mobile device during the transmission of packets.
US09717009B2 Methods and apparatus for providing measurement information
A method including: determining in device co-existence interference during a communications failure of the device; and determining a failure report generation operation dependent on determining in device co-existence interference during the communications failure.
US09716998B2 Base station system and wireless transmission apparatus
A base station system includes a base station apparatus (1) and a wireless transmission apparatus (2). The base station apparatus (1) communicates with mobile stations. The wireless transmission apparatus (2) communicates with the base station apparatus (1) and wirelessly communicate with another apparatus in order to connect the base station apparatus (1) to a mobile backhaul network. The base station apparatus (1) includes a solar cell panel (15) for generating operating power of the base station apparatus (1), and a storage battery (14). The wireless transmission apparatus (2) includes a solar cell panel (25) for generating operating power of the wireless transmission apparatus (2), and a storage battery (24). The base station apparatus (1) and the wireless transmission apparatus (2) wirelessly communicate with each other. This can provide, for example, a base station system that can be easily installed and has high tolerance to accidental or intentional damage to cables.
US09716991B2 Computing system with detection mechanism and method of operation thereof
A computing system includes: a context module configured to determine a transfer context for invoking a state transfer between a source device and a target device; a modulation module, coupled to the context module, configured to generate a transfer modulation based on the transfer context for adjusting to a modulation scheme suited for the transfer context; and a transmission module, coupled to the modulation module, configured to send a communication packet based on the transfer modulation for detecting the source device and the target device.
US09716976B2 Wireless sensor network controlled low energy link
Systems (100) and methods (200) for operating a sensor system. The methods comprise: performing first operations by a Wireless Sensor Network (102) to (a) configure operations of WSN end nodes (104, 134-138) and (b) control Bluetooth Low Energy (“BLE”) link activity within a BLE network; and performing second operations by the BLE network to (a) find people or objects (156) within a specified area and (b) provide services to users of mobile communication devices which are BLE enabled (152) and reside within the specified area.
US09716970B2 Wireless communication system, and apparatus and method for controlling communication connections with plurality of user terminals in system
A wireless communication system, and an apparatus and method for controlling communication connections with a plurality of user terminals in the system are disclosed. The terminal device includes a communication unit, a storage unit, and a control unit. The communication unit receives a signal, broadcast by at least one beacon device, via wireless communication. The storage unit stores data that is transmitted and received to and from the beacon device. The control unit is functionally connected with the communication unit, scans a signal transmitted from the beacon device, performs an operation for a communication connection with the beacon device using the scanned signal, receives a bit mask via the communication unit and also stores the bit mask in the storage unit when the communication connection has been established, transmits data to the beacon device via the communication unit, and immediately releases the communication connection.
US09716969B2 Method and apparatus for controlling device in wireless communication system
Disclosed herein are a method and apparatus for controlling, by a first device, a second device in a wireless communication system. There are provided a method and apparatus, including transmitting an advertising message including supportable service information to the second device, receiving a connection request message for a BLE connection from the second device, transmitting a request command to indicate a specific operation related to a specific service included in the service information to the second device, and receiving a response command in response to the request command from the second device. The service information includes at least one of a phone call service related to an incoming call or an outgoing call, a listening audio service related to audio streaming, or an alert service related to a transmission and reception of an urgent message.
US09716938B1 Headset mount
Implementations of a headset mount are provided. In some implementations, a pair of headset mounts may be used to secure the earpieces of an electronic headset to a helmet having a suitable accessory interface (e.g., a rail system) thereon. In this way, a user wearing the helmet may adjustably position the earpieces of the electronic headset over his/her ears. In some implementations, the headset mount may comprise a housing having a body portion and a top portion, a back plate, and a wire form. In some implementations, the top portion is configured to rotate when secured to the body portion of the housing. In this way, the top portion may be used to rotate a wire form having an earpiece of a headset attached thereto into position (e.g., over the ear of a user and/or on top of the helmet to which the headset mount is secured).
US09716932B2 Detachable audio system for head-mounted displays
A detachable audio system for a head-mounted display is disclosed. The detachable audio system includes a speaker, an arm coupled to the speaker, a strap connector including a first side coupled to the arm and a second side opposite to the first side, and a coupling subsystem coupled to the second side of the strap connector and to couple to a strap for the head-mounted display. The coupling subsystem includes a base, a plurality of posts, and a spring. The base includes a first side engaged with the second side of the strap connector and a second side opposite to the first side. The plurality of posts extends from the second side of the base to couple to the strap. The spring contacts the second side of the base and is to detach the detachable audio system from the strap when the plurality of posts decouple from the strap.
US09716929B1 Relative positioning of speakers
An apparatus for positioning two speakers relative to each other includes a link member with a first securing through hole and a first plurality of adjusting through holes. A first anchor plate which can be secured to a first speaker has a second securing through hole. A first pin is able to be passed through the first and second securing through holes to secure the link member and the first anchor plate together at a back, central location of the speaker. A second anchor plate which can be secured to a second speaker has a second plurality of adjusting through holes. A second pin is able to be passed through one of the first plurality of adjusting through holes and one of the second plurality of adjusting through holes to secure the link member and the second anchor plate together.
US09716924B2 Omedia panel
An Omedia panel may be provided that includes an at least one network interface device, a housing, and a front panel. The at least one network interface device might be in communication with a service provider network. The housing may be integrated into a wall of a customer premises and positioned within a wall cavity of the wall. The housing might be configured to support the at least one network interface device. The front panel may be communicatively interfaced with the at least one network interface device such that a user can access one or more ports of the at least one network interface device via the front panel.
US09716923B2 Announcement of program synchronized triggered declarative objects
A method consistent with certain implementations involves delivering a triggered declarative object (TDO) to a television receiver device that carries out a programmed routine when user activated and includes an announcement definition that announces presence of the TDO to the at the announcement time; and the TDO including data that defines a time of display of an announcement and a location on a video display for display of the announcement of the TDO. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
US09716922B1 Audio data and image data integration
Techniques for integrating audio data and image data are described herein. A plurality of image data items associated with a first user account and a plurality of image data descriptors, each associated with at least one of the plurality of image data items may be received. A first audio data item, having at least one associated audio data descriptor, may be selected for playing. Based at least in part on a comparison of the at least one audio data descriptor and the plurality of image data descriptors, at least a first image may be selected from the plurality image data items for presentation with the first audio data item. During at least part of the playing of the first audio data item, the first image may be presented.
US09716913B2 Generation of a video mosaic display
Systems and methods for generating a video mosaic display are disclosed. In an embodiment, an electronic system for generating a video mosaic display of a plurality of video streams includes display buffers, a processor and a display. The processor manages storage of the display buffers for storing video frame windows corresponding to the video streams by scaling resolution of input frames of a first set of video streams that have input frames available and storing the scaled input frames as corresponding video frame windows for the first set of video streams in a first display buffer, and copying, in the first display buffer from a second display buffer, video frame windows corresponding to a second set of video streams for which input frames are not available. The display is configured to display the video mosaic layout based on the video frame windows stored in the display buffers.
US09716910B2 Personal video recorder functionality for placeshifting systems
PVR functionality is enabled on a media player of a placeshifting system, which allows a user to record media programs from locations that are physically remote from a source of the media programs. The media player may receive program schedule information and present the program schedule information to the user. Based on user input, the media player identifies a media program and associated schedule information. When the media program is scheduled to play, the placeshifting device directs a media recording device to receive the media program and to store the program. The placeshifting device may digitize, transcode, and/or transrate the media program, if necessary, and transmit the media program to the remote device for playback.
US09716908B2 Distributing media content via media channels based on associated content being provided over other media channels
Systems and methods are disclosed for providing access to media content via a media channel based on associated content being provided over a different channel. In some aspects, it is determined that a media identifier corresponds to media content provided over a first media channel. In response to the determination, a notification facilitation system can identify multiple computing devices that have been configured to receive additional media content that is associated with the media content provided over the first media channel. The notification facilitation system can provide access to the additional media content via a second media channel by the identified computing devices in response to identifying the plurality of computing devices.
US09716895B2 Image coding apparatus, method for coding image, program therefor, image decoding apparatus, method for decoding image, and program therefor
An image processing apparatus includes a division unit configured to divide an input image into a plurality of subblocks subjected to quantization control a subblock quantization parameter calculation unit configured to calculate a quantization parameter of each of the subblocks, a basic block quantization parameter calculation unit configured to set a basic block including at least two subblocks and to calculate a quantization parameter of the basic block, a difference value calculation unit configured to calculate a difference value between the quantization parameter of the basic block and the quantization parameter of each subblock included in the basic block, and a difference value coding unit configured to code the difference value.
US09716892B2 Video parameter set including session negotiation information
A device for processing video data can be configured to receive in a video parameter set, one or more syntax elements that include information related to session negotiation; receive in the video data a first sequence parameter set that includes a first syntax element identifying the video parameter set; receive in the video data a second sequence parameter set that includes a second syntax element identifying the video parameter set; process, based on the one or more syntax elements, a first set of video blocks associated with the first sequence parameter set and a second set of video blocks associated with the second sequence parameter set.
US09716891B2 Quantization method and apparatus in encoding/decoding
An apparatus at an encoding end and an apparatus at decoding end are provided for implementing quantization in encoding and decoding an image in a process of transmission. The apparatus at an encoding end includes a memory storage and a processor coupled to the memory that executes the instructions to perform quantization using a coefficient matrix on an image, the coefficient matrix having a plurality of coefficients which being divided into a plurality of frequency bands, wherein a number of the frequency bands is smaller than a number of coefficients in the coefficient matrix; a scaling value is assigned that every coefficient in said each frequency band has the same scaling value; generate a parameter set having multiple band parameters thereof and write the parameter set into a bitstream to be transmitted. An apparatus at a decoding end performs decoding process thereof.
US09716887B2 Chromaticity translations in coding of enhanced dynamic range signals
Methods to reduce chroma-related artifacts during video coding of high dynamic range images are presented. Given an input signal in a color space comprising a luma component and two chromaticity components, a processor determines the original white point chromaticity coordinates (Du, Dv) of a white point in the color space of the input signal. The input signal is translated using a chromaticity translation function to a second signal in a translated color space comprising two translated chromaticity components, wherein the chromaticity translation function shifts the original white point chromaticity coordinates to a predetermined second set of coordinates in the translated chromaticity color space. The second signal is encoded to generate a coded bit stream.
US09716886B2 Method for restoring an intra prediction mode
Provided is a method that de-multiplexes a bit stream to extract intra prediction mode information and residual signals, restores an intra prediction mode of a current prediction unit using the intra prediction information and intra prediction modes of prediction units adjacent to the current prediction unit, generates reference pixels using one or more available reference pixel if there exist unavailable reference pixels of the prediction unit, adaptively filters the reference pixels based on the restored intra prediction mode, generates a prediction block using the restored intra prediction mode and the reference pixels, decodes the residual signal to generating a residual block, and generates a reconstructed block using the prediction block and the residual block. Accordingly, additional bits resulted from increase of a number of intra prediction mode are effectively reduced. Also, an image compression ratio can be improved by generating a prediction block similar to an original block.
US09716880B2 Image calibrating method for stitching images and related camera and image processing system with image calibrating function
An image calibrating method for stitching images includes calculating contrast values of a plurality of images, and comparing the contrast values to set the image with maximal contrast value as a reference image; others of the plurality of images are set as target images. The image calibrating method further includes calculating cumulative distribution functions of the reference image and the target images respectively, and obtaining a transform function according to the cumulative distribution functions of the reference image and the target images for pixel adjustment of the target images. Further, a camera with an image calibrating function and a related image processing system are disclosed in the present invention.
US09716879B2 Image display method and device for multi-view stereoscopic display
A multi-view stereoscopic display includes multiple viewing areas periodically disposed along a horizontal direction, and each of the multiple viewing areas includes multiple viewpoints. The method comprises obtaining a position of a viewer, determining that if the viewer is located in an inversion region, and if the position of the viewer is located in the inversion region, executing a preset process for left and right eye viewpoint images of the viewpoints respectively corresponding to the viewer's left eye and right eyes so as to decrease the brightness contrast of the left eye and the right eye viewpoint images in order to reduce the discomfort of the viewer for watching in the inversion region and adding the comfort of watching the stereoscopic image.
US09716878B2 Volumetric display using acoustic pressure waves
A volumetric display system includes a volumetric display stage, a plurality of acoustical actuators, and a control system. A plurality of voxel particles are re-arrangeable within the volumetric display stage via acoustic pressure waves to assume controllable positions in three-dimensional (“3D”) space to collectively assume a unified 3D shape. The plurality of acoustical actuators are disposed about the volumetric display stage to emit the acoustic pressure waves and establish a 3D sound field pattern within the volumetric display stage for physically manipulating the voxel particles. A control system is coupled to the acoustical actuators to manipulate the 3D sound field pattern. The control system includes a volumetric image module configured to receive 3D image data describing the unified 3D shape and compute the 3D sound field pattern for arranging the voxel particles into the unified 3D shape.
US09716877B2 3D display device using barrier and driving method thereof
A 3D display apparatus is provided, which includes a display panel which displays a multi-viewpoint image, a barrier arranged on one side of the display panel unit, and a controller which controls the barrier to alternately form light transmitting areas and light blocking areas. The barrier includes a liquid crystal layer, a plurality of upper electrodes arranged to be spaced apart from one another on an upper surface of the liquid crystal layer, and a plurality of lower electrodes arranged to be spaced apart from one another on a lower surface of the liquid crystal layer.
US09716858B2 Automated selection and switching of displayed information
Techniques for automatically selecting information to be displayed. The displayed information may be automatically and dynamically changed in response to changes in one or more preconfigured conditions.
US09716857B2 Modification of images based on orientation
An image can be sensed at a first device. The image can have a first orientation. A second orientation expected by or associated with a second device can be determined. The image can be modified so that the image has the second orientation if the first orientation differs from the second orientation. The modified image can be transmitted to the second device.
US09716854B2 Video multiviewer system with distributed scaling and related methods
A video multiviewer system may include a plurality of video scalers operating in parallel for generating initially scaled video streams by performing video scaling in at least one dimension on a plurality of video input streams. The video multiviewer system may also include a processing unit coupled downstream from the video scalers for generating additionally scaled video streams by performing additional video scaling on the initially scaled video streams, and a display cooperating with the processing unit for displaying multiple video windows based upon the additionally scaled video streams.
US09716849B2 Solid-state imaging device and imaging system
A solid-state imaging device including a plurality of pixels including a photoelectric conversion portion, a charge holding portion accumulating a signal charge transferred from the photoelectric conversion portion, and a floating diffusion region to which the signal charge of the charge holding portion is transferred, wherein the photoelectric conversion portion includes a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type, and a second semiconductor region of a second conductivity type formed under the first semiconductor region, the charge holding portion includes a third semiconductor region of the first conductivity type, and a fourth semiconductor region of the second conductivity type formed under the third semiconductor region, and a p-n junction between the third semiconductor region and the fourth semiconductor region is positioned deeper than a p-n junction between the first semiconductor region and the second semiconductor region.
US09716845B2 Digital camera
A digital camera has a 2D image sensor designed as a CCD or CMOS sensor that can be used to measure distances based on a runtime measurement in synchronization with a pulsed infrared source. The measured distances are used to carry out a 3D reconstruction of a detected object. The digital camera does not have to have an infrared cut-off filter; however, it can have an infrared cut-off filter that can be dynamically activated in full or in part or deactivated in relation to pixels of the image sensor. In the latter event, individual areas of the image sensor, for which the infrared cut-off filter is deactivated, are used for the 3D reconstruction or for images in the infrared range. The remaining areas of the sensor are used for images of high color quality in the visible light spectrum. In the event that no infrared cut-off filter is present, individual areas of the image sensor are used for the 3D reconstruction or for images in the infrared range. The remaining areas of the sensor are used for images in the visible light spectrum.
US09716841B2 Adaptive gain adjustment in an imaging system
Systems for processing pixel signals generated by an image sensor to create improved images. More particularly, systems and methods are disclosed that adjust the gain on, inter alia, a pixel-by-pixel basis, to improve the dynamic range of the imaging system. The systems may include level detectors that measure the amplitude of a pixel signal and, based on that measurement, amplify that pixel signal by an amount that allows certain subsequent processing of the pixel signal to be more accurate. More accurately processed pixel signals can provide better overall images.
US09716840B2 Image pickup apparatus that reduces unevenness of exposure caused by artificial light source, method of detecting change in amount of light, and storage medium
An image pickup apparatus which is capable of, when performing continuous shooting at high shutter speed under an artificial light source with varying amounts of light, reducing the effects of a change in the amount of light on a picked-up image without decreasing frame speed. A frequency and a characteristic point of a change in the amount of light of flicker are detected based on an image signal read out from an image pickup device. Based on the frequency detected at first timing before continuous shooting is performed and the characteristic point detected at second timing later than the first timing during continuous shooting, a characteristic point of a change in the amount of light of flicker after the second timing is predicted. Timing of light exposure is controlled so as to be coincident with the characteristic point after the second timing.
US09716835B2 Biological information acquiring device
In a biological information acquiring device 10, a sensor module 50 captures a biological image of a subject 2. A touch panel 16 has a display region A11 formed with approximately the same size as a measurement region A13 that matches the range of image capturing of the subject 2 by the sensor module 50, and in the display region A11 a biological image is displayed at approximately the same magnification as the range of image capturing. The image capturing direction of the sensor module 50 and the display direction of the touch panel 16 are in opposite directions, and the measurement region A13 and the display region A11 are arranged in layers at about the same position in a plan view. Accordingly, a target location suitable for acquiring the biological information can be easily specified.
US09716832B2 Apparatus and method for stabilizing image
Provided are an apparatus and method for outputting a stabilized image even when a camera sways. The method includes: applying a first compensated motion to the image to acquire a first stabilized image, wherein an accumulation result of first motions, each of which is estimated between adjacent images from a reference image to an arbitrary image, is inversely transformed into the first compensated motion; and acquiring a second motion estimated between the reference image and the first stabilized image and applying the accumulation result of the first motions and a second compensated motion to the image to acquire a second stabilized image. An accumulation result of the second motion is inversely transformed into the second compensated motion.
US09716826B2 Guided image capture
Examples are disclosed for determining a suggested camera pose or suggested camera settings for a user to capture one or more images. In some examples, the suggested camera pose or suggested camera settings may be based on an indication of the user's interest and gathered information associated with the user's interests. The user may be guided to adjust an actual camera pose or actual camera settings to match the suggested camera pose or suggested camera settings.
US09716820B2 Remote-camera control method, remote photography system, and server
A remote-camera control method includes: obtaining first remote image data and terminal image data acquired by photography performed by a remote camera and a terminal camera in a same time segment; authenticating the user terminal by comparing the two pieces of image data with each other and by determining that the user terminal is in a photography spot of the remote camera when an identical subject is found in both the pieces of image data; and providing second remote image data acquired by the remote camera to the user terminal after the user terminal is authenticated.
US09716816B2 Imaging apparatus with a light shielding cover
An imaging apparatus includes a dome cover whose inside is a housing space for housing a lens module, an apparatus main body that is attached with the dome cover, a first support member that is supported at the apparatus main body in a free pan rotation manner inside the dome cover, a second support member that is supported at the first support member in a free tilt rotation manner and supports the lens module, an illumination mount that is provided with an illumination member and is supported at the second support member, and a ring-shaped light shielding cover that is provided on the illumination mount, surrounds the illumination member, and comes into close contact with an inner surface of the dome cover.
US09716815B2 Cover glass for covering a camera of an electronic device
An electronic device can include a camera and a cover glass arrangement disposed over the camera. The cover glass arrangement includes a thinner region or cover glass that is positioned over a light-receiving region of the camera. Additionally, the thinner region or cover glass can be disposed over the light-receiving region and at least parts of one or more non-light receiving regions of the camera.
US09716806B2 Management system that efficiently manages image forming apparatus in units of groups, and management method
A management system includes a management server and one or more image forming apparatuses. The management server includes an operation input unit, a display, a first communication unit, a storage unit, and a manager unit. The manager unit, when the administrator instructs a set value change of a setting item for a specific image forming apparatus, determines which set value management group includes the image forming apparatus to which the change has been instructed, refers to a reflection-range table of a set value management group including the image forming apparatus to which the change has been instructed, determines which image forming apparatus among other image forming apparatuses executes the set value change based on the reference result, and instructs the other determined image forming apparatus to change the set value.
US09716805B2 Image forming system with identification mark color setting
An image forming system that includes an image forming apparatus which forms a predetermined identification mark on a recording medium and a reading apparatus which reads the identification mark formed on the recording medium, the image forming system including: a color information acquisition unit which acquires color information indicating a color of the recording medium; an identification mark color setting unit which sets a color of the identification mark to be formed on the recording medium by the image forming apparatus to a color distinguishable by the reading apparatus from the color indicated by the color information that is acquired by the color information acquisition unit; and an image forming control unit which controls the image forming apparatus to form the identification mark in the color set by the identification mark color setting unit on the recording medium.
US09716804B2 Image forming apparatus, image forming method, and non-transitory computer readable medium
An image forming apparatus includes an extracting unit, a verifying unit, and a memory. The extracting unit extracts a form from image formation data related to an image formation instruction. The verifying unit verifies a verification target version of a module to be compatible in a case where a difference between a first image formed by using the module of a predetermined version in accordance with the form extracted by the extracting unit and a second image formed by using the module of the verification target version in accordance with the form extracted by the extracting unit is within a permissible range and verifies the verification target version of the module to be incompatible in a case where the difference between the first image and the second image is not within the permissible range. The memory stores a verification result obtained by the verifying unit.
US09716796B2 Managing communication events
A user terminal associated with a first user, the user terminal comprising a communication client application for managing communications with at least one further user terminal over a first network, the communication client application being configured to: determine with respect to at least one incoming call whether a further user terminal at the call origin point comprises the communication client application; and manage the reception of the call based on the determination of whether the further user terminal at the call origin point comprises the communication client application.
US09716793B2 System and method to detect and correct IP phone mismatch in a contact center
Detecting an IP address mismatch in a contact center includes receiving a workstation login request from a workstation of the center that include login credentials associated with an agent of the center for logging into the workstation. The method also includes retrieving from a database a predetermined first IP address assigned to the agent; receiving an application login request related to an application from a workstation of the center on which the application is executing; extracting a second IP address from the application login request; and comparing the predetermined first IP address with the second IP address and granting the agent access if the addresses match.
US09716790B2 Communications between contact center agent systems to facilitate agent engagement
Embodiments disclosed herein provide systems, methods, and computer readable media for facilitating engagement with a plurality of agents in a contact center. In a particular embodiment, a method provides detecting a log-in/out event for a first agent of the plurality of agents operating a first agent system of a plurality of agent systems to a communication distribution system configured to distribute communications with the contact center among the plurality of agent systems. In the communication distribution system, the method provides determining that the first agent system should communicate with a second agent system of the plurality of agent systems and initiating a first communication between the first agent system and the second agent system.
US09716788B2 Multiple secondary device call controls and protocols
To control secondary devices of a subscriber whose primary device is subscribed to a mobile network, a secondary mobile directory number (“MDN”) and secondary device identifiers are employed. After the primary device is rung, an Authentication and Call Waiting Engine receives a request from a Telephony Gateway to retrieve identifiers of any secondary devices that are linked to a primary MDN of the primary device. Next, the Authentication and Call Waiting Engine retrieves a secondary device identifier for each secondary device that is paired with the primary device by searching a secondary device identifier database with the primary MDN to find all linked secondary device identifiers. A rules database may be applied to exclude secondary device identifiers based on time of day and day of the week. The Authentication and Call Waiting Engine transmits the list of qualified secondary device identifiers to the Telephony Gateway for ringing.
US09716776B2 Physical keyboard and network access method
A physical keyboard and a network access method are provided. The physical keyboard is provided with a card slot, and after a wireless network card is inserted into the card slot, the physical keyboard is connected to a wireless network by the wireless network card so that the mobile terminal can achieve network access through the wireless network connected to the physical keyboard while the key-in data input of the mobile terminal is accomplished. The physical keyboard of the present disclosure not only has the key-in data input function but also can achieve the network access by means of the wireless network card. Moreover, the network connected to the wireless network card may be converted into the WLANs such as a Wi-Fi network by the physical keyboard 10 to provide access points for other terminals, and this improves the using experience and meanwhile saves the consumption cost of the user.
US09716769B2 System, method and storage medium for managing items within file directory structure
A file-mapping method and system can better manage the number of items (i.e., files, subdirectories, or a combination of them) within any single directory within a storage medium. The method and system can be used to limit the number of items within the directory, direct content and content components to different directories, and provide an internally recognizable name for the filename. When searching the storage medium, time is not wasted searching what appears to be a seemingly endless list of filenames or subdirectory names within any single directory. A client computer can have requests for content fulfilled quicker, and the network site can reduce the load on hardware or software components. While the method and system can be used for nearly any storage media, the method and system are well suited for cache memories used with web servers.
US09716766B2 Method and distributed system server for instant information push
The present disclosure discloses a method and a distributed system server for instant information push in a network information service, wherein the method comprises: sending distributed information to a proxy server and transferring it onto a distributed-information server, by an information distribution user; sending information in need to the proxy server and transferring it onto an information-in-need server, by an information-needs user; storing and synchronizing in real-time, by the proxy server, an IP address, a category list, and a tag list of the distributed-information server and the information-in-need server; receiving the information in need, searching for a tag group, looking for a match in the distributed-information server, and sending a match result; and receiving the distributed information, searching for a tag group, looking for a match in the information-in-need server, and sending a match result. The present disclosure also discloses a corresponding distributed system server. Thus, the present disclosure provides a system that promptly acquires useful information once the information is distributed, while the system avoids risk of failing to work by a distributed storage when suffering from a malfunction or being under attack.
US09716756B2 Cloud data storage location monitoring
Technologies for monitoring data storage location for cloud data include a cloud monitoring server configured to communicate with one or more cloud customer computing devices and cloud service providers. The cloud monitoring server receives monitoring requests from the cloud customer computing devices and retrieves provider information from the cloud service providers. The cloud monitoring server compiles response data based on the monitoring requests and the provider information, and sends response data to the cloud customer computing devices. Cloud customer computing devices may send on-demand monitoring requests and/or continuous, policy-based monitoring requests. For policy-based monitoring, the cloud monitoring server continually monitors the provider information and provides response data when one or more conditions specified in the policy are satisfied. The cloud monitoring server may also make recommendations and provide feedback based on the monitoring requests or the provider information. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09716753B2 Migrating shared content items between accounts
Shared content items are migrated between accounts on a content management system. Users store content items synchronized between one or more client devices and the content management system. A user may have multiple accounts including personal and organization accounts. Content items may be shared with accounts belonging to other users to enable those other users to view or manipulate the content items. A user initiates a migration of content items between accounts of different categories via a user interface, e.g., by dragging and dropping a folder from one account to another. The content management system recognizes that the user has deleted the folder from the user's first account and determines that an identical folder has been created in another account belonging to the same user. In response the content management system joins the second account to the shared folder, and removes the first account from the shared folder.
US09716746B2 System and method using software defined continuity (SDC) and application defined continuity (ADC) for achieving business continuity and application continuity on massively scalable entities like entire datacenters, entire clouds etc. in a computing system environment
A system and method for achieving Business Continuity and Application Continuity with the system comprising one or more resources of multiple end users or service providers logically connected to one or more cloud infrastructures wherein the collection of resources forms a Continuity Grid or a part of Continuity Grid or sub Grid for which continuity is needed and wherein the Continuity Grid or part of continuity grid or sub Grid are paired with the Continuity Peer Grids located in the same or different cloud infrastructures to satisfy continuity requirements of the Continuity Grid or part of Continuity Grid or sub Grid.
US09716745B2 Expertise-matched help systems
A method for tailoring help systems to the expertise of users includes recording data related to a user's interaction with a product. The data is then analyzed to ascertain a level of expertise of the user relative to using the product. Upon receiving a request for assistance from the user with respect to the product, a help system may be selected based on the determined level of expertise of the user. The method may automatically provide assistance to the user through a more advanced help system in the event the user is ascertained to have a more advanced level of expertise. Similarly, the method may automatically provide assistance to the user through a less advanced help system in the event the user is ascertained to have a less advanced level of expertise. A corresponding apparatus and computer program product are also disclosed.
US09716734B2 System and method for long range and short range data compression
A system and method are provided for use with streaming blocks of data, each of the streaming blocks of data including a number bits of data. The system includes a first compressor and a second compressor. The first compressor can receive and store a number n blocks of the streaming blocks of data, can receive and store a block of data to be compressed of the streaming blocks of data, can compress consecutive bits within the block of data to be compressed based on the n blocks of the streaming blocks of data, can output a match descriptor and a literal segment. The match descriptor is based on the compressed consecutive bits. The literal segment is based on a remainder of the number of bits of the data to be compressed not including the consecutive bits. The second compressor can compress the literal segment and can output a compressed data block including the match descriptor and a compressed string of data based on the compressed literal segment.
US09716730B2 System, method and computer program product for sharing content via links
In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for sharing content via links. These mechanisms and methods for sharing content via links can enable customizable features associated with the operations related to those links. These features may include generating customized reports on usage of the links, and/or exposing one or more application programming interfaces (APIs) enabling applications to access the links and/or logic associated with operations related to those links.
US09716729B2 System and method for transforming inter-component communications through semantic interpretation
A system and method for transforming inter-communications in a computing platform that includes establishing platform policies; isolating components of a platform; channeling communications of a component through a semantic pipeline; progressively processing a communication through stages of the semantic pipeline; and delivering the processed communication to the destination component in accordance with the semantic pipeline.
US09716725B2 Executing a remote control command to activate one or more peripheral of a mobile device in a peripheral control domain
In certain embodiments, virtualization mechanisms used to defend against spying can also be used by attackers as a means to execute spying attacks more effectively. In certain embodiments, attack methods may use the virtualization mechanisms to surreptitiously activate input peripherals without the user's knowledge or authorization. In certain embodiments, a virtualized network interface may be employed in which all network traffic transiting a portable wireless system is routed through a remote control component within a peripheral control domain. The remote control component may be used by an attacker to communicate remotely with the portable device to send it peripheral activation commands. The remote control component can then activate peripherals via the peripheral access module without the user's or general-purpose operating system's knowledge or authorization. All other network traffic may be passed through as normal and expected to the general-purpose operating system.
US09716715B2 Systems and methods for mutual authentication of electronic devices
Embodiments are provided for mutually authenticating a pair of electronic devices. According to certain aspects, the electronic devices may connect to each other via an out-of-band communication channel. The electronic devices may each output audio signals and detect audio signals output by the other electronic devices. Based on timestamps associated with audio output and detection events, each of the electronic devices may calculate relevant time and distance parameters, and transmit the calculated parameters to the other electronic device via the out-of-band communication channel. The electronic devices may compare the calculated parameters to determine mutual authentication.
US09716709B1 Systems and methods for managing certificates
Systems and methods for managing certificates are described. A system comprises modules to receive requests related to a digital certificate, receive responses related to authorization of the digital certificate related to the requests, and store the requests and responses. A system comprises modules to communicate audit requests, receive responses related to the audit requests, and store the responses. A system comprises modules configured to communicate audit requests related to different certificate authorization entities, receive responses related to the audit requests, and store the responses. Other embodiments are described.
US09716699B2 Password management system
An embodiment of the invention may include a method, computer program product and computer system for password management. The embodiment may include a computing device that creates a password inventory. The password inventory may be a list of one or more passwords, where each of the one or more passwords corresponds to a password key. The embodiment may update the password inventory without input from a user. The embodiment may receive a first login request from a first device. The embodiment may transmit information detailing a first password key to the first device, where the first password key corresponds to a first password from the list of one or more passwords. The embodiment may receive information detailing a first entered password from the first device. The embodiment may determine whether the first entered password is identical to the first password from the list of one or more passwords.
US09716687B2 Distributed gateways for overlay networks
Techniques provided herein enable a set of independent, unconnected devices in a network to support distributed Layer 3 (L3) gateway functionality for an overlay based virtual network by intelligently triggering proxy addressing information updates.
US09716686B2 Device description profile for a fabric network
Methods and systems for obtaining device information include sending a device description request message to a remote device. The device description request message includes indications of criteria for a responding device, and the indications of criteria for the responding device include a fabric identifier for the responding device. Moreover, the fabric identifier identifies a fabric to which the responding device is connected. The indications of criteria also include a device mode for the responding device. The device mode indicates a mode for the responding device. The indications of criteria further include a vendor identifier for the responding device with the vendor identifier identifies a vendor for the responding device. Obtaining device information also includes a product identifier for the responding device that identifies a product type for the responding device.
US09716680B2 Expandable graphical icon for response to electronic text transmission
A graphical user interface utility for message data sent from a sender personal communications device to a recipient personal communications device displays a base response prompt, according to an instruction from the sender, in the message data that appears on the recipient personal communications device. The graphical user interface utility changes the appearance of the base response prompt when the base response prompt is selected by the recipient by displaying one or more recipient-actuable selection elements along with the message content. At least one of the one or more recipient-actuable selection elements has an associated response signal that is transmitted back to the sender according to recipient selection.
US09716677B2 Instant conversation in a thread of an online discussion forum
Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to discussion forum management and provide a method, system and computer program product for instant conversations in a thread within a discussion forum. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for instant conversations in a thread within a discussion forum can be provided. The method can include providing a discussion forum and initiating a thread in the discussion forum and measuring a temporal proximity of postings between two or more users in the thread. In response to determining a close temporal proximity, an instant messaging session can be launched between the two or more users and entries in the instant messaging session can be inserted as responses to the thread in the discussion form.
US09716672B2 Distributed configuration management for virtual cluster switching
One embodiment of the present invention provides a switch. The switch includes a port to couple to a second switch. The switch also includes a control mechanism configured to maintain a set of configuration information for a virtual cluster switch which includes a number of member switches. The set of configuration information includes global configuration information for the virtual cluster switch and switch-specific configuration information for one or more member switches. In addition, the set of configuration information is replicated and stored at each member switch.
US09716671B2 Provider bridged network communication
According to an example, a method for provider bridged network communication includes receiving traffic including a source and a destination address at a first virtual local area network (VLAN) for redirection to a second VLAN. The method further includes forwarding the traffic based on the source and the destination address to a provider edge bridge (PEB) of the first VLAN, and forwarding, by a processor, the traffic from the PEB of the first VLAN to a PEB of the second VLAN.
US09716667B2 Communication terminal and method for controlling a data transmission
A communication terminal is described comprising a quality determiner configured to determine a quality parameter for a wireless communication link between the communication terminal and a radio access network component based on one or more signals received via the wireless communication link, a throughput determiner configured to determine, based on the quality parameter, a throughput of a communication connection between the radio access network component and a server to be used for transmitting data from the server to the communication terminal via the communication connection and the wireless communication link and a controller configured to send an instruction for the server to transmit data via the communication connection between the radio access network component and the server according to the determined throughput.
US09716656B2 Slipstream bandwidth management algorithm
In accordance with disclosed embodiments, there are provided methods, systems, and apparatuses for implementing a slipstream bandwidth management algorithm including, for example, means for executing an application a computing device, in which the application is to communicate with a remote computing device over a public Internet; means for approximating outgoing bandwidth for communications from the computing device to the remote computing device; means for approximating incoming bandwidth for communications received at the computing device from the remote computing device; means for allocating multiple simultaneous Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connections in support of the application based at least in part on the approximated outgoing bandwidth and based further on the approximated incoming bandwidth; and means for iteratively adjusting bandwidth communicated for the application between the computing device and the remote computing device based at least in part on latency between the computing device and the remote computing device. Other related embodiments are disclosed.
US09716652B2 Handling of data transfers in a network with a ring topology
A method for handling, by a ring node of a network having a ring topology, a data transfer of data packets through the network via which the data packets are transmitted to their destination node, wherein each ring node has two neighboring ring nodes. The method includes detecting data packets of an incoming data transfer received from a non ring node to be transmitted through the network to their destination node. Furthermore, a ring direction is added to the data packets of the incoming data transfer, the indication indicating in which direction the data packets of the incoming data transfer are passed through the network having the ring topology. The data packets of the incoming data transfer are forwarded to one of the two neighboring ring nodes based on the added indication.
US09716651B2 Distributed link aggregation group service handover method and device
A method and device for distributed link aggregation group service handover are disclosed in the present document. The method includes: when an unavailable port appears in a distributed link aggregation intra-end system, the intra-end system determining a service currently corresponding to the unavailable port as a service to be handed over; or, when an unavailable intra-end system appears in a distributed link aggregation portal, an adjacent intra-end system of the intra-end system determining a service currently corresponding to the unavailable intra-end system as a service to be handed over; and the intra-end system that determines the service to be handed over determining a backup port of the service according to a port sequence configured for the service in advance, canceling a corresponding relationship between the service and the unavailable port, and establishing a corresponding relationship between the service and the backup port.
US09716647B2 Multiple topology-transparent zones having a common edge node
The system and method of the present disclosure relates to technology for a network system supporting multiple topology transparent zones (TTZs) on an edge node. TTZs have a topology including TTZ nodes consisting of edge nodes and internal nodes connected together by internal links. The edge nodes may also be connected to external nodes outside of the TTZ. The edge node is responsible for generating and distributing link state advertisements (LSAs) to generate virtual paths from the edge node to other edge nodes in each of the TTZs. Each TTZ sharing the edge node and each external node neighboring one of the other edge nodes of the TTZs is virtualized by distribution of the LSAs. However, the internal topology of each TTZ is concealed from each of the other TTZs sharing the edge node and from any neighboring external node connected to one of the other edge nodes.
US09716643B2 Systems and methods for changing the frequency of retrieving monitoring data
The present invention discloses methods and systems for monitoring a network connected device by a monitoring server. The monitoring server sends notifications to the network connected device periodically according to a time interval. The time interval is set to a normal value and the notifications include a request for the monitoring data. Then the network connected device sends the monitoring data to monitoring server upon receiving the notifications. Monitoring server receives and stores the monitoring data from the network connected device. When one condition is satisfied, the time interval is changed to a lower value. Therefore, the frequency of sending notifications to network connected device from monitoring server is changed.
US09716638B1 Push pull data collection
A monitoring device responds to status data pushed from a network device, and also manages a link with another network device, the link allowing the monitoring device to pull status data from the second network device. The monitoring device receives packets including status, the data indicating activity for one or more clock ticks. The monitoring device can compute statistical measures, rather than the network device. The monitoring device maintains the status data in a buffer. The monitoring device lags actual activity, but has is more likely to capture delayed packets. The network device sends packets as wrappers, each wrapper indicating sets of status information. When the information in a wrapper crosses a clock tick boundary, the monitoring device allocates reported activity among clock ticks, assuming that activity follows a uniform distribution.
US09716635B2 Content prioritization based on packet size
In one embodiment, a first computing device determines a number of data packets available to transmit from the first computing device to a second computing device. The determination is based on an available bandwidth and a payload capacity, and each of the data packets has a payload with the payload capacity. The first computing device determines a plurality of data items to transmit from the first computing device to the second computing device. The first computing device then ranks the data items and selects, based at least in part on the ranking of the data items and the payload capacities of the data packets, one or more particular ones of the data items to transmit from the first computing device to the second computing device in the data packets. The first computing device writes the particular ones of the data items to the payloads of the data packets.
US09716632B2 Interactive layered visualization of a layered software architecture
A system to generate an interactive layered visualization of a software system includes a storage device to storage a model of the system that defines entities and relationships among entities. The system also includes a visualization tool to generate nodes representing the entities and assign nodes to layers in a set of ordered layers in accordance with rules associated with each layer. A layered layout of the software system is thereby generated and an interactive visualization of the layered layout is rendered for display to the user.
US09716628B2 Touchless orchestration for layer 3 data center interconnect in communications networks
A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes receiving from an orchestrator element for a new Virtual Routing and Forwarding element (“VRF”) created in a communications network a name of the VRF and interconnect identification; selecting a border element for the VRF; and creating in a database a VRF entry for the selected border element, the entry identifying a configuration profile for the selected border element. The method further includes forwarding a VRF create notification to the selected border element; and providing the configuration profile from the corresponding entry to the selected border element in response to a query to the database from the selected border element. The selected border element applies the configuration profile automatically to configure the selected border element.
US09716623B2 Automatic and secure activation of a universal plug and play device management device
A device may receive a first device identifier associated with a first device management (DM) device associated with a local area network. The device may identify a second DM device, associated with the local area network, based on receiving the first device identifier. The device may provide the first device identifier to the second DM device. The first device identifier may be provided to the second DM device to allow the first DM device to be managed by the second DM device via the local area network. The device may determine a second device identifier associated with the second DM device. The device may provide the second device identifier to the first DM device. The second device identifier may be provided to the first DM device to allow the second DM device to manage the first DM device via the local area network.
US09716613B2 Automated alert management
Alerts may be received from an event monitoring system that monitors computing resources of a computer system. Based on an alert ruleset, an alert management module may determine whether to provide notification of the alert. If the alert management module decides to provide notification of the alert, then the alert management module may initiate the creation of an issue ticket corresponding to the alert in an issue tracking system. If the alert management module decides not to provide notification of the alert, then the alert management module may discard the alert.
US09716608B2 Multi-element code modulation mapping method, device and computer storage medium
Disclosed is a multi-element code modulation mapping method and device, relating to communications and designed to improve communication reliability. The method includes that: multi-element domain coding is performed on a first sequence including K multi-element codes to obtain a second sequence including N multi-element codes; K1 and K2 are calculated according to a multi-element domain element number q and a modulation order M, wherein K1*log2 q=K2*log2 M, both K1 and K2 are integers not smaller than 2, and both q and M are power of 2; the second sequence is divided into z groups of multi-element codes with each group including K1 multi-element codes, wherein C=formula (I), and formula (II) represents rounding up; each group of multi-element codes is mapped to a constellation diagram to form K2 Mth-order modulation symbols; and z groups of Mth-order modulation symbols are sequentially cascaded to form a modulation symbol to be sent. The present disclosure further discloses a computer storage medium.
US09716597B2 Automatic interlocking logic detection method based on GOOSE communication mechanism
A method for quickly carrying out effective automatic interlocking logic detection based on a GOOSE communication mechanism, comprising: introducing an automatic system device model and configuration satisfying the IEC61850 standard, and simulating a GOOSE communication behavior in which an intelligent electronic device acts as a quick packet transmitter and receiver, so as to realize the closed-loop detection function by independent publishing and feedback monitoring GOOSE information.
US09716584B2 Systems and methods for operating secure elliptic curve cryptosystems
Various embodiments of the invention implement countermeasures designed to withstand attacks by potential intruders who seek partial or full retrieval of elliptic curve secrets by using known methods that exploit system vulnerabilities, including elliptic operation differentiation, dummy operation detection, lattice attacks, and first real operation detection. Various embodiments of the invention provide resistance against side-channel attacks, such as sample power analysis, caused by the detectability of scalar values from information leaked during regular operation flow that would otherwise compromise system security. In certain embodiments, system immunity is maintained by performing elliptic scalar operations that use secret-independent operation flow in a secure Elliptic Curve Cryptosystem.
US09716581B2 Mobile communication device configured with a single crystal piezo resonator structure
A mobile communication system. The system has a housing comprising an interior region and an exterior region and a processing device provided within an interior region of the housing. The system has an rf transmit module coupled to the processing device, and configured on a transmit path. The system has a transmit filter provided within the rf transmit module. In an example, the transmit filter comprises a diplexer filter comprising a single crystal acoustic resonator device.
US09716578B2 User terminal, radio base station apparatus, radio communication system and radio communication method
The present invention is designed to minimize the increase of user terminal power consumption even when downlink control channels are extended. A radio base station apparatus having: an allocation section that allocates downlink control information in a first control region from a top of a radio frame to a predetermined OFDM symbol and in a second control region that is frequency-divided with a data region in a region that is time-divided with the first control region, and also allocates decoding control information that indicates a user terminal to perform a decoding process for the second control region, in the first control region; and a transmission section that transmits the downlink control information and the decoding control information; and a user terminal having: a receiving section that receives the downlink control information and the decoding control information from the radio base station apparatus; and a decoding section that controls the decoding process for the second control region based on the decoding control information received, are provided.
US09716553B2 Radio frequency signal transceiver, coherent radar receiver and method of processing radio frequency signals
An RF signal transceiver comprising a mode-locked laser to output an optical signal having a plurality of phase-locked modes, an optical splitter to power split the optical signal into a transmitter optical signal and a receiver optical signal; a transmitter apparatus to receive the transmitter optical signal and comprising an optical filter to select two of the modes, an optical modulator to modulate a part of the transmitter optical signal to form at least one phase modulated optical signal, and a photodetector to heterodyne the phase modulated optical signal with one of the modes without a corresponding phase modulation to form an RF signal for transmission; and a receiver apparatus arranged to receive an RF signal and the receiver optical signal and comprising an optical modulator to modulate the receiver optical signal with the received RF signal; and an optical to electrical signal conversion apparatus to convert the modulated receiver optical signal into a corresponding electrical signal.
US09716551B2 Optical amplifier with closed loop control for scintillation compensation in free space optical communications
A method includes receiving a first optical signal at a first communication terminal from a second communication terminal through a free space optical link and determining a receiving power for the optical link based on the first optical signal. The method further includes adjusting an output amplification at the first communication terminal based on the receiving power for the optical link. The output amplification is adjusted to provide a second optical signal with a minimum transmission power for maintaining the optical link. The method transmits the second optical signal from the first communication terminal to the second communication terminal through the optical link.
US09716548B2 Data center with free-space optical communications
A data center for executing a data processing application includes processing units, sub-units or servers. Each of the processing units, sub-units or servers can execute a part or all of the data processing application. The processing units, sub-units or servers are electrical disjoint with respect to data communications, but can communicate with each other over free space optical links.
US09716543B2 Methods, systems, and computer readable media for managing aircraft radiofrequency communications
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for managing aircraft radiofrequency communications on board an aircraft are disclosed. In some aspects, a method can include determining at least one communication frequency, the at least one communication frequency corresponding to a communication center within a radio horizon of the aircraft, displaying the at least one communication frequency at an interface, and where there is more than one communication frequency displayed on the interface: filtering the more than one communication frequency according to a flight step of the aircraft in order to reduce a number of the more than one communication frequency displayed on the interface, and sorting the more than one communication frequency according to occupation rate in order to prioritize the more than one communication frequency displayed on the interface, and thereby aid in predicting a communication frequency communicated to the aircraft.
US09716535B2 Transmission apparatus, transmission method, and wireless communication system for orthogonal cover code (OCC) generation and OCC mapping
A base station which performs Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) transmission. A processor configured to generate reference signals by spreading with four groups of orthogonal code sequences, each group of orthogonal code sequences including four orthogonal sequences, wherein the orthogonal code sequences correspond to transmission layers and each of the orthogonal code sequences has a length of four, and a transmit circuit configured to transmit the reference signals. The four groups include a first group where the orthogonal code sequences are Walsh code sequences, a second group where the orthogonal code sequences are represented by mirroring of the orthogonal code sequences in the first group, a third group where the orthogonal code sequences are represented by cyclic shifts of the orthogonal code sequences in the first group, a fourth group where the orthogonal code sequences are represented by mirroring of the orthogonal code sequences in the third group.
US09716508B1 Dummy signal generation for reducing data dependent noise in digital-to-analog converters
Mechanisms for generating dummy signals for use in reducing data dependent noise in DACs are disclosed. Disclosed mechanisms differentiate between odd and even bits of a digital data signal to be converted and generate dummy signals by inverting some of these bits and leaving other bits as they are (i.e. including them in their non-inverted form). One dummy signal is generated as a sequence of bits that is the same as a sequence of bits of a data signal except that every odd bit of the data signal is inverted. An alternative dummy signal is generated as a sequence of bits that is the same as a sequence of bits of a data signal except that every even bit is inverted. Generating dummy signals in this manner eliminates the need to use calibration, feedback, or transition detectors, advantageously resulting in increased timing margins and substantial power savings over existing implementations.
US09716507B1 DLL calibration method for fast frequency change without re-locking
A delay circuit includes a delay line configured to output an output signal by imposing a delay value on an input signal. The delay circuit further includes an arithmetic unit configured to calculate a control code for the delay value based on delay codes. The delay circuit further includes a delay locked loop (DLL) configured to generate the delay codes based on a clock signal. The delay circuit further includes a controller configured to suspend operation of the DLL when the clock signal operates at a first frequency, to set the DLL to operate based on a second frequency when the DLL is suspended, and to resume operation of the DLL when the clock signal operates at the second frequency without the need to relock the DLL.
US09716504B2 Power supply system and method for controlling power supply system
A power control device 9 of the present invention includes: a power-supply target value obtaining unit 21 configured to obtain electric power being currently consumed by a load as a power-supply target value; a generated-power detection unit 22 configured to detect a generated-power value generated by a fuel cell 2 with respect to the power-supply target value; a power compensation amount calculation unit 23 configured to calculate a deviation of the generated-power value from the power-supply target value and determine an amount of power compensation to be supplied to the load from a storage cell 6; and an output power control unit 24 configured to determine current transient response characteristics of the storage cell 6, and perform control so that output power from the storage cell 6 becomes equal to the amount of power compensation based on the current transient response characteristics.
US09716499B2 Current amplifier and transmitter using the same
A current amplifier and a transmitter using the same. The current amplifier has a first and second transistor and a voltage level shifting unit. The first transistor has a gate receiving an input current and a drain receiving a driving current. The voltage level shifting unit providing a voltage shift is coupled between the drain of the first transistor and the gate of the second transistor. An output current is generated at the drain of the second transistor.
US09716492B1 Method and circuit for duty cycle detection
A duty cycle detection circuit, comprises a charge storage component and compare logic. The charge storage component has at least one capacitor, at least one switch, and, at least one current source. A clock signal is used to operate the at least one switch for charging the at least one capacitor using the at least one current source. The charge storage component outputs a first signal indicative of an amount of charge stored when the clock signal is logic high and a second signal indicative of an amount of charge stored when the clock signal is logic low. The compare logic compares the first signal and the second signal to determine a duty cycle for the clock signal.
US09716491B2 Multiple mode device implementation for programmable logic devices
Various techniques are provided to efficiently implement user designs in programmable logic devices (PLDs). In one example, a programmable logic device (PLD) includes a plurality of programmable logic blocks (PLBs) and at least first and second logic cells within at least one of the PLBs, where each logic cell includes a lookup table (LUT) and associated mode logic configured to receive a LUT output signal from the LUT. The associated mode logic is configured to use a single physical signal output to provide a logic cell output signal corresponding to a selected logic function operational mode, ripple arithmetic operational mode, or extended logic function operational mode for each logic cell.
US09716487B1 Latency compensation network using timing slack sensors
A latency compensation circuit and method. A three dimensional (3D) package is disclosed having a latency compensation circuit to address timing delays introduced by a through silicon via (TSV), including: an input for receiving a reference data signal from a redundant TSV and for receiving a local clock signal; a timing slack sensor that outputs a digital value reflecting a delay between a clock pulse of the local clock signal and the reference data signal; a look-up table that converts the digital value into a set of control bits; and an adjustable delay line that adjusts the local clock signal based on the set of control bits.
US09716485B2 Frequency divider apparatus
A frequency divider apparatus includes a micro-electro-mechanical system (“MEMS”) divider that is configured to be driven by an input signal. The MEMS divider includes a passive mechanical device that generates multiple output signals. Each of the output signals has a frequency less than a frequency of the input signal.
US09716484B2 Resonator element, resonator, resonator device, oscillator, electronic device, and mobile object
A resonator element includes a quartz crystal substrate having a main surface along a plane including an X-axis and a Z′-axis, and a thickness in a Y′-axis direction. The quartz crystal substrate includes a vibrating portion including a side along the X-axis, a side along the Z′-axis, and a peripheral portion having a thickness smaller than that of the vibrating portion, which is provided along an outer edge of the vibrating portion. The vibrating portion includes a first portion and a second portion having a thickness smaller than that of the first portion, which is provided on at least an outer edge on a +X side of the X-axis and an outer edge on a −X side thereof, among outer edges of the first portion. When Z is a length of the quartz crystal substrate along the Z′-axis, and t is a thickness of the first portion, 11
US09716478B2 Reduced crosstalk class D audio amplifier matching output power based on channel gain
A multi-channel Class D audio amplifier is provided to substantially reduce channel-to-channel crosstalk by employing in each channel a local triangle ramp generator controlled by a single global digital timing signal. The noise critical timing/integrating capacitor for the triangle ramp generator resides locally in each channel and adjacent to the PWM comparator of that channel and referenced to the local ground of that channel. The amplifier can also include a duty cycle limitation circuit to limit output power availability depending on the impedance of any attached loads (speakers).
US09716476B2 DC offset compensation
An apparatus and method for DC offset compensation. An amplifier receives an input signal (AIN) and provides an amplified output signal (SOUT) and a feedback path provides DC offset compensation. The feedback path comprises at least one voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) and a counter. The VCO provides, over time, a first VCO output signal based on said amplified output signal and a second VCO output signal based on a reference signal (VREF). The counter generates first pulse counts based upon the first VCO output signal and second pulse counts based upon the second VCO output signal and provides a compensation signal based on a comparison of the first and second pulse counts. One voltage controlled oscillator may sequentially receive a signal based on said amplifier output signal and the reference signal from a multiplexer so as to sequentially produce the first and second VCO output signals.
US09716470B2 Apparatus and methods for compensating an operational amplifier
Provided herein are apparatus and methods for compensating an operational amplifier (op-amp). In certain configurations, a compensation network is electrically connected between an output node of the op-amp and an input differential pair coupled source/emitter tail-current node. The compensation network can include a capacitor having a relatively low value of capacitance. In this manner, op-amp bandwidth is improved while power consumption is reduced to meet a “green” standard.
US09716467B2 Compact apparatus for the semi-automatic horizontal assembly of photovoltaic panels
Compact apparatus for the semi-automatic horizontal assembly of photovoltaic panels with solar cells, made up of a multi-function workstation in the form of a pilot system integrating multiple working and conveying means which carry out the various operations concomitantly and in a coordinated way. On the sides of the working surface there is the loading zone of the cells, the loading zone of the conductive ribbons and a pair of longitudinal rails which are intended to guide two mobile gantries, which roto-translate above the working surface, from one loading zone to the other, being equipped for the purpose of assembly. In particular, the compact apparatus is versatile in use and allows to obtain already in the experimental laboratory phases the levels of accuracy and control of an industrial system, for the purpose of optimizing the product and the assembly technologies reducing wastes and faults.
US09716456B2 Rotary electric machine capable of detecting malfunction in switch
In a rotary electric machine, a modulation signal generator generates a modulation signal including information indicative of rotation of a rotor based on change of a voltage at an output end of a stator winding, and outputs the modulation signal. A rectifying unit alternately turns on and off the switch to rectify the voltage at an output end of the stator winding, thus generating a rectified voltage. An excitation current supplying circuit is communicably connected to the modulation signal generator via a communication line, and starts a supply of an excitation current to the excitation winding of the rotor to induce a rotating magnetic field in the stator winding when the modulation signal output from the modulation signal generator is input thereto via the communication line.
US09716450B2 Electronically commutated electric motor with harmonic compensation
The invention relates to an electronically commutated electric motor with a stator and a rotor, which is designed as a permanent magnet rotor in particular. The electric motor also has a control unit which is connected to the stator. The control unit is designed to generate control signals for energizing the stator coils of the stator in order to generate a rotational magnetic field. The electric motor is designed to at least partly compensate for a torque ripple of a torque generated by the rotor. According to the invention, the electric motor has a rotor position sensor and a current sensor. The current sensor is designed to detect currents flowing in the stator coils and to generate a current signal which represents the currents. The control unit preferably has a processing unit which is designed to ascertain harmonics of the electromotive force dependent on the current signal, a voltage applied to the stator coils, and a rotor position signal generated by the rotor position sensor and to generate a control signal which compensates for the effect of the harmonics. The control unit, in particular the processing unit, is designed to superimpose the compensating control signal with the control signal so as to completely or at least partly compensate for the effect of the harmonics and thus the torque ripple.
US09716444B2 Pulse width modulation (PWM) for multi-level power inverters
Provided is a method for controlling operation of semiconductor gates in a power conversion system including one or more multilevel inverters coupleable to a modulator and a controller. The method includes generating, via the controller, a control signal responsive to an output current power factor associated with the inverters and producing a discontinuous pulse width modulation reference signal based upon the control signal and a target output power, the discontinuous pulse width modulation reference signal being indicative of shifting a phase angle between current and voltage. A gating signal is generated for output from the modulator, as a function of the reference signal and a carrier waveform. The gating signal adjusts the phase angle to prevent switching of the semiconductor gates.
US09716443B2 Voltage converter
A radio frequency transponder circuit, comprising: an AC-DC converter (70) connected to an RF input terminal (21a) and a DC output terminal (81) and operable to convert an RF signal (RFA) at the RF input terminal (21a) to a DC output signal (VDD) at the DC output terminal (81); and a voltage limiting circuit (50) connected to the RF input terminal (21a) and operable to limit the amplitude of the RF signal (RFA); wherein the voltage limiting circuit (50) comprises a NMOS limiting transistor (51) in parallel with a complimentary PMOS limiting transistor (52).
US09716438B2 Integrated circuit that controls switch power supply and switch power supply
An integrated circuit controls a switch power supply including: a primary feedback terminal, a primary feedback sampling module, an error amplifying module, a first control module, a secondary control module, a secondary feedback terminal, a second control module, and a driving module; the second control module, connected with the first control module and the secondary control module, respectively, and configured to generate a logic control signal according to the constant voltage control signal, or according to the secondary control signal and the constant voltage control signal; and the driving module, connected with the second control module and configured to generate a driving signal according to the logic control signal and to output the driving signal.
US09716427B2 Power factor correction circuit having bottom skip controller
A power factor correction circuit includes: an ON time setting unit, which sets an ON time period of the switching element based on the output voltage; a bottom detection unit, which detects a bottom when a voltage between both ends of the switching element is damped-oscillated while the switching element is being turned off; and a bottom skip controller, which causes the switching element to perform quasi-resonant if a ratio of the ON time period set by the ON time setting unit to a regeneration period of a current flowing through the reactor while the switching element is being turned off is less than or equal to a predetermined value, and turns on the switching element at a timing when a next bottom is reached after one bottom skipped from an initial bottom if the ratio is greater than the predetermined value.
US09716413B2 Electric machine stator with radial vent
An electric machine stator is provided and includes laminations consolidated along an axial direction to form a core element such that the core element includes an end lamination at an axial end of the core element. The end lamination includes a body extending in a plane and a plurality of spacer protrusions protruding along the axial direction from the plane. Each of the spacer protrusions of the plurality of spacer protrusions is configured for consolidation with another core element to define a radial vent between the core element and the another core element.
US09716412B2 Rotor for rotating electric motor, and rotor manufacturing method
This rotor for a rotating electric motor includes a hollow cylindrical rotor core with a plurality of laminated electromagnetic steel plates. The inner and outer circumferential surfaces of the rotor core each face a magnetic gap. The rotor core is interposed between a first rotating support member and a second rotating support member. A flange is formed on a first end of a tubular pin protruding from a first hole of the first rotating support member. A tubular expansion part of the tubular pin plastically deforms due to fluid pressure so as to come into close contact with a through hole of the rotor core, the first hole of the first rotating support member, and a second hole of the second rotating support member.
US09716411B2 Permanent-magnet-type rotating electric mechanism
A rotor core includes low permeability areas having lower permeability than that of a material of the rotor core, between an outer circumference of each magnetic pole and a side surface of each permanent magnet. The low permeability areas are formed asymmetrically with respect to a geometric center of each magnetic pole so that a magnetic center of the magnetic pole is displaced toward one side with respect to the geometric center. The rotor cores are placed upside down relative to each other so that a relative position in the circumferential direction of the low permeability areas with respect to the permanent magnets differs.
US09716402B2 Systems and methods for wireless power and data transfer for electronic devices
Exemplary embodiments are directed to wireless power. A wireless charging device may comprise a charging region configured for placement of one or more chargeable devices. The charging device may further include at least one transmit antenna configured for transmitting wireless power within the charging region. Furthermore, the charging device is configured to exchange data between at least one chargeable device of the one or more chargeable devices.
US09716400B2 Wireless charging system with auto-detection
A wireless charging system with auto-detection with an inductive loop for detecting an induced electric field resulted from the approach of an electrical receiver device to determine whether the electrical receiver device is close enough and thus adjust the output to the inductive loop from the power loop.
US09716396B2 Wireless power transmitting unit, wireless power receiving unit, and control methods thereof
A control method of a wireless power receiving unit receiving charging power from a wireless power transmitting unit to perform wireless charging is provided. The control method includes receiving the charging power from the wireless power transmitting unit; detecting a change in a wireless charging environment; generating a signal indicating detection of the change in the wireless charging environment; and transmitting the signal indicating the detection of the change in the wireless charging environment to the wireless power transmitting unit.
US09716395B2 GaN circuit drivers for GaN circuit loads
An electronic circuit is disclosed. The electronic circuit includes a substrate having GaN, and a power switch formed on the substrate and including a first control gate and a first source. The electronic circuit also includes a drive circuit formed on the substrate and including an output coupled to the first control gate, and a power supply having a supply voltage and coupled to the drive circuit, where the output can be driven to the supply voltage.
US09716390B2 Power feeding coil unit and wireless power transmission device
A power feeding coil unit includes a power feeding coil, and first and second auxiliary coils arranged so that a wire of the first auxiliary coil and a wire of the second auxiliary coil do not overlap a wire of the a power feeding coil when viewed from a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the power feeding coil. A direction of circulation of a magnetic flux generated by the first auxiliary coil and a magnetic flux generated by the second auxiliary coil are opposite to a direction of circulation of a magnetic flux generated by the power feeding coil. An axes of the first and second auxiliary coils are substantially perpendicular to a power feeding direction of the power feeding coil, and are not aligned with the axis of the power feeding coil.
US09716383B2 Multiple supply DVFs
A system for delivering a voltage to at least one power domain has at least one component. Each power domain functions according to at least two operating points, each operating point requiring a distinct supply voltage. The system includes at least two power supply units, alternatively delivering controllable supply voltages. The system also includes a control unit that selects one of the power supply units to be connected to a power domain, based on a current operating point of the power domain. The control unit also controls the supply voltage delivered by the selected power supply unit, to deliver the required voltage level associated with the current operating point of the power domain.
US09716372B2 Switchboard for power distribution system
A switchboard is for a power distribution system having a number of electrical lines. The switchboard includes: an enclosure assembly having a chassis; a switching assembly including a plurality of circuit breakers each coupled to the chassis, each of the circuit breakers having a number of terminal lugs structured to be electrically connected to a corresponding one of the electrical lines; and an isolating assembly including a plurality of isolating apparatus, at least one isolating apparatus being coupled to one of the plurality of circuit breakers. The isolating apparatus separates the number of terminal lugs of the one circuit breaker from the number of terminal lugs of each of the other circuit breakers.
US09716366B1 Device, method, and system for imaging laser amplifier
An optical image amplifier device capable of amplifying low-intensity backscattered illumination includes an optical port having an input, an output, and a controller having an ON state and an OFF state, the controller connecting the input and the output to form an optical loop in the ON state and disconnecting the input and the output in the OFF state, and an optical relay housing the optical loop and connected to the optical port having a gain medium configured for amplifying a signal beam propagating inside the optical loop in the ON state.
US09716360B1 Electric connector having a male connector holder tightly fitted into a female connector holder
The present invention provides an electric connector including a male and a female connectors used for being mounted in ends of trunk portions of an artificial tree. The male connector includes a plug tube, a first support received in the plug tube, and a first electrical connector assembly mounted on the first support. The female connector includes a receptacle tube, a second support received in the receptacle tube, and a second electrical connector assembly mounted on the second support. A first end of the plug tube includes an external flange. When the first end of the plug tube is inserted in the receptacle tube with the flange being clamped tightly between the receptacle tube and the second support, the first electrical connector assembly is electrically coupled to the second electrical connector assembly. Thus, a stability of the electrical and mechanical connections of the electric connector can be insured.
US09716359B1 Multifunctional vehicle tool
Provided are multifunctional tools functioning as a cigarette lighter socket adapter, safety hammer and cutter used in a car. The multifunctional tool comprises a body portion, a striking mechanism, means for adapting the electricity from the cigarette lighter socket, and blades disposed in a inner surface of the a hook-shaped structure. The tool can be used as an electricity adapter converting the electricity from the cigarette lighter socket into various outlet ports, such as USB ports or any other types of outlet ports or connectors for electronic devices. The striking mechanism enables the striking member in the tool to be shoot out with a high impact force, breaking objects such as a car window. The blade is used to cut objects such as a seat belt when the user is trapped in a car in an emergency.
US09716358B1 Power distribution outlet
A linear power distribution outlet is generally presented. The power distribution outlet includes a housing having at least one side including an opening therein. An insert may be positioned within the housing and formed of an electrically insulating material. The insert may comprise a first slot, second slide and a dividing wall between the first and second slots. The first and second slots may be accessible through the opening in the housing. A first power distribution rail may extend along a length of the insert. The first power distribution rail may be positioned to be exposed to and accessible to the first slot. A second power distribution rail may extend along a length of the insert and may be positioned to be exposed to and accessible to the second slot. The first and second slots may be uniquely shaped and the first and second power distribution rails may be positioned to prevent reverse polarity connections.
US09716352B1 Electrical cord having plugs with improved safety features
An electrical cord having improved safety features comprises a plug having a first body portion surrounding respective first ends of first, second, and third electrical wires. A live blade is in electrical communication with the first end of the first electrical wire. A neutral blade is in electrical communication with the first end of the second electrical wire. A ground pin receptacle is in electrical communication with the first end of the third electrical wire. A removable ground pin is configured to be removably secured within the ground pin receptacle to place the ground pin receptacle and third electrical wire in electrical communication with the ground pin. The first body portion surrounds and maintains the live blade, neutral blade, and ground pin receptacle in spaced apart orientation corresponding to sockets on an electrical outlet.
US09716349B1 Electric connector
An electric connector structure, being a female connector, includes: a metal shell, including a upper surface defined on an inner side of thereof, two side surfaces extended from two respective end edges of the upper surface opposite to each other, and a lower surface extended from one side of each side surface far away from the upper surface; a plurality of first protrusions, respectively formed on the upper surface and lower surface; and a plurality of second protrusions, respectively formed on the two side surfaces and staggered with the first protrusions. Therefore, when a male connector is inserted in the female connector, the first and second protrusions are in contact with the outer wall of the male connector, thereby increasing insertion stability and generate multi-step noise blockage.
US09716348B2 Connector for a unified power and data cable
In one implementation, a device includes: one or more data terminals, where each of the one or more data terminals provides a respective mating interface between a respective data transmission path and a corresponding device data port; a first power terminal having a power portion and a ground portion separated by a dielectric, where the ground portion is arranged in association with the one or more data terminals in order to shield the one or more data terminals from electromagnetic interference from the power portion, and where the first power terminal provides a respective mating interface between a respective power transmission path and a corresponding device power port; and a support member provided to maintain the arrangement of the one or more data terminals in combination with the first power terminal.
US09716343B2 Arrangement with modular parts and an adjustable coding
The arrangement includes at least one modular part of a first type (60), at least one modular part of a second type (60′), an adjustable coding (10, 10′), which has coding settings, which allow or prevent a joining together of the modular parts, and a holding appliance (62-64, 62′-64′) for holding one modular part on the other modular part when these are joined together. Coding elements (10, 10′) are provided, which in each case are received in a receiving space (51, 51′) formed in the modular part of the first or second type (50, 50′, 60, 60′) and which in each case have a projection (31, 31′) projecting out of the receiving space. The respective coding element is disposed so as to be movable to and fro in order to assume at least two coding positions, which can be selected so that a) for joining together of the modular parts a respective projection of a coding element is disposed offset in the direction of movement with respect to the projection of an opposing coding element, and b) for prevention of a joining together of the modular parts at least one projection of a coding element abuts the projection of an opposing coding element.
US09716326B2 Electrical connector
An electrical connector includes a plurality of connecting members arranged in an arrangement direction in parallel to a circuit board; and a joining member extending in the arrangement direction over an arrangement range of the connecting members for holding the connecting members. Each of the connecting members includes a terminal to be connected to a mating connector, and a terminal holding member for holding the terminal. The connecting members are arranged so that the connecting members arranged adjacently form a gap in between. The joining member is formed of a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion the same as that of the circuit board.
US09716321B2 Antenna system for broadband satellite communication in the GHz frequency range, comprising a feeding arrangement
An antenna system for wireless communication of data includes at least two antenna modules constructed from a plurality of electrically-conductive layers and a first waveguide network configured to communicate data with the at least two antenna modules. Each antenna module includes at least two radiating elements. Each radiating element is configured to support communications at a first polarization and a second polarization that are orthogonal to one another. Each antenna module also includes a first microstrip line network configured to communicate with the at least two radiating elements at the first polarization and a second microstrip line network configured to communicate with the at least two radiating elements at the second polarization. At least one of the electrically-conductive layers is located between the first and second microstrip line networks.
US09716318B2 Patch antenna assemblies
Disclosed herein are exemplary embodiments of multilayer printed circuit board assemblies (PCBAs) that integrally define or include patch antenna radiating elements. The radiating elements may be defined or formed from electrically-conductive layers of the PCBAs. Also disclosed herein are exemplary embodiments of antenna assemblies, systems, or modules comprising such multilayer PCBAs.
US09716315B2 Automatic high-resolution adaptive beam-steering
A method includes pointing a receive beam of a retro-directive antenna array attracted to a jammer circuit instead of a remote transmitter away from the jammer circuit toward the remote transmitter by a first angle based on coarse manual means therefor implemented in electronic circuitry associated with the retro-directive antenna array. The electronic circuitry includes a number of mixers, each of which is configured to mix a Local Oscillator (LO) signal generated from a Voltage Controlled Oscillator (VCO) with a signal received at an antenna element of the retro-directive antenna array. The method also includes automatically fine pointing the receive beam toward the remote transmitter by a second angle following the coarse pointing thereof by the first angle such that the receive beam exactly points to, and tracks, the remote transmitter. The automatic fine pointing is effected through a secondary automatic servo loop implemented in the electronic circuitry.
US09716312B2 Multiple-input multiple-output ultra-wideband antennas
An example ultra-wideband (“UWB”) multiple-input multiple-output (“MIMO”) antenna operating across a continuous, wide-range frequency band can include a ground plane, a wideband monopole antenna arranged over the ground plane, and a ring antenna arranged over the ground plane and around the wideband monopole antenna. The ring antenna can include a plurality of pairs of dipole antennas, where these dipole pairs are configured for symmetric, out-of-phase coupling with the wideband monopole antenna. The wideband monopole antenna and the ring antenna can also be configured to generate respective electric fields having orthogonal polarizations.
US09716311B2 Method and apparatus for tuning a communication device
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a tuning system for a communication device having an antenna, where the tuning system includes at least one first tunable element connected with at least one radiating element of the antenna for tuning the antenna where the adjusting of the at least one first tunable element is based on at least one of a use case associated with the communication device and location information associated with the communication device, and a matching network having at least one second tunable element coupled at a feed point of the antenna, wherein the matching network receives control signals for adjusting the at least one second tunable element to tune the matching network. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
US09716294B2 Battery controller with monitoring logic for model-based battery control
A battery controller with monitoring logic for a model-based battery control of a battery performs battery current characterizing, parameter and state variable abnormality detection, and bound checking of error signals between measured and predicted output variables to generate an output. Switching between closed-loop operation (i.e., the model-based battery control) and open-loop operation (i.e., a traditional battery control) is done based on the output of the monitoring logic such that closed-loop stability and performance are reasonably guaranteed.
US09716289B1 Solid-phase magnesium boranyl electrolytes for a magnesium battery
A solid-phase electrolyte is provided having a magnesium salt. The salt contains a magnesium cation and a boron cluster anion and can include an ether or other weakly-coordinating molecule in dative interaction with the magnesium cation. A magnesium electrochemical cell is also provided. The magnesium electrochemical cell includes the solid-phase electrolyte, and also includes an anode in ionic communication with the solid-phase electrolyte. The anode, when charged, contains reduced magnesium.
US09716283B2 Method of starting fuel cell system
Provided is a method of starting a fuel cell system including a hydrogen concentration acquisition process of acquiring a concentration of hydrogen in the anode, a threshold value determination process of determining whether or not the concentration of hydrogen which is acquired by the hydrogen concentration acquisition process is greater than or equal to a predetermined second threshold value, and a starting pressure setting process of setting a pressure of hydrogen supplied to an anode from a hydrogen tank when supplying hydrogen to the anode from the hydrogen tank in a state in which a contactor is shut off.
US09716282B2 Fuel cell assembly
The present invention relates to a fuel cell assembly having a fuel cell and an actuating element, which is activated by a control unit, for bringing residual gas out of a fuel flow of the fuel cell. The invention is provided with the control unit having an open-loop and/or closed-loop control system which takes into consideration the fuel concentration in the fuel flow.
US09716279B2 Core-shell fuel cell electrodes
Embodiments of the disclosure relate to electrocatalysts. The electrocatalyst may include at least one gas-diffusion layer having a first side and a second side, and particle cores adhered to at least one of the first and second sides of the at least one gas-diffusion layer. The particle cores includes surfaces adhered to the at least one of the first and second sides of the at least one gas-diffusion layer and surfaces not in contact with the at least one gas-diffusion layer. Furthermore, a thin layer of catalytically atoms may be adhered to the surfaces of the particle cores not in contact with the at least one gas-diffusion layer.
US09716269B2 Electrode material and method for producing same
An electrode material is provided in which a coating of a carbonaceous material is formed efficiently, uniformly and strongly on the surfaces of electrode active material particles, and therefore electron conductivity and the charge and discharge capacity of batteries are improved. The electrode material includes composite particles, which includes a carbonaceous substance and an electrode active material, wherein a carbonaceous material is provided on surfaces of electrode active material particles, and a standard rate constant of a redox reaction of ferrocene occurring on the surfaces of the composite particles is 1×10−5 cm/s or more.
US09716260B2 Battery case
A battery case provided with a safety valve (4) in which a breakage groove (45) is used, wherein in order to stabilize the operation pressure, a lid (2) of the battery case has formed thereon: a thin plate portion (30) obtained by thinning a plate part (3); and a first recessed part (40) comprising a curved part (44) in which the thin plate portion (30) is indented inward, with respect to the case, in a curved shape. The breakage groove (45) for the safety valve (4) is formed at the bottom part (440) of the curved part (44). A first connecting portion (46) and a second connecting portion (47) of the plate part (3), which connect to the curved part (44) on both sides flanking the curved part (44), are at positions protruding toward the outside of the case from the plate part (3).
US09716256B2 Battery pack
A battery pack includes a battery assembly including battery cells and spacers that are alternately arrayed, a side plate extending across a side of the battery assembly, and a motion prevention unit protruding from the side plate toward the battery assembly so as to cover a portion of the battery assembly, the motion prevention unit being arrayed on the spacers.
US09716254B2 Battery pack
Provided are a pack main body of a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape in which a battery cell is embedded, and a terminal portion provided on a front face of the pack main body. The pack main body includes bevelled portions at corner portions formed by a top face and a bottom face and opposite side faces. The terminal portion is provided, in a protruding manner, on the front face at a position biased with respect to center lines in a width direction and a height direction. The corner portions on one side have a chamfered shape and the corner portions on the other side have a rounded shape.
US09716245B2 Organic electroluminescent device and preparation method thereof, and display device
An organic electroluminescent device and a preparation method thereof, and a display device are provided. The organic electroluminescent device comprises a substrate (1), a first electrode (2) formed on the substrate (1), a light-emitting layer (3) formed on one side of the first electrode (2) away from the substrate (1), and a second electrode (4) formed on one side of the light-emitting layer (3) away from the first electrode (2), and only a portion of a projection of the light-emitting layer (3) on the substrate (1) is positioned at an overlapping portion of projections of the first electrode (2) and the second electrode (4) on the substrate (1). The organic electroluminescent device can facilitate realizing a high resolution design of a display screen.
US09716240B2 High molecular extinction coefficient metal dyes
The present invention relates to novel compounds that are useful as ligands in organometallic dyes. More particularly, the invention relates to dyes comprising the compounds, said dyes being sensitizing dyes useful in solar cell technology. According to an embodiment, the present invention discloses new ruthenium dyes and their application in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSC). The referred ruthenium dyes with new structural features can be easily synthesized, show more than 85% light-to-electricity conversion efficiency and a higher than 9% cell efficiency.
US09716238B2 Boron compound for organic electroluminescent elements, and organic electroluminescent element
Provided are an organic EL device which is practically satisfactory in terms of a light-emitting characteristic, a driving voltage, and durability, and a compound for organic EL devices to be used in the device. The organic EL device is an organic EL device produced by laminating, on a substrate, an anode, a plurality of organic layers including a light-emitting layer, and a cathode, the organic EL device containing, in at least one organic layer selected from the light-emitting layer, a hole-transporting layer, an electron-transporting layer, a hole-blocking layer, and an electron-blocking layer, a boron compound having two indolocarbazolyl groups in a molecule thereof. The boron compound is represented by Y-L-B(A)a-L-Y or Y-L(Z)b-Y, where Y represents an indolocarbazolyl group, L represents an aromatic group, and Z represents a boron-containing group.
US09716235B2 9,10-bis[2-(p-substituted phenyl)pyrimidin-4-yl] anthracene compounds, methods of preparing the same, organic electroluminescent devices and organic electroluminescent display apparatus
The invention relates to organic electroluminescent materials and provides 9,10-bis[2-(p-substituted phenyl)pyrimidin-4-yl] anthracene compounds and methods of preparing the same, organic electroluminescent devices comprising the compounds, and organic electroluminescent display apparatus comprising the devices. The compounds of the invention are easy to be synthesized and can be used as blue-phosphorescent organic electroluminescent materials. Due to the inherent ability of the materials to block holes, there is no need to arrange a hole-blocking layer between a light-emitting layer and an electron transport layer, which simplifies the manufacturing process of full color display panels of organic electroluminescent display apparatus and reduces the manufacture cost and time. The organic electroluminescent devices made from the materials exhibit high luminous efficiency.
US09716220B2 Graphene-based terahertz devices
Disclosed is a graphene-based terahertz device that includes a top graphene layer, a bottom graphene layer, and a middle layer disposed between the top graphene layer and the bottom graphene layer. The middle layer is a liquid crystal layer, a piezocrystal layer, an ionic liquid layer, or an ion gel layer. Also disclosed are methods of preparing different embodiments of the above-described graphene-based terahertz device.
US09716218B2 Method of manufacturing thermoelectric module, and thermoelectric module
A manufacturing method of a thermoelectric module comprises forming a first wax model in which the first thermoelectric elements are arranged in a predetermined pattern, forming a first mold from the first wax model, casting a group of the first thermoelectric elements by pouring molten metal of a first thermoelectric material into the first mold to solidify the molten metal, forming a second wax model that represents arrangement of second thermoelectric elements to form the thermoelectric module by being connected with the first thermoelectric elements, forming a second mold from the second wax model, casting the group of the second thermoelectric elements by pouring molten metal of a second thermoelectric material into the second mold to solidify the molten metal, and connecting the group of the first thermoelectric elements with the group of the second thermoelectric elements electrically in series.
US09716212B2 Light emitting device
A light emitting device including a light emitting element that has a peak light emission wavelength of from 400 nm to 455 nm, a first fluorescent material that has a peak fluorescence wavelength in the range of from 650 nm to 670 nm, and a second fluorescent material that has a peak fluorescence wavelength in the range of from 520 nm to 550 nm, wherein the light emitting device exhibits a light emission spectrum with an average light emission strength of 30% or less in the range of from 600 nm to 620 nm, when the maximum light emission strength in the range of from 520 nm to 550 nm is taken as 100%.
US09716208B2 Light-emitting device and manufacturing method thereof
Occurrence of a crosstalk phenomenon is prevented in a light-emitting device including a tandem element. The light-emitting device includes an insulating layer, a first lower electrode over the insulating layer, a second lower electrode over the insulating layer, a partition positioned over the insulating layer and between the first lower electrode and the second lower electrode, a first light-emitting unit over the first lower electrode, the partition, and the second lower electrode, intermediate layers over the first light-emitting unit, a second light-emitting unit over the intermediate layer, and an upper electrode over the second light-emitting unit. The partition has a first depression.
US09716201B2 Silicon heterojunction photovoltaic device with wide band gap emitter
A photovoltaic device including a single junction solar cell provided by an absorption layer of a type IV semiconductor material having a first conductivity, and an emitter layer of a type III-V semiconductor material having a second conductivity, wherein the type III-V semiconductor material has a thickness that is no greater than 50 nm.
US09716195B2 Dry etch method for texturing silicon and device
A method for texturing silicon includes loading a silicon wafer into a vacuum chamber, heating the silicon wafer and thermal cracking a gas to generate cracked sulfur species. The silicon wafer is exposed to the cracked sulfur species for a time duration in accordance with a texture characteristic needed for a surface of the silicon wafer.
US09716189B2 Cyclic carbodiimide compound, polyester film, back sheet for solar cell module, and solar cell module
A polyester film including a cyclic carbodiimide compound represented by the following Formula (O-1) has good film thickness uniformity without increase in viscosity. R1 and R5 represent an alkyl group, an aryl group, or an alkoxy group; R2 to R4 and R6 to R8 represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group, or an alkoxy group; X1 and X2 represent a single bond, —O—, —CO—, —S—, —SO2—, —NH—, or —CH2—; and L1 represents a divalent linking group.
US09716185B2 Field effect transistor
A field effect transistor includes: a semiconductor substrate having a main surface; a plurality of source electrodes and a plurality of drain electrodes alternately disposed and ohmic-connected with the main surface of the semiconductor substrate; a plurality of gate electrodes Schottky-connected with the main surface of the semiconductor substrate and respectively disposed between the plurality of source electrodes and the plurality of drain electrodes; and a Schottky electrode Schottky-connected with the main surface of the semiconductor substrate, wherein each of the plurality of drain electrodes has first and second portions separated from each other, a sum of widths of the first and second portions of each drain electrode is smaller than a width of one source electrode, the Schottky electrode is disposed between the first portion and the second portion of the drain electrode.
US09716184B2 Enabling large feature alignment marks with sidewall image transfer patterning
In an embodiment, this disclosure relates to a method of creating an alignment feature within a sidewall image transfer process by the addition of a block mask. The presence of the alignment feature would enable better overlay and alignment for subsequent lithographic stacks.
US09716176B2 FinFET semiconductor devices including recessed source-drain regions on a bottom semiconductor layer and methods of fabricating the same
FinFET semiconductor devices and methods of forming the same are provided. The finFET semiconductor devices may include an insulator layer, a bottom semiconductor layer on the insulator layer, a channel fin on the bottom semiconductor layer, a source region on the bottom semiconductor layer and adjacent a first side of the channel fin, and a drain region on the bottom semiconductor layer and adjacent a second side of the channel fin opposite the first side.
US09716175B2 Quasi-nanowire transistor and method of manufacturing the same
A quasi-nanowire transistor and a method of manufacturing the same are provided, the quasi-nanowire transistor comprising: providing an SOI substrate comprising a substrate layer (100), a BOX layer (120) and an SOI layer (130); forming a basic fin structure on the SOI layer, the basic fin structure comprising at least one silicon/silicon-germanium stack; forming source/drain regions (110) on both sides of the basic fin structure; forming a quasi-nanowire fin from a basic fin structure and an SOI layer thereunder; and forming a gate stack across the quasi-nanowire fin. The method can effectively control gate length characteristics. A semiconductor structure formed by the above method is also provided.
US09716172B2 Semiconductor device having multiple active area layers and its formation thereof
A semiconductor device and method of forming the same are described. A semiconductor device includes an active area adjacent a channel in a semiconductor composite. The active area includes a first active area layer having a first dopant concentration, a second active area layer having a second dopant concentration over the first active area layer, and a third active area layer having a third dopant concentration, over the second active area. The third dopant concentration is greater than the second dopant concentration, and the second dopant concentration is greater than the first dopant concentration. The channel includes a second channel layer comprising carbon over a first channel layer and a third channel layer over the second channel layer. The active area configuration improves drive current and reduces contact resistance, and the channel configuration increases short channel control, as compared to a semiconductor device without the active area and channel configuration.
US09716169B2 Lateral double diffused metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor
A lateral double diffused metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor includes semiconductor substrates, body regions positioned in the semiconductor substrates, drift regions positioned in the semiconductor substrates, source regions and a body leading-out region which are positioned in the body regions and spaced from the drift regions, a field region and drain regions which are positioned in the drift regions, and gates positioned on the surfaces of the semiconductor substrates to partially cover the body regions, the drift regions and the field region, wherein the field region is of a finger-like structure and comprises a plurality of strip field regions which extend from the source regions to the drain regions and are isolated by the active regions; and the strip field regions provided with strip gate extending regions extending from the gates.
US09716147B2 Semiconductor devices with enhanced deterministic doping and related methods
A method for making a semiconductor device may include forming a plurality of stacked groups of layers on a semiconductor substrate, with each group of layers including a plurality of stacked base semiconductor monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion and at least one non-semiconductor monolayer constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base semiconductor portions. The method may further include implanting a dopant in the semiconductor substrate beneath the plurality of stacked groups of layers in at least one localized region, and performing an anneal of the plurality of stacked groups of layers and semiconductor substrate and with the plurality of stacked groups of layers vertically and horizontally constraining the dopant in the at least one localized region.
US09716143B2 Silicide regions in vertical gate all around (VGAA) devices and methods of forming same
An embodiment semiconductor device includes a nanowire extending upwards from a semiconductor substrate, a source/drain region in the nanowire, and a channel region in the nanowire over the source/drain region. The source/drain region further extends into the semiconductor substrate past edges of the nanowire. The semiconductor device further includes a gate structure encircling the channel region and a silicide in an upper portion of the source/drain region. A sidewall of the silicide is aligned with a sidewall of the gate structure.
US09716137B1 3D capacitor with 3D memory
An integrated circuit includes 3D memory blocks and 3D capacitor blocks. The 3D capacitor comprises a plurality of stacks of conductive strips alternating with insulating strips, and a first terminal connected to conductive strips in consecutive levels in one or more stacks, whereby the conductive strips act as a first plate of the 3D capacitor. A second terminal is insulated from the first terminal, either connected to conductive strips in consecutive levels in another or other stacks, or connected to a plurality of pillars. No intervening conductive strip is disposed between the conducive strips in consecutive levels.
US09716121B1 Majority current assisted radiation detector device
The invention relates to a majority current assisted detector device, comprising a semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type epitaxially grown on a semiconductor substrate, at least two control regions of the first conductivity type, at least two detection regions of a second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type, and a source for generating a majority carrier current in the semiconductor layer between the two control regions, the majority current being associated with an electrical field. The detection regions surround the control regions, thereby forming at least two taps. The device is configured for backside illumination and further comprises a well of the first conductivity type between the two detection regions for insulating the detection regions. The well comprises pixel circuitry elements.
US09716106B2 Integrated circuit, semiconductor device based on integrated circuit, and standard cell library
An integrated circuit (IC) may include at least one cell including a plurality of conductive lines that extend in a first direction and are in parallel to each other in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction, first contacts respectively disposed at two sides of at least one conductive line from among the plurality of conductive lines, and a second contact disposed on the at least one conductive line and the first contacts and forming a single node by being electrically connected to the at least one conductive line and the first contacts.
US09716097B2 Techniques to avoid or limit implant punch through in split gate flash memory devices
Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a flash memory device. The flash memory device includes first and second individual source/drain (S/D) regions spaced apart within a semiconductor substrate. A common S/D region is arranged laterally between the first and second individual S/D regions, and is separated from the first individual S/D region by a first channel region and is separated from the second individual S/D region by a second channel region. An erase gate is arranged over the common S/D. A floating gate is disposed over the first channel region and is arranged to a first side of the erase gate. A control gate is disposed over the floating gate. A wordline is disposed over the first channel region and is spaced apart from the erase gate by the floating gate and the control gate. An upper surface of the wordline is a concave surface.
US09716093B1 Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device including a substrate, insulators, a gate dielectric layer, a first gate structure and a second gate structure is provided. The substrate includes trenches, a first semiconductor fin and a second semiconductor fin. The first gate structure is disposed on the gate dielectric layer and partially covers the first semiconductor fin. The first gate structure includes a first metal gate and a first dielectric cap covering the first metal gate. The second gate structure is disposed on the gate dielectric layer and partially covers the second semiconductor fin. The second gate structure includes a second metal gate and a second dielectric cap covering the second metal gate. Work function of the first metal gate is smaller than work function of the second metal gate and thickness of the first dielectric cap is smaller than thickness of the second dielectric cap.
US09716092B2 Semiconductor device with surrounding gate transistors in a NAND circuit
A semiconductor device employs surrounding gate transistors (SGTs) which are vertical transistors to constitute a CMOS NAND circuit. The NAND circuit is formed by using a plurality of MOS transistors arranged in m rows and n columns. The MOS transistors constituting the NAND circuit are formed on a planar silicon layer disposed on a substrate, and each have a structure in which a drain, a gate, and a source are arranged in a vertical direction, the gate surrounding a silicon pillar. The planar silicon layer includes a first active region having a first conductivity type and a second active region having a second conductivity type. The first active region and the second active region are connected to one another via a silicon layer formed on a surface of the planar silicon layer. This provides for a semiconductor device that constitutes a NAND circuit.
US09716080B1 Thin fan-out multi-chip stacked package structure and manufacturing method thereof
A thin fan-out multi-chip stacked package structure including a plurality of stacked chips is provided. The electrodes of the stacked chips and the active surface of the top chip are exposed. A dummy spacer is disposed on the active surface. Each bonding wire has a bonding thread bonded to a chip electrode and an integrally-connected vertical wire segment. A flat encapsulant encapsulates the chip stacked structure and the bonding wires. Polished cross-sectional surfaces of the bonding wires and a surface of the dummy spacer are exposed by the flat surface of the encapsulant. A redistribution layer structure is formed on the flat surface. A passivation layer covers the flat surface and the surface of the dummy spacer but exposes the polished cross-sectional surfaces. Fan-out circuits are formed on the passivation layer and are connected to the polished cross-sectional surfaces of the bonding wires.
US09716075B2 Semiconductor chip assembly and method for making same
A microelectronic assembly may include a substrate including a rigid dielectric layer having electrically conductive elements, a microelectronic element having a plurality of contacts exposed at a face thereof, and conductive vias extending through a compliant dielectric layer overlying the rigid dielectric layer. The vias electrically connect the substrate contacts respectively to the conductive elements, and the substrate contacts are joined respectively to the contacts of the microelectronic element. The vias, compliant layer and substrate contacts are adapted to appreciably relieve stress at the substrate contacts associated with differential thermal contact and expansion of the assembly.
US09716074B2 Wafer backside interconnect structure connected to TSVs
An integrated circuit structure includes a semiconductor substrate having a front surface and a back surface; a conductive via passing through the semiconductor substrate; and a metal feature on the back surface of the semiconductor substrate. The metal feature includes a metal pad overlying and contacting the conductive via, and a metal line over the conductive via. The metal line includes a dual damascene structure. The integrated circuit structure further includes a bump overlying the metal line.
US09716065B2 Via bottom structure and methods of forming
Various embodiments include methods and integrated circuit structures. One method includes: forming a via opening through a trench to expose a portion of an underlying metal line; electrolessly plating a metal layer at a bottom of the via opening over the exposed portion of the underlying metal line, the electrolessly plated metal layer formed of a metal not including copper; depositing a cobalt layer to cover the bottom of the via opening over the electrolessly plated metal layer and sidewalls of the via opening; and growing a copper layer over the cobalt layer to form a line within the trench and a via filling the via opening.
US09716058B2 Power module and control integrated circuit
A power module includes one control IC and a plurality of reverse conducting insulated gate bipolar transistors (RC-IGBTs). The control IC has the functions of a high-voltage IC and a low-voltage IC. The plurality of RC-IGBTs are disposed on three of four sides of the control IC and connected to the control IC through only wires.
US09716053B2 Semiconductor device, heat conductor, and method for manufacturing semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a wiring substrate, a semiconductor element mounted on the wiring substrate, and a heat dissipation component arranged on the wiring substrate. The heat dissipation component includes a cavity that accommodates the semiconductor element and includes an inner surface opposing the wiring substrate. The semiconductor element is located between the inner surface of the cavity and the wiring substrate. A heat conductor is bonded to the semiconductor element and to the inner surface of the cavity. The heat conductor includes linear heat conductive matters arranged between the semiconductor element and the heat dissipation component. A first alloy layer bonded to the semiconductor element covers lower ends of the heat conductive matters. The heat dissipation component includes a through hole extending through the heat dissipation component toward the heat conductor from a location outside of the heat conductor in a plan view.
US09716052B2 Semiconductor device comprising a conductive film joining a diode and switching element
A ground working tool comprising a tubular base body with an inner receiving space for receiving a cylindrical core of solid ground material, connector mechanism for connecting the tubular base body with a rotary drive and locking mechanism for locking the core in the receiving space of the tubular base body. The locking mechanism involves at least one locking unit having a guide rail being disposed at an inner side of the tubular base body and arranged with a deviation angle relative to a tangential direction of the tubular base body and the locking unit further comprises at least one locking element, which is moveably mounted on the guide rail between a radially outer releasing position and a radially inner locking position, in which the core is clamped within the receiving space by means of the at least one locking element.
US09716049B2 Semiconductor device and manufacturing method of semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes: a substrate; a semiconductor element disposed on the substrate; a plurality of electrodes disposed on the substrate separately from one another and arranged so as to surround the semiconductor element in a plan view; a lid that cover the semiconductor element, the lid including an inner portion and a periphery portion that is outer than the inner portion in a plan view, the lid including a plurality of first protruding members that is provided separately from one another, the first protruding members being disposed in the inner portion; and conductive members disposed between the plurality of electrodes and the plurality of protruding members disposed in positions opposed to the plurality of electrodes respectively, the conductive members being joined to the plurality of electrodes and the plurality of protruding members respectively.
US09716048B2 Semiconductor device having a peripheral-region defect detection structure
Provided is a semiconductor device including an interconnection structure provided on a cell region of a substrate to include a first line and a second line sequentially stacked on the substrate, and a defect detection structure provided on a peripheral region of the substrate to include first and second defect detection lines provided at the same levels as those of the first and second lines, respectively.
US09716029B2 Method for transferring a layer of a semiconductor and substrate comprising a confinement structure
A method for transferring a layer of semiconductor by providing a donor substrate that includes a useful layer of a semiconductor material, a confinement structure that includes a confinement layer of a semiconductor material having a chemical composition that is different than that of the useful layer, and two protective layers of semiconductor material that are distinct from the confinement layer with the protective layers being arranged on both sides of the confinement layer; introducing ions into a donor substrate, bonding the donor substrate to a receiver substrate, subjecting the donor and receiver substrates to a heat treatment that provides an increase in temperature during which the confinement layer attracts the ions in order to concentrate them in the confinement layer, and detaching the donor substrate from the receiver substrate by breaking the confinement layer.
US09716025B2 Temporary bonding laminates for use in manufacture of semiconductor devices
Provided is temporary bonding laminates for used in a manufacture of semiconductor devices, by which a member to be processed (a semiconductor wafer or the like) can be temporarily supported securely and readily during a mechanical or chemical process of the member to be processed and then the processed member can be readily released from the temporary support without damaging the processed member even after a high temperature process, and processes for manufacturing semiconductor devices. The temporary bonding laminate includes (A) a release layer and (B) an adhesive layer, wherein the release layer (A) comprises (a1) a first release layer having a softening point of 200° C. or more and adjoining the adhesive layer (B), and (a2) a second release layer adjoining the first release layer (a1); the second release layer (a2) contains a resin; and the resin after curing has a capable of being dissolved at 5% by mass or more, at 25° C., in at least one kind of solvents selected from hexane and the like.
US09716022B2 Method of determining thermal stability of a substrate support assembly
A method of determining thermal stability of an upper surface of a substrate support assembly comprises recording time resolved pre-process temperature data of the substrate before performing a plasma processing process while powering an array of thermal control elements to achieve a desired spatial and temporal temperature of the upper surface. A substrate is processed while powering the array of thermal control elements to achieve a desired spatial and temporal temperature of the upper surface of the assembly, and time resolved post-process temperature data of the assembly is recorded after processing the substrate. The post-process temperature data is recorded while powering the thermal control elements to achieve a desired spatial and temporal temperature of the upper surface. The post-process temperature data is compared to the pre-process temperature data to determine whether the data is within a desired tolerance range.
US09716014B2 Method of processing workpiece
A method according to an embodiment includes (i) a step of preparing a workpiece in a processing container of a plasma processing apparatus, (ii) a first plasma processing step of generating a plasma of a first processing gas, which contains chlorine, in the processing container, (iii) a second plasma processing step of generating a plasma of a second processing gas, which contains fluorine, in the processing container, and (iv) a third plasma processing step of generating a plasma of a third processing gas, which contains oxygen, in the processing container. A plurality of sequences, each of which includes the first plasma processing step, the second plasma processing step, and the third plasma processing step, are performed.
US09716005B1 Plasma poisoning to enable selective deposition
Atomic layer deposition in selected zones of a workpiece surface is accomplished by transforming the surfaces outside the selected zones to a hydrophobic state while the materials in the selected zones remain hydrophilic.
US09716003B2 Method of manufacturing semiconductor device
Provided are an oxide semiconductor layer in which the number of defects is reduced and a highly reliable semiconductor device including the oxide semiconductor. A first oxide semiconductor layer containing a single metal element as a constituent element is formed over a substrate by a thermal chemical vapor deposition method. A second oxide semiconductor layer containing two or more metal elements as constituent elements is formed successively after the first oxide semiconductor layer is formed. The second oxide semiconductor layer is formed by epitaxial growth using the first oxide semiconductor layer as a seed crystal. A channel is formed in the second oxide semiconductor layer.
US09715999B2 Chromatograph mass spectrometer
A chromatograph mass spectrometer including an optimum gas pressure search controller that performs an MRM measurement for a target compound while changing a collision-gas pressure, investigates an optimum collision-gas pressure giving a highest signal strength based on the measured result, and stores the same gas pressure for each compound in a compound-related information storage section. When a target compound is specified in a simultaneous multicomponent analysis, a control sequence determiner reads the optimum collision-gas pressure and retention time information corresponding to the specified compound from the storage section, prepares a control sequence which sets the gas pressure in a collision cell at the optimum gas pressure at the timing where each compound is eluted, and stores the sequence in a control sequence storage section.
US09715982B2 Alarm circuit for electronic device
An alarm circuit for electronic device includes a detection unit, a signal conversion circuit, and an alarm control circuit. The detection unit is configured to detect a working status of an electronic device, and output a control signal of a first voltage level when the detection circuit determines the presence of smoke in the electronic device. The signal conversion circuit is configured to receive the control signal of the first voltage level, and convert the control signal of the first voltage level to an alarm signal of a first voltage level. The alarm control circuit is configured to receive the alarm signal of the first voltage level and transmit an alarm.
US09715981B2 System cabling for a multiple relay arrangement
A multiple relay arrangement having a plurality of relay sockets which are arranged next to each other and a plurality of relays. The relay sockets contain additional plug connections with which the relays are controlled by the system cabling. The system cabling contains a distribution section having cable sections and plug connectors and allows the plurality of relays to be controlled.
US09715977B1 Keyboard with height-adjustable keys
A keyboard with height-adjustable keys is provided. The keyboard includes a key supporting plate, the keys and a movable plate. Each key includes a supporting element. Moreover, plural bulges are disposed on the supporting element. The movable plate is disposed under the key supporting plate. The key is fixed on the key supporting plate. The key is connected with the key supporting plate through the supporting element. Moreover, the plural bulges are penetrated downwardly through the key supporting plate and inserted in the movable plate. While the movable plate is moved, the bulges are pushed and the key is moved toward the key supporting plate with the supporting element. Consequently, the height of the key is lowered.
US09715975B2 Keyswitch using magnetic force to restore cap position
A keyswitch includes a board, a cap, and a support device disposed between the board and the cap. A first abutting side of a first support member of the support device has a first hole formed toward a first bending arm of the board. The first bending arm is disposed through the first hole for pressing the first abutting side to abut against the board. The first abutting side has a second magnetic portion formed toward the second support member. A support portion extends from a second abutting side of the second support member toward the first support member for supporting the second magnetic portion. When the cap is pressed to make the second magnetic portion separate from a first magnetic portion of the board with rotation of the first and second support members relative to the first and second abutting sides, the cap moves to a pressed position.
US09715972B2 Electrical switching apparatus and trip assembly therefor
A trip assembly is for an electrical switching apparatus. The electrical switching apparatus includes a housing, an electrical communication assembly coupled to the housing, separable contacts enclosed by the housing, and an operating mechanism for opening and closing the separable contacts. The trip assembly has an indication assembly including a plunger member and a number of auxiliary switches each structured to be coupled to the housing. The plunger member is structured to actuate each of the number of auxiliary switches, thereby electrically communicating a circuit status to the electrical communication assembly.
US09715970B2 Electrolyte for three-volt ultracapacitor
An electric double-layer ultracapacitor configured to maintain desired operation at an operating voltage of three volts, where the capacitor includes a housing component, a first and a second current collector, a positive and a negative electrode electrically coupled to one of the first and second current collectors, and a separator positioned between the positive and the negative electrode. The capacitor may also include an electrolyte in ionic contact with the electrodes and the separator, the electrolyte having acetonitrile and a quaternary ammonium salt with a molarity of less than one.
US09715968B2 Multilayer capacitor and installation structure of multilayer capacitor
In a multilayer capacitor, a multilayer capacitor main body includes first and second main surfaces, first and second side surfaces, and first and second end surfaces, the first and second main surfaces extending in a length direction and a width direction, the first and second side surfaces extending in the length direction and a thickness direction, and the first and second end surfaces extending in the width direction and the thickness direction. The second main surface is depressed in a portion extending from opposite ends of the second main surface toward a center of the second main surface in the length direction.
US09715954B2 Cables having a conductive composite core and methods of forming the same
A cable including a conductive composite core formed from braided carbonized fibers and fiberglass fibers. At least a portion of the fiberglass fibers are coated with magnetic material to suppress electromagnetic interference noise. Methods of forming such cables is also provided herein.
US09715950B2 Single cell apparatus and method for single ion addressing
A single cell apparatus and method for single ion addressing are described herein. One apparatus includes a single cell configured to set a frequency, intensity, and a polarization of a laser, shutter the laser, align the shuttered laser to an ion in an ion trap such that the ion fluoresces light and/or performs a quantum operation, and detect the light fluoresced from the ion.
US09715949B2 Radiation monitor
The radiation monitor includes: a shutter; a calculation section; an AC solenoid; a temperature switch which is attached to the AC solenoid; a circuit protector which has a contact and is connected in series to the AC solenoid; and a mode selection switch connected in series to the AC solenoid. The shutter is maintained in a closed state when the mode selection switch is set to a normal mode; the mode selection switch is changed from the normal mode to a check radiation source mode, thereby flowing an AC current through the AC solenoid to change the shutter from the closed state to an opened state; and the contact of the temperature switch is reversed from the opened state to the closed state, thereby disconnecting the contact of the circuit protector to interrupt the AC current that flows through the AC solenoid.
US09715946B2 BWR nuclear fuel assembly with snap-in sleeve spring
A nuclear fuel assembly is provided for a boiling water reactor. The nuclear fuel assembly includes a base, a head, and a bundle of full length fuel rods and partial length fuel rods, said bundle extending upwardly and longitudinally from the base to the head. The nuclear fuel assembly includes at least one clamp for longitudinally retaining a lower plug of a partial length fuel rod with respect to the base. The clamp is an additional part fitted to the base, the clamp is at least partially received in a housing provided in the base, and the clamp is assembled to the base by mechanical engagement of complementary assemblies.
US09715941B2 State machine controlled MOS linear resistor
A sample-and-hold circuit includes a sampling capacitor, a first transistor, a first switch between a gate electrode and a source electrode of the first transistor, a current source connected to the source electrode of the first transistor, and a resistive element and a second switch connected in parallel between a drain electrode of the first transistor and a predetermined voltage. The resistive element may include a second transistor biased to operate in a linear region according to a gate control signal at a gate electrode of the second transistor, or may include multiple transistor banks connected in parallel, each including a second transistor biased to operate in a linear region according to a gate control signal at a gate electrode of the second transistor. The gate control signal may originate from a circuit including a state machine.
US09715928B2 Page programming sequences and assignment schemes for a memory device
Embodiments of the invention are directed towards a memory device comprising a plurality of wordlines each coupled to a row of memory cells in a subtile of the memory device, a plurality of level one column select circuits coupled to each cell in a plurality of groups of cells in a subtile, a plurality of level two column select circuits coupled to each of the plurality of groups of cells in the subtile, a common bit line coupled to the plurality of level one column select circuits and the plurality of level two column select circuits, the common bit line also coupled to a sense and program circuit, wherein the sense and program circuit addresses each first cell in each of the groups of cells to form a single page of memory.
US09715927B2 1-R resistive change element arrays using resistive reference elements
Methods for reading and programming one or more resistive change elements within a 1-R resistive change element array are disclosed. These methods include using measurement and storage elements to measure the electrical response of one or more selected cells within an array and then comparing that stored electrical response to the electrical response of a reference element within the array to determine the resistive state of the one or more selected cells. These methods also include programming methods wherein selectable current limiting elements are used to permit or inhibit programming currents from flowing through selected and unselected cells, respectively. These methods further include programming methods that use specific biasing of array lines to provide sufficient programming currents through only selected cells.
US09715926B2 Memristive device switching by alternating polarity pulses
A method to program a memristive device includes applying a pulse sequence including at least a series of pulses in alternating polarity to set the memristive device. The series has an odd number of pulses where odd numbered pulses have a first electrical polarity that switches the device to the state and even numbered pulse or pulses have a second electrical polarity.
US09715925B2 Methods and apparatus for vertical cross point re-RAM array bias calibration
Methods for operating a non-volatile storage system are described. The non-volatile storage system includes a plurality of bit lines, a plurality of word line combs each comprising a plurality of word lines, and a plurality of resistance-switching memory elements. Each resistance-switching memory element is coupled between one of the bit lines and one of the word lines. The method includes calibrating a plurality of bias voltages for the word lines and bit lines based on estimates of data values stored in the resistance-switching memory elements.
US09715924B2 Three dimensional non-volatile memory with current sensing programming status
A non-volatile memory system includes a plurality of non-volatile memory cells, one or more control circuits that perform programming of the memory cells, a power supply line that provides a supply used to program the memory cells, and a current measurement circuit. The current measurement circuit senses an indication of current on the power supply line. The one or more control circuits determine whether the programming of the memory cells is successful based on the indication of current.
US09715919B1 Array data bit inversion
Methods, systems, and apparatuses for memory array bit inversion are described. A memory cell (e.g., a ferroelectric memory cell) may be written with a charge associated with a logic state that may be the inverse of the intended logic state of the cell. That is, the actual logic state of one or more memory cells may be inverted, but the intended logic state of the memory cells may remain unchanged. Different sets of transistors may be configured around a sense component of a cell to enable reading and writing of intended and inverted logic states from or to the cell. For instance, a first set of transistors may be used to read the logic state currently stored at a memory cell, while a second set of transistors may be used to read a logic state inverted from the currently stored logic state.
US09715916B1 Supply-switched dual cell memory bitcell
In one embodiment, a bit state in a supply-switched dual cell memory bitcell in accordance with the present description, may be read by coupling a supply line to a common node of the bitcell to drive complementary currents through complementary resistance state storage cells for a pair of complementary bit line signal lines of the bitcell. The bit state of the bitcell may be read by sensing complementary bit state signals on the pair of first and second complementary bit line signal lines. In one embodiment, each resistance state storage cell has a resistance state ferromagnetic device such as a magnetic-tunneling junction (MTJ). In one embodiment, a supply-switched dual cell memory bitcell in accordance with the present description may lack a source or select line (SL) signal line. Other aspects are described herein.
US09715912B2 Source synchronous clock generation circuits and methods for a system on a chip (SOC) data processing system
An integrated circuit device comprises a first data processing element having a first data interface configured to synchronously communicate data according to a first clock signal at a first clock speed, and a second data interface configured to synchronously communicate data at a second clock speed lower than the first clock speed; and a second data processing element configured to operate in response to a second clock signal at the second clock speed and to synchronously communicate data with the first data processing element via the second data interface according to the second clock speed; the first data processing element being configured to derive, from a source clock signal, the first clock signal and the second clock signal; and the first data processing element and the second data processing element each comprising a clock signal interface by which the second clock signal is provided by the first data processing element to the second data processing element.
US09715901B1 Video preview generation
A system and method including: a source video for broadcast by a social media platform may be received; a set of video snippets may be extracted from the source video; a subset of the video snippets may be joined to form a preview video; a request for content for an account of the social media platform may be received from a client device; and the preview video may be provided to the client device for automatic playback by the client device in a playback area displayed inline with a message stream of the account.
US09715889B1 Read sensor having an insulating layer capable of use in two-dimensional magnetic recording
A magnetic read apparatus has a media-facing surface (MFS) and includes a read sensor, a magnetic bias structure and an insulating layer. The read sensor has a side, a front occupying part of the MFS and a back. The read sensor includes a free layer, a pinned layer and a barrier layer between the free and pinned layers. The barrier layer has a barrier layer coefficient of thermal expansion. The magnetic bias structure is adjacent to the side of the free layer. The insulating layer includes first and second portions. The first portion of the insulating layer is between the read sensor side and the magnetic bias structure. The second portion of the insulating layer adjoins the read sensor back. The insulating layer has an insulating layer coefficient of thermal expansion that is at least ⅓ of and not more than 5/3 of the barrier layer coefficient of thermal expansion.
US09715888B1 Data writer with shaped write coil
A data writer may be configured with at least a write pole continuously extending from an air bearing surface to a via. The write pole can contact at least one yoke that contacts the write pole. The write pole and yoke may each be disposed between and separated from a write coil that has a single turn and continuously extends to opposite sides of the write pole.
US09715885B2 Signal processing apparatus, signal processing method, and signal processing program
This invention provides a signal processing apparatus for effectively detecting an abrupt change in an input signal. The signal processing apparatus includes a converter that converts an input signal into a phase component signal and an amplitude component signal in a frequency domain. The signal processing apparatus further includes a calculator that calculates feature amounts of the phase component signal and the amplitude component signal derived by the converter. The signal processing apparatus further includes a determiner that determines presence probability of an abrupt change in the input signal based on the feature amounts calculated by the calculator.
US09715880B2 Methods for parametric multi-channel encoding
The present document relates to audio coding systems. In particular, the present document relates to efficient methods and systems for parametric multi-channel audio coding. An audio encoding system (500) configured to generate a bitstream (564) indicative of a downmix signal and spatial metadata for generating a multi-channel upmix signal from the downmix signal is described. The system (500) comprises a downmix processing unit (510) configured to generate the downmix signal from a multi-channel input signal (561); wherein the downmix signal comprises m channels and wherein the multi-channel input signal (561) comprises n channels; n, m being integers with m
US09715876B2 Correcting transcribed audio files with an email-client interface
Methods and systems for requesting a transcription of audio data. One method includes displaying a send-for-transcription button within an email-client interface on a computer-controlled display, and automatically sending a selected email message and associated audio data to a transcription server as a request for a transcription of the associated audio data when a user selects the send-for-transcription button.
US09715872B2 Gradient density sound attenuating composite and process for making
A sound attenuating material having a homogenous mixture of an organic man-made fiber, an inorganic man-made fiber, a binder, and a cellulose material wherein the organic man-made fiber is polyester, the inorganic man-made fiber is fiberglass, and the binder is a thermosetting resin. A sound attenuating composite is defined by the sound attenuating material and a ground EVA or a mixture of EVA and one or more recycled materials to define a gradient density sound attenuating composite material. Further, the gradient density composite may optionally include a polyfilm upon which the ground EVA or recycled materials may be disposed or two layers of polyfilm to surround the EVA or EVA mixture. The EVA may be pure EVA or may include a mineral fill.
US09715861B2 Display device having unit pixel defined by even number of adjacent sub-pixels
A display device includes a display panel including gate lines which extends in a first direction, data lines which extends in a second direction, and sub-pixels connected to corresponding gate and data lines, a gate driver configured to drive the gate lines, a data driver configured to apply a gray-scale voltage to the data lines, and a timing controller configured to generate and apply control signals to the gate and data drivers, where a unit pixel of the display panel is defined by an even number of adjacent sub-pixels among the sub-pixels, each of the data lines is connected to corresponding sub-pixels of the sub-pixels, the data driver inverts a polarity of the gray-scale voltage every two data lines, and two adjacent sub-pixels in the unit pixel are applied with the gray-scale voltages having different polarities.
US09715855B2 Pixel unit, pixel array and liquid crystal display panel
A pixel unit includes a first pixel, a second pixel, a third pixel, a fourth pixel and a light-shielding structure. The first pixel has a plurality of first sub-pixels, the second pixel has a plurality of second sub-pixels, the third pixel has a plurality of third pixels, and the fourth pixel has a plurality of fourth sub-pixels. The first sub-pixel has a first electrode extending along a first tilting direction. The second sub-pixel has a second electrode extending along a second tilting direction. The third sub-pixel has a third electrode extending along a third tilting direction. The fourth sub-pixel has a fourth electrode extending along a fourth tilting direction. The first pixel, the second pixel, the third pixel and the fourth pixel surround the light-shielding structure collectively. The first tilting direction, the second tilting direction, the third tilting direction and the fourth tilting direction are different from each other.
US09715853B2 Organic light emitting diode display and method for driving the same
An organic light emitting diode display and a method for driving the same are disclosed. The organic light emitting diode display includes a display panel including data lines and gate lines crossing each other, subpixels each including one or more thin film transistors (TFTs), and sensing paths connected to the subpixels. The display panel includes a first block including a plurality of subpixels having a first TFT structure, a second block including a plurality of subpixels having a second TFT structure different from the first TFT structure, and a sensing circuit which simultaneously senses the plurality of subpixels of the first block through the sensing path and simultaneously senses the plurality of subpixels of the second block through the sensing path.
US09715848B2 Organic light emitting display device and method for driving thereof
An organic light emitting display device includes a display panel having a plurality of sub-pixels; a memory configured to accumulate and store data displayed by each sub-pixel; and a panel driver configured to: calculate a degradation compensation gain value for increasing or decreasing a luminance of each sub-pixel based on accumulated data of each sub-pixel stored in the memory, generate modulated data of each sub-pixel by modulating input data to each sub-pixel according to the calculated degradation compensation gain value, convert the modulated data into a data voltage, and accumulate the modulated data from the accumulated data of the corresponding sub-pixel and then store the data in the memory.
US09715843B2 Method and device of estimating image sticking grade of display
It is provided a method of estimating an image sticking grade of a display, comprising steps of: displaying a first image in a first frame and a second image in a second frame on the display; switching the display, at at least two sampling times, to display the first image, and then obtaining brightness change factors and image sticking area factors for an image sticking displayed on the display at each sampling time to determine at least two image sticking grades corresponding to each sampling time, wherein an image sticking fading period is set as interval time between two adjacent sampling times to perform an image sticking fading process of the display; and determining a change trend of the image sticking grades of the display during the image sticking fading process based on the at least two image sticking grades when the image sticking stops fading. From the change trend, adverse influences of the image sticking on the display performance may be reflected accurately and fully such that related comprehensive modifications may be made by the skilled based on defects caused by the image sticking in the display.
US09715840B1 Self-erectable display and automatic locking mechanism for a self-erectable display
A display apparatus includes a shroud having first and second sheet portions disposed in opposition to one another, the first and second sheet portions being connected to one another at a first side by a first joint and at a second side by a second joint. A support member is disposed between the first and second sheet portions and between the first and second joints, the support member being affixed to the first and second sheet portions and movably disposed relative to the first and second joints, the support member being positionable between a closed position and an open position, the open position outwardly biasing the support member against the first and second sheet portions to cause the shroud to assume a curvilinear cross-sectional shape along a length of the shroud. Notches are formed in the first and second joints at a first position along the length of the shroud. One or more elastic members couple the support member the first and/or second joints and bias the support member into the open position and toward engagement with the notches.
US09715837B2 Text reading and translation in a visual prosthesis
The present invention is a visual prosthesis which restores partial vision to patients blinded by outer retinal degeneration. While visual prosthesis users have achieved remarkable visual improvement to the point of reading letters and short sentences, the reading process is still fairly cumbersome. In the present invention the visual prosthesis is adapted to stimulate visual braille as a sensory substitution for reading written letters and words. The visual prosthesis system, used in the present invention, includes a 10×6 electrode array implanted epiretinally, a tiny video camera mounted on a pair of glasses, and a wearable computer that processes the video and determines the stimulation current of each electrode in real time.
US09715825B2 Trainable transceiver with hands free image based operation
A method for automatically transmitting an activation signal from a trainable transceiver to a remote electronic system, includes receiving, at a control circuit of the trainable transceiver, image data from an image data source; determining, using the control circuit, if the received image data matches one or more reference images stored in memory and associated with the remote electronic system; and determining, in response to a match between the received image data and the one or more reference images, if the trainable transceiver is approaching the remote electronic system. The method includes, in response to determining that the trainable transceiver is approaching the remote electronic system, formatting an activation signal to control the remote electronic system and transmitting, using a transceiver circuit, the activation signal formatted to control the remote electronic system.
US09715820B1 Customizing group alarms
An approach to providing a group alarm clock wherein the next group alarm is specified by a group member acknowledging a previous group alarm. The approach allows members to join a group alarm clock and provide alarm preferences to the group alarm clock. When the approach determines that the conditions of activating a group alarm are met, the group alarm is sent to the group members. The first group member to acknowledge the group alarm selects the alarm for the next round and is removed from the group. Iterations of group alarms continue until the group alarm clock no longer has any members.
US09715817B2 Hygiene monitoring system
A system and method is provided for monitoring hygiene compliance.
US09715816B1 Reminders based on entry and exit of vehicle
Systems and methods for providing a reminder to a mobile device are provided. After receiving a request to establish a reminder from a user, a plurality of reminder options are provided. Each reminder option corresponds to a different category of reminders, and a first reminder option of the reminder options corresponds to a connection state of the mobile device with a processor of a vehicle. A selection of the first reminder option for the reminder is received. An indication of a transition that is to trigger the reminder is also received. The transition corresponds to the mobile device establishing a wireless connection to a processor of the vehicle or the mobile device disconnecting from the vehicle processor. Content for the reminder is received. In response to detecting the transition between the mobile device and the processor of the vehicle, the content of the reminder is provided to the user.
US09715815B2 Wirelessly tethered device tracking
Systems, methods and computer-readable mediums are disclosed for wirelessly tethered device tracking. In some implementations, a method comprises: determining, by a first wireless device, an estimated distance between the first wireless device and a second wireless device, the second wireless device paired with the first wireless device; selecting, by the first wireless device, a first alarm to be generated by the first wireless device based on the estimated distance; and causing, by the first wireless device, the selected first alarm to be generated on the first wireless device.
US09715810B2 Logistics monitoring system and method of operating the same
A logistics monitoring system includes: a conveying device configured to transport a product along a conveyance path including a plurality of nodes, generate node-based position information based on a node visited by the conveying device from among the plurality of nodes, and generate driving information related to driving of the conveying device; a monitoring device configured to monitor a state of the conveying device and generate a state parameter based on a result of monitoring; and a diagnostic device configured to determine a position of the conveying device based on map data and at least one of the node-based position information and the driving information, the map data including node information of each of the plurality of nodes and link information of each of a plurality of links, the plurality of links respectively connecting at least two of the plurality of nodes.
US09715809B2 Fall protection harness with damage indicator
A fall protection harness has a magnetic sensor coupled to it, and a computer processor is coupled to the magnetic sensor. Upon damage to the fall protection harness, the magnetic sensor senses the damage, the magnetic sensor generates a first signal to the computer processor, and the computer processor generates a second signal indicating the damage.
US09715801B2 System and method of object tracking using a plurality of linked pressure sensors
A system of pressure sensors for tracking displacement of an object and communicating with a user when one or more objects are moved or otherwise displaced is provided. The system includes one or more pressure sensors in communication with at least one personal communication device through a remote database. One or more contact groups are stored on the remote database, and contacts of the one or more contact groups are alerted when the one or more pressure sensors detect a pressure change.
US09715796B2 Communicating circuit breaker architecture with automatic load center position identification
A communicating circuit breaker architecture with automatic load center position identification links circuit breakers having electronics for reporting a self-status signal including operating data and a position identifier. Each breaker has light pipes with optical ports at its sides for communicating with its neighbors and preferably a mechanically operated optical shunt providing an optical path through the breaker in the event of a trip. Each breaker has optical data transceivers for the light pipes which transmit self-status information through the light pipes and receive and repeat neighboring breaker status signals to its neighbors. The breakers form a network via their aligned optical ports reporting to an aggregator device in a known position of the Load Center which transmits breaker status reports outside the load center. Each breaker has a logic unit for determining its position in the load center based on the received position of a neighboring device.
US09715795B2 Indicator module for modular computing units
Embodiments include a system that includes a first modular computing unit comprising a first signal communication interface, and an indicator module coupled to the first modular computing unit. The indicator module comprises, on a first side wall of the indicator module, a second signal communication interface adapted to register with the first signal communication interface of the first modular computing unit, thereby communicatively coupling the indicator module with the first modular computing unit in order to propagate signals from the first modular computing unit for display on the indicator module.
US09715793B1 Banking systems controlled by data bearing records
A cash handling device may receive a request to perform a deposit transaction at a deployment location of the device. The device may receive at least one deposit item. The device may validate the at least one deposit item and generate a deposit transaction record, which may include information directing a server to apply a provisional credit to at least one treasury account. The device may send the deposit transaction record to the server. The device may receive a request to perform a change order transaction and may receive at least one change order item. The device may validate the at least one change order item and may dispense one or more currency items to complete the change order transaction. The device may generate and send, to the server, a change order transaction record, which may include information directing the server to update one or more transaction history records.
US09715792B2 Systems, apparatuses and methods for awarding gaming payouts
Methods, apparatuses, and systems for awarding gaming payouts in slot games are provided. Embodiments are directed to initiating a reelspin and moving at least one modifying symbol to a new symbol location. If a predetermined symbol appears in the new symbol location as a result of the reelspin, the predetermined symbol is replaced with the modifying symbol.
US09715791B2 Methods for administering a double draw poker casino card game
A method for playing a double draw poker casino card game comprises providing a standard fifty-two card deck of playing cards and two joker cards shuffled together with the standard fifty-two card deck. Each of the two joker cards is valued as an ace, as a fill-in card for a straight, or as a fill-in card for a flush. Each player places an ante bet and a bonus bet and receives five dealt cards. Each player folds or makes a first optional draw card bet and discards and draws up to three draw cards. Each player folds or makes a second optional draw card bet and discards and draws up to one draw card, producing a final double draw five card poker hand that receives a payout against a first payout table, for the ante bet and draw bets, and against a second payout table for the bonus bet.
US09715788B2 Method of gaming, a gaming system and a game controller
A method of gaming with multiple players comprising: determining a set of eligible multi-player game players; assigning each eligible multi-player game player a number of multi-player game turns depending on a wager amount; and conducting the multi-player game turns with the eligible multi-player game players and determining multi-player game turn outcomes until a multi-player game end condition occurs.
US09715786B2 Method of gaming, a game controller and a gaming system
An electronic method of gaming comprising: displaying a sequence of first awards including a current first award; receiving one or more selections with respect to a plurality of second awards until an award condition is met; modifying the display of the sequence of first awards to sequentially advance the display of the sequence of first awards to thereby change the current first award whenever the one or more selections are received; and making the current first award when the award condition is met.
US09715783B2 Systems for flexible gaming environments
A regulated hybrid gaming system comprised of a terminal including an entertainment software controller coupled to a gaming environment multiplexer, wherein the entertainment software controller receives credit and provides an entertainment game; a real world controller provides a gambling game; and the gaming environment multiplexer which receives from a game world controller a request to couple the game world controller to the entertainment software engine providing the entertainment game; determines that the game world controller is approved for a regulatory regime; and couples the game world controller to the entertainment software controller, when the multiplexer determines that the game world controller is approved for the regulatory regime.
US09715782B2 Computerised method of presenting a game selection screen in a multi game environment
A method of presenting a game selection screen in a multi-game environment on a gaming machine is taught. The method being executed by a computerized game controller, the method comprising: (a) for each game Gi in the multi-game environment, where i=1:the maximum number of games: (ai) preparing frame buffers FBi by rendering the respective game's associated game screen into the respective FBi; and (aii) recording a first time stamp; (b) recording a second time stamp, where the second time stamp is indicative of a time later than the first time stamp; and determining if one of the frame buffers FBi requires updating, and when a positive determination is made, preparing said frame buffer by rendering the respective game's associated game screen into the respective FBi using a delta time between the second time stamp and the first time stamp; and (c) forming dynamic icons for display on the game selection screen by rendering each previously prepared frame buffer FBi while controlling one or more visual aspects of the dynamic icons. Further provided is a game controller for a gaming machine having a display for presenting a game selection screen in a multi-game environment.
US09715768B2 Electronic tracking system
An electronic tracking system for electronically tracking a vehicle includes a vehicle. A decal is adhered to the vehicle and a tracking unit is coupled to the decal. The tracking unit is in electrical communication with an extrinsic communications network thereby facilitating a location of the vehicle to be tracked via the extrinsic communications network.
US09715748B2 Method and apparatus for graphical data interaction and vizualization of graphs via paths
Method for displaying and identifying relevant paths through a graph by displaying them in a tabular format and providing user defined and computed values and filters. Each graph is represented as a set of nodes and edges. Each path through the graph is displayed as a row in a table where the user can apply sorting, filtering, and compute intrinsic or extrinsic information to augment the data.
US09715746B2 Curve rendering method and apparatus
A curve rendering method includes calculating a step size based on a length of a straight line connecting a start point and an end point among control points of a curve to be rendered, and calculating initial values of a forward differencing algorithm (FDA) based on the calculated step size and coefficient values of an equation of the curve that is determined based on the control points. The method further includes generating an FDA table based on the initial values, and calculating a coordinate value of a pixel based on the FDA table.
US09715739B2 Bone fragment tracking
A method of determining bone fragment navigation may include receiving pre-operative 2D image data of a reference bone structure and a bone fragment. The reference bone structure may include a first set of fiducial markers provided thereon, and the bone fragment may include a second set of fiducial markers provided thereon. The method may further include performing a 2D-3D registration between the pre-operative 2D image data and a 3D model of the reference bone structure and the bone fragment, after manual repositioning of the bone fragment, receiving second 2D image data, performing 2D-2D registration of the first set of fiducial markers and the second set of fiducial markers between the pre-operative 2D image data and the second 2D image data, and determining 3D movement of the bone fragment based at least in part on the 2D-2D registration.
US09715730B2 Three-dimensional measurement apparatus and robot system
The three-dimensional measurement apparatus includes: a base camera for capturing a workpiece to acquire a first image; a reference camera for capturing the workpiece from a view point different from the base camera to acquire a second image; and a camera control unit for extracting multiple edge lines from the first and second images, calculating line-of-sight errors with respect to provisional three-dimensional coordinates, wherein the line-of-sight errors are calculated at an endpoint of a first edge line selected from the multiple edge lines of the first image and an endpoint of a second edge line extracted from the multiple edge lines of the second image to correspond to the first edge line, setting an evaluation function from the line-of-sight errors, and a three-dimensional constraint condition set based on a shape of the workpiece, and making an optimization calculation of the evaluation function to measure the three-dimensional coordinates of the workpiece.
US09715716B2 Data processing apparatus for organic light emitting display device
Provided is a data processing apparatus of an organic light emitting display device, which performs encoding and decoding through different schemes according to frequency components and data components, thereby preventing loss of a high frequency component included in data.
US09715713B1 Monitoring and combining mobile device data and vehicle use records
The inappropriate use of a mobile device and/or a motor vehicle may be ameliorated through audit by a supervisor, parent or peer using a system that monitors vehicle movements and mobile device use and notifies the supervisor, parent or peer of potentially inappropriate use, such as simultaneous vehicle and mobile device use, use of the mobile device generally at times when such use is normally inappropriate according to a calendar of events, and use of the motor vehicle generally at a location or at a time and location that is normally inappropriate.
US09715704B2 Merchant ordering system using optical machine readable image representation of invoice information
A system and method for assisting ordering and payment processing of an order invoice associated with a product selected by a customer. The system comprises collecting product data about the product and generates the order invoice information for use by at least an accounting system of the merchant. The system receives symbology information in an aggregated barcode associated with the order invoice, the symbology information including at least a portion of the order invoice information encoded using a coding scheme of a barcode. The system provides an image of the aggregated barcode to the customer for use in generating a transaction request for settlement of the order invoice, and receives a transaction response indicating transaction approval or transaction denial of the order invoice.
US09715702B2 System and method for determining retail-business-rule coefficients from current prices
Business rules can govern a single price or they can define relationships between different products involving two or more decision prices. One problem that retailers can face is that business rules are generally not codified and are rarely followed consistently, and thus it can be difficult to articulate existing business rules or generate new business rules. However, existing price information inherently contains industry knowledge and experience, even if retailers find it difficult to express that knowledge. The disclosed technology generates business rules by reverse engineering rule bounds and coefficients from existing price information. The reverse engineered rule bounds and coefficients can be used in price optimization to generate recommended prices for retail products that optimize revenue and profit while complying with a set of business rules.
US09715697B2 Systems and methods for targeting ad impressions
The present disclosure includes a system, method, and article of manufacture for targeting ad impressions. A list of customer records may be transmitted to a service provider system that identifies a matched customer and installs a cookie on a web client associated with the matched customer. The system may further receive a campaign request from a merchant and transmit the campaign request to the service provider system which may add a flag to the cookie based on the campaign request as well as instruct a media buyer system to bid on an ad impression for the matched customer based on the flag. The system may further receive an expenditure associated with the matched customer who received the ad impression and compare the expenditure to an expenditure associated with a customer who did not receive targeted ad impression but fits parameters associated with the campaign request.
US09715693B2 Method and apparatus for distributing advertisements using social networks and financial transaction card networks
An exemplary method for distributing an offer to a mobile device includes identifying a location of a first mobile device, identifying offer preferences for a user of the first mobile device, and distributing the offer to the first mobile device. The offer is an offer for the purchase of goods or services, the offer meets the offer preferences of the user of the first mobile device, and the offer is encoded with a first offer identifier corresponding to the user of the first mobile device.
US09715692B1 System for managing bids for pay-per-click search engines
An Internet/world-wide-web based keyword bid management system that allows advertisers on pay-per-click search engines (“PPCSEs”) to influence position (ranking) on said PPCSEs with the use of a rules based bidding engine. Keyword bid rules allow advertisers to influence desired rankings on PPCSEs based on time-of-day, competitor ranking, bid gaps, etc, or combination of said rules and allow advertisers to mimic human bidding behavior through an automated means. The system comprises of specialized software (“rules based bidding system”) that is hosted by an ASP (“application service provider”) so that all of the advertiser's interactions with said software can take place from any personal computer with Internet access and relatively recent Internet browser software without the requirement of having to download any additional software locally.
US09715689B1 Interoperable mobile wallet refund
A computer-implemented system and method that includes receiving, by a messaging hub computer system, from a point of sale (POS) device of a merchant, a request to process a refund for a transaction that occurred between the merchant and a mobile device of a payor, the request comprising a previously used code that was exchanged between the POS device and the mobile device. The method includes determining, by the messaging hub computer system, a first financial institution based at least partially on a portion of the code, and receiving, from a computer system of the first financial institution, payment credential information of an account held by the payor to process the refund using the payment credential information. The method may further include transferring, by the messaging hub computer system, the refund from an account held by the merchant to the account held by the payor.
US09715688B1 Using two dimensional barcodes with general purpose reloadable cards to faciliate access to a contact center
In various embodiments, two-dimensional (“2D”) barcodes are used in conjunction with a general purpose reloadable debit card (“GPR card”) to facilitate various user administration and management actions. The 2D barcode allows a user to easily perform various actions without having to enter account information. The actions may be initiated upon reading the 2D barcode, and may include accessing a web site, initiating a voice call, sending a text message, or sending an email message. The communications may include indication of the account number, so that a contact center, upon receiving the communication, can quickly ascertain the purchase transaction history. In addition, a destination address encoded in the 2D barcode may be used to uniquely identify the brand of GPR card and/or type of card within a brand. An originating address associated with the communication may be verified against address information associated with the account number.
US09715685B2 Safe food ordering by voice while driving
Techniques for safe food ordering by voice while driving are described. A customer driving a vehicle decides to order food from a restaurant. The customer launches a food-ordering app on the customer's smartphone. The app detects that the vehicle is moving, disables manual input into the smartphone, and connects to a terminal at a call center. A customer service representative (“CSR”) at the call center communicates with the customer using spoken language to obtain the details of the food order, enters the food order into an ordering system, and transmits the food order via the ordering system to the restaurant for fulfillment. Finally, the customer picks up the ordered food at the restaurant, possibly using a drive-thru window at the restaurant. Thus, the customer is able to complete an order for food without having to stop driving and without averting their eyes from the road.
US09715675B2 Event-driven customizable automated workflows for incident remediation
The invention relates to a system and method for customizing and storing workflow processes for use in remediation incidents such as security events. One aspect of the invention relates to providing tools to enable creation of customized workflow processes for event driven incident remediation, monitoring and analyzing system activity to identify occurrence of incidents, assigning a workflow process to an incident, applying the assigned workflow process to remediate the incident, and tracking and graphically displaying the status of the workflow process, among other things.
US09715673B2 System and method for managing replacement of consumables including recyclable gas purifiers
A system and a method for managing replacement of consumables, the system including an installed base of equipment assemblies, an installed base of consumables, the consumables including recyclable gas purifiers having a limited lifetime and being used in combination with a said equipment assembly. The system includes a server for registering the consumables and having a module for calculating a replacement advice with respect to the consumable that has been registered in the server. A web portal provides a provider or an end user access to the server via the internet. Various data relating to the end user, its equipment assemblies and its consumables may be inputted via the web portal and the replacement advice that is associated with the registered consumables may be outputted via the web portal.
US09715672B2 Secure self-checkout station
A self-checkout kiosk enables a patron to purchase or allocate to an account a product displayed in a vending area and carrying a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag. The patron exits the vending area through a security portal. The kiosk, a bill acceptor, a computer monitor and/or a mobile device enables the patron to complete a purchase or allocate transaction prior to exiting the vending area through the portal. The portal includes RFID reading antennas for marking products stolen when transferred through the portal without a transaction. Alternatively, a smart shelf keeps track of products on the smart shelf and keeps a checkout tally of removed products. If the patron does not complete a purchase or allocate transaction, or returns the product to the smart shelf within a user-defined set of time, the smart shelf will mark the product as stolen. A security system responds to products marked as stolen.
US09715670B2 Industrial identify encoding and decoding language
In various embodiments, a method for processing industrial identifiers includes receiving unstructured data. An encoding scheme is determined for the unstructured data based on an execution tree associated with a plurality of industrial identifiers. The encoding scheme is then output to an application. Data may be received for one or more fields associated with one of the plurality of industrial identifiers. An industrial identifier may be generated based on the execution tree in response to the data.
US09715651B1 Active radio frequency identification device
An active RFID device includes at least one solar cell, and the solar cell includes: a substrate; a first conductive layer, disposed on the substrate; an electron supplying layer, disposed on the first conductive layer; an electron receiving layer, disposed on the electron supplying layer; and a second conductive layer, disposed on the electron receiving layer; and a RFID tag, including a RFID chip and an antenna, and installed on the substrate, and coupled to the solar cell through a telecommunication connection structure.
US09715650B2 Dual coil transaction card
A secure transaction card does not interact with an interrogating radio frequency field without user interaction. The user interaction may include pressing on the card to cause a smartcard chip to connect to a coil on the card. The user interaction may also include exposing the card to light, motion, touch, or the like. Control of the secure transaction card may be active or passive.
US09715649B2 Device with current carrying conductor to produce time-varying magnetic field
An electronic transaction card communicates with an add-on slot of an intelligent electronic device. The add-on slot may be a memory card slot. The intelligent electronic device may be a mobile phone or other device with or without network connectivity. The electronic transaction card may have magnetic field producing circuitry compatible with magnetic card readers, smartcard circuitry, other point-of-sale interfaces, or any combination thereof.
US09715648B2 Information recording medium
An information recording medium includes a substrate; a laser marking layer that has a reduced reflectance to light with a wavelength of 780 nm or more and that is discolored by irradiation with laser light, the laser marking layer being provided on the substrate; and a shielding layer that transmits infrared light, and that absorbs or reflects visible light, the shielding layer being provided on the laser marking layer.
US09715643B2 Label creation apparatus, label creation method, and label creation program
A label creation apparatus includes a drawing processing section that draws a label image of a label, a first object specifying section that arranges a first object in the label image, a second object specifying section that specifies whether or not a second object having a window area transparent to the first object and having a drawing area along the outermost contour of the label image is arranged in the label image, and the drawing processing section arranges the first object in the label image in such a way that the first object falls within the window area of the second object when the second object is arranged, whereas arranging the first object in the label image in such a way that the first object extends to an area containing the outermost contour of the label image when the second object is not arranged.
US09715640B2 Robust graph representation and matching of retina images
A numerical parameter indicative of the degree of match between two retina images is produced by comparing two graphs obtained from the respective images. Each graph is composed of edges and vertices. Each vertex is associated with a location the corresponding retina image, and with descriptor data describing a part of the corresponding retina image proximate the corresponding location.
US09715639B2 Method and apparatus for detecting targets
A method and apparatus for performing target detection. A potential object is detected within a candidate chip in an image. The potential object is verified as a candidate object. The candidate object is classified as one of a candidate target or a background in response to the potential object being verified as the candidate object. The candidate target is verified as a target of interest in response to the candidate object being classified as the candidate target.
US09715635B2 Apparatus for identifying documents
An apparatus for document identification, having a capture device for capturing a document feature of a document, a processor that is designed to perform document identification locally using the document feature if a processing criterion for the local performance of document identification by means of the apparatus for document identification is satisfied, and a transmitter that is designed to send a data record that is dependent on the document feature via a communication network to a communication network address if the processing criterion for the local performance of document identification by means of the apparatus for document identification is not satisfied.
US09715629B2 Storing information for access using a captured image
An electronic device associates first information and at least a first portion of a first image, and uses a second image that includes a portion corresponding to at least the first portion of the first image to access the associated first information.
US09715628B2 Method for estimating a distance from a first communication device to a second communication device, and corresponding communication devices, server and system
The invention concerns a method for estimating a distance from a first communication device to a second communication device. According to an aspect of the invention, the method comprises: Taking a picture of the second communication device by the first communication device; Obtaining a description of the second communication device; Identifying the second communication device in the picture, by using said description; Estimating a distance from the first communication device to the second communication device by using the description of the second communication device and dimensions of the second communication device identified in the picture.
US09715627B2 Area information estimating device, area information estimating method, and air conditioning apparatus
An area information estimating device has a camera that photographs an image within a sensing area, a person detector that detects a person from the image from the camera, and a position calculator that calculates an existence position of the person in the sensing area based on a coordinate on the image in which the person is detected by the person detector. The person detector excludes the person in whom a relationship between the coordinate and a size on the image does not satisfy a predetermined condition from a detection target.
US09715621B2 Systems and methods for real-time user verification in online education
Systems and methods for real-time user verification in online education are disclosed. In certain example embodiments, user identifying information associated with a user and a request to access online education content may be received from a user device. A face template including historical facial image data for the user can be identified. Current facial image data can be compared to the face template to determine if a match exists. Biometric sensor data, such as heart rate data, may also be received for the user. The biometric sensor data may be evaluated to determine if the user is currently located at the user device. If the user is currently located at the user device and the current facial image data matches the face template, access to the online education content may be provided to the user at the user device.
US09715607B2 Apparatus and methods for communicating power and data with electronic devices
Embodiments of a system, topology, and methods for providing power and transceiving data to, and backing up data from electronic devices having a data interface are described generally herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US09715601B2 Secure access in a microcontroller system
Systems, methods and computer-readable mediums are disclosed for providing secure access in a microcontroller system. In some implementations, a microcontroller system comprises a system bus and a secure central processing unit (CPU) coupled to the system bus. The secure CPU is configured to provide secure access to the system bus. A non-secure CPU is also coupled to the system bus and is configured to provide non-secure access to the system bus. A non-secure memory is coupled to the system bus and is configured to allow the secure CPU and the non-secure CPU to exchange data and communicate with each other. A peripheral access controller (PAC) is coupled to the system bus and configured to enable secure access to a peripheral by the secure CPU while disabling non-secure access to the peripheral based upon a non-secure state of the non-secure CPU.
US09715600B2 Fuel dispenser user interface system architecture
A vending machine can include a touch display and a touch controller operatively connected to the touch display and configured to transmit display data to the touch display and receive input data from a touchscreen function of the touch display. The vending machine also includes a secure device operatively connected to the touch display for securing the display by managing touch input information provided to one or more applications based on the input data received from the touchscreen functionality. The vending machine has a processor operatively connected to the secure device for communicating access requests for the touch display to the secure device from the one or more applications along with an indication of whether the one or more applications are signed by an authorized entity. The secure device manages the touch input information provided to the one or more applications further based at least in part on the indication.
US09715598B2 Automatic secure escrowing of a password for encrypted information an attachable storage device
External data storage device queries the user for a password on at least the first attachment. The password is escrowed in encrypted form. If the user elects this option, the password is then passed to an encryption module which unlocks the encrypted file or partition and upon subsequent attachments of the external data storage device may automatically unlock the encrypted file or partition using the securely escrowed password. The escrow of the encrypted password is managed in an external storage device containing the encrypted file or partition.
US09715595B2 Methods, systems, and devices for securing distributed storage
A method of secure distributed storage on N servers and a secure access method to confidential data stored in a secure and distributed manner on N servers are provided. Additionally, distributed storage, devices, systems, computer programs and storage medium are provided for the implementation of such methods.
US09715592B2 Dynamic analysis security testing of multi-party web applications via attack patterns
A security testing framework leverages attack patterns to generate test cases for evaluating security of Multi-Party Web Applications (MPWAs). Attack patterns comprise structured artifacts capturing key information to execute general-purpose attacker strategies. The patterns recognize commonalities between attacks, e.g., abuse of security-critical parameter(s), and the attacker's strategy relating to protocol patterns associated with those parameters. A testing environment is configured to collect several varieties of HTTP traffic. User interaction with the MPWA while running security protocols, is recorded. An inference module executes the recorded symbolic sessions, tagging elements in the HTTP traffic with labels. This labeled HTTP traffic is referenced to determine particular attack patterns that are to be applied, and corresponding specific attack test cases that are to be executed against the MPWA. Attacks are reported back to the tester for evaluation. Embodiments may be implemented with penetration testing tools, in order to automate execution of complex attacker strategies.
US09715591B2 Code validation
Methods and apparatus for validating a system include reading protected record data for a section of the system from a secure storage element, and verifying integrity of the section of the system using the record data. The secure storage element independently verifies that all record data and data to be written to the system is valid.
US09715589B2 Operating system consistency and malware protection
Methods, systems, and computer program products are included for determining the risk that a file includes malware. The risk is determined by sending identifying information of the file from a client to a server. The server matches the identifying information with identifying information stored in a registry, in order to identify the file. Once the file is identified, the server identifies the risk of malware corresponding to the file, and sends the risk information to the client. The client is able to use the risk information to make determinations regarding performing operations with regard to the file.
US09715583B2 Verification of a pattern based passcode
A method and system for verification of a pattern based passcode. User input of a series of key inputs to a keyboard is received from a user. A registered pattern for the user of a sequence of keyboard direction movements is retrieved, wherein the pattern based passcode is the registered pattern. A first character in a first key input of the series of key inputs is identified, wherein the first key input is the first key, of the series of key inputs, that was inputted by the user. It is determined is made that that the identified first character is not in an excluded group of characters and in response, it is verified that a pattern of directional movements from the first character to the remaining characters after the first character in the series of key inputs matches the registered pattern for the user.
US09715581B1 Digital media reproduction and licensing
Systems and methods for monetizing the reproduction of digital media content for the rights-holders of the digital media content. Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to determining whether a user of a media content item has a license to reproduce the media content item. In one embodiment, the media content item may be reproduced when the user is licensed. The user is prompted to select to acquire a license to reproduce the media content item or to decline the license to reproduce the media content item when the user is not licensed. Further embodiments determine whether a user may receive a license when the user wishes to acquire a license. In an embodiment, the user is declined a license when not approved for the license.
US09715576B2 Method for searching a text (or alphanumeric string) database, restructuring and parsing text data (or alphanumeric string), creation/application of a natural language processing engine, and the creation/application of an automated analyzer for the creation of medical reports
A sequential series of methods for optimized searching within a text (or alphanumeric string) database to retrieve specific and relevant results, followed by optimized restructuring and parsing of text data (or alphanumeric string), followed by creation/application of a natural language processing engine, followed by the creation/application of an automated analyzer is presented.
US09715570B1 Systems and methods for modeling asymmetric vias
Systems and methods are provided for analyzing a via. A physical representation of a via intersecting with an upper layer and a lower layer is received, the physical representation comprising: (i) a pair of pad dimensions comprising an upper pad dimension a1 and a lower pad dimension a2, and/or (ii) a pair of anti-pad dimensions comprising an upper anti-pad dimension b1 and a lower anti-pad dimension b2, where at least one of first and second conditions: (A) the first condition being a1 is different than a2, and (B) the second condition being b1 is different than b2, is true. A determination is made as to which, if any, of the conditions are true. At least one model parameter is selected based on the determination. An admittance parameter corresponding to a section of the via located between the upper and lower layers is computed using the selected model parameter.
US09715568B2 Wiring length measurement apparatus and recording media
The wiring length measurement apparatus includes a distance calculation unit, by using a plurality of coordinates of bending points and a wiring width of CAD data of a high-density wiring including a meander wiring, seeking each endpoint that exists on an edge in a wiring width direction and is a flexion point of each inner circuit side, and calculating distances between each adjacent endpoint and a measurement unit measuring a wiring length of the high-density wiring by calculating a sum of the distances between each endpoint calculated by the distance calculation unit.
US09715566B2 Computer implemented system and method of translation of verification commands of an electronic design
A computer implemented method of translation of verification commands of an electronic design, comprises the steps of receiving the electronic design, receiving at least one analog test harness model having at least one indirect branch contribution statement, translating the at least one indirect branch contribution statement into a plurality of direct branch contribution operators based at least in part upon the at least one analog test harness model and generating a netlist based at least in part upon the translation.
US09715562B2 Methods and systems for ear device design using computerized tomography (CT)-collected anthropomorphic data
Methods and systems for designing an earpiece device are provided. The method includes receiving a plurality of images for a respective plurality of individuals. Each image includes at least one ear anatomy. For each image, a three-dimensional (3D) surface representing the at least one ear anatomy is extracted, to form a plurality of extracted surfaces corresponding to the plurality of images. At least one statistical measurement representative of at least a portion of the plurality of individuals is determined from among the plurality of extracted surfaces. At least one design parameter for the earpiece device is optimized based on the at least one statistical measurement, The earpiece device is formed using the optimized at least one design parameter.
US09715557B2 System, device and method for providing context sensitive content on a computing device
A system, device and method for providing context sensitive content on a computing device is provided. In an embodiment, a computing device in the form of a portable computing device is configured to execute a primary web-browser application and a secondary web-browser application. The primary web-browser application is configured to generate a web-page containing context sensitive items and receiving focus on one of the context sensitive items. The secondary web-browser application is configured to generate the context sensitive content related to the one of the context sensitive items.
US09715553B1 Point of interest retrieval
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on one or more computer storage devices, for retrieving points of interest. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a current location of a user's electronic device and retrieving data identifying multiple points of interest within a predetermined distance to the current location. Each point of interest is ranked based at least in part on the point of interest's proximity to the current location. For at least one point of interest, the ranking is further based on one or more updates associated with the point of interest. Each update includes data about the point of interest input by an author (other than the user) into an online social network that includes the user. Based on the ranking, data identifying one or more of the points of interest is provided to the electronic device for presentation to the user on a display.
US09715548B2 Surfacing user-specific data records in search
Implementations of the present disclosure include actions of receiving search results that are responsive to the search query, the search results being respectively representative of resources, processing one or more triggering rules based on at least one of the search query and the search results, determining, based on processing the one or more triggering rules, that a set of data records is to be displayed in a search results page with the search results, the set of data records including data records that are specific to the user, determining a display prominence of at least one data record in the set of data records, the display prominence indicating a prominence of the at least one data record when displayed in the search results page, and providing the search results and the set of data records for display, the at least one data record being displayed based on the display prominence.
US09715546B1 Method and system for searching encrypted data
The present teaching relates to searching encrypted data. In one example, a search request is received for encrypted documents. An encrypted query is generated based on the search request. The encrypted query is sent to a server that stores a first encrypted index and a second encrypted index. The first encrypted index maps encrypted keywords to full blocks each of which has a same size and is fully filled with encrypted document identities (IDs). The second encrypted index maps encrypted keywords to partial blocks each of which has the same size and is partially filled with encrypted document IDs. Based on the encrypted query, one or more encrypted document IDs are determined by searching against both the first encrypted index and the second encrypted index. A search result is generated based on the one or more encrypted document IDs. The search result is provided in response to the search request.
US09715545B2 Continuous collection of web API ecosystem data
An embodiment of the invention comprises a method associated with a Web API ecosystem and API users includes identifying specified events over a period of time that respectively affect the ecosystem. Events can comprise an interaction between the ecosystem and a Web API user or a specified Web API. The embodiment further includes constructing a data structure that contains a data element representing each identified event. An interface is used to translate respective data elements between the data structure and a data store, wherein the data store represents translated data elements in a form different from that used to represent the data elements in the data structure.
US09715544B2 Online location sharing through an internet service search engine
A system for online location sharing through an internet service search engine includes: a server comprising at least one processor and a memory communicatively coupled to the processor. The memory stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to: receive from a first user a query identifying a second user; query a plurality of internet services over a network for real-time information relevant to the second user; andprovide a consolidated view of responses received from the plurality of internet services to the first user. Thee server is authorized by the second user to receive all information relevant to the second user contained in the responses. The consolidated view of responses indicates an online location of the second user.
US09715534B2 Shared folder backed integrated workspaces
Disclosed are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for shared folder backed integrated workspaces. In some implementations, a content management system can provide a graphical user interface (GUI) that integrates communications and content management into a single user interface. The user interface can include mechanisms that allow a user to provide input to generate a new workspace. The user interface can provide a mechanism to allow a user to view conversations related to the workspace and/or content items associated with the workspace. The user interface can present representations of content items associated with the workspace and allow the user to provide input to generate, view, edit, and share content items associated with the workspace.
US09715530B2 Entity display priority in a distributed geographic information system
A system for ranking geospatial entities is described. In one embodiment, the system comprises an interface for receiving ranking data about a plurality of geospatial entities and an entity ranking module. The module uses a ranking mechanism to generate place ranks for the geospatial entities based on the ranking data. Ranked entity data generated by the entity ranking module is stored in a database. The entity ranking module may be configured to evaluate a plurality of diverse attributes to determine a total score for a geospatial entity. The entity ranking module may be configured to organize ranked entity data into placemark layers.
US09715529B2 Hybrid execution of continuous and scheduled queries
Techniques for implementing the hybrid execution of continuous and scheduled queries are provided. In some examples, a query engine may be initialized with relational data from at least a first source. For example, the first source may include a database or other system that can provide historical data. Additionally, the query engine may be enabled to provide query results based at least in part on the relational data from at least the first source and streaming data from at least a second source. In some examples, the second source may be a data stream.
US09715517B2 Systems and methods for supporting multiple database server versions on a database machine
Techniques are described herein for supporting multiple versions of a database server within a database machine comprising a separate database layer and storage layer. In an embodiment, the database layer includes compute nodes each hosting one or more instances of a database server. The storage layer includes storage nodes each hosting one or more instances of a storage server, also referred to herein as a “cell server.” In general, the database servers may receive data requests, such as SQL queries, from client applications and service the requests in coordination with the cell servers of the storage layer.
US09715516B1 Edition-based redefinition for tables
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to an improved apparatus, system and method of edition-based redefinition for tables. When a new edition of an application is created, editions on the tables pertaining to the application are created. These tables typically store application configuration/reference data that control what the application does. These tables are altered to contain a new “edition” column. Keys on these tables include the “edition” column. Each table is partitioned on the “edition” column such that cleaning up data used by an edition is easy. Views are created on these tables, which make the “edition” column invisible by the application while ensuring that only data that can be accessed is the data for the correct edition. The current “edition” of the application stays fully operational while the application is upgraded because the configuration data in the tables does not change until the new “edition” is turned on.
US09715515B2 External data access with split index
A split-index can be employed for access to external data. The index can be created on a primary data storage system for data stored externally on a secondary data storage system. After creation, the index can be utilized to expedite at least query execution over the externally stored data. The index can be updated upon detection of changes to data. Further, even when the index is not completely up to date, the index can be exploited for query execution. Furthermore, hybrid execution is enabled with the index and without the index.
US09715514B2 K-ary tree to binary tree conversion through complete height balanced technique
Technologies are generally provided for converting a k-ary tree to an equivalent height balanced binary tree. A k-ary tree root may be first set as the binary tree root. Nodes may then be inserted in the binary tree based on nodes of the k-ary tree. First two children of each k-ary tree node may be inserted as left and right children in the binary tree. If there are additional children, those may be inserted into a child queue. If there are less than two children in the k-ary tree, children from the child queue may be used to fill the left and right child nodes in the equivalent binary tree repeating the process level-wise until all nodes in the k-ary tree are processed.
US09715507B2 Techniques for reconciling metadata and data in a cloud storage system without service interruption
A system and methods for reconciling data and metadata in a cloud storage system while the cloud storage system is fully operational are provided. The method comprises scanning for broken references in a metadata database containing metadata of blocks stored in the cloud storage system, wherein the scanning for the broken references is performed as a background process; and synchronously verifying blocks for at least existence of the blocks in the object storage system, wherein the synchronous block verification is performed using a foreground process as blocks are requested.
US09715506B2 Metadata injection of content items using composite content
Injection of metadata using composite content. In an embodiment, one or more content items are received, and data is retrieved from a plurality of metadata sources. A visual depiction of metadata is generated for at least one of the content item(s) based on the retrieved data. A composite content item is generated to comprise at least a portion of each of the content item(s) and the visual depiction of the metadata.
US09715505B1 Method and system for maintaining persistent live segment records for garbage collection
A garbage collector scans containers of a storage system, each container containing a plurality of segments referenced by files of the storage system. For each of the containers being scanned constructing a working live segment record (LSR) file in memory, including generating a container LSR for each of the containers being scanned in a sequential order according to container identifiers of the containers, generating segment LSRs associated with the container LSR, each of the segment LSRs corresponding to one of the segments contained in the container, and for each of the segments contained in the container, indicating in a corresponding segment LSR whether the segment is a live segment. The segment LSRs of each container LSR of the working LSR file are translated from the memory into a persistent LSR for each of the containers in a persistent LSR file stored a persistent storage.
US09715498B2 Distributed server system for language understanding
Systems and methods for training and using a natural language understanding system are provided. More specifically, the systems and methods train a natural language understanding system utilizing a distributed network of feature extractors on features servers. Further, the systems and methods for using the natural language understanding system utilize a distributed network of features extractor on features servers. Accordingly, the systems and methods provide for a more accurate natural langue understanding system, a more reliable natural langue understanding system, and a more efficient natural langue understanding system. Further, the systems and methods provide for natural language understanding systems with better development (including update ability), productivity, and scalability.
US09715497B1 Event detection based on entity analysis
Techniques are described for analyzing a submitted manuscript through the use of an entity/action relationship matrix determined for the manuscript. The entity/action relationship matrix may describe one or more entities, such as characters, locations, objects and so forth, which are identified in the manuscript using a natural language analysis such as a part-of-speech analysis. The entity/action relationship matrix may also describe actions or events associated with each of the entities, as determined using the natural language analysis. The entity/action relationship matrix may be employed to determine whether the manuscript complies with rules constraining the use of entities in the manuscript.
US09715493B2 Method and system for monitoring social media and analyzing text to automate classification of user posts using a facet based relevance assessment model
A social media monitoring and text analysis method for automated classification of user posts on the web, using a facet based relevance assessment model, comprise a semantic indexing server, which builds a faceted classification index of text objects, and a query server, which receives and analyzes the user's query. A query thus processed is then sent from the query server to the semantic indexing server through an interface in order to perform a search in the faceted classification index. The search system and method further comprise a result handler, which provides the user with a search result set comprising a list of unexpected links and a list of result elements. The list of unexpected links corresponds to filters which allow the user to narrow down or refine the original query. The quality of unexpected links depends on identification of the most likely topical area of focus related to the query concepts and corresponding concepts in user posts, and this achieved by ensuring that we measure statistical co-occurrence of concepts in user posts, assign weighted scores based on information gain and semantic density, thus establishing a relevant conceptual tag cloud that is used validate topical focus against a set of industry specific taxonomies or ontologies.
US09715491B2 Methods and apparatus related to document processing based on a document type
In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a portion of text from a document. A document type is associated with the document based on at least one of the portion of text or an identifier associated with the document. The method also includes selecting, based on the document type, a document template having a plurality of sections. Each section from the plurality of sections being associated with a document category. At least one section from the plurality of sections including at least one policy preference.
US09715489B2 Displaying a prediction candidate after a typing mistake
A method includes receiving an input string from a virtual keyboard, generating at least one string based on the input string, where the input string is not a substring of the generated string, responsive to a determination that the generated string was previously generated based on the input string, selecting a candidate character associated with the input string and with the generated string, and displaying the generated string at a location on the virtual keyboard that is associated with the selected candidate character.
US09715484B1 Providing different font hints based on device, text and font context
A method and system to provide font hints for text is described. An example method includes identifying a plurality of fonts of the text, determining a suggested order of hint types for each font based on rendering context, and sending, to a user device, the fonts and a suggested order of hint types for each font.
US09715478B2 Method for detecting the correct rotational direction of a centrifugal apparatus, and a centrifugal apparatus assembly
A method is provided for detecting the correct rotational direction of a centrifugal apparatus. The method includes rotating the centrifugal apparatus in a first direction, acquiring first frequency data relating to the step of rotating the centrifugal apparatus in the first direction, rotating the centrifugal apparatus in a second direction, which is opposite to the first direction, and acquiring second frequency data relating to the step of rotating the centrifugal apparatus in the second direction. The method also includes detecting the correct rotational direction of the centrifugal apparatus based on comparing the first frequency data with the second frequency data, the comparison being carried out with respect to at least one significant frequency range. In each of the at least one significant frequency range, a smaller magnitude is interpreted as an indication of the correct rotational direction.
US09715476B2 Collaborative authoring with scratchpad functionality
Real-time co-authoring and support for the collaborative process is enabled by making it easy to initiate a collaborative document, to invite the proper people into the process, to collect existing artifacts, thoughts, and research, and then to divide and track the work to completion across a collaborating group. Monitored changes, comments, and similar input by the collaborating authors may be presented on demand or automatically to each author based on changes and/or comments that affect a particular author, that author's portion of collaborated content, type of changes/comments, or similar criteria Real-time or sequential communication such as email, text messaging, and video chat, may be enabled to further optimize the collaboration process.
US09715471B2 Master bus device for a vehicle communication bus of a motor vehicle
A master bus device for a motor vehicle exchanges messages with slave bus devices via a vehicle communication bus of the motor vehicle. It is specified in the master bus device by an operating schedule which is stored in a memory of the master bus device which messages the master bus device exchanges with the slave bus devices. To utilize the vehicle communication bus more efficiently, the master bus device has a switch-over device which is designed to receive a control signal from a device-external transmitting device and, in dependence on the control signal, to switch from the memory with the operating schedule to a further memory with a maintenance schedule which differs from the operating schedule, so that the maintenance schedule is used after switching over, for exchanging messages.
US09715469B1 Migrating interrupts from a source I/O adapter of a source computing system to a destination I/O adapter of a destination computing system
Migrating interrupts from a source I/O adapter of a source computing system to a destination I/O adapter of a destination computing system, includes: collecting, by a source hypervisor of the source computing system, interrupt mapping information, were the source hypervisor supports operation of a logical partition executing on the source computing system and the logical partition is configured to receive interrupts from the source I/O adapter; configuring, by the destination hypervisor of the destination computing system, the destination computing system with the interrupt mapping information collected by the source hypervisor; placing, by a destination hypervisor of the destination computing system, the destination I/O adapter in an error state; migrating the logical partition from the source computing system to the destination computing system; and restarting the logical partition on the destination computing system, including recovering, by the logical partition, from the error state.
US09715461B2 Cache memory control circuit and processor
According to an embodiment, a cache memory control circuit includes: a hit determination section; a refill processing section; a search section configured to determine a refill candidate way by searching for the way candidate for a refill process from a plurality of ways based on an LRU algorithm when the hit determination section detects a cache miss; a binary tree information section configured to store binary tree information for the LRU algorithm; a conflict detection section; and a control section. The control section updates the binary tree information in the binary tree information section by using way information of the way where the refill process is being executed when the conflict detection section determines that the way where the refill process is being executed and the refill candidate way match each other.
US09715456B2 Apparatus and method for storage and decompression of configuration data
An apparatus includes a plurality of cores and a fuse array. The plurality of cores is disposed on a die. The fuse array is disposed on the die and is coupled to each of the plurality of cores, where the fuse array includes a plurality of semiconductor fuses that are programmed with compressed configuration data for the each of the plurality of cores, and where the each of the plurality of cores accesses and decompresses all of the compressed configuration data upon power-up/reset, for initialization of elements within the each of the plurality of cores.
US09715455B1 Hint selection of a cache policy
An apparatus having an interface and a circuit is shown. The interface is configured to receive a request to access a memory. The request includes a hint. The circuit is configured to select a current one of a plurality of cache policies based on the hint. The current cache policy includes a number of current parameters ranging from some to all of a plurality of management parameters of a cache device. The circuit is further configured to cache data of the request based on the current cache policy.
US09715453B2 Computing method and apparatus with persistent memory
Computer-readable storage media, computing apparatuses and methods associated with persistent memory are discussed herein. In embodiments, a computing apparatus may include one or more processors, along with a plurality of persistent storage modules that may be coupled with the one or more processors. The computing apparatus may further include system software, to be operated by the one or more processors, to receive volatile memory allocation requests and persistent storage allocation requests from one or more applications that may be executed by the one or more processors. The system software may then dynamically allocate memory pages of the persistent storage modules as: volatile type memory pages, in response to the volatile memory allocation requests, and persistent type memory pages, in response to the persistent storage allocation requests. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US09715447B2 Method for adaptively managing a solid state drive, and associated apparatus and associated computer program product
A method for adaptively managing a solid state drive (SSD), an associated apparatus, and an associated computer program product are provided, where the method includes the steps of: monitoring whether any deletion event regarding a file system established on the SSD exists, to selectively update a deletion amount accumulation value, where the deletion amount accumulation value represents a total deleted data amount of at least one deletion event of the file system; and after the deletion amount accumulation value reaches a predetermined deletion amount accumulation threshold value, sending at least one TRIM command to the SSD, to allow the SSD to recycle reusable storage space by utilizing a garbage collection mechanism of the SSD.
US09715433B2 Reconciliation in sync replication
A distributed storage system replicates data for a primary logical storage object on a primary node of the storage system to a secondary logical storage object on a secondary node on the distributed storage system. Failures in writing data to the primary logical storage object or failures in the replication of the data to the secondary logical storage object can cause data that should be synchronized to become divergent. In cases where the data may be divergent, reconciliation operations can be performed to resynchronize the data.
US09715428B1 System and method for cache data recovery
A system comprises a first host device, a second host device, and first and second cache controllers. A cache controller includes a cache memory interface, a first peripheral interface that communicates with the first host device, a second peripheral interface that communicates with the second host device, logic circuitry that loads a cache command from a cache command memory of the first host device, loads a cache command from a cache command memory of the second cache controller, and performs the cache commands, and error checking circuitry that detects an uncorrectable error in a first cache controller/memory pair and indicates the uncorrectable error condition to at least one of the first and second host devices. At least one of the first host device or the second host device writes contents of the cache memory of the second cache controller/memory pair to a main memory in response to the indication.
US09715423B1 Automatic mapping out of the faulty device/drivers during system boot-up
A method and an information handling system (IHS) perform server boot failure recovery by disabling failed devices and/or failed functions within functional devices. According to one aspect, a processor-executed fault isolation module (FIM) initiates calls to detected devices during a binding phase. The FIM identifies devices corresponding to successfully completed calls as operational devices, and identifies devices corresponding to failed calls as failed devices. Following completion of the binding phase, the FIM initiates calls, via a pre-boot application, to individual protocol functions of each operational device identified during the binding phase. If a first protocol call to a first operational device is successfully completed, the FIM identifies a protocol function(s) corresponding to the first protocol call as an operational function(s). If a second protocol call fails, the FIM identifies a corresponding protocol function(s) as a failed function(s) and isolates failed functions from operational functions for the first operational device.
US09715421B2 Wrapped applications providing operational insight to users based on rules for acceptable operational state performance
A method includes performing operations on a processor of an application analysis computer. The operations include receiving state performance metrics reported by user terminals via a data network. Each of the state performance metrics indicating a measurement of performance of one of a plurality of operational states of an application processed by one of the user terminals. The operations further include determining when one of the state performance metrics reported by one of the user terminals violates a rule for acceptable operational state performance of the application, and communicating a response message to the one of the user terminals responsive to the determination that the one of the state performance metrics violates the rule. Related operations by a user terminal are disclosed.
US09715418B2 Performance problem detection in arrays of similar hardware
Embodiments described herein include detecting under-performing devices using a correlational matrix in which devices are compared with one another in order to establish which devices are performing significantly different, e.g. under-performing, than the rest. According to one embodiment, a method includes generating a vector for each of a plurality of hardware devices. Using a hardware processor, a correlational matrix representing projections of the vectors against each other is created. A determination is made as to which hardware device is least like the other hardware devices based on the correlational matrix. A result of the determining is output.
US09715404B2 Method and apparatus for executing application program in electronic device
An apparatus and a method for displaying application program information in an electronic device are provided. The method for displaying the application program information includes executing a first application program, determining at least one application program capable of being executed after the first application program, and displaying, on a display unit, information on the at least one application program.
US09715393B2 Selecting output destinations for kernel messages
Methods, apparatus and computer program products implement embodiments of the present invention to identify, in a given kernel source code file for the operating system kernel, a given PRINTK function call having a corresponding message text, the given kernel source code file having a kernel source code file name, calculate a configuration checksum, to assign, add, and store the respective destination and a key comprising the configuration checksum, to load, receive, and identify the name of a given source code file, and to determine, based on the identified name and the text string, a computed destination for the system message by calculating, using the identified name and the text string, a message checksum, and identifying, in the configuration table, an entry having a key equal to the message checksum, and wherein the determined destination comprises the respective destination in the identified entry. in the identified entry.
US09715392B2 Multiple clustered very long instruction word processing core
A method includes identifying, at a scheduling unit, a resource conflict at a shared processing resource that is accessible by a first processing cluster and by a second processing cluster, where the first processing cluster, the second processing cluster, and the shared processing resource are included in a very long instruction word (VLIW) processing unit. The method also includes resolving the resource conflict.
US09715389B2 Dependent instruction suppression
A method includes suppressing execution of at least one dependent instruction of a load instruction by a processor using stored dependency information responsive to an invalid status of the load instruction. A processor includes an execution unit to execute instructions and a scheduler. The scheduler is to select for execution in the execution unit a load instruction having at least one dependent instruction and suppress execution of the at least one dependent instruction using stored dependency information responsive to an invalid status of the load instruction.
US09715381B2 Information processing apparatus, information processing system, information processing method, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein an information processing program
An object is to provide an information processing apparatus and the like that can reduce power consumption of the information processing apparatus in downloading and installing. To achieve this object, whether or not there is system software update is confirmed in a low power consumption state in which only some of hardware components of the information processing apparatus are supplied with power and communication with a predetermined server can be performed. When there is the update, update data is downloaded, and at least some of the hardware components that are the update targets and that are not supplied with power in the low power consumption state are started to be supplied with power. Then, system update is executed. The series of processes are automatically executed without a user's operation.
US09715378B2 Automated software update scheduling
A method, system or computer usable program product for scheduling a software update affecting vehicle functionality based on usage patterns including tracking usage patterns of a vehicle; automatically determining a time window for scheduling a software update that affects vehicle functionality to the vehicle based on the tracked usage patterns; and applying software updates to the vehicle during the scheduled time window.
US09715376B2 Energy/performance with optimal communication in dynamic parallelization of single threaded programs
A method and apparatus for optimizing parallelized single threaded programs is herein described. Code regions, such as dependency chains, are replicated utilizing any known method, such as dynamic code replication. A flow network associated with a replicated code region is built and a minimum cut algorithm is applied to determine duplicated nodes, which may include a single instruction or a group of instructions, to be removed. The dependency of removed nodes is fulfilled with inserted communication to ensure proper data consistency of the original single-threaded program. As a result, both performance and power consumption is optimized for parallel code sections through removal of expensive workload nodes and replacement with communication between other replicated code regions to be executed in parallel.
US09715373B2 Dynamic recompilation techniques for machine learning programs
The embodiments described herein relate to recompiling an execution plan of a machine-learning program during runtime. An execution plan of a machine-learning program is compiled. In response to identifying a directed acyclic graph of high-level operations (HOP DAG) for recompilation during runtime, the execution plan is dynamically recompiled. The dynamic recompilation includes updating statistics and dynamically rewriting one or more operators of the identified HOP DAG, recomputing memory estimates of operators of the rewritten HOP DAG based on the updated statistics and rewritten operators, constructing a directed acyclic graph of low-level operations (LOP DAG) corresponding to the rewritten HOP DAG based in part on the recomputed memory estimates, and generating runtime instructions based on the LOP DAG.
US09715370B2 Method and system for providing content
A computer-implemented method for generating one or more applications, the method including the steps of: accessing a template for holding content; populating the template with the content; generating the one or more applications, configured for a plurality of computing platforms, based on the populated template; and making the applications available for distribution by a server.
US09715357B2 Temporary authentication method in case of failure in authentication using external authentication server and image forming apparatus performing the same
A method of performing user authentication in an image forming apparatus, the method including detecting whether an interruption or a failure has occurred during authentication using an external authentication server; providing a user interface (UI) screen image for selecting to retry the authentication using the external authentication server or to enter a temporary authentication mode that does not use the external authentication server; when it is selected to enter the temporary authentication mode, entering an administrator authentication mode or an internal authentication mode based on pre-set temporary authentication options; and receiving information necessary for authentication and performing authentication based on a current authentication mode.
US09715356B2 Method, apparatus and system for determining a merged intermediate representation of a page
A page description language representation of the page is received, the page description language representation having a plurality of sequential graphic objects ordered by drawing order. One or more groups of sequentially adjacent graphic objects of the plurality of sequential objects is formed according to the drawing order. An intermediate representation for each of the groups is generated, the intermediate representation comprising a set of regions where each region of the set of regions is associated with a set of operations required to render at least one of the adjacent graphic objects of one of the groups that intersect the region. An adjacently located set of the intermediate representations is merged to render the page.
US09715355B2 Image forming apparatus for printing jobs in an order according to a time of submission
There is provided an image forming apparatus including: an image forming portion, an accepting portion accepting print jobs and identification information associated with the print jobs, a storage portion storing the print jobs and the identification information, an identification information input portion, and a controller. The controller is configured to: cause the storage portion to store an acceptance time at which the accepting portion accepts each of the print jobs, authenticate the identification information, extract the print jobs associated with the authenticated identification information from the print jobs stored in the storage portion, acquire a difference time which is a difference between an authentication time of authenticating the identification information and an acceptance time of accepting the extracted print jobs, and cause the image forming portion to carry out image formation for all the print jobs with the acquired difference time within a first time period.
US09715352B2 Synchronous input/output using a low latency storage controller connection
Aspects include transmitting a synchronous I/O command to a persistent storage control unit (SCU in response to a synchronous I/O request from an operating system (OS). A unit of work in the OS corresponding to the synchronous I/O request remains active at least until the synchronous I/O request is completed. Based on an operation code of the synchronous I/O command specifying a read operation and in response to detecting that the persistent SCU has stored one or more read data records in a memory located on the processor, the firmware indicates to the OS that the synchronous I/O request is completed. Based on the operation code specifying a write operation and in response to detecting an indication from the persistent SCU that write data has been written or indicating that an error has occurred, indicating to the OS that the synchronous I/O request is completed.
US09715351B2 Copy-offload on a device stack
A read request, a write request, and copy descriptor are constructed and sent to logical volumes of a device stack to complete a copy-offload operation between a source logical volume and a destination logical volume. The read request is forwarded to a source physical volume of a device stack and a write request is forwarded to a destination physical volume of the device stack. Responsive to detecting that the read request has been received by the source physical volume of the device stack and the write request has been received by a destination physical volume of the device stack, the driver of the source physical volume or the driver of the destination physical volume construct a copy-offload request to be sent to a storage device, the copy-offload request comprising the read request, the write request, and the copy descriptor. The copy-offload request is subsequently sent to the storage device.
US09715350B2 Reserving a storage area and building page frame table entries
In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method includes receiving a large frame area (LFAREA) request, including a request for a plurality of page frame table entries (PFTEs) to back a plurality of frames in an LFAREA of main memory. Each of the plurality of frames has one of a first size and a second size, where the second size is larger than the first size. The method further includes counting how many frames in the main memory have yet to be initialized and have one of the first size and the second size. A size needed for the plurality of PFTEs is calculated, based at least in part on the counting. A storage area is reserved for the plurality of PFTEs, by a computer processor, where a size of the storage area is the size calculated based at least in part on the counting.
US09715344B2 Memory device and controlling method of the same
A flash memory system is provided. The flash memory system includes a memory device including a memory cell array including at least one data block and a controller that determines whether to end background garbage collection according to a lifespan index of the at least one data block. The lifespan index may be decreased by the background garbage collection. The controller may end the background garbage collection when the decreased lifespan index is equal to or higher than a reference value.
US09715341B2 Operating a memory device using a program order stamp to control a read voltage
A method is for operating a memory system including a memory device. The method includes managing program order information of the memory device based on a program order stamp (POS) indicating a relative temporal relationship between program operations of a plurality of memory groups that are included in the memory device, and controlling a read voltage for performing a read operation on the memory device. The read voltage is controlled based on the program order information and a mapping table that stores a read voltage offset and a POS corresponding to the read voltage offset.
US09715339B2 Display apparatus displaying user interface and method of providing the user interface
Provided are a display apparatus capable of manipulating user interface (UI) objects included in a UI, and a method of providing the UI. The display apparatus includes a touch screen which is configured to display the UI including a plurality of UI objects and receive a user input; and a controller which is configured to determine a plurality of preset sizes corresponding to the UI objects, respectively, and a plurality of pieces of information to be displayed on the UI objects, respectively, in response to the user input, and control the touch screen to display the UI objects with the preset sizes and the plurality of pieces of information.
US09715333B2 Methods and systems for improved data input, compression, recognition, correction, and translation through frequency-based language analysis
System and method for improving data input by using word frequency to text predict input. Other systems and methods include analyzing words already contained in a document (e.g. spell checking and OCR) and using word frequency to create a proxy system to reduce the space required to store data, allowing for more efficient usage of storage and enhancing the embedded content of matrix codes. The system displays the most common words in a language based upon the previously entered or displayed word(s), or the previously entered or displayed character or characters. Words with the most common frequency of use with the prior word(s) are displayed in a table to enable the user to quickly select one of the displayed words for rapid data entry. The input device can be a touch-sensitive display or non-touch sensitive type device.
US09715328B2 Mission system adapted for use in a strongly disturbed environment perturbed by movements of the carrier
A mission system, able to be fixed in a carrier, comprises at least a display device displaying at least mission data, a processing device allowing the execution of applications, and an interfacing with said display device and with inputting device, the mission system furthermore comprising a handle disposed in proximity to the display device so that an operator can via at least one of his hands employ the inputting means while clasping the mission system via said gripping means.
US09715323B2 Touch unit array and a display panel having the same
A touch unit array including a plurality of first strip electrodes, a plurality of second strip electrodes, and a plurality of electrode pad units is provided. Each first strip electrode has at least one first opening. The second strip electrodes are orthogonally arranged to the plurality of first strip electrodes. Each electrode pad unit includes at least one electrode pad, and the electrode pads are respectively disposed in the plurality of first openings, wherein each electrode pad unit receives a first driving signal.
US09715320B2 In-cell touch display panel
An in-cell touch display panel includes a substrate, a semiconductor stack, a transparent layer, an insulation layer and a metal layer. The semiconductor stack is disposed on the substrate, and includes a plurality of pixel control elements. The transparent layer is disposed on the semiconductor stack, and includes a plurality of first touch electrode strips extending along a first direction. The insulation layer is disposed on the transparent layer. The metal layer is disposed on the insulation layer, and includes a plurality of second touch electrode strips extending along a second direction. The first touch electrode strips intersect and are insulated from the second touch electrode strips.
US09715319B2 Capacitive touch sensor
This application relates to a projected capacitive touch sensor. The sensor includes a sensor grid including one or more electrically conductive rows and two or more electrically conductive columns. The sensor further includes an adaptive circuit that receives a signal associated with a first portion of the two or more columns and includes a direct route and an attenuator route, the attenuator route including an attenuator circuit for applying an amplitude decrease, an amplitude increase, or a phase shift to the sensor grid's signal, wherein the adaptive circuit is configured to switch between the direct route and the attenuator route. The sensor further includes a differential circuit that is configured to generate a differential signal based on an output signal from the adaptive circuit and a signal associated with a second portion of the two or more columns.
US09715305B2 Electronic device and verification method
An electronic device that includes a drive controller being configured to drive a vibrating element by using a drive signal causing the vibrating element to generate a natural vibration in an ultrasound-frequency-band in a touch surface, the drive controller being configured to drive the vibrating element so as to switch the natural vibration between a strong level and a weak level in accordance with a travel distance of a position of a erformed onto the touch surface, a first memory configured to store first data representing a first passcode corresponding to a number of times the natural vibration is switched between the strong level and the weak level, and a first verification part configured to verify a number of times the drive controller switches the natural vibration between the strong level and the weak level with the first passcode when the touch is performed onto the touch surface.
US09715299B2 Liquid crystal display device
According to an aspect, a liquid crystal display device includes: a liquid crystal display unit that displays an image; a plurality of electrodes arranged in the liquid crystal display unit in parallel with one direction along a display surface of the liquid crystal display unit; a measuring unit that measures electric resistance values of the electrodes; a specifying unit that specifies a temperature of the liquid crystal display unit based on the electric resistance values of the electrodes; and an application unit that applies, to the electrodes, a voltage for causing the electrode to generate heat based on the temperature of the liquid crystal display unit.
US09715298B2 Flexible display device with sensor layer
A flexible display device includes a flexible substrate including a first surface and a second surface on opposite sides of the flexible substrate, a display portion including thin film transistors located on the first surface of the flexible substrate, a sensor circuit located on the second surface of the flexible substrate, a first electrode pad on the flexible substrate, the first electrode pad being connected to a first wire drawn out from the display portion, and a second electrode pad on the flexible substrate, the second electrode pad being connected to a second wire drawn out from the sensor circuit. The first wire or the second wire includes a bridge passing through a through-hole in the flexible substrate.
US09715285B2 Position detection apparatus and position detection method
A position detection apparatus includes a projection unit that projects an image, a radiation unit that radiates light, a detection unit that detects reflected light of the light radiated from the radiation unit, and an output control unit that performs control for outputting information corresponding to a detection position of the reflected light based on a detection result from the detection unit when a radiation direction of the light radiated from the radiation unit is adjusted.
US09715273B2 Motion tracking user interface
A method to transition focus of a display corresponding to an object's motion tracked by a video camera or like device is disclosed. In one implementation, the display shows one or more windows or user interfaces on the display. The object's motion can be used to select one of the windows or user interfaces on the display and manipulate content presented in the window or user interface. In another implementations, the object's motion can manipulate a three-dimensional graphical icon in a three-dimensional display environment, for example, by rotating it. In another implementation, the method further tracks motion of a second object and shifts focus of the display corresponding to the motion of the second object. In another implementation, a second display may be added to mirror the focus transition corresponding to the object's motion.
US09715272B2 Portable electronic device and core swapping method thereof
A portable electronic device is provided. A power management unit provides a first voltage and a second voltage. A multi-core cluster includes a first processing core configured to be powered by the first voltage and operate at a first operating frequency and a second processing core configured to be powered by the first voltage or the second voltage and operate at a second operating frequency. A third processing core is configured to be powered by the second voltage and operate at a third operating frequency. A first switch is configured to selectively provide the second voltage to the third processing core or stop providing the second voltage to the third processing core according to a first control signal. A second switch is configured to selectively provide the first voltage or the second voltage to the second processing core according to a second control signal.
US09715269B2 Platform communication protocol
A host chipset heartbeat may be utilized, in some embodiments, to handle interrupts from external devices on a power efficient basis. The availability of the host chipset heartbeat may be signaled to external devices and those external devices may time their activities to a period of time when not only are resources available, but the assertion of the activity is advantageous because the host chipset is already transitioning from a lower power consumption state.
US09715246B2 State-based undervoltage hysteresis
A method of undervoltage detection includes detecting a voltage level for a power supply of a system, placing the system in an undervoltage state if the voltage level is below an undervoltage threshold, activating a load of the system at a first power level if the detected voltage level exceeds a first activation threshold and if the system resides in the undervoltage state, and activating the load at a second power level if the detected voltage level exceeds a second activation threshold.
US09715230B2 Controllable flight during automated tricks
Using a trick flight control process, a pilot may fly an aircraft while having control over two axes of orientation while the aircraft may be rotating automatically about a third axis of orientation. The pilot may continue to fly the aircraft during an automated trick rather than relinquishing control completely to the aircraft's electronics.
US09715216B2 Holograms and fabrication processes
We fabricate a stereoscopic hologram of an object by capturing a sequence of 2D images of the object, moving camera along a linear axis past the object and keeping the optical axis of the camera perpendicular at each of the positions. The camera lens and image recording surface are translated along the axis such that a fiducial part of the image does not move. The sequence is replayed and a first volume hologram is recorded by recording holograms of the captured images on a diffusing screen in different spatial locations on a surface of the first volume hologram. This is then replayed to form a stereoscopic image of the object and a second, volume reflection hologram of the replayed image is recorded to provide the stereoscopic hologram. A central image of the sequence is aligned to the fiducial part of the holographic image to make the resulting hologram “user-friendly”.
US09715213B1 Virtual chess table
The virtual chess table includes a table that includes a touch screen and joystick on opposing sides of the table. The touch screen and joystick are each used by competing players in order to play a game chess. The table includes a pane of glass that encloses an image projector there under. The image projector is used to generate a chessboard on the pane of glass. A hologram projector system is included and is suspended above the table. The hologram projector system is used to create a three-dimension hologram of the chess pieces used to play the game of chess. The hologram projector system and the image projector are in wired connection with a computer located underneath the table. The computer is also in wire connection with the touch screen and joystick provided at opposing sides of the table.
US09715208B2 Contact spring and image forming apparatus
A contact spring is constituted by a bare wire and accommodated in a bent groove of a wire support guide. A non-linear connection is realized via the bare wire between two parts disposed apart from each other within an image forming apparatus. One end of the contact spring is connected with one of the two parts, the other end of the contact spring is connected with the other part via the bent groove, and a coil-shaped or zigzag-shaped elastic portion of the bare wire is in a portion accommodated in the bent groove.
US09715206B1 End-of life determination for a print cartridge
Example implementations relate to end-of-life determination for a print cartridge. For example, a print cartridge according to the present disclosure, may include a plurality of consumable components. Each of the plurality of consumable components may have an associated sensor to monitor use of the respective consumable component. The print cartridge may further include a memory including instructions executable by a processor to, for each of the plurality of consumable components, receive a past use value quantifying an amount and type of use of the respective consumable component, determine an end-of-life value for the respective consumable component using the past use value and a predetermined tuning factor for the respective consumable component, and determine an end-of-life value for the print cartridge based on the plurality of end-of-life values for the plurality of consumable components.
US09715205B2 Image forming apparatus remotely operated by external terminal and method of generating, transmitting and displaying composite images
An image forming apparatus remotely operated by an external terminal includes a generation unit that generates a first composite image by combining a first image and a second image such that the second image is displayed within and over the first image, the first image being an operation screen image corresponding to an operation screen of the image forming apparatus, and the second screen being an image of an area including hardware key images corresponding to hardware keys of the image forming apparatus, a transmission unit that transmits first image data that is image data of the first composite image to the external terminal as data for displaying a remote operation image for the image forming apparatus, and a reception unit that receives, from the external terminal, first manual input information on manual input to the first composite image displayed as the remote operation image on the external terminal.
US09715199B2 Image forming apparatus with removable feeding unit
An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus main assembly having a door, a feeding unit including first and second rotatable members configured to form a nip for feeding a sheet and a moving mechanism configured to move the first rotatable member in a spacing direction relative to the second rotatable member, a power source provided in the apparatus main assembly, and a motor provided in the apparatus main assembly and configured to drive the moving mechanism. The feeding unit is detachably mountable to the apparatus main assembly upon opening of the door. An electric power supplying path is capable of supplying electric power from the power source to the motor via the feeding unit despite the door being in an open state.
US09715198B2 Fixing device and image forming apparatus
A fixing device includes a rotary endless fixing belt; a nip forming member disposed in an interior of the fixing belt; a rotary opposed member to contact the nip forming member via the fixing belt to form a nip together with the fixing belt; a heat source to directly heat the fixing belt at a portion other than the nip, including at lease one heat-generation part disposed outside lateral ends of a maximum area of the fixing belt where a recording medium passes through, wherein a recording medium carrying an unfixed image is conveyed to the nip and the fixing device fixes the unfixed image onto the recording medium; and a shielding member disposed between the fixing belt and the heat generation part of the heat source and configured to shield heat from the heat source at least at an area outside the maximum passing area of the recording medium.
US09715193B2 Image forming apparatus with constant voltage element for secondary transfer of toner image
In a constitution in which a power source exclusively for primary-transfer is omitted and a predetermined voltage is generated in an intermediary transfer member, in a test mode in which a test voltage is applied to a secondary-transfer member in advance in order to obtain a proper secondary transfer voltage, in the case where the test voltage is low, a proper secondary-transfer voltage cannot be obtained in some cases. In a period of the test mode, the power source is controlled in order to maintain a Zener breakdown voltage, so that the proper secondary-transfer voltage can be obtained.
US09715188B2 Toner
The toner comprising a toner particle containing a binder resin and a colorant, an iron oxide particle and an organic-inorganic composite fine particle, wherein the organic-inorganic composite fine particle comprises a vinyl resin particle, and inorganic fine particles which are embedded in the vinyl resin particle, and at least a part of which is exposed at surface of the organic-inorganic composite fine particle; the organic-inorganic composite fine particle has convexes derived from the inorganic fine particles, and wherein: a coverage ratio of the surface of the organic-inorganic composite fine particle with the inorganic fine particle is 20-70%; and the content of the iron oxide particle present on a surface of the toner particle is 0.1-5.0 mass % based on the mass of the toner particle.
US09715185B2 Electrostatic-image developing toner, electrostatic-image developer, and toner cartridge
An electrostatic-image developing toner includes a toner particle including a polyester resin and a styrene-(meth)acrylic resin, and an external additive including a poly[alkyl (meth)acrylate] particle. The amount of the poly[alkyl (meth)acrylate] particles is about 0.05 parts by mass or more and about 1.0 parts by mass or less relative to 100 parts by mass of the toner particle. The ratio D50P/D50T of the number-average diameter D50P of the poly[alkyl (meth)acrylate] particles to the number-average diameter D50T of the toner particles satisfies 0.03≦D50P/D50T≦0.15. The proportion of the styrene-(meth)acrylic resin in a resin component deposited on the surface of the toner particle is about 5 atom % or more and about 30 atom % or less as determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).
US09715175B2 Mask protection device, exposure apparatus, and method for manufacturing device
A reticle protection device capable of keeping a reticle therein is provided with an inner pod capable of keeping the reticle therein; an outer pod capable of keeping the inner pod therein; an electroconductive movable contact portion provided on at least one of the inner pod and the outer pod and being capable of coming into contact with an electroconductive film of the reticle; and a leaf spring for achieving electric conduction of the contact portion to at least one of the inner pod and the outer pod. The reticle is kept in the inner pod and the inner pod is kept in the outer pod, thereby enabling stable grounding of the reticle.
US09715170B2 Optical proximity correction method and method of manufacturing extreme ultraviolet mask by using the optical proximity correction method
Provided are an optical proximity correction (OPC) method capable of correcting a slit-effect in an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) exposure process and a method of manufacturing an EUV mask by using the OPC method. The OPC method includes, dividing a transmission cross coefficient (TCC) according to regions of a slit that is used in an EUV exposure process, generating OPC models reflecting the TCCs that are divided, and correcting the OPC method.
US09715167B2 Projection type image display apparatus with light masking
According to the present invention, a projection type image display apparatus enables control of a large amount of light masking through a light-masking unit while maintaining a uniform illumination distribution in an area to be illuminated by the illumination light. The apparatus uses two array lenses on which lens cells are arranged in matrix form, where light-masking unit masks the array lens installed on the light source side in their particular area. The light-masking unit adjusts the amount of light emitted from the light source. The light-masking area of lens cells adjacent to lens cells closest to an optical axis is made smaller than the light-masking area of other cells.
US09715159B1 Enhanced photoluminescence from plasmonic apparatus with two resonant cavity wavelengths
Embodiments include a gain system and method. The system includes a gain medium with a plurality of plasmonic apparatus. Each plasmonic apparatus includes a substrate having a first plasmonic surface, a plasmonic nanoparticle having a second plasmonic surface, and a dielectric-filled gap between the first plasmonic surface and the second plasmonic surface. A plasmonic cavity is created by an assembly of the first plasmonic surface, the second plasmonic surface, and the dielectric-filled gap, and has a first fundamental wavelength λ1 and second fundamental wavelength λ2. Fluorescent particles are located in the dielectric-filled gap. Each fluorescent particle has an absorption spectrum at the first fundamental wavelength λ1 and an emission spectrum at the second fundamental wavelength λ2. An excitation applied to the gain medium at the first fundamental wavelength λ1 produces an amplified electromagnetic wave emission at the second resonant wavelength λ2.
US09715152B2 Display device and electronic apparatus
Disclosed herein is a display device including: a display substrate having wires on a particular one of the surfaces of the display substrate, and having penetration holes each provided at a position exposed to the wire and penetrating the display substrate from the particular surface to the other display-substrate surface; and a wiring substrate provided on the side of the other surface of the display substrate and electrically connected to the wires through the penetration holes.
US09715146B2 Liquid crystal display device
An IPS system liquid crystal display device is provided to prevent reliability for a seal portion from lowering, which is caused by the fact that an overcoat film at a portion where an alignment film is not present is deteriorated by ultraviolet light during optical alignment process. An alignment film 113 subjected to optical alignment is formed above each surface of a TFT substrate 100 and of a counter substrate 200, the alignment film 113 on the side of the TFT substrate 100 is not formed in the seal portion, and a sealant 150 is bonded to an inorganic insulating film 109. On the side of the counter substrate 200, the alignment film 113 is formed on an overcoat film 203 and the sealant 150 is bonded to the alignment film 113. Since the ultraviolet light is not radiated directly to the overcoat film 203 when optical alignment is performed on the alignment film 113, the overcoat film 203 can be prevented from deterioration and, accordingly, intrusion of moisture from the deteriorated portion of the overcoat film can be prevented.
US09715145B2 Liquid crystal display device having a low reflecting layer made of the same material as the source electrode and the oxide semiconductor layer
A semiconductor device (1001) includes a thin-film transistor (103) including a gate electrode (3a), source and drain electrodes (13as, 13ad), and an oxide semiconductor layer (7), and a source bus line (13s). The source electrode, the source bus line and the drain electrode include a first metallic element and the oxide semiconductor layer includes a second metallic element. When viewed along a normal to its substrate, at least respective portions of the source electrode, the source bus line, and the drain electrode overlap with the oxide semiconductor layer. A low reflecting layer (4s, 4d) which includes the first and second metallic elements and which has a lower reflectance to visible radiation than the source electrode has been formed between the source electrode and the oxide semiconductor layer, between the source bus line and the oxide semiconductor layer, and between the drain line and the oxide semiconductor layer.
US09715143B2 Display panel, displayer and driving method
The present invention discloses a display panel, a displayer and a drive method for an array substrate in a display panel. The display panel comprises a cell substrate and an array substrate. Sub-pixel units of the array substrate are classified into first type of sub-pixel units for displaying an original image and second type of sub-pixel units for displaying an interference image. The outermost side of the cell substrate is provided with a FPR film array, wherein, first FPR films are in correspondence to the first type of sub-pixel units so as to convert emitting light of the first type of sub-pixel units into polarized light in a first direction; and a second FPR film is in correspondence to the second type of sub-pixel units so as to convert emitting light of the second type of sub-pixel units into polarized light in a second direction different from the first direction. The displayer may show the original image as well as the interference image simultaneously, and only wearing glasses for filtering interference image can the user observes the normal original image so as to prevent the original image from being observed by a peeper with his/her naked eyes.
US09715140B2 Liquid crystal display apparatus having circuit board installed in rear chassis
A liquid crystal display apparatus includes a liquid crystal panel configured to display images; at least one light source configured to supply light to the liquid crystal panel; a front chassis member and a rear chassis member configured to accommodate the liquid crystal panel and the light source module and a circuit board configured to control the liquid crystal display apparatus. The rear chassis member may include a light source supporting portion supporting the at least one light source and a plurality of side surface portions extending from the light source supporting portion to the rear chassis member. The circuit board may be disposed in at least one of the side surface portions.
US09715138B2 Display panel, method for adhering films and method for producing a display panel
A display panel is disclosed. The display panel comprising: two substrates assembled and connected to each other; films adhered to a display region on one surface of the first one of the two substrates facing away the second one and a display region on one surface of the second one of the two substrates facing away the first one respectively; and seal strips provided along the locations at which the substrates adjoin an edge of the films, for sealing the films and the substrates.
US09715134B2 Liquid crystal module and curved surface display device
The invention provides a liquid crystal module and a curved surface display device. According to the liquid crystal module and the curved surface display device, a curved surface liquid crystal panel can be kept stable, and deformation of the curved surface liquid crystal panel is reduced. The liquid crystal module comprises the liquid crystal panel and a backlight source, wherein the backlight source comprises a light guiding plate. The light-emitting surface, facing the liquid crystal panel, of the light guiding plate is an inwards-concave arc-shaped curved surface, the liquid crystal panel is in an inwards-concave arc shape, and the liquid crystal panel is arranged on the light-emitting surface of the light guiding plate through a connecting member, wherein the curvature of the arc of the liquid crystal panel is the same as that of the light-emitting surface of the light guiding plate.
US09715130B2 Methods and apparatus to form separators for biocompatible energization elements for biomedical devices
Methods and apparatus to form biocompatible energization elements are described. In some examples, the methods and apparatus to form the biocompatible energization elements involve forming cavities composing active cathode chemistry. The active elements of the cathode and anode are sealed with a biocompatible material. In some examples, a field of use for the methods and apparatus may include any biocompatible device or product that requires energization elements.
US09715129B2 Contact lens with multi-layered pattern
Contact lenses that comprise a multi-layer design may be utilized to enhance and/or highlight the appearance of the eyes upon which the contact lenses are positioned while maintaining a natural look. These exemplary designs each comprise three layers; namely, a unique limbal design graphic, a unique inner effect graphic and a unique outer effect graphic. The layers may be formed utilizing any number of design elements and design principles. The limbal design graphic is the portion of the overall pattern that surrounds the outer diameter of the iris and is closest to the sclera and is meant to highlight, enhance and/or define the limbal region of the eye; however, it also comprises elements that extend into the iris. The inner effect graphic layer is the portion of the overall pattern that is meant to enhance the iris; however, it may comprise a portion that also contributes to highlighting, enhancing and/or defining the limbal region of the eye. The outer effect graphic layer is the portion of the overall pattern that is meant to enhance the iris; however, it may comprise a portion that also contributes to highlighting, enhancing and/or defining the limbal region of the eye.
US09715119B2 Electrochromic grating, method for producing the same and 3D display device
The present disclosure provides an electrochromic grating comprising: a substrate; a plurality of strip-shaped first transparent electrodes distributed on the substrate in parallel at an equal predetermined pitch; and a plurality of ion storage layers, a plurality of electrochromic layers, and a plurality of strip-shaped second transparent electrodes. One ion storage layer, one electrochromic layer and one second transparent electrode are sequentially formed on each of the first transparent electrodes, and the electrochromic layer is configured to switch from a transparent state to a shading state when different drive voltages are applied to the first and second transparent electrodes. A method for producing an electrochromic grating is also provided. There is no interference between the shading region and the light-transmissive region and there is no negative impact on the effect of 2D display, providing users with a great experience.
US09715116B2 Color mixing device and display device
A color mixing device and a display device are configured to represent the color white in a consistent fashion, even in low-luminance areas. These devices are provided with: a red light source for outputting red light at optical intensity in response to a first current presented thereto; a green light source for outputting green light at optical intensity in response to a second current presented thereto; a blue light source for outputting blue light at optical intensity in response to a third current presented thereto; and a color mixing means for color mixing of the red light, the green light, and the blue light together. A light attenuating part transmits or reflects the blue light, bringing about attenuation and advance thereof in the output direction. The blue light output by the blue light source is attenuated to a greater extent than the light of the other colors during output.
US09715106B2 Electro-optical device and electronic apparatus
There is provided an electro-optical device comprising a substrate, a first torsion hinge disposed above the substrate in a thickness direction, the first torsion hinge having a first hinge support portion configured to support the first torsion hinge in the thickness direction, a second torsion hinge disposed above the first torsion hinge in the thickness direction, the second torsion hinge having a second hinge support portion configured to support the second torsion hinge in the thickness direction, and a mirror disposed above the second torsion hinge in the thickness direction, the mirror having a mirror support portion configured to support the mirror in the thickness direction. The second hinge support portion does not overlap the first hinge support portion in a planar view of the substrate, and the mirror support portion does not overlap the second hinge support portion in the planar view of the substrate.
US09715105B2 Light switching module
A light switching module including a first refractive element, a second refractive element and a shifting device. The first refractive element and the second refractive element include substrates with a plurality of micro-lens structures, patterned retardation microstructures disposed on the plurality of micro-lens structures and birefringent layers on the patterned retardation microstructures. Therefore, the birefringent layers have different optical axis regions. The shifting device can adjust the relative position of the first refractive element and the second refractive element to switch penetrating or refracting of incident light and to change the light switching module to transparent state or opaque state.
US09715104B2 Light-quantity control apparatus and optical apparatus
The light-quantity control apparatus includes a base member, and a light-quantity control blade having a light-quantity control portion to control a quantity of light passing through a fixed aperture and a supported portion rotatably supported with respect to the base member. The light-quantity control portion and the supported portion of the light-quantity control blade are each rotated along a plane parallel to the aperture face, an intermediate portion thereof formed between the light-quantity control portion and the supported portion has a tilt with respect to the aperture plane toward the optical axis direction so that the light-quantity control portion is disposed distant from the supported portion in the optical axis direction. Thereby a concave space facing the fixed aperture is formed inside in the radial direction than the light-quantity control blade.
US09715103B2 Display device
A display panel can display images or information on at least one surface side and transmit external light through a transmissive display element. The display panel includes a plurality of light-emitting elements that emit light to the one surface side and can be driven independently and a plurality of transmissive display elements that can be driven independently. Alternatively, a display panel transmits external light through a double-side light-emitting element and a transmissive display element. The display panel includes a plurality of double-side light-emitting elements that can be driven independently and a plurality of transmissive display elements that can be driven independently.
US09715102B2 Electromechanical systems device with hinges for reducing tilt instability
This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus for reducing tilt instability in an electromechanical systems (EMS) device, where the EMS device includes a plurality of hinges supporting a movable mirror over a stationary electrode and having identical hinge lengths. The EMS device can include a plurality of first anchor points providing connection at the substrate and a plurality of second anchor points providing connection at the movable mirror. Each of the hinges can be positioned between paired first and second anchor points and symmetrically arranged about the center of the movable mirror. In some implementations, the plurality of first anchor points and the plurality of second anchor points can be defined by a single mask.
US09715094B2 Zoom lens and image pickup apparatus having the same
A zoom lens includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a lens unit Ln having the highest negative refractive power of all the following lens units, a lens unit Lm2 having positive refractive power, a lens unit Lm having negative refractive power, and a rear lens group Lp including one or more lens units and having overall positive refractive power. During zooming, a distance between every adjacent lens units varies. During focusing from an infinite distance to a minimum object distance, the lens unit Ln and the lens unit Lm move toward the object side. The focal length FLm of the lens unit Lm and the focal length FLm2 of the lens unit Lm2 are appropriately set.
US09715090B2 Zoom lens and image pickup apparatus including the same
A zoom lens includes: 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 positive refractive power or a negative refractive power, in which the first lens unit and the fifth lens unit do not move for zooming, and the second lens unit and the fourth lens unit move during zooming, in which a focal length fw of the zoom lens at a wide angle end, a focal length f2 of the second lens unit, and a focal length of a positive lens, which is included in the second lens unit are suitably set.
US09715087B2 Imaging lens
A camera lens includes from an object side to an image side: a first lens with positive refractive power; a second lens with negative refractive power; a third lens with negative refractive power; a fourth lens with positive refractive power and a fifth lens with negative refractive power. Specific conditions are satisfied. The camera lens has excellent optical properties.
US09715085B2 Eyepiece optical system
An eyepiece optical system is achieved that is suitable for an object image displayed on a miniaturized image display device and can magnify the object image to a high magnification ratio, the distance to the eyepoint is long while achieving a wide apparent visual angle at a short focal length, various aberrations can be favorably corrected while achieving a superior optical quality, and the pupil diameter can be enlarged. The eyepiece optical system includes a first lens element having a meniscus shape with a concave surface on the object side, a positive second lens element, a negative third lens element, and a positive fourth lens element, in that order from the object side toward the eye side.
US09715080B2 Lens device
A lens device includes a Hall IC detecting whether extender lenses are positioned on an optical axis or are retreated from the optical axis by rotating the extender lenses about a rotating shaft by a predetermined angle. An inner space of a lens barrel is divided into first to fourth spaces by a first plane passing through the rotating shaft and the optical axis and a second plane passing through the optical axis and perpendicular to the first plane. When the extender lenses are positioned on the optical axis, a magnet is fixed to a portion in the first space of an extender lens frame and the Hall IC is disposed in the first space on a side substantially opposite to a portion in which the rotating shaft is present, so that the Hall IC is not an obstacle even while the extender lenses rotate.
US09715073B1 Optical trunk cable having web-connected sub-unitized configuration
An optical trunk cable includes at least one elongated strength member. The optical trunk cable further includes a plurality of elongated optical fiber units, each of the optical fiber units having an inner jacket containing a plurality of optical fibers.
US09715059B2 Light guide plate, method for manufacturing same and backlight module
The present invention discloses a light guide plate fixed to a back plate. The back plate has a plurality of fixing portions. The light guide plate includes a light incident surface, a reflective surface connected with the light incident surface, and a light output surface opposite to the reflective surface and connected with the light incident surface. The light output surface includes a main body and a plurality of locating portions mounted on the main body. The locating portions correspond to the fixing portions. The locating portions mate with the corresponding fixing portions thereby fixing the light guide plate to the back plate. A blank area is formed on the main body at each location where each of the locating portions mating with the corresponding fixing portion. A plurality of microstructures are formed on the rest area excluding the blank areas in the main body.
US09715049B2 Method of manufacturing a diffraction grating
A method for manufacturing a blazed diffraction grating made of a crystalline material comprising zinc selenide (ZnSe) or zinc sulfide (ZnS) includes forming the blazed diffraction grating by forming a plurality of grating grooves on a machined surface of a workpiece by machining, wherein the grating grooves are formed so that a surface comprising a (110) plane is arranged to receive the most incident light among the surfaces that constitute each grating, where (110) describes a crystal orientation of the crystalline material.
US09715048B2 Broadband optics for manipulating light beams and images
Optical systems for controlling with propagation of light beams in lateral and angular space, and through optical apertures. The light beams include laser beams as well as beams with wide spectrum of wavelengths and large divergence angles. The optical systems are based on combination of diffractive waveplates with diffractive properties that can be controlled with the aid of external stimuli such as electrical fields, temperature, optical beams and mechanical means.
US09715047B2 Multi-layer photonic structures having omni-directional reflectivity and coatings incorporating the same
A multi-layer photonic structure may include alternating layers of high index material and low index material having a form [H(LH)N] where, H is a layer of high index material, L is a layer of low index material and N is a number of pairs of layers of high index material and layers of low index material. N may be an integer≧1. The low index dielectric material may have an index of refraction nL from about 1.3 to about 2.5. The high index dielectric material may have an index of refraction nH from about 1.8 to about 3.5, wherein nH>nL and the multi-layer photonic structure comprises a reflectivity band of greater than about 200 nm for light having angles of incidence from about 0 degrees to about 80 degrees relative to the multi-layer photonic structure. The multi-layer photonic structure may be incorporated into a paint or coating system thereby forming an omni-directional reflective paint or coating.
US09715044B2 Antireflection film, and optical element and optical system that include the same
An antireflection film formed on a substrate having a refractive index between 1.40 and 1.85 inclusive for light having a wavelength of 550 nm includes an intermediate layer formed on the substrate, and a concavo-convex layer formed on the intermediate layer, the concavo-convex layer includes a part has a refractive index that continuously increases from a side closer to a surface toward a side closer to the substrate, the intermediate layer includes a plurality of thin film layers having different refractive indices, and at least one of the thin film layers has a refractive index higher than the refractive index of the substrate, and the thin film layers include a first layer formed on the substrate and having a physical thickness d1, and a second layer formed on the first layer and having a physical thickness d2, and satisfy predetermined conditional expressions.
US09715042B2 Light-shielding coating material and light-shielding film for optical element and optical element
To provide a light-shielding film for optical element having durability under high temperature and high humidity conditions and resistance to a cleaning liquid.A light-shielding coating film for optical element containing: a cured substance at least containing an epoxy resin, titania fine particles, a dye, and an amine curing agent, in which the equivalent ratio (A/E) of the active hydrogen equivalent weight (A) of the amine curing agent and the epoxy equivalent weight (E) of the epoxy resin and the compounding ratio (A′/E′) of the amine curing agent amount (A′) and the epoxy resin amount (E′) satisfy the following expression 1, 1.1≦(A′/E′)/(A/E))≦1.7.  (Expression 1)
US09715038B2 Marine cable support system and method
A torque relief system dissipates a torque in a marine cable section to be used for seismic data collection. The system includes a bench having a deadman unit; a tensioning element connected to the deadman unit; a swivel bearing unit connected to the tensioning element and configured to receive a first end of the marine cable section; and at least one bearing unit configured to support the marine cable section with reduced friction so that when the tensioning element tenses the marine cable section, the marine cable section and the first end rotate freely until the torque is dissipated.
US09715035B2 Pulse neutron formation gas identification with LWD measurements
Systems, methods, and devices for quantitatively identifying gas zones irrespective of porosity or lithology using nuclear downhole tools are provided. In particular, because some formation materials such as shales can confound some conventional measurements, a gas detection measurement may be obtained that can be used to qualitatively identify gas zones. The gas detection measurement may be based at least partly on a relationship between inelastic gamma rays, neutron capture gamma rays, and experimental or modeled formation data, such that the gas detection measurement qualitatively indicates a gas zone when a gas zone is present in a formation irrespective of a lithology or a porosity of the formation.
US09715033B2 Methods for compositional analysis of downhole fluids using data from NMR and other tools
Methods and apparatuses are provided for analyzing a composition of a hydrocarbon-containing fluid. The methods include using a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) tool to conduct an NMR measurement on the hydrocarbon-containing fluid to obtain NMR data. A non-NMR tool, such as an optical tool, is used to conduct additional measurements on the hydrocarbon-containing fluid and to obtain non-NMR data on the fluid. An indication of the composition of the fluid can be determined by using the NMR data and the non-NMR data in an inversion process.
US09715031B2 Data retrieval device for downhole to surface telemetry systems
A data retrieval device for communicating between a downhole location within a wellbore (16) and a surface location (22) in which a downhole to surface telemetry system is installed and adapted to communicate between a first telemetry module and a second telemetry module with the second telemetry module (18) positioned downhole and connected to a string (12) positioned within the wellbore (16). The data retrieval device is provided with a housing adapted to be positioned inside the string; a communication device supported by the housing; a connection port positioned on the housing and adapted to be connected to a line; and an electronic module supported by the housing. The electronic module is in communication with the communication device and is adapted to store and use at least an identification parameter of the first telemetry module to intercept a signal transmission addressed to the first telemetry module from the second telemetry module (18) via the communication device.
US09715029B2 Electric field sensor for underwater
An electric field sensor for underwater, including a sensing unit that senses a change in an electric field and transfers a sensing signal of the electric field to a signal line, a waterproof sealing unit that keeps a signal transferring portion of the sensing unit in a waterproof state, and a water-passing protection unit that shields and protects an exposed portion of the sensing unit. The sensing unit includes a nonconductive hollow pipe connected to the signal line, a sheet of carbon fiber that is wound around the outer surface of the hollow pipe and that senses an electric field, and a terminal ring that is electrically conductively installed at an end portion of the sheet of carbon fiber to provide a connection portion of the signal line and that is watertightly sealed by the waterproof sealing unit.
US09715027B2 Detecting structural and stratigraphic information from seismic data
The present invention relates to a method of processing seismic signals comprising: receiving a set of seismic signals, applying a wavelet transformation to the set of signals and generating transformed signals across a plurality of scales. Then for each scale determining coherence information indicative of the transformed signals and generating a comparison matrix comparing the transformed signals, then outputting seismic attribute information based on combined coherence information.
US09715024B2 Near-field electromagnetic communications network for downhole telemetry
A disclosed downhole telemetry system employs an array of near-field electromagnetic communication devices to relay information along a tubular in a borehole. In some embodiments, the devices are permanently attached to pipe joints without requiring any structural modification of the pipe joints. As the pipe joints are strung together in the normal fashion to form a tubular, the devices automatically establish a wireless communications path between an uphole terminus device and any downhole sensors or tools. The devices can include built-in sensors to provide distributed sensing of parameters such as temperature and pressure. In some embodiments the device array incorporates redundancy to minimize the chance of a communications network failure. The device array has applications for logging-while-drilling, production testing, well completion, reservoir monitoring, and well control.
US09715023B2 Detector in an imaging system
The disclosure relates to a system and method for evaluating and calibrating detector in a scanner, further evaluating and calibrating time information detected by at least one time-to-digital convertor.
US09715019B2 Determining a relative position between devices
Methods and devices for determining a relative position between a first device and a second device are described. Measurement signals are transmitted from the first device to the second device. Each measurement signal is associated with a corresponding radio frequency spectrum in which the measurement signal is transmitted. A first radio frequency spectrum associated with a first measurement signal has a different frequency range than a second radio frequency spectrum associated with a second measurement signal of the plurality of measurement signals. At the second device the relative position based on at least the first and second measurement signals is determined.
US09715017B2 Using DME for terrestrial time transfer
Techniques for allowing a remote or fielded receiver to derive a precise time reference (such as Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)) when the fielded receiver is not able to derive time directly from received GPS signals. One or more fixed DME reference stations are located within range of DME beacon signals from an existing DME beacon station, the DME reference stations also having the capability to receive GPS signals and derive UTC therefrom. Based on the known distance between the DME reference station and the DME beacon station, the DME reference station can determine the time of transmission from the DME beacon station of each DME beacon signal. This time tag information is then provided to the fielded receiver, which is also within range of DME beacon signals from the DME beacon station. With this time tag information, the fielded receiver can correlate that with the received DME beacon signals and derive UTC to within an acceptably small margin.
US09715007B2 X-band surface mount microstrip-fed patch antenna
An antenna array for use with an X-band weather radar system comprises a printed circuit board, a plurality of antenna elements, and a plurality of integrated circuit packages. The printed circuit board includes a first side and an opposing second side. The antenna elements are configured to transmit and receive radio waves at frequencies in the X-band. The antenna elements are electrically connected to the first side of the printed circuit board and positioned thereon in a two-dimensional array. A center of each antenna element is located on a point of a grid with grid points orthogonally spaced apart. Each integrated circuit package includes a transmitter electronic circuit and a receiver electronic circuit that are each in electronic communication with one antenna element. Each integrated circuit package is positioned on the first side of the printed circuit board to underlie one antenna element.
US09715002B2 Method and apparatus for updating radio maps
In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus comprises a first receiver configured to receive a first partial radio map and a second partial radio map, a processor configured to compare the first partial radio map and the second partial radio map, and the processor further configured to determine to replace the first partial radio map with the second partial radio map based at least in part on a result of the comparison.
US09714994B2 Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus, and method for correcting measurement-space coordinates
In order to approximate the gradient magnetic field pulse waveform shape with high accuracy and improve the image quality at the time of imaging cross-section change or oblique imaging, an MRI apparatus of the present invention divides the waveform shape of the gradient magnetic field pulse into a plurality of sections, defines an approximation function for each section, and corrects the k-space coordinates at which the echo signal is arranged using the parameter of the approximation function. In addition, an optimal parameter of the approximation function of the waveform shape of the gradient magnetic field pulse is searched for using the measured signal.
US09714988B2 Hall effect sensor with graphene detection layer
A Hall Effect sensor with a graphene detection layer implemented in a variety of geometries, including the possibility of a so-called “full 3-d” Hall sensor, with the option for integration in a BiCMOS process and a method for producing said Hall Effect sensor is disclosed.
US09714987B2 Fluxgate magnetic-to-digital converter with oversampling closed loop
A fluxgate sensor including a magnetic-to-digital converter (MDC) can be adapted to measure an external magnetic field BEXT with a bandwidth fB. The MDC forward path can include: (a) converting an analog sense signal from the fluxgate sense coil to corresponding oversampled digital data using an oversampling data converter with an oversampling frequency fS greater than fB; and (b) loop filtering the oversampled digital data, synchronous with the oversampling frequency fS, to generate the loop output digital data. The MDC feedback path can include: (a) generating the feedback compensation current ICOMP from the loop output digital data, synchronous with a feedback path frequency fFB equal to ((M/N)×fS), where, M and N are integers; and (b) injecting the feedback compensation current ICOMP into the fluxgate compensation coil to induce the compensation field BCOMP, such that the induced compensation field BCOMP nulls the external field BEXT.
US09714979B2 Contactless signal testing
A method for performing contactless signal testing includes receiving, with a testing pad of an integrated circuit, a signal within a beam. The method further includes converting, with a number of diodes connected to a positive voltage supply, an electrical current signal created by the electron beam to a voltage signal, wherein the number of diodes includes a diode stack of multiple diodes. The method further includes extracting, with a digital inverter, a test signal from the voltage signal.
US09714971B1 Method for detecting a fault condition of an operational amplifier
A method for detecting a fault condition of an operational amplifier of an integrated circuit during operation includes operating an integrated circuit which includes an operational amplifier (op-amp) having a V+ input, a V− input and an op-amp output and an on-line fault detector electrically coupled to the V+ input and the V− input of the op-amp of the on-line fault detector, monitoring an operation of the op-amp with the on-line fault detector, and developing a fault signal at a fault detector output if the op-amp is in a fault condition as determined by the on-line fault detector.
US09714966B2 Circuit aging sensor
An integrated circuit includes a circuit aging sensor that provides information regarding operational degradation of the integrated circuit due to aging. The aging sensor includes a ring oscillator that includes inverting drivers and tuning circuits. The drivers are sequentially coupled to form a ring. An output of each of the drivers is coupled to an input of one of the tuning circuits, and an input of each of the drivers is coupled to an output of one of the tuning circuits. Each of the tuning circuits includes a first signal path and a second signal path. The first signal path selectably applies a tuning delay to an input signal received from one of the drivers for provision to an input of a successive one of the drivers. The second signal path selectably routes the signal received around the tuning delay to the input of the successive one of the drivers.
US09714965B2 System for measuring contact force in a utility meter
The present disclosure relates to a system and method for evaluating the adequacy of a connection between a utility line and a utility meter. In one embodiment, a force sensing unit is disposed between a first half and a second half of a first terminal of the utility meter and is configured to measure a contact force between the first terminal and a socket jaw.
US09714964B2 Voltage-dependent meter
A meter for recording or determining the electrical energy withdrawn from an electrical supply network or supplied to it is provided. The meter including a component for measuring the current supply voltage, and a component for determining the operating mode based on the currently withdrawn or supplied electrical energy, wherein the operating mode can be changed, depending on the measured supply voltage, in such a way that a relatively high supply voltage causes a slower metering process than a comparatively low supply voltage.
US09714961B2 Current measuring device for electric power lines
Current measuring device (1) for electric power lines, which comprises an annular support body (3) made of insulating material provided with a through hole (4) for housing an electric cable (2), and a solenoid winding (8) provided with turns wound around the support body (3). The solenoid winding (8) is organized in multiple groups of turns (9), and such groups are positioned equally spaced apart from each other.
US09714960B2 Apparatus for measuring RF voltage from a quadrupole in a mass spectrometer
An apparatus for measuring RF voltage from a quadrupole in a mass spectrometer are provided. The apparatus comprises at least one rectifying diode circuit for rectifying the RF voltage of the quadrupole to produce a rectified RF voltage. The apparatus further comprises at least one operational amplifier configured as a current to voltage converter, a negative input of the at least one operational amplifier connected to the output of at least one diode in the at least one rectifying diode circuit, a positive input of the at least one operational amplifier at ground, and an output of the at least one operational amplifier in a feedback loop with the negative input, to reduce reverse leakage current from the at least one diode.
US09714951B2 Pharmaceutical compositions containing peptides derived from human BPLP protein
The invention relates to an in vitro method for prognosis, diagnosis or determination of the evolution of a condition involving an altered production of Basic Proline-rich Lacrimal Protein (BPLP) or of any of its maturation products, by detecting, or quantifying in a biological sample of a test subject, a BPLP protein or a maturation product thereof, and comparing the production of BPLP protein or maturation product with the production of the same in a biological sample of a control subject.