Document Document Title
US09990480B2 Method, apparatus and storage medium for setting smart device management account
A method, an apparatus and storage medium are provided for setting a smart device management account. In the method, the apparatus receives a rights acquisition request at least carrying a login account and first location information of a first smart device. The apparatus acquires a first device group according to the first location information. When determining that the first smart device has management rights on smart devices in the first device group, the apparatus sets the login account of the first smart device as a management account of the first device group. The apparatus sends an authorization message to the first smart device and the smart devices in the first device group.
US09990479B2 Technologies for authenticating a user of a computing device based on authentication context state
Technologies for authenticating a user of a computing device based on an authentication context state includes generating context state outputs indicative of various context states of a mobile computing device based on sensor data generated by sensors of the mobile computing device. An authentication manager of the computing device implements an authentication state machine to authenticate a user of the computing device. The authentication state machine includes a number of authentication states, and each authentication state includes one or more transitions to another authentication state. Each of the transitions is dependent upon a context state output. The computing device may also include a device security manager, which implements a security state machine that includes a number of security states. Transition between security states is dependent upon the present authentication state of the user. The device security manager may implement a different security function in each security state.
US09990477B2 Dynamic network construction
A dynamic network is disclosed herein. The dynamic network can include a central server, one or several user devices, one or several remote servers, and a database server. The dynamic network can be created in response to a user request for content to be used in a compilation. The central server can identify one or several of the remote servers as potentially containing the requested content, and can communicate with the identified one or several of the remote servers to receive that content. Additionally, the server can identify and connect with one or several servers containing terms of use information for the requested content.
US09990474B2 Access control for selected document contents using document layers and access key sequence
In a digital rights management system, layers are defined for each document and user permissions are specified for each layer, to control user access at the layer-level. The layers are ordered by depth, where a layer completely contained inside another layer is deemed deeper than the other layer. The layers are encrypted in a deep-to-shallow order, each by its own encryption key. The entire document is then encrypted. When a user requests access to a document, the system generates an ordered sequence of encryption keys based on the user's access rights for each layer. The document open program on the user's client computer attempts to decrypt the various layers using the ordered sequence of keys. The client program and the system's key sequence generating algorithm are designed to give the result that only layers that the user has access to are successfully decrypted and displayed at document open time.
US09990473B2 Method and apparatus for policy-based content sharing in a peer to peer manner using a hardware based root of trust
Securely sharing content between a first system and a second system is provided. A hardware-based root of trust is established between the first system and a server. Content requested by a user and an encrypted license blob associated with the content is received by the first system from the server. A first agent on the first system connects with a second agent on the second system. The encrypted license blob and a sub-license request are sent from the first agent to a security processor on the first system. The first security processor decrypts the encrypted license blob, validates the sub-license request, and if allowed, creates a sub-license to allow the second system to play the content. The first security processor sends the sub-license to a security processor on the second system. The first system provides access to the content to the second system for future playback according to the sub-license.
US09990465B2 Information processing device, information processing system, and information processing method
An information processing device is configured to keep image data of paper document in association with first identification information, display a selection list from which one or more pieces of identification information including at least the first identification information is able to be selected, display a list of image data associated with one piece of identification information selected from the selection list in a specified list-display area of a plurality of list-display areas, and change, in response to reception of an operation of moving image data specified from the list of image data displayed in the specified list-display area, to another list-display area in a state in which a list of the image data associated with another piece of identification information selected from the selection list is displayed in the other list-display area, a keeping destination of the specified image data to the other piece of identification information.
US09990464B1 Label-free biomolecular interaction analysis using a rapid analyte dispersion injection method
Dispersion injection methods for determining biomolecular interaction parameters in label-free biosensing systems are provided. The methods generally relate to the use of a single analyte injection that generates a smoothly-varying concentration gradient via dispersion en route to a sensing region possessing an immobilized binding partner. The present method incorporates the use of an internal standard which provides a reference as to the dispersion conditions present which can then be used to calculate an effective diffusion coefficient for the analyte of interest based on a universal calibration function. The effective diffusion coefficient can then be incorporated into the appropriate dispersion model to provide a calibrated dispersion model. The calibrated dispersion model can then be incorporated into the desired interaction model to provide a reliable representation of the analyte concentration at the sensing region at any time during the injection. The use of the internal standard and universal calibration function permit use of a wide range of injection conditions which may not otherwise be consistent with a particular dispersion model. Thus, the present methods allow for higher flow rates and lower sample volumes thereby increasing assay speed and decreasing sample consumption.
US09990456B1 Routing process including dynamically changing pad sizes
The present disclosure relates to a method for routing in an electronic circuit design. Embodiments may include receiving, at one or more computing devices, the electronic circuit design having a plurality of terminal pads associated therewith. Embodiments may further include generating a change in at least one of a size or an existence of at least one of the plurality of terminal pads. Embodiments may also include routing a portion of the electronic design based upon, at least in part, the generated change.
US09990453B2 Clock-domain-crossing specific design mutations to model silicon behavior and measure verification robustness
Methods and apparatuses related to clock-domain-crossing (CDC) specific design mutations to model silicon behavior and measure verification robustness are described. CDC signal paths can be identified in a circuit design. Next, synchronization circuitry associated with the CDC signal paths can be identified. Design mutations can be added to the identified synchronization circuitry. The design mutations can then be used during functional verification to measure verification robustness of a circuit verification test suite.
US09990450B2 Simulation method for high polymer material
A computerized simulation method for evaluating dispersion of fillers in a high polymer material includes a step of defining a filler model comprising at least one particle, a step of defining a polymer model comprising a plurality of particles each having a first potential with respect to the particle of the filler model, a step of performing a molecular dynamics calculation of the filler model and the polymer model placed in a predetermined virtual space on the computer, and a step of observing the dispersion of the filler model from data obtained in the molecular dynamics calculation. The polymer model further includes at least one modified basal particle having a second potential with respect to the particle of the filler model, and the second potential differs from the first potential.
US09990449B2 Pipeline design and installation systems and methods
A method and system for installing pipelines are disclosed. The method and system comprise creating a three-dimensional model of a work area, generating a proposed pipe alignment for fitting the pipeline within the work area, creating a three-dimensional model of a trench to be excavated within the work area based on the proposed pipe alignment, excavating the trench with a work tool to conform with the three-dimensional model of the trench, determining the position of the work tool during the excavating step, comparing the determined position of the work tool during the excavating step with the three-dimensional model of the trench to determine any differences between the excavated trench and the three-dimensional model of the trench, and adjusting the proposed pipe alignment to generate an adjusted pipe alignment based on the differences between the excavated trench and the three-dimensional model of the trench.
US09990445B2 Decoupled parallel meshing in computer aided design
In a meshing method for use in a computer-aided design (CAD) or computer-aided engineering (CAE) system, in which one or more serial meshing units are used to carry out a decoupled parallel meshing process in respect of all parts of a CAD assembly model, input parameters for the meshing process automatically, for each part to be processed, are set using live runtime information about the meshing process for the part concerned, such as information about the outcome of previous attempts to carry out the meshing process of the part.
US09990442B2 Method for determining relevant search results
Systems and methods for determining search results. The method may include receiving an at least partial search term, and identifying keywords based on the at least partial search term, wherein each keyword has an associated keyword measure based on the number of times each keyword has been previously searched for within a predetermined time period. For each keyword search results associated with the keyword may be identified, wherein each result has an associated search measure. A relevance measure may be determined for each result using the keyword measure the search measure, and used to provide at least one of the results as a search result for the at least partial search term.
US09990429B2 Automated social networking graph mining and visualization
The automated social networking graph mining and visualization technique described herein mines social connections and allows creation of a social networking graph from general (not necessarily social-application specific) Web pages. The technique uses the distances between a person's/entity's name and related people's/entities names on one or more Web pages to determine connections between people/entities and the strengths of the connections. In one embodiment, the technique lays out these connections, and then clusters them, in a 2-D layout of a social networking graph that represents the Web connection strengths among the related people's or entities' names, by using a force-directed model.
US09990422B2 Contextual analysis engine
A contextual analysis engine systematically extracts, analyzes and organizes digital content stored in an electronic file such as a webpage. Content can be extracted using a text extraction module which is capable of separating the content which is to be analyzed from less meaningful content such as format specifications and programming scripts. The resulting unstructured corpus of plain text can then be passed to a text analytics module capable of generating a structured categorization of topics included within the content. This structured categorization can be organized based on a content topic ontology which may have been previously defined or which may be developed in real-time. The systems disclosed herein optionally include an input/output interface capable of managing workflows of the text extraction module and the text analytics module, administering a cache of previously generated results, and interfacing with other applications that leverage the disclosed contextual analysis services.
US09990406B2 Identifying missing content using searcher skill ratings
An approach for identifying missing content is provided. An approach includes: receiving a search string; determining a skill rating associated with a searcher that generated the search string; and searching a database using the search string. The approach also includes: updating at least one of a first score associated with the search string and a second score associated with the database based on the skill rating; and generating an alert based on one of the first score exceeding a first threshold and the second score exceeding a second threshold.
US09990400B2 Builder program code for in-memory cache
Techniques are disclosed relating to an in-memory cache. In some embodiments, in response to determining that data for a requested entry is not present in the cache (e.g., because it has been evicted), a computing system is configured to invoke cached program code associated with the entry. In some embodiments, the computing system is configured to provide data generated by the program code in response to requests that indicate the entry. In some embodiments, the computing system is configured to store the generated data in the cache. In various embodiments, this may avoid cache misses and provide configurability in responding to requests to access the cache.
US09990398B2 Inferring dimensional metadata from content of a query
Methods, computer systems, and stored instructions are described herein for inferring dimensional metadata from content of a query that references tables. A server analyzes the content of the query to determine which table(s) of the referenced tables could be fact tables and/or which table(s) of the referenced tables could be dimension tables. The server transforms the query to a transformed query that operates on a candidate fact table and candidate dimension table(s) of the referenced tables other than the candidate fact table. The transformed query, when executed, processes at least some data from dimension(s) using the candidate dimension table(s) before processing at least some data from the candidate fact table. Alternatively or additionally, the server generates an execution plan that operates on the candidate fact table and the candidate dimension table(s). The execution plan, when performed, processes data from dimension(s) using the candidate dimension table(s) before processing data from the candidate fact table.
US09990396B2 Forecasting query access plan obsolescence
A query is received. Based on statistics for a database, a first query access plan is generated for executing the query on the database. A first result set for the query is obtained by implementing the first query access plan on the database. Based on at least one trend in the statistics, a target time after which implementing the first query access plan will fail a set of criteria is forecasted. In response to the forecasting and based on the statistics, a replacement query access plan is generated prior to the target time. After the target time, a second result set for the query is obtained by implementing the replacement query access plan rather than the first query access plan.
US09990394B2 Visual search and recommendation user interface and apparatus
The present disclosure is directed towards conducting a search for content and results using a user interface. A number of graphical objects (715) and filters are displayed where a search query is generated in response to a user gesture (730) that selects a graphical object and filter. The filters shown can change depending on various factors that impact what filters are selected from a group of filters (720).
US09990392B2 Distributed transaction processing in MPP databases
Disclosed herein are system, method, and computer program product embodiments for distributed transaction processing in massively parallel processing (MPP) databases. An embodiment operates by receiving a transaction including a read timestamp corresponding to a version of data of a database associated with the query. It is determined whether a locally stored portion of the data of the database has a local timestamp that is equivalent to or after the read timestamp. A lock may be requested, and if received, the data is updated.
US09990390B2 Methods and systems for vectored data de-duplication
The present invention is directed toward methods and systems for data de-duplication. More particularly, in various embodiments, the present invention provides systems and methods for data de-duplication that may utilize a vectoring method for data de-duplication wherein a stream of data is divided into “data sets” or blocks. For each block, a code, such as a hash or cyclic redundancy code may be calculated and stored. The first block of the set may be written normally and its address and hash can be stored and noted. Subsequent block hashes may be compared with previously written block hashes.
US09990389B1 Systems and methods for generating event stream data
A method includes receiving, at a processor, event stream data, the event stream data including a plurality of events associated with changes to an instance of a subject. The method further includes receiving, at the processor of the computing device, input indicating correction data. The method further includes outputting, from the processor of the computing device, modified event stream data to a storage device. The modified event stream data is generated based on the correction data by modifying an event of the event stream data, adding a first event to the event stream data, deleting a second event from the event stream data, or a combination thereof.
US09990377B1 Content based systems and methods for conducting spectrum color based image search
A method for dynamically displaying results of simultaneous two dimensional image search comprises: maintaining a first database comprising a set of records, each record comprising an image and an associated set of annotations describing the image, receiving an annotation criterion and a color scheme from a user, generating a target color scoring template from the color scheme, conducting a content based search by searching the first database to identify a set of pertinent images satisfying the annotation criterion, and performing the following operations for each image in the set of pertinent images: resizing a given image to a predefined size before generating an image color spectrum histogram for the given image, adding the given image to a pool of acceptable images if the generated image color spectrum histogram matches with the target color scoring template; and dynamically displaying images in the pool of acceptable images to the user.
US09990376B2 Methods for identifying a vehicle from captured image data
An imaging sensor observes a field of view through which a vehicle passes, at an orientation and position suitable for acquisition of license plate data from a surface of the vehicle. Responsive to the vehicle position, at least one image of a surface of the vehicle including a license plate is acquired and evaluated to extract license plate data. The position of the vehicle for acquisition of the image is established by a trigger in a fixed relationship with the imaging sensor.
US09990372B2 Managing the level of consistency for a file in a distributed filesystem
The disclosed embodiments disclose techniques for managing consistency for a file in a distributed filesystem. Two or more cloud controllers collectively manage distributed filesystem data that is stored in the cloud storage systems; the cloud controllers ensure data consistency for the stored data, and each cloud controller caches portions of the distributed filesystem. During operation, a cloud controller receives from a client a request to access the file. The cloud controller determines a level of consistency that is associated with the file, and then uses this level of consistency to determine whether to communicate with a peer cloud controller when handling the request.
US09990355B2 Checking documents for spelling and/or grammatical errors and/or providing recommended words or phrases based on patterns of colloquialisms used among users in a social network
A method, system and computer program product for checking documents using colloquialisms. Colloquialisms used in messages by users in a social network are tracked. The relationships (e.g., co-worker) between the senders and recipients of these messages are identified. A social graph is then generated to depict the relations between the users in the social network based on these identified relationships. Furthermore, usage patterns of colloquialisms (e.g., a particular colloquialism is used only with close friends as opposed to co-workers) are formulated. A rule set is generated using the social graph and formulated usage patterns. By using the rule set to check documents, documents may be more accurately checked for spelling and/or grammatical errors by taking into consideration the appropriate usage of colloquialisms based on the context (e.g., communicating with a friend). Furthermore, alternative words or phrases may be appropriately recommended based on the context using such a rule set.
US09990346B1 Device and method for image search using one or more selected words
A user terminal device is provided that includes a display part configured to display a document preparation window, an input part configured to receive a selection command for selecting a text in a document displayed in the document preparation window, a communication part configured to connect to a server, and a controller configured to control displaying of an activated search button in a region of the document preparation window when the text is selected, and to search for, when the search button is selected, at least one image corresponding to the selected text using the communication part, wherein the controller is further configured to control displaying of images searched for from at least one of the server and a storage part of the user terminal device, and to, when one of the searched images is selected, insert the selected image at a predetermined position of the document preparation window.
US09990339B1 Systems and methods for detecting character encodings of text streams
A computer-implemented method for detecting character encodings of text streams may include 1) identifying a request to identify a character encoding of a text stream, 2) dividing the text stream to identify a plurality of n-grams within the text stream, 3) identifying a plurality of vectors within a vector space, each vector representing a potential character encoding by a plurality of expected n-grams within the potential character encoding, 4) generating, based on the plurality of n-grams within the text stream and on an inverse frequency of appearance of each of the plurality of n-grams within the plurality of vectors, a representative vector describing the text stream, and 5) identifying the character encoding of the text stream based on identifying a similarity between the representative vector and a neighboring vector within the plurality of vectors representing the character encoding. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09990334B2 Computer system that executes hierarchical MK splines scheme for scattered data interpolation
A computer system executes hierarchical MK splines for scattered data approximation. The computer system constructs an image by generating a final approximation function that approximates a scattered data set with a hierarchy of control lattice from coarsest to densest. The method includes executing MK splines approximation to the scattered data set with the hierarchy of control lattice to iteratively obtain approximation functions. The image is constructed by generating the final approximation function to construct an interpolated surface.
US09990329B2 Interface for a communication device and related methods
A method that is for operating a serial protocol interface includes a communication device that is configured to exchange data over a communication link by sending output data on the communication link, and receiving input data on the communication link. The input data is synchronous with a clock signal generated at the communication device and propagated over the communication link. The method also includes initializing operation by sending the output data on the communication link at a first data rate, detecting a signal transition in the input data received on the communication link, and exchanging data over the communication link at a second data rate when the signal transition is detected, the second data rate being higher than the first data, with the exchanging of data at the second data rate synchronized as a function of the signal transition.
US09990326B2 Universal serial bus (USB) split cable
A Universal Serial Bus (USB) split cable is disclosed. In one aspect, the USB split cable provides a USB full-featured Type-C host plug for connecting to a USB Type-C receptacle in a USB host. In another aspect, the USB split cable provides a plurality of USB device plugs for connecting to a plurality of device clients, respectively. The plurality of USB device plugs can be configured individually with different data pin combinations to concurrently support different device clients. By providing the USB split cable, it is possible to support point-to-multipoint USB connection via the plurality of USB device plugs without a USB hub, thus improving mobility of the USB host while reducing costs and power consumption associated with the USB hub.
US09990317B2 Full-mask partial-bit-field (FM-PBF) technique for latency sensitive masked-write
Systems, methods, and apparatus for data communication are provided. An apparatus maybe configured to generate a mask field in a packet to be transmitted through an interface to a slave device, the mask field having a first number of bits, provide a control-bit field in the packet, the control-bit field having a second number of bits, where the second number of bits is less than the first number of bits, and transmit the packet through the interface. The packet may be addressed to a control register of the slave device. The control register may have the first number of bits. Each bit in the control-bit field may correspond to a bit of the control register that is identified by the mask field.
US09990316B2 Enhanced serial peripheral interface
A modified serial peripheral interface (SPI) is provided in each of a master device and a plurality of slave devices that does not use a slave select line. The master device may thus engage in full-duplex serial communication with each slave device through an SPI MOSI line, an SPI MISO line, and an SPI clock line.
US09990313B2 Storage apparatus and interface apparatus
Starting a host computer and a high-speed data transfer achieved by NVMe are both realized. When the host computer is started and a command for instructing to read an OS in accordance with a specific protocol is issued from the host computer via a host-side bus to a specific function from among a plurality of functions, an interface device issues to a controller a request for instructing to read the OS and transfers the OS read by the controller to the host computer. When an NVMe command for instructing an I/O for the controller in accordance with an NVMe protocol is issued from the host computer via the host-side bus to an NVMe function from among a plurality of functions after the host computer is started, the interface device issues to the controller an I/O request based on the NVMe command.
US09990311B2 Peripheral interface circuit
A peripheral interface circuit and a peripheral memory system are provided. The peripheral interface circuit includes an interface sequencer, an input/output controller, a register unit and a data buffer. The interface sequencer receives requests from the input/output controller and accesses the peripheral memory in response to the requests. The data buffer is randomly accessed by address. If target data of the data access request exists in the data buffer, the input/output controller returns data from the data buffer in response to the request; if target data of the data access request does not exist in the data buffer, the input/output controller sends an interface request to the interface sequencer to access the peripheral memory and keeps a copy of at least the target data in the data buffer.
US09990308B2 Selective data compression for in-memory databases
Techniques are provided for maintaining data persistently in one format, but making that data available to a database server in more than one format. For example, one of the formats in which the data is made available for query processing is based on the on-disk format, while another of the formats in which the data is made available for query processing is independent of the on-disk format. Data that is in the format that is independent of the disk format may be maintained exclusively in volatile memory to reduce the overhead associated with keeping the data in sync with the on-disk format copies of the data. Selection of data to be maintained in the volatile memory may be based on various factors. Once selected the data may also be compressed to save space in the volatile memory. The compression level may depend on one or more factors that are evaluated for the selected data. The factors for the selection and compression level of data may be periodically evaluated, and based on the evaluation, the selected data may be removed from the volatile memory or its compression level changed accordingly.
US09990298B2 System and method for caching solid state device read request results
Techniques for caching results of a read request to a solid state device are disclosed. In some embodiments, the techniques may be realized as a method for caching solid state device read request results comprising receiving, at a solid state device, a data request from a host device communicatively coupled to the solid state device, and retrieving, using a controller of the solid state device, a compressed data chunk from the solid state device in response to the data request. The techniques may further include decompressing the compressed data chunk, returning, to the host device, a block of the data chunk responsive to the data request, and caching one or more additional blocks of the data chunk in a data buffer for subsequent read requests.
US09990292B2 Progressive fine to coarse grain snoop filter
A data processing system includes a snoop filter organized as a number of lines, each storing an address tag associated with the address of data stored in one or more caches of the system, a coherency state of the data, and presence data. A snoop controller sends snoop messages in response to data access requests. The presence data is configurable in a first format, in which the value of a bit in the presence data is indicative of a subset of the nodes for which at least one node in the subset has a copy of the data in its local cache, and in a second format, in which the presence data comprises a unique identifier of a node having a copy of the data in its local cache. The snoop controller sends snoop messages to the nodes indicated by the presence data.
US09990289B2 System and method for repurposing dead cache blocks
A processing system having a multilevel cache hierarchy employs techniques for repurposing dead cache blocks so as to use otherwise wasted space in a cache hierarchy employing a write-back scheme. For a cache line containing invalid data with a valid tag, the valid tag is maintained for cache coherence purposes or otherwise, resulting in a valid tag for a dead cache block. A cache controller repurposes the dead cache block by storing any of a variety of new data at the dead cache block, while storing the new tag in a tag entry of a dead block tag way with an identifier indicating the location of the new data.
US09990288B2 Information processing device and data structure
An information processing device of an embodiment has an input unit, a storage unit, a read control unit, and a write control unit. A read request and a write request are input to the input unit. The storage unit stores management information. When the read request is input, the read control unit reads read data including the management information from the storage unit, references the management information, and outputs only non-zero data included in a predetermined range of a block row. The write control unit writes only non-zero data to the storage unit and updates the management information immediately before a start position of the continuous non-zero data started from a largest position in the continuous non-zero data started from a position smaller than the predetermined range, a last management information stored in the predetermined range, and the last management information in the predetermined range.
US09990287B2 Apparatus and method for memory-hierarchy aware producer-consumer instruction
An apparatus and method are described for efficiently transferring data from a core of a central processing unit (CPU) to a graphics processing unit (GPU). For example, one embodiment of a method comprises: writing data to a buffer within the core of the CPU until a designated amount of data has been written; upon detecting that the designated amount of data has been written, responsively generating an eviction cycle, the eviction cycle causing the data to be transferred from the buffer to a cache accessible by both the core and the GPU; setting an indication to indicate to the GPU that data is available in the cache; and upon the GPU detecting the indication, providing the data to the GPU from the cache upon receipt of a read signal from the GPU.
US09990283B2 Memory system
A memory system includes: a first memory device including a plurality of first memories and a first memory controller suitable for controlling the plurality of first memories to store data; a second memory device including a second memory and a second memory controller suitable for controlling the second memory to store data; and a processor suitable for executing an operating system (OS) and an application to access a data storage memory through the first and second memory devices.
US09990282B2 Address space expander for a processor
An address range expander associated with a processor and a physical memory device determines that address transformation has been enabled with respect to an address indicated on the processor's address bus. The expander generates, using one or more address expansion parameter registers, a transformed address corresponding to the untransformed address within an address range of the physical memory device, and transmits the transformed address to a controller of the physical memory device.
US09990265B2 Diagnosing causes of performance issues of virtual machines
Virtual machine data records are obtained from a virtual system manager that manages one or more virtual machines. Storage data records are obtained from a storage controller. The virtual machine data records include one or more particular virtual machine data records relating to a particular virtual machine and identify a particular volume that is configured for use by the particular virtual machine. The storage data records including one or more particular storage data records that specify performance information associated with the particular volume. Based on information in the particular virtual machine data records and information in the particular storage data records, it is determined that the particular storage data records are related to the particular volume used by the particular virtual machine. Graphical user interface(s) displaying virtual machine information relating to the particular virtual machine in association with volume performance information relating to the particular volume are displayed.
US09990264B2 Graphic performance measurement system
A Graphic Performance Index (GPI) for increasing performance of graphics in a process control system graphical user interface (GUI). A GUI is built from GUI elements for use on a device. Determining an element load time for each GUI element based a hardware profile of the device permits calculating a total load time of all the element load times of the GUI elements. And the load time is mapped to a GPI scale. Based on the GPI, the GUI elements of the GUI are altered to improve the performance of the GUI.
US09990247B2 Write mapping to mitigate hard errors via soft-decision decoding
An apparatus includes an interface and a control circuit. The interface may be configured to process read/write operations to/from a memory. The control circuit may be configured to create dependencies between a current bit in a sequence of data bits and neighboring bits in the sequence of data bits to generate mapped bits in response to a condition in a region of the memory being true, write the mapped bits among at least two memory cells in the region of the memory with at least two of the mapped bits stored in each of the memory cells, where the dependencies mitigate a hard error due to one of the at least two cells being stuck in a fixed state, and write the sequence of data bits in the region of the memory in response to the condition in the region of the memory being false.
US09990242B2 System and method for synchronization using device pairings with docking stations
A system and method for synchronizing information from an information handling system is disclosed. The method includes identifying a device within a pre-determined range of a docking station, the device operable to communicate with the docking station. The method also includes pairing with the device, determining a user of the device, and predicting, based upon past activity by the user at another docking station, content to be launched on the device. The method further include presenting the content for launching on the device, receiving a selection of the content; and launching the content on the device.
US09990239B2 System and method for supporting cooperative notification offloading in a distributed data grid
A system and method for cooperative notification offloading supports thread notification offloading in a multi-threaded messaging system such as a distributed data grid. Pending notifiers are maintained in a collection of pending notifiers. A signaling thread processes a first notifier in the collection of pending notifiers to wake a first thread. The first awoken thread processes additional notifiers in the collection of pending notifiers to wake additional threads. The additional awoken threads can process additional notifiers in a cycle until all pending notifiers in the collection are processed. Such cooperative notification offloading of notifier processing from the signaling thread improves performance of the signaling thread with respect to other tasks thereby improving performance of the signaling thread and the distributed data grid.
US09990232B2 Quality of service tagging for computing jobs
A processing device receives a job request to allocate one or more resources in a resource environment to a job. The job is related to an application. The job request specifies the job using a first description language. The processing device extracts one or more tags from the job request. The one or more tags describes handling parameters of the job and features of the application. The one or more tags are in a second description language different from the first description language. The processing device allocates one or more resources in the resource environment to the job in view of the one or more tags.
US09990231B2 Resource pre-configuration
In an embodiment, a method of resource pre-configuration includes obtaining, at a target system, configuration information about a resource that is predicted to be used by a transaction which will be executed on the target system. The resource is configured, at the target system, based on the configuration information. The configuring is before the transaction requests use of the resource.
US09990225B2 Relaxing transaction serializability with statement-based data replication
Consistency of replicated data copies with statement-based replication is provided without requiring transaction serializability. At a subordinate replication node, a transaction start message, replicated data modification statements, and a transaction commit message are received for a next committed transaction from a master replication node, wherein the transaction start message carries a master transaction identifier, an invisibility list consisting of identifiers of other master transactions that had started and not yet committed when this master transaction started, and an earliest invisible master transaction identifier. The master transaction identifier, invisibility list, and earliest invisible transaction identifier are mapped to subordinate transaction identifiers to preserve an order of transaction identifiers from the master replication node. A subordinate transaction is started with the mapped subordinate transaction identifier and with an invisibility list consisting of the mapped subordinate transaction identifiers for the master invisibility list for execution of the received data modification statements.
US09990223B2 Systems and methods of improving parallel functional processing
The technology disclosed relates to improving parallel functional processing using abstractions and methods defined based on category theory. In particular, the technology disclosed provides a range of useful categorical functions for processing large data sets in parallel. These categorical functions manage all phases of distributed computing, including dividing a data set into subsets of approximately equal size and combining the results of the subset calculations into a final result, while hiding many of the low-level programming details. These categorical functions are extraordinarily well-ordered and have a sophisticated type system and type inference, which allows for generating maps and reducing them in an elegant and succinct way using concise and expressive programs that can significantly efficientize a whole software development process.
US09990218B2 Management of a virtual machine in a virtualized computing environment based on a fabric limit
A method manages virtual machines in a virtualized computing environment based at least in part on limitations associated with storage fabrics through which virtual machines may access one or more storage systems in such an environment. The storage fabric limitations may be used, for example, in connection with placing virtual machines on hosts in a virtualized computing environment. As another example, storage fabric limitations may be used in connection with deploying virtual machines into a virtualized computing environment to reduce the likelihood of boot errors. As still another example, storage fabric limitations may be used in connection with load balancing across multiple fabrics in a virtualized computing environment.
US09990217B2 Hypervisor printer emulation for virtual machines
A virtual machine manager (VMM) provides an emulated printer to a guest operating system. The virtual machine manager is configured to receive a printer mechanism type, receive an output type, and configure the emulated printer according to the printer type, printer mechanism type, and output type. The VMM, in one embodiment, also provides a virtual communication channel over which a guest operating system may identify and communicate with the emulated printer. The guest operating system installs a printer driver corresponding to the emulated printer, prints an object to the emulated printer via the virtual communication bus, and the VMM creates a print image of the object before communicating the print image with a target destination.
US09990216B2 Providing hypercall interface for virtual machines
Systems and methods for providing a hypercall interface for virtual machines. An example method may comprise receiving, by a hypervisor executing on a computer system, a hypercall instruction issued by a virtual machine to invoke a hypervisor function; and determining an identifier of the hypervisor function based on a value of an instruction pointer of the virtual machine.
US09990212B2 Testing and repair of a hardware accelerator image in a programmable logic circuit
Techniques described herein generally include methods for the testing and repair of a hardware accelerator image in a programmable logic circuit. In a processor chip that includes multiple programmable logic circuits, a hardware accelerator image programmed into a first programmable logic circuit is tested by programming a testing circuit with a duplicate hardware accelerator image and bringing the testing circuit to the same logic state as the first programmable logic circuit. Comparing outputs from the first programmable logic circuit and the testing circuit indicates the accuracy of the hardware accelerator image programmed into the first programmable logic circuit. The testing circuit may replace the first programmable logic circuit, or the testing circuit may be reprogrammed for testing other hardware accelerator images programmed into other programmable logic circuits of the processor chip.
US09990201B2 Multiplication instruction for which execution completes without writing a carry flag
A method in one aspect may include receiving a multiply instruction. The multiply instruction may indicate a first source operand and a second source operand. A product of the first and second source operands may be stored in one or more destination operands indicated by the multiply instruction. Execution of the multiply instruction may complete without writing a carry flag. Other methods are also disclosed, as are apparatus, systems, and instructions on machine-readable medium.
US09990197B2 Memory management in secure enclaves
Embodiments of an invention for memory management in secure enclaves are disclosed. In one embodiment, a processor includes an instruction unit and an execution unit. The instruction unit is to receive a first instruction and a second instruction. The execution unit is to execute the first instruction, wherein execution of the first instruction includes allocating a page in an enclave page cache to a secure enclave. The execution unit is also to execute the second instruction, wherein execution of the second instruction includes confirming the allocation of the page.
US09990195B2 Generating and managing applications using any number of different platforms
At least one application is received from a user. The at least one application is stored on a communication platform. A catalog is received. The catalog includes at least one service. Each service of the at least one service is associated with a platform. An indication of a selection, from the user, is received. The selection comprises a first service associated with a first platform, and a second service associated with a second platform. The first service stores the at least one application from the user. The second service runs the at least one application from the user. Responsive to receiving the indication, the at least one application is deployed to the indicated first platform. Additionally, responsive to receiving the indication, a service bridge from the communication platform to the second platform is deployed. The at least one application is run, on the first platform utilizing the service bridge.
US09990192B2 Remotable project
Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to remote project access. In aspects, project data for a project that is hosted on a server is provided to a client for use in a development environment of the client. A development environment may be instantiated and configured to allow a user to interact with the project as if the project existed solely on the client. Components on the client and server take care of transferring data and messages to and from the server to ensure that the user experience is seamless.
US09990189B2 Method to optimize provisioning time with dynamically generated virtual disk contents
Distribution of middleware binary includes: receiving a request to deploy a workload with middleware service(s); selecting a base operating system (OS) image to host the middleware service(s); determining locations of binary file(s) for the middleware service(s) in a repository on a storage system; cloning a virtual disk containing the base OS image on the storage system; and copying the binary file(s) from the locations in the repository into the cloned virtual disk on the storage system. The binary file(s) are copied onto the virtual disk directly on the storage system, without the need to traverse a network interface. The base OS image is augmented with the binary files just prior to the deployment of the virtual machine (VM).
US09990186B2 Determination of branch convergence in a sequence of program instruction
A method of compiling a sequence of program instructions, a method of parallel execution of a sequence of program instructions and apparatuses and software supporting such methods are disclosed. The sequence of program instructions is analyzed in terms of basic blocks forming a control flow graph and execution paths through that control flow graph are identified. When more than one execution path leads to a given basic block, or when a loop path is found leading from a given basic block back to the same basic block, a potential convergence point may be identified. A convergence marker is added to the computer program associated with the basic blocks identified in this way and then when the program is executed, the convergence markers found are used to trigger a determination of a subset of the multiple execution threads which are executed following that convergence marker.
US09990178B2 Solving a combinatorial problem using a quality metric value of a characteristic solution thereof
A method is provided for solving a given combinatorial problem includes providing a function that has been established for a family of combinatorial problems including the given combinatorial problem. For each problem in the family, the function relates a secondary measure of the problem to a quality metric of a characteristic solution to the problem. The function may be applied to a value of the secondary measure for the given problem to obtain a value of the quality metric of the characteristic solution to the given problem. The given problem may be solved to obtain a solution to the given problem; and the solution evaluated based on comparison of a value of the quality metric of the solution, and the value of the quality metric of the characteristic solution. And in at least one instance based on the evaluation, the solution may be communicated to guide performance of a task.
US09990173B2 Mixing of single-bit and multi-bit audio signals for simultaneous output
An audio processor may process dissimilarly formatted digital audio signals and produce an analog output for reproduction by a transducer, such as a speaker. The audio processor may be, for example, a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) with multiple digital inputs and a single analog output. The audio processor may also include other components, such as processing components, filters, equalizers, amplifiers, and the like. The audio processor may process audio, such as high fidelity DSD audio and lower fidelity PCM audio, and combine the differently formatted data into a single output. During processing, the audio processor may manipulate the different audio signals, such as by ducking a music playback to allow a notification sound to be played.
US09990170B2 Systems and methods for providing virtual monitors
Computer-implemented systems, methods, and computer-readable media are provided for providing virtual monitors. In accordance with some embodiments, a number of virtual monitors in which to provide a virtual desktop and a characteristic of one of the virtual monitors can be identified. A virtual monitor can then be generated based on the characteristic, and a portion of the virtual desktop can be assigned to the virtual monitor based at least in part on the identified number. An image of the portion of the virtual desktop can then be captured from the virtual monitor, and provided for presentation on a monitor of a client device.
US09990167B2 Mobile authentication for enabling host device functions
A system for adding value to a host device via a mobile communication device is described. The system includes: a host device configured for providing additional value to be utilized, wherein the additional value includes at least one printing device function and is provided in response to receiving an authentication code; a central system configured for providing the authentication code for inputting into the host device to authorize the at least one printing device function to be utilized; and a mobile communication device configured for negotiating the additional value to be applied to the host device.
US09990165B2 Simplified WOOBE experience
A system and method for cloud centric Web out-of-box print experience (WOOBPE) for Web connected printers are disclosed. In one example, a printer is registered with a cloud print service upon the printer coupling to a network. A WOOBPE application is then launched via a computing device to obtain a network identification (ID) of the printer. A user account is then created with WOOBPE service providers for a user of the printer upon obtaining printer specific information using the network ID. Printer email ID is then provided and the printer email ID is then activated and a test page is printed based on the printer specific information. The printer is then claimed by sending the printer specific information to the WOOBPE service providers for subscribing to one or more print services and associating the printer specific information with the created user account.
US09990164B2 Printing method of image forming apparatus and the image forming apparatus
A printing method of an image forming apparatus is provided. The printing method includes receiving, from one of an external apparatus and a server connected to the external apparatus, job information and first identification (ID) information related to printing of content, receiving, from a user, second ID information, transmitting accounting information based on the job information to a billing system, when the second ID information received from the user and the first ID information received from one of the external apparatus and the server correspond to each other, and printing the content based on the job information, when payment completion information regarding payment by the user is received from the billing system.
US09990163B2 Methods of operating semiconductor memory devices with selective write-back of data for error scrubbing and related devices
A method of scrubbing errors from a semiconductor memory device including a memory cell array and an error correction circuit, can be provided by accessing a page of the memory cell array to provide a data that includes sub units that are separately writable to the page of memory and to provide parity data configured to detect and correct a bit error in the data and selectively enabling write-back of a selected sub unit of the data responsive to determining that the selected sub unit of data includes a correctable error upon access as part of an error scrubbing operation.
US09990161B2 Consistent replication of virtual computing instance data
Virtual computing instance data that are stored across multiple storage volumes are replicated in a manner such that the write order is maintained. The frequency of the replication is set so that the recovery point objective defined for the VM data can be satisfied. The replication includes the steps of determining a set of logical storage volumes across which the virtual computing instance issues dependent write IOs, issuing a first command to the virtual computing instance to block new IOs and to block receipt of IO acknowledgements, issuing a command to create replicas of all the logical storage volumes in the set, and then issuing a second command to the virtual computing instance to unblock new IOs and unblock receipt of IO acknowledgements.
US09990158B2 Storage system and method for burst mode management using transfer RAM
A storage system uses consumption of transfer RAM as a trigger to enter and exit burst mode. In one embodiment, the storage system stores, in volatile memory, data to be written in non-volatile memory; monitors an allocation level of the volatile memory to determine a first amount of time that the allocation level is at a first level and a second amount of time that the allocation level is at second level; enters burst mode when a ratio of the first amount of time and the second amount of time is above a first threshold; and exits burst mode when the ratio of the first amount of time and the second amount of time is below a second threshold. Other embodiments are possible, and each of the embodiments can be used alone or together in combination.
US09990157B2 Parity stripe lock engine
Embodiments described herein include a PSL engine that includes various memory elements that permit the engine to grant locks on particular portions of data in a stripe in a RAID storage system. The PSL engine can assign (or lock) different blocks of the stripe for different operations. The PSL engine can grant locks to multiple operations for the same stripe if the operations access mutually exclusive blocks of the stripe. Each time a new operation is requested, the PSL engine determines whether the operation would affect a stripe data block that is currently assigned to another operation. If the new operation corresponds to a block of data in the stripe that includes data locked by another operation, the PSL engine assigns the new operation to a wait list. In one embodiment, the PSL engine maintains a wait list for each of the stripes in the RAID system.
US09990156B1 Deduplicating snapshots associated with a backup operation
Deduplicating snapshot associated with a backup operation is disclosed, including: performing a backup operation including by generating a plurality of snapshots; maintaining, at a source system, deduplication data corresponding to one or more data blocks that have already been written to backup media during the backup operation; and using the deduplication data to deduplicate backup data across the plurality of snapshots.
US09990153B2 Memory system and wear-leveling method thereof
A memory system includes a memory device performing write operations on lines included in a memory block among a plurality of memory blocks included in the memory device; a counting unit counting a write count for each of the plurality of memory blocks, and outputting the write counts; a first wear-leveling unit performing a wear leveling operation by shifting the lines of each of the plurality of memory blocks; and a second wear-leveling unit detecting hot and cold memory blocks among the plurality of memory blocks based on the write counts, and swapping the hot memory block with the cold memory block, wherein the second wear-leveling unit selects at least one memory block among the plurality of memory blocks based on the write counts, and checks whether the write operation is performed on each of the lines included in the selected memory block.
US09990151B2 Methods for flexible data-mirroring to improve storage performance during mobility events and devices thereof
A method, device, and non-transitory computer readable medium for mirroring data, comprising, selecting, based on a plurality of data attributes, a portion of local data in a local storage device for mirroring to a remote storage device and copying the selected portion of the local data to at least one cache memory of the remote storage device. Next a determination of when a failover event has occurred in the local storage device is made, wherein the failover event comprises an event in which the local data in the local storage device is inaccessible to a client computing device when the client computing device attempts to access the local data from the local storage device. A copy of the local data from the cache memory in the remote storage device is retrieved when the failover event is determined to have occurred.
US09990140B2 Methods of providing access to I/O devices
A method of providing one or more computing devices with access to a plurality of resources. The plurality of resources are provided by at least one physical device. The method comprises, at a first control element receiving a data packet transmitted by one of said one or more computing devices, and determining whether said data packet comprises a command including a first logical identifier identifying one of said resources. If it is determined that said data packet comprises a command including a first logical identifier a second logical identifier is obtained, the second logical identifier being associated with said first logical identifier and identifying said one of said resources. A request including said second logical identifier is transmitted to a second control element, the second control element being arranged to identify a physical device associated with said second logical identifier and to forward said request to the identified physical device.
US09990136B2 Methods and devices for booting a network attached storage with two logical units
A data storage device may comprise data storage comprising a first logical unit configured to store user data and a second logical unit configured to store an operating system. A first interface may be configured to couple to a host and a second interface may be configured to couple to a network. In a first mode, the data storage device may be configured to expose the first logical unit to the host and render the second logical unit inaccessible and, in a second mode, the data storage device may be configured to allow access to both the first and the second logical units. The first mode may comprise a direct attached storage (DAS) mode and the second mode may comprise a network attached storage (NAS) mode.
US09990135B2 Providing memory usage analysis by attributing memory allocations to development components
Described are a system and technique for collecting stack trace information of devices and analyzing this information to provide metrics with respect to memory usage. The memory analysis includes attributing the memory usage to particular development components by traversing a stack trace. For example, the development components may correspond to a classification used for a particular development effort such as a group of classes, a sub-project, or a development team. As a result, the system may produce various metrics that produce memory usage information attributable to a more meaningful conceptual unit rather than, for example, function names. Accordingly, these attributions may be analyzed for forensic purposes to get a more meaningful picture of sources and causes of memory usage.
US09990134B2 Command tunneling in a hybrid data storage device
Apparatus and method for managing data in a hybrid data storage device. In some embodiments, a hybrid device has a hard disc drive (HDD) controller circuit coupled to non-volatile rotatable media and a solid state drive (SSD) controller circuit coupled to non-volatile solid state memory. A top level controller circuit directs a selected access command one of the HDD controller circuit or the SSD controller circuit responsive to a selected parameter associated with the selected access command. In a normal mode, the top level controller circuit directs a transfer of data between the host and the HDD controller circuit and handles host interface communications. In a tunneling mode, the top level controller circuit directly connects the HDD controller circuit to the host device. In this way, tunnel mode bypasses processing operations required by the top level controller circuit. Tunnel mode and normal mode may be selected on a command-by-command basis.
US09990130B2 Nonvolatile memory device and operation method of storage device including the nonvolatile memory device
A method of operating a storage device having a nonvolatile memory including at least one memory block having a plurality of sub-blocks includes reading backup data of backup memory cells having a highest program state among a plurality of memory cells connected to at least one word line of a sub-block which is not erase-requested adjacent to an erase-requested sub-block among the sub-blocks. The method includes storing the backup data, erasing the erase-requested sub-block, and reprogramming the backup memory cells having the highest program state on the basis of the backup data.
US09990121B2 Device, method, and graphical user interface for moving a user interface object based on an intensity of a press input
An electronic device, with a touch-sensitive surface and a display, includes one or more sensors to detect intensity of contacts with the touch-sensitive surface. The device displays a user interface object on the display. The device further detects a press input on the touch-sensitive surface while a focus selector is at a first location in a user interface. In response to detecting the press input on the touch-sensitive surface, upon determining that the press input has an intensity above a predefined activation threshold, the device moves the user interface object directly to the first location in the user interface; and upon determining that the press input has an intensity below the predefined activation threshold and meets gradual-movement criteria, the device moves the user interface object toward the first location in the user interface in accordance with the intensity of the press input.
US09990113B2 Devices, methods, and graphical user interfaces for moving a current focus using a touch-sensitive remote control
An electronic device provides, to a display, data to present a user interface that includes: a plurality of user interface objects, and a current focus on a first user interface object. The device receives an input that corresponds to a gesture detected on a touch-sensitive surface of a user input device. The gesture includes a movement of a contact across the touch-sensitive surface followed by a lift-off of the contact from the touch-sensitive surface. The gesture includes a characteristic movement distance and a characteristic movement speed. In accordance with a determination that the gesture satisfies coasting criteria, the device moves the current focus in the user interface; and decelerates movement of the current focus across the series of user interface objects at a first deceleration rate that is based on: the characteristic movement distance of the gesture, and the characteristic movement speed of the gesture.
US09990112B2 Method and apparatus for locating regions of interest in a user interface
The present disclosure is directed towards having a user interface that displays a number of cards or windows. A user can implement a command where the user interface will automatically change the position of the displayed cards to show regions of interest which are the parts of the cards that a user may have interested in. The user interest can be determined in accordance with user preference information. Optionally, cards which do not have regions of interest are removed from a display area and such cards are replaced with new cards that do have regions of interest.
US09990108B2 Read activity of chat rooms
In one embodiment, method includes receiving data including chat room data from a chat room server, receiving input data from at least one input device, preparing a user interface screen including a chat room list including chat room panels, each one chat room panel including information about a different chat room from a plurality of chat rooms and a chat room icon of the different chat room, wherein a first chat room panel includes an indication of how many chat room members of a first chat room from the plurality of chat rooms have read a first message posted in the first chat room. Related systems and methods are also included.
US09990106B2 Electronic device, menu display method and storage medium
According to one embodiment, an electronic device includes a display and circuitry. The circuitry displays a first menu in a first region of a screen. The circuitry determines whether a first operation is made and whether a second operation is made. The first operation is to move a pointing location from inside of the first region into a second region. The second operation is to move a pointing location from outside of the first region into the second region. The circuitry halts display of a second menu on the second region when the first operation is determined, and displays the second menu on the second region when the second operation is determined.
US09990105B2 Accessible contextual controls within a graphical user interface
A user device may provide a graphical user interface which presents content navigation objects, where each content navigation object may be associated with a content item and is presented within a portion of the graphical user interface. The user device may detect an action that corresponds to a content navigation object, and determine whether the detected action is a command to display content options that may be contextually related to the content item associated with the content navigation object. The user device may display the content options by altering the appearance of the content navigation object, receive an action selecting the content option from the displayed content options, and conceal the content options after the action for selecting the content option has been received.
US09990104B2 Computer-based apparatus and method for operating on data
A computer-based apparatus, including: a memory element storing computer-readable instructions and at least one first data file; and a processor configured to execute the instructions to: display a second data file included in the at least one first data file, data fields for the second data file, and icons identifying operations applicable to first data in the second data file; accept a first input selecting a data field from the data fields for the second data file; accept a second input selecting an icon from the icons; associate the icon with the data field; generate a flowchart including the icon; display the flowchart on the GUI; generate second data by performing the operation for the icon on the first data; and replace the first data with the second data, or store the second data in a third data file included in the at least one first data file.
US09990103B2 Digital device and method of controlling therefor
The present specification is related to a digital device including a front side display unit and a back side display unit and a method of controlling therefor, more particularly, to a method of controlling an application in the back side display unit by rotating an icon corresponding to the application in the front side display unit and a digital device therefor.
US09990098B2 Touch screen panel
A touch screen panel includes a substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, a plurality of first sensing electrodes coupled in a first direction, and a plurality of second sensing electrodes coupled in a second direction crossing the first direction, the first and second sensing electrodes being on the first surface, a plurality of third sensing electrodes overlapping the first sensing electrodes, a plurality of fourth sensing electrodes overlapping the second sensing electrodes, the third and fourth sensing electrodes being on the second surface, wherein the sensing electrodes on the first surface and the sensing electrodes on the second surface overlapping each other are electrically coupled to each other through coupling units for coupling the first surface of the substrate and the second surface of the substrate to each other.
US09990094B2 Transparent composite substrate, preparation method thereof and touch panel
A transparent composite substrate includes a first transparent substrate, a second transparent substrate, and a binding layer bonding the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate with a bond therebetween.
US09990092B2 Touch-detection device, display device having a touch-detection function, and touch-detection method
In one embodiment, a touch-detection device includes first and second sensors, a driver and a detection circuit. The driver supplies a driving signal to the first and second sensors. The detection circuit detects an object which is in contact with a detection area, based on a detection signal which is read from the first and second sensors. The driver simultaneously supplies the signal to the first sensors in a first period, simultaneously supplies the signal to the second sensors in a second period following the first period, when the object was not detected in the first period, and successively supplies the signal to the respective first sensors in the second period, when the object was detected in the first period.
US09990082B2 Touch-control display panel
A touch-control display panel includes a common electrode layer, a display electrode layer, and a driving circuit. The common electrode layer include a plurality of stripe-shaped electrodes disposed in parallel in a first direction, with at least one of the plurality of stripe-shaped electrodes including at least two stripe-shaped sub-electrodes arranged in parallel in the first direction. The display electrode layer is disposed opposite to the common electrode layer, and the driving circuit is configured for driving the plurality of stripe-shaped electrodes. In a display stage, the plurality of stripe-shaped electrodes operate as common electrodes, and the driving circuit provides common voltage signals to the stripe-shaped electrodes. In a touch-control stage, the plurality of stripe-shaped electrodes operate as touch-control electrodes, and the driving circuit provides touch-control driving signals to the stripe-shaped electrodes.
US09990081B2 Electronic device including touch-fingerprint complex sensor
An electronic device includes a display panel configured to display an image, first electrodes provided on the display panel and arranged in parallel in a direction, second electrodes provided on the display panel and arranged in parallel in a direction crossing the first electrodes, an insulating layer provided between the first electrodes and the second electrodes, a controller configured to transmit driving signals to the first electrodes, and receive electrical signals from the second electrodes, touch detection areas and fingerprint-touch detection areas in which the first electrodes cross the second electrodes, and a protection film provided on the first electrodes and the second electrodes. The touch detection areas are arranged in a matrix of M rows and N columns, the fingerprint-touch detection areas are disposed at positions in the matrix, and each of the fingerprint-touch detection areas includes fingerprint detection pixels.
US09990073B2 Writable liquid crystal display device and manufacturing method, driving method thereof
Embodiments of the present disclosure disclose a writable liquid crystal display device, a manufacturing method and a driving method thereof. The writable liquid crystal display device comprises a first substrate and a second substrate arranged opposite to each other, and a liquid crystal molecule layer located between the first substrate and the second substrate. A plurality of pixel units arranged in an array are disposed on the first substrate, and a pixel electrode is arranged in each pixel unit. A piezoelectric transducer connected with the pixel electrode is further arranged in each pixel unit. A surface plasma resonance metal layer is arranged on the pixel electrode. A pressure transfer structure is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. One end of the pressure transfer structure is in contact with the second substrate, and the other end of the pressure transfer structure is in contact with the piezoelectric transducer.
US09990067B2 Evolutionary touch-based graphical user interface for electronic devices
An electronic device having a customizable interface includes a processor configured to execute instructions and a display device configured to generate an interface based in part in response to the processor. The electronic device further includes a touch screen associated with the display device and configured to sense a user input with respect to a plurality of objects, wherein the input is provided to the processor. The processor further configured to determine at least one of a physical aspect of the user input and a frequency of an interaction with each of the plurality objects displayed on the touch screen. The processor further configured to modify a manner in which the plurality objects are displayed on the display device based on the determination of at least one of the physical aspects of the user input and the frequency of interaction with the plurality of objects.
US09990055B2 Method of establishing communication link and display devices thereof
Provided is a method of establishing, by a first display device, a communication link with a second display device, the method including operations of detecting a first bending motion occurring in the first display device; obtaining information about a second bending motion occurring in the second display device; and establishing a communication link for a data exchange with the second display device, based on a start time of the first bending motion and a start time of the second bending motion.
US09990053B2 Keyboard with detachable keys and method of controlling the same
A keyboard and a method of controlling the same are provided. The keyboard includes a base, a plurality of keys, a plurality of key chips and a controller. The base has a plurality of connecting portions. Each key is detachably connected to one of the connecting portions. Each key chip is correspondingly disposed on one of the keys and has a corresponding key code. The controller is disposed on the base. The controller outputs an inquiring code to each key chip, and each key chip determines whether the key code thereof corresponds to the inquiring code. The key chip which has the corresponded key code feedbacks a press state of the corresponding key to the controller.
US09990050B2 Dynamic hand gesture recognition using depth data
The subject disclosure is directed towards a technology by which dynamic hand gestures are recognized by processing depth data, including in real-time. In an offline stage, a classifier is trained from feature values extracted from frames of depth data that are associated with intended hand gestures. In an online stage, a feature extractor extracts feature values from sensed depth data that corresponds to an unknown hand gesture. These feature values are input to the classifier as a feature vector to receive a recognition result of the unknown hand gesture. The technology may be used in real time, and may be robust to variations in lighting, hand orientation, and the user's gesturing speed and style.
US09990037B1 Display apparatus and method using portable electronic device
A display apparatus and a method of displaying, via the display apparatus. The display apparatus includes at least one focus display, and a processor coupled to the at least one focus display. The processor of the display apparatus is configured to render a focus image at the at least one focus display. The display apparatus is arranged to be detachably attached to a portable electronic device and to be communicably coupled with the portable electronic device. A processor of the portable electronic device is configured to render a context image at a display of the portable electronic device. The projection of the rendered context image is combined with the projection of the rendered focus image to create a visual scene.
US09990035B2 Image changes based on viewer's gaze
An embodiment combines the concepts of image enhancement and gaze tracking to enhance the experience of viewing images by tracking where the viewer is looking. The result is to make the viewing experience more like viewing the original scene, or to enhance the viewing experience in new ways beyond the original experience, either automatically, or by interacting with a photographer's previously specified intentions for what should happen when the viewer looks at a particular portion of an image or images taken by that photographer.
US09990031B2 Indicating method and device for correcting failure of motion-sensing interaction tracking
An indicating method and device for correcting failure of motion-sensing interaction tracking. The method includes: acquiring physical space coordinates of a border of an actual motion-sensing interaction range of a human body and physical space coordinates of one or more key-part points in the human body; if a failure of motion-sensing interaction tracking is determined, obtaining, a current position of the human body relative to the border of the actual motion-sensing interaction range based on the physical space coordinates of the border of the actual motion-sensing interaction range and a physical space coordinate of at least one key-part point from the one or more key-part points acquired in a latest time; and scaling down the border of the actual motion-sensing interaction range and a distance of the current position relative to the border of the actual motion-sensing interaction range, and displaying at a display interface through an auxiliary image.
US09990029B2 Interface object and motion controller for augmented reality
A method for interfacing with an interactive program is provided. Images of an interface object and a motion controller disposed in a gameplay environment are captured, a tag defined on a surface of the interface object. The captured images are analyzed to identify the tag on the surface of the interface object. Movement of the interface object is tracked by tracking the tag. Augmented images are generated by replacing, in the captured images, the tag with a virtual object, wherein generating the augmented images includes processing the tracked movement of the interface object to define movement of the virtual object. The captured images are analyzed to identify a pointing direction of the motion controller in the gameplay environment. The pointing direction of the motion controller is processed to identify a selection of a portion of the virtual object. The augmented images are presented on a display.
US09990026B1 System including a sleep detection mechanism
A method and apparatus of using sleep monitoring is described. The method comprises monitoring the user's state using a plurality of sensors in a sensor system and detecting when the user is falling asleep. The method further comprises adjusting settings in an associated device in response to the user falling asleep.
US09990016B2 Controlling temperature of a system memory
In an embodiment, a processor includes at least one core to execute instructions and a memory controller coupled to the at least one core. In turn, the memory controller includes a spare logic to cause a dynamic transfer of data stored on a first memory device coupled to the processor to a second memory device coupled to the processor, responsive to a temperature of the first memory device exceeding a thermal threshold. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09990015B2 Information processing apparatus configured to control cooling operation thereof based on variable configuration and cooling method therefor
An information processing apparatus which enables appropriate cooling at low cost. A MFP 101 as an information processing apparatus has a controller cooling fan 116, a temperature sensor 121 measuring temperature of a CPU 110, and a controller 105 provided with a power-source/fan control IC 115, an HDD-A 119 and an HDD-B 120. When mirroring control is not applied to the MFP 101, the power-source/fan control IC 115 controls the rotation of the controller cooling fan 116 according to the temperature measured by the temperature sensor 121. When mirroring control is applied to the MFP 101, the power-source/fan control IC 115 continues to rotate the controller cooling fan 116.
US09990012B2 Disc drive module
A disk drive module is provided herein. The disk drive module includes a frame, a keyed member, a front aperture, and a back aperture. The frame includes a top wall, a bottom wall, and a pair of side walls therebetween. The keyed member is formed along at least one of the pair of side walls. The front aperture to receive a drive carrier. The back aperture to interchangeably receive at least one back end selected from a hot plug back end and a non-hot plug back end.
US09990007B2 Stand device and stand-equipped portable information device
The present invention provides a stand device that enables a portable information device to be set at a desired upright angle easily and smoothly, and a stand-equipped portable information device including the stand device. The stand device includes: a guide rail facing a back surface of a chassis of the portable information device; and a bendable stand plate having a first end attached to the chassis and a second end opposite to the first end. A slide member disposed at the second end is slidably engaged with the guide rail. The stand plate includes a crease that extends in a direction intersecting the extension direction of the guide rail, and is disposed between the first end and the second end so that when the slide member slides, the stand plate is bent at the crease and is brought into contact with or separated from the back surface of the chassis.
US09990004B2 Optical detection of bending motions of a flexible display
A detection device of a flexible display, the detection device including image sensors configured to capture images, a processor configured to process the images captured by the image sensors, and a memory having instructions stored therein that, when executed by the processor, result in calculation of a bend angle of the flexible display by comparing the images captured at differing times over time.
US09989993B2 Monitor Assembly
A monitor assembly having an electronic monitor with a frame and a display area and a support assembly configured to act between the monitor frame and a support for the electronic monitor. The support assembly has at least one link member configured to be movable: a) relative to the monitor frame around a first axis with the support assembly in operative relationship with the monitor frame; and b) relative to the support around a second axis with the support assembly in operative relationship with the support. The first and second axes are non-parallel to each other. The electronic monitor is guided in movement relative to the electronic monitor support around the first and second axes to thereby reposition the monitor display area relative to the support.
US09989989B2 System and method to detect time-delays in non-periodic signals
A system and method for measuring time delays in a non-periodic system can include receiving a first host signal including transitions deviating from a true periodic signal, removing deviations from the true periodic signal to form a second host signal, detecting a phase of the first host signal and the second host signal relative to a common stable clock signal, and comparing the detected phase of the first host signal and the second host signal to produce a signal indicative of the deviation of the first host signal from the true periodic signal.
US09989988B2 Distributed MEMS devices time synchronization methods and system
A method is provided for time synchronization in a MEMS (MicroElectroMecahnical system) based system having a MEMS processor and a plurality of MEMS devices. In a specific embodiment, the method includes, in the MEMS processor, transmitting a synchronization signal to the plurality of MEMS devices and saving a local time upon transmitting the synchronization signal. The MEMS processor also receives sampled data and time information from the plurality of MEMS devices, when the data and information become available. The method also includes, in one or more of the MEMS devices, receiving the synchronization signal from the MEMS processor and storing a local time upon receiving the synchronization signal. The MEMS device also performs a sensing operation and stores sampled sense data and sense time information.
US09989987B2 Device for detecting amount of pedal operation
A pedal operation amount detection apparatus comprising: a transmitting member that transmits a pedal operation force; a movement lever disposed so as to be movable with respect to the transmitting member; a sensor rod disposed so as to be connected to the transmitting member and the movement lever; and a deformable body that is disposed on the transmitting member and is deformed when the pedal operation force or a reaction force corresponding to the pedal operation force is transmitted from the movement lever to the deformable body, the pedal operation amount detection apparatus electrically detecting a pedal operation amount based on deformation of the deformable body, the sensor rod extending through both the movement lever and the deformable body, the pedal operation amount detection apparatus further comprising: a first locking portion provided at an end portion of the sensor rod on a side where the sensor rod protrudes from the deformable body; a second locking portion provided at an intermediate portion of the sensor rod between the deformable body and the movement lever; a first elastic member that is disposed between the second locking portion and the deformable body in a natural state or a compressed state when a pedal is not operated; and a second elastic member that is disposed to so as to be connected to the movement lever and the sensor rod, and urges the movement lever to cause the movement lever to contact the second locking portion, when the pedal is operated, a load in a direction to displace the sensor rod toward the first locking portion is applied from the movement lever to the second locking portion, the sensor rod being moved toward the first locking portion in a manner such that the first elastic member is elastically deformed between the second locking portion and the deformable body, and the deformable body being deformed.
US09989986B2 Hitch position encoder with reference indicator for agricultural work vehicle
An output control system of an agricultural work vehicle includes a controller, a reference indicator communicatively coupled to the controller, and a dial communicatively coupled to the controller. The controller is configured to control power output through an output value range between a minimum output value and a maximum output value based at least in part on a manual input signal, to determine a current setting of the power output, and to adjust the power output from the current setting upon receipt of the manual input signal. The reference indicator is configured to indicate the current setting. Adjustment of an orientation of the dial from an initial position generates the manual input signal.
US09989983B2 Current source for the delivery of a first current and a second current
The invention relates to a current source for the delivery of a first current and a second current, wherein the first current is biased opposite to the second current. The current source provides a first transistor, wherein the first transistor is connected with a control terminal to a first control voltage. The current source provides a second transistor, wherein the second transistor is connected with a control terminal to a second control voltage. The source terminal of the first transistor is connected in an electrically conducting manner to the source terminal of the second transistor. The first current is delivered at the drain terminal of the first transistor, and the second current is delivered at the drain terminal of the second transistor. Furthermore, a circuit arrangement with a current source according to the invention is provided according to the invention.
US09989982B2 System and method for actively managing electric power over an electric power grid and providing revenue grade data usable for settlement
Systems and methods for managing power on an electric power grid including a server for communicating IP-based messages over a network with distributed power consuming devices and/or power supplying devices, the IP-based messages including information relating to activities by the power consuming devices and/or the power supplying devices; and wherein the information is transformed by the system into settlement grade data corresponding to the activities of the power consuming devices and/or the power supplying devices.
US09989980B1 System level thermal management
Various examples are directed to providing thermal management to a computing device. The computing device may receive temperature state data describing a temperature state of the computing device. The temperature state may comprise a first temperature value at a first location at the computing device. The computing device may also receive use state data describing a first use state of the computing device. The first use state may comprise an initial operating condition of a first component of the computing device and an initial operating condition of a second component of the computing device. The computing device may determine that at least one temperature value at the computing device is out-of-range and select a second use state for the computing device. The second use state may comprise at least one of a new operating condition for the first component or a new operating condition of the second component.
US09989979B2 Inflating module for use with an inflatable object
An inflating module adapted to an inflatable object includes a pressure controlling assembly configured to monitor air pressure in the inflatable object after the inflatable body has been inflated and a supplemental air pressure providing device. The pressure controlling assembly is configured to automatically activate the supplemental air pressure providing device when the air pressure inside the inflatable object decreases below a predetermined threshold after inflation, and to control the supplemental air pressure providing device to provide supplemental air pressure to the inflatable object so as to maintain the air pressure of the inflatable object within a predetermined range.
US09989958B2 Using cloud-based data for virtualization of an industrial automation environment
A cloud-based virtualization generation service collects industrial-automation-system-related data from multiple industrial automation systems of multiple industrial customers for storage and analysis on a cloud platform. A virtualization management component analyzes the data and generates a virtualized industrial automation system of the industrial automation system based on the analysis results. The virtualization management component updates the virtualized industrial automation system based on operation of, and user interactions with, the industrial automation system. The virtualization management component receives user interactions with the virtualized industrial automation system to facilitate remotely interacting with and/or controlling the industrial automation system and/or generates corresponding control signals that it sends to the industrial automation system to facilitate controlling operation of the industrial automation system. The virtualization management component also customizes a user's view of the virtualized industrial automation system based on user's role, authorization, or location.
US09989956B2 Split range control using proportional-integral control with flow valves
Example computer-implemented methods, apparatuses, and systems are described for implementing split range control using Proportional-Integral (PI) control on a process. In some aspects, a feedback signal from the process is received. A proportional control is performed on the feedback signal to generate a first control output while an integral control is performed on the feedback signal to generate a second control output. A first valve of the process is controlled based on the first control output while a second valve of the process is controlled based on the second control output. The second valve has a valve diameter larger than a valve diameter of the first valve.
US09989952B2 Image calibration
A digital image is captured. The captured digital image includes a calibration pattern. The calibration pattern includes displayed information about the calibration pattern. The displayed information is read to obtain calibration information about the captured digital image. A new image is generated. The calibration information is stored with the new image.
US09989950B2 Systems and methods for generating control logic
Disclosed herein, in various embodiments, are systems and methods for creating, implementing, communicating, and/or analyzing control logic governing operation of a system under control, where the control logic is defined in attributed data, which specifies control operators along with their input and output variables for the various control nodes. In example embodiments, an attributed-data generator converts a control-logic design specification into attributed data based in part on control-operator mappings provided by an attributed-data dictionary.
US09989948B2 Methods and systems for dynamic memory backup for transfer-switch controllers
Methods and systems for transfer-switch controller backup and transfer-switch controller operation are provided. An example backup apparatus includes a memory configured to store transfer-switch data related to a first transfer-switch controller, wherein the first transfer switch-controller is a controller for a given transfer switch. The apparatus is capable of interfacing with a communication interface of the first transfer-switch controller. The apparatus is further capable of being removed from the communication interface of the first transfer-switch controller and thereafter interfacing with a communication interface of a second transfer-switch controller, wherein the second transfer-switch controller is a replacement controller for the given transfer switch. The memory is further configured to, after the apparatus interfacing with the communication interface of the second transfer-switch controller, provide the transfer-switch data related to the first transfer-switch controller to the second transfer-switch controller.
US09989941B2 Solid chemistry supply management system
A system for management of solid chemistry supply can be configured to use operating attributes and sensed operating conditions associated with a process to estimate solid chemistry supply levels. The system can also be configured to control a feeder attached to a solid chemistry supply container. The control can include controlling a dose of a solid chemistry product to the container according to the estimation. The system can also be configured to communicate a message regarding an insufficient supply of the solid chemistry product.
US09989936B2 Transport control system
A transport control system divides a series of data-processing operations into mutually independent processes, and causes the process execution units to execute the respective processes. The data input or output by each process execution unit is stored in the data storage separate from the process execution unit, and transfer of the data between the respective process execution units is performed via the data storage instead of being performed directly between the process execution units. By separating the processes from each other and also separating the processes from the data in this manner, without affecting process execution units other than a process execution unit to be changed and the data storage, the process execution unit to be changed can be changed to a different process execution unit.
US09989935B2 Active front-end rectifier filter delay compensation method based on model predictive control
An active front-end rectifier filter delay compensation method based on model predictive control is disclosed. The method includes following steps: detecting a three-phase grid voltage and three-phase input current sampling value of an active front-end rectifier, and transforming both via Clarke transformation to acquire grid voltage sampling values eα and eβ, and input current sampling values ifα and ifβ under a two-phase stationary coordinate system; establishing an equivalent mathematical model of rectifier on the basis of voltage balancing equation (1) in an actual rectifier, and establishing an equivalent filter model on the basis of a transfer function corresponding to the actual filter, thus constituting a filter delay observer; and, compensating the difference value between the input current sampling values ifα and ifβ, and equivalent current sampling values iofα and iofβ into an input of the filter delay observer via a proportional controller. In comparison to the input current sampling values ifα and ifβ, the input current observed values ioα and ioβ of the rectifier are not impacted by a filter latency and are closer to the actual input current value of the rectifier such that the impact of the filter delay is compensated.
US09989933B2 Controlling access to a program
An apparatus for controlling and granting access to computer programs, and/or industrial safety and security, is provided. The apparatus may include a memory configured to store a delay length value, at least one processing core configured to initiate delaying access to at least part of a program, to determine that at least one processing action has been performed on the apparatus by a user, and to adjust, based on the at least one processing action, the length of the delaying of access to the at least part of the program to a non-zero adjusted delay length.
US09989930B2 Mobile electronic device, control method, and non-transitory storage medium
A mobile electronic device according to one embodiment includes a sounding module that performs alarm sounding and a controller that determines whether the mobile electronic device is in a moving state. When it is determined that the mobile electronic device is in the moving state, the controller disables the alarm sounding by the sounding module.
US09989927B1 Resistance-to-frequency converter
A technique for sensing an environmental parameter is disclosed. The technique generates an oscillating signal using a variable resistance sensitive to a variable parameter. A frequency of the oscillating signal is directly dependent on the variable resistance. A time-to-digital converter generates a digital code indicative of the variable resistance. The digital code is generated based on the frequency of the oscillating signal and a second frequency of a reference clock signal. The second frequency is insensitive to the variable parameter. The variable resistance may be a metal resistor and the reference resistance may be generated using a capacitor that is switched at a particular frequency. The measured resistance may be used to control a voltage-controlled oscillator. The oscillating signal frequency may be converted to a digital signal and post-processed for use as an indicator of absolute temperature or other environmental parameter.
US09989920B2 Method of computing a hologram for reconstructing an object using a display device
A method of computing a hologram for reconstructing an object using a display device. The display device enables a holographic reconstruction of the object. The display device includes a light source and an optical system to illuminate a hologram-bearing medium being encodable with the hologram. The method includes the steps of: (a) computing the hologram by determining the wavefronts at an approximate observer eye position that would be generated by a real version of the object to be reconstructed; and (b) encoding the computed hologram in the hologram-bearing medium.
US09989915B2 Developing cartridge and electrophotographic image forming apparatus
A developing cartridge mountable to a development rotary of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, a coupling member for transmitting a rotational force from a main assembly engaging portion to a developing roller, the coupling member being engageable and disengageable relative to the engaging portion with rotation of the rotary, the coupling member being movable among a rotational force transmitting angular position, a pre-engagement angular position in which the coupling member is inclined relative to that in the transmitting angular position to engage with the engaging portion, and a disengaging angular position for disengaging therefrom; and an inclination regulating member movable between a regulating position for positioning the coupling member to the pre-engagement position and a retracted position, the inclination regulating member being movable from the retracted position to the regulating position by being abutted by a function member of the rotary.
US09989913B2 Cleaning device which removes adhered substances on image supporting body
A photo conductor cleaning device removes substances adhered to a surface of a photo conductor which moves around the axis of rotation. The photo conductor cleaning device is equipped with a device main body, a tip blade, and a flexible supporting sheet metal plate which holds the tip blade and makes the tip blade contact with the photo conductor. The supporting sheet metal plate is fixed to the device main body by two fixing portions which are places at different locations, as seen from a cross section perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the photo conductor. The supporting sheet metal plate is supported at the both ends by the two fixing portions support.
US09989909B2 Belt device and image forming apparatus incorporating same
A belt device includes a belt member, a detected unit, a window, an optical detector, and a regulation member. The belt member is movable in a direction of belt movement. The detected unit disposed on at least one side of the belt in a width direction of the belt intersecting with the direction of belt movement and extending in the direction of belt movement. The window transmits detection light emitted toward the detected unit and reflected light from the detected unit. The optical detector detects the detected unit. The regulation member is disposed on at least one side in a width direction of the window to keep the detected unit away from the window.
US09989905B2 Fixing device and image forming apparatus
A fixing device includes a nip formation pad which is disposed opposite an endless belt and forms a fixing nip between the endless belt and a pressure rotator. A contact heater is disposed at least at one lateral end of the nip formation pad in a longitudinal direction thereof and heats at least one lateral end of the endless belt in an axial direction thereof. A thermal conduction aid contacts a belt-side face of each of the nip formation pad and the contact heater and conducts heat in the axial direction of the endless belt. A cover is disposed outboard from the thermal conduction aid in a longitudinal direction thereof. The cover covers the belt-side face of the contact heater. The contact heater includes a power supply portion disposed outboard from the thermal conduction aid in the longitudinal direction thereof and covered by the cover.
US09989900B2 Image forming apparatus and image forming method
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, an acquisition unit, a fixing unit including a heating member and a pressure member forming a nip, a temperature detecting unit, and a control unit. In a case where a toner density of a toner image on a k-th recording material of a plurality of recording materials is less than the toner density of the toner image on a (k-1)-th recording material of the plurality of recording materials, k being an integer greater than or equal to two, the control unit sets a fixing temperature of the k-th recording material to a temperature which is greater than a predetermined temperature predetermined based on image information of the toner image to be formed on the k-th recording material.
US09989899B2 Image forming apparatus and management system
An image forming apparatus includes a feeding unit for feeding a recording material, and a calculating unit for calculating a degree of deterioration of the feeding unit, while making correction depending on stiffness of the recording material and a content of a filler contained in the recording material.
US09989898B2 Rubbing unit, fixing device, image forming apparatus, and maintenance method of fixing device
A polishing unit is attached to an opening/closing cover included in a fixing device so as to polish a fixing belt. The polishing unit includes: a polishing unit body support member that is detachably attached to the opening/closing cover; and a polishing section that is held by the polishing unit body support member and that makes contact with the fixing belt so as to polish the fixing belt when the opening/closing cover is closed.
US09989895B2 Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a movable endless belt, a first image bearing member, second image bearing members provided upstream of the first image bearing member with respect to a movement direction of the belt, a first transfer roller, second transfer rollers, an auxiliary roller provided upstream of a most upstream second transfer roller of the second transfer rollers with respect to the movement direction of the belt, and an executing portion capable of executing an operation in a full-color mode in a first roller arrangement and an operation in a monochromatic mode in a second roller arrangement.
US09989894B2 Image forming apparatus
A separation member includes a contact surface contacting a photosensitive member when a transfer member is positioned at a second position, and a regulation unit that regulates a position of the separation member with respect to the photosensitive member, in which the regulation unit contacts the photosensitive member earlier than the contact surface in a process of inserting a cartridge in an apparatus main body.
US09989893B2 Image forming apparatus for controlling intensity of light irradiating intermediate transfer body
An image forming apparatus includes a controller configured to compare a threshold value and an output value corresponding to an intensity of light reflected from a detection image, and to detect a color misregistration amount based on a comparison result; an update unit configured to update the threshold value based on a previous output value corresponding to the intensity of the light reflected from the detection image; and an adjustment unit configured to adjust an emission intensity of the light emitting element. The update unit updates, in a case when the emission intensity is adjusted, the threshold value based on the previous output value, a previous emission intensity, and the emission intensity adjusted by the adjustment unit.
US09989892B2 Developer accommodating container with projected shaped portion for contacting toner seal member
A developer accommodating container for accommodating a developer includes: a toner seal member for unsealably sealing an opening of the developer accommodating container; an unsealing member, connected to an end portion of the toner seal member, for unsealing the opening by moving at least a part of the toner seal member; and an auxiliary unsealing member for assisting unsealing by changing a pulling direction of the toner seal member by the unsealing member. The auxiliary unsealing member includes a shaft portion or a projected portion. The shaft portion or the projected portion extends in a longitudinal direction of the developer accommodating container.
US09989891B2 Developing device and image forming apparatus
A developing device includes a storage unit that stores developer to be used to form a developer image on an image carrier, the developer containing toner and carrier, an auxiliary storage unit that stores the developer and is connected to the storage unit via a first opening from which the developer is supplied into the storage unit and a second opening from which the developer in the storage unit is taken in, a first transport member provided at the first opening to transport the developer in the auxiliary storage unit into the storage unit, a second transport member provided at the second opening to transport the developer in the storage unit into the auxiliary storage unit, and a supply unit that has an opening opposed to the first transport member and supplies toner to the developer transported from the auxiliary storage unit into the storage unit.
US09989890B2 Developing device and image forming apparatus
A developing device and an image forming apparatus including the developing device are provided. The developing device includes a housing, a developer carrier which is rotatably supported by the housing, and which carries developer on a circumferential surface thereof, a layer thickness regulating member which includes, a blade contacting the circumferential surface of the developer carrier along a rotational axial direction of the developer carrier, and a support member supporting the blade, the layer thickness regulating member for regulating a layer thickness of the developer on the circumferential surface of the developer carrier. The support member includes: a contact part which contacts the blade; and a pair of attachment parts which are attached to the housing. The attachment parts are provide at both sides of the contact part in the rotational axial direction and are further protruded than the contact part in a direction away from the developer carrier.
US09989878B2 Image forming apparatus and method of controlling the same
An image forming apparatus is configured to change one of the expected adjustment timing and the expected switching timing so as to be matched with the other, to determine a timing for predetermined adjustment and switching of print modes.
US09989874B2 Carrier for developing electrostatic latent images, two-component developer, image forming apparatus, toner storing unit, and supplemental developer
A carrier for developing electrostatic latent images is provided. The carrier includes a magnetic core particle and a resin layer coating a surface of the magnetic core particle. The resin layer includes a particulate material A having a volume average particle diameter (a) and a particulate material B having a volume average particle diameter (b). The volume average particle diameter (a) of the particulate material A is the largest among volume average particle diameters of all particulate materials included in the resin layer, and an inequation 100≥(a)/(b)≥5 is satisfied. The particulate material A is barium sulfate.
US09989867B2 Substrate holder, lithographic apparatus, device manufacturing method, and method of manufacturing a substrate holder
A substrate holder for a lithographic apparatus has a planarization layer provided on a surface thereof. The planarization layer provides a smooth surface for the formation of an electronic component such as a thin film electronic component. The planarization layer may be provided in multiple sub layers. The planarization layer may smooth over roughness caused by removal of material from a blank to form burls on the substrate holder.
US09989864B2 Lithographic method and apparatus
A measurement method including using multiple radiation poles to illuminate a diffraction grating on a mask at a mask side of a projection system of a lithographic apparatus, coupling at least two different resulting diffraction orders per illumination pole through the projection system, using the projection system to project the diffraction orders onto a grating on a wafer such that a pair of combination diffraction orders is formed by diffraction of the diffraction orders, coupling the combination diffraction orders back through the projection system to detectors configured to measure the intensity of the combination diffraction orders, and using the measured intensity of the combination diffraction orders to measure the position of the wafer grating.
US09989860B2 Method of generating a pattern on a photomask using a plurality of beams and pattern generator for performing the same
A pattern generating method includes, generating a first bit map from inputted pattern data. Characteristics of a plurality of beams for exposing a pattern on a substrate are analyzed, each of the plurality of beams being designated to correspond to one of a plurality of grids in the first bit map. The pattern data is corrected such that at least one of the plurality of beams is designated to expose at least a portion of the pattern on the substrate. A second bit map is generated from the corrected pattern data. The substrate is patterned using the plurality of beams according to the designation of the second bit map.
US09989858B2 Apparatus operable to perform a measurement operation on a substrate, lithographic apparatus, and method of performing a measurement operation on a substrate
Disclosed is an apparatus and method for performing a measurement operation on a substrate in accordance with one or more substrate alignment models. The one or more substrate alignment models are selected from a plurality of candidate substrate alignment models. The apparatus, which may be a lithographic apparatus, includes an external interface which enables selection of the substrate alignment model(s) and/or alteration of the substrate alignment model(s) prior to the measurement operation.
US09989853B2 Hardmask composition and method of forming pattern using the hardmask composition
A hardmask composition includes a first material including one of an aromatic ring-containing monomer and a polymer containing a repeating unit including an aromatic ring-containing monomer, a second material including at least one of a hexagonal boron nitride and a precursor thereof, a chalcogenide-based material and a precursor thereof, and a two-dimensional carbon nanostructure and a precursor thereof, the two-dimensional carbon nanostructure containing about 0.01 atom % to about 40 atom % of oxygen, and a solvent.
US09989850B2 Photoresist system and method
A system and method for photoresists is provided. In an embodiment a cross-linking or coupling reagent is included within a photoresist composition. The cross-linking or coupling reagent will react with the polymer resin within the photoresist composition to cross-link or couple the polymers together, resulting in a polymer with a larger molecular weight. This larger molecular weight will cause the dissolution rate of the photoresist to decrease, leading to a better depth of focus for the line.
US09989839B2 Light module for a projection or illumination arrangement
A light module includes an excitation radiation source designed to emit an excitation radiation having a polarization, at least one first phosphor, an output, at which an output signal is providable, at least one first polarization beam splitter, a first polarization modulator arranged serially between the radiation source and the first splitter. The first modulator is designed to modify the polarization of the radiation source depending on a control signal. The first splitter is designed to split the radiation incident on it depending on the polarization between a first and a second of two optical partial paths connected in parallel with one another. The first optical partial path includes the at least one first phosphor and ends at the output of the light module. The second optical partial path, whilst bypassing the at least one first phosphor, ends at the output of the light module.
US09989833B2 Illumination apparatus and image pickup system including the same
An illumination apparatus includes: a light-guiding portion including a light-introducing opening through which light is introduced from a light-emitting portion of an image pickup apparatus, a reflective surface that reflects light introduced from the light-introducing opening toward an image pickup optical axis of the image pickup apparatus, and a diffusion portion that diffuses the light reflected by the reflective surface toward an object as diffused light; and a reflective body including an opening portion allowing an image pickup opening of the image pickup apparatus to be exposed, and a reflective portion provided around the opening portion and including a reflective surface formed to expand from the opening portion toward the object, wherein the diffusion portion is disposed at a part of the reflective portion and the reflective body includes a wall portion extending to the object side at a boundary between the opening portion and the diffusion portion.
US09989827B2 Display device
A display device is provided. The display device includes a base; a gate conductor disposed directly on the base and including a gate line and a gate electrode; a gate insulating layer disposed on the gate conductor and including an overlap portion, which overlaps with the gate conductor, and a non-overlap portion, which is connected to the overlap portion, does not overlap with the gate conductor, and is spaced apart from the base; and a semiconductor pattern disposed on the gate insulating layer and overlapping with the gate electrode, wherein edges of the gate insulating layer project further than edges of the gate conductor and edges of the semiconductor pattern.
US09989823B2 Array substrate and display panel
An array substrate and a display panel are provided. The array substrate includes a plurality of sub-pixels defined by a plurality of scanning lines and a plurality of data lines, and a color filter layer including a plurality of color blockers in a plurality of colors. The plurality of sub-pixels is arranged in a matrix and includes first sub-pixels, second sub-pixels, third sub-pixels, and fourth sub-pixels configured to display different colors. The first sub-pixels, the second sub-pixels, the third sub-pixels, and the fourth sub-pixels each includes an aperture region, and a non-aperture region. A length-to-width aspect, ratio of the plurality of sub-pixels is greater than 2:1. An aperture region of the fourth sub-pixel is smaller than an aperture region of any one of the first sub-pixel, the second sub-pixel, and the third sub-pixel.
US09989817B2 Pixel structure
A pixel structure includes a scan line, a signal line and a first pixel. The first pixel includes a switch device and a pixel electrode. A gate of the switch device is electrically connected to the scan line. The pixel electrode is electrically connected to the switch device, and the pixel electrode includes a plurality of slits. The signal line includes a first portion and a second portion, the pixel electrode overlaps the first portion of the signal line, and the scan line overlaps the second portion of the signal line. The first portion of the signal line includes at least one bent portion, the bent portion is disposed along the arrangement directions of the slits, and the pixel electrode covers the edges of the bent portion of the signal line.
US09989816B2 Liquid crystal display device comprising pixel electrodes with minute branches having first and second angles
A liquid crystal display device includes first and second substrates opposite to each other, a liquid crystal layer between the first and second substrates, a first electrode on the first substrate in a planar shape, and a second electrode on the first substrate and including pixel electrodes, which overlap the first electrode. Each of the pixel electrodes includes minute branches disposed parallel to one another, and connecting branches, which connect the minute branches, the minute branches include an edge area defined on a side thereof, and a main area defined by a remaining area, the connecting branches are disposed alternately on outer sides of the edge and main areas, and a first angle formed by the minute branches in the edge area with respect to a first direction is larger than a second angle formed by the minute branches in the main area with respect to the first direction.
US09989810B2 Electro-optical device and electronic apparatus
An electro-optical device comprises an element substrate, a counter substrate, and an inorganic film. The counter substrate is arranged so as to face the element substrate. The seal material is arranged between the element substrate and the counter substrate so as to join the element substrate and the counter substrate. The inorganic film covers a side face of the seal material, a peripheral region of the element substrate between the side face of the seal material and a side of the element substrate, and a peripheral region of the counter substrate between the side face of the seal material and a side of the counter substrate.
US09989806B2 Color conversion panel and display device including the same
A color conversion panel includes: a substrate; a plurality of light emitting regions on the substrate; and a light blocking region between adjacent light emitting regions among the plurality of light emitting regions, wherein the light emitting regions respectively comprise: a color filter disposed on the substrate; and a color conversion layer comprising at least one of a phosphor or a quantum dot and a polymer layer overlapping with at least one of the color filter and the substrate, and the light blocking region comprises a partition comprising at least two overlapping color filters of different colors from each other.
US09989805B2 Display panel and a display device
A liquid crystal display panel includes a TFT substrate; a backlight system configured to emit light beams in a first color; a color film substrate having at least a first subpixel, a second subpixel, and a third subpixel; a liquid crystal layer; and a polarization system. The first subpixel is configured to let the light beams in the first color pass through and to emit the light beams in the first color. The second subpixel includes a plurality of first quantum dots and a plurality of second quantum dots and is configured to emit light beams in at least a second color based on the light beams in the first color. The third subpixel includes a plurality of third quantum dots and a plurality of fourth quantum dots and is configured to emit light beams in at least a fourth color based on the light beams in the first color.
US09989798B2 Light controlling apparatus, method of fabricating the light controlling apparatus and transparent display device including the light controlling apparatus with transparent mode and light shielding mode
A light controlling apparatus, a method of fabricating the light controlling apparatus, and a transparent display device including the light controlling apparatus are disclosed, in which light may be transmitted or shielded using a polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) layer and a guest-host liquid crystal (GHLC) layer, where the guest-host liquid crystal layer includes dichroic dyes. The light controlling apparatus includes first and second substrates facing each other; a first electrode on the first substrate; a second electrode on the second substrate; and a polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) layer and a guest-host liquid crystal (GHLC) layer between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the PDLC layer includes first liquid crystals having droplets, and the GHLC layer includes second liquid crystals and dichroic dyes.
US09989783B1 Accessory for eyewear
An accessory for eyewear including a sheet of lightweight, flexible material, the accessory having an interior facing surface and an exterior facing surface, a first front portion, a second back portion, a first side portion and a second side portion. The accessory includes at least one aperture positioned in spaced relation between the first and second portions and the first and second side portions and intersecting the sheet along a longitudinal axis. A releasable complementary fastening system is included, whereby when the sheet is folded along the sheet axis an eyewear lens portion passes through the aperture and the eyewear is secured within the fold by the fastening system.
US09989782B2 Spectacle frames
A frame for spectacles includes a front frame with lateral projections for articulation of respective temple arms and articulation means between each projection and the corresponding temple projection for articulated connection of the temple projection to the front frame. The articulation means includes a resiliently yielding element independent of the projection and the temple arm. The element having a first extremity attached to the temple arm and a second opposite extremity engaged with predetermined play in an opening passing through the projection. The opening distanced from the free edge of the projection facing the temple arm such that the portion of the projection extending between the edge and the opening remains held between the resilient element and the temple arm in order to perform a hinge movement between the projection and the temple arm through relative movement of the second extremity of the resilient element in the opening.
US09989781B2 Eyeglasses with detachable temples and nose grip and method of use
The present invention provides an eyeglasses system and method of use comprising a frame, a temple attachment assembly positioned on the ends of the frame, detachable temples having a hollow member extending therefrom for attachment to the temple attachment assembly, and a bridge nose grip assembly so as to allow a wearer to detach a temple from one side of the frame and to wear the eyeglasses comfortably, securely and without movement of the eyeglasses while reclining on the same side as the detached temple.
US09989778B2 Image display device
An image display device includes a light source, a scanner, a screen, a virtual image optical system and a screen incident angle correcting optical system. The light source emits laser light. The scanner scans the laser light. An image is formed on the screen by the scanned laser light. The virtual image optical system generates a virtual image of the image by the laser light having transmitted through the screen. The screen incident angle correcting optical system orients the scanned laser light toward the screen. The scanner performs at least first scanning and second scanning that has a scanning direction different from a scanning direction of the first scanning. The screen includes a lenticular lens having a lens pitch in a direction parallel to the first scanning. The lens pitch of the lenticular lens is larger than a beam diameter of the laser light near a light receiving surface of the screen.
US09989770B2 Display module assembly and an electronic device using the same
This disclosure relates to a display module assembly that includes two optical module assemblies, two first adjustment mechanisms, two image generation devices, and two second adjustment mechanisms each corresponding to one of the first adjustment mechanisms. Each first adjustment mechanism is movably connected to a corresponding one of the optical module assemblies for adjusting distance between the two optical module assemblies. Each image generation device is movably connected to a corresponding one of the optical module assemblies, and project an image to a predetermined direction through its corresponding optical module assembly. Each second adjustment mechanism is movably connected to corresponding one of the image generation devices for adjusting a distance between the image generation device and the optical module assembly. The display module assembly and an electronic device in this disclosure can adjust an interpupillary distance and a diopter so as to adapt for different users.
US09989767B2 Spectacle lens for a display device that can be fitted on the head of a user and generates an image, and display device with such a spectacle lens
A spectacle lens for a display device can be fitted on the head of a user and generate an image. The front side and/or the rear side can be curved. A light guiding channel can guide-light bundles of pixels of the generated image, which are coupled into the spectacle lens via the coupling-in section and coupled out of the spectacle lens via the coupling-out section. The light guiding channel includes a first reflecting surface and a second reflecting surface spaced apart from the first reflecting surface, each of which extend in a direction from the coupling-in section to the coupling-out section. At least one of the two reflecting surfaces can be formed as a switchable layer which can be switched into a first and a second state. The reflectivity of the switchable layer in the first state is higher than in the second state.
US09989764B2 Systems, devices, and methods for eyebox expansion in wearable heads-up displays
Systems, devices, and methods for eyebox expansion by exit pupil replication in wearable heads-up displays (“WHUDs”) are described. A WHUD includes a scanning laser projector (“SLP”), a holographic combiner, and an optical splitter positioned in the optical path therebetween. The optical splitter receives light signals generated by the SLP and separates the light signals into N sub-ranges based on the point of incidence of each light signal at the optical splitter. The optical splitter redirects the light signals corresponding to respective ones of the N sub-ranges towards the holographic combiner effectively from respective ones of N spatially-separated virtual positions for the SLP. The holographic combiner converges the light signals to respective ones of N spatially-separated exit pupils at the eye of the user. In this way, multiple instances of the exit pupil are distributed over the area of the eye and the eyebox of the WHUD is expanded.
US09989756B2 Motion sensing and energy capturing apparatus, system and methods
Embodiments relate to systems and methods for motion sensing and energy capturing. In an embodiment, a motion sensing and energy capturing system comprises a plurality of piezoelectric elements configured to be arranged in a walking surface, each of the plurality of piezoelectric elements being identifiable relative to a portion of the walking surface; a communications module coupled with the plurality of piezoelectric elements; a processing engine configured to receive via the communications module activation data from at least one of the plurality of piezoelectric elements when the at least one of the piezoelectric elements is activated by activity on a corresponding portion of the walking surface, the activation data including time of activation data, and to process the activation data received for the walking surface over a period of time to identify a time-varying traffic pattern; a user interface configured to display the time-varying traffic pattern; and an energy capture element electrically coupled with the plurality of piezoelectric elements to receive energy produced by the at least one of the plurality of piezoelectric elements when the at least one of the piezoelectric elements is activated by activity on a corresponding portion of the walking surface.
US09989754B2 Light scanning microscope with spectral detection
A light scanning microscope with an illumination module switchable between an illumination with m number of spots and an illumination with n number of spots, a deflecting unit which moves the m or n spots in a predetermined sample region, and a detector module for confocal and spectrally resolved detection of the sample radiation. The detector module has a confocal diaphragm unit, a splitting unit which is arranged downstream of the confocal diaphragm unit, a detector, and an imaging unit which images the partial beams on the detector in a spatially separated manner. The confocal diaphragm unit is switchable between a confocal diaphragm with exactly m apertures for m-spot illumination and a confocal diaphragm with n apertures for n-spot illumination. The splitting unit has a first beam path for m-spot illumination and a second beam path for n-spot illumination. The splitting unit is switchable between the two beam paths.
US09989753B2 Centrosymmetric changer for optical elements
This invention minimizes the needed space for a changer device for optical elements which can be mounted in front or in the back or on either fork side of telescopes. It implements a design whose profile is circular and centrosymmetric and gravitanionally neutral in respect to the path of light of the surrounding optical devices as well as an optimized mechanical depth. This is achieved by moving the centrosymmetrically arranged optical elements individually into the optical path i.e. the central opening of the changing device in contrary to prior art designs wherein the optical elements are mounted on a revolving disk whose axis of rotation is not congruent with the optical axis. The invention minimizes the obstructing area and shape of the changing device as well as the gravitational stress on surrounding structures by incorporating a design with minimal space requirements.
US09989752B2 Electrowetting device
An electrowetting device is provided that includes a lower substrate and an upper substrate facing each other, a first electrode positioned on the lower substrate, an edge electrode positioned on the lower substrate and adjacent to an edge of the first electrode, a hydrophobic insulating layer positioned on the first electrode and the edge electrode, a partition positioned on the lower substrate, a second electrode positioned on the upper substrate, and a first liquid and a second liquid positioned between the upper substrate and the lower substrate, wherein an electric field of a portion where the edge electrode is positioned is smaller than an electric field of a portion where the first electrode is positioned.
US09989750B2 Sample processing improvements for microscopy
Among other things, a first surface is configured to receive a sample and is to be used in a microscopy device. There is a second surface to be moved into a predefined position relative to the first surface to form a sample space that is between the first surface and the second surface and contains at least part of the sample. There is a mechanism configured to move the second surface from an initial position into the predefined position to form the sample space. When the sample is in place on the first surface, the motion of the second surface includes a trajectory that is not solely a linear motion of the second surface towards the first surface.
US09989747B2 Upright and inverted microscope
A dual-configuration microscope is provided that may be converted into an upright or inverted microscope. The microscope includes a base and a body having a first portion and a second portion, wherein the body is rotatably coupled to the base. The microscope further includes an objective coupled to the first portion of the body, a condenser coupled to the second portion of the body and a stage positioned between the objective and the condenser. The microscope further includes a first and second knob configured to adjust the position of the objective, wherein the first knob is disposed proximal to the first portion of the body and the second knob is disposed proximal to the second portion of the body.
US09989740B2 Optical image capturing system
An optical image capturing system includes, along the optical axis in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens, a second lens, a third lens, a fourth lens, a fifth lens, a sixth lens, and a seventh lens. At least one lens among the first to the sixth lenses has positive refractive force. The seventh lens have negative refractive force, wherein both surfaces thereof can be aspheric, and at least one surface thereof has an inflection point. The lenses in the optical image capturing system which have refractive power include the first to the seventh lenses. The optical image capturing system can increase aperture value and improve the imagining quality for use in compact cameras.
US09989739B2 Optical image capturing system
An optical image capturing system includes, along the optical axis in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens, a second lens, a third lens, a fourth lens, a fifth lens, a sixth lens, and a seventh lens. At least one lens among the first to the sixth lenses has positive refractive force. The seventh lens can have negative refractive force, wherein both surfaces thereof are aspheric, and at least one surface thereof has an inflection point. The lenses in the optical image capturing system which have refractive power include the first to the seventh lenses. The optical image capturing system can increase aperture value and improve the imagining quality for use in compact cameras.
US09989714B2 Connecting optical part, optical processing apparatus, methods for fabricating connecting optical part, method for fabricating guide member product
An optical connecting part includes: a holder including an end face for optical connection, one or more optical waveguides and a through-hole, the optical waveguides having a portion extending from the end face in a direction of a first axis, the through-hole extending from the end face in the direction of the first axis; and a coating disposed on an inner surface of the through-hole, the coating having oil repellency. The coating on the inner surface of the through-hole forms a guide hole.
US09989713B1 Fluid control structure
An optical structure includes a substrate including a cavity on a first surface of the substrate, an optical component on the substrate and an adhesive applied to a side of the optical component to fix the optical component to the substrate. The optical component includes a recess on a second surface of the optical component, the second surface is opposed to the first surface of the substrate, and the recess is provided along an edge of the second surface.
US09989712B1 MPO connector assembly with push-pull tab
An optical fiber connector assembly comprising an MPO connector and a push-pull tab. The connector may have an outer housing and an inner housing extending beyond a rear end of the outer housing, the outer housing having a first protrusion and the inner housing having a second protrusion positioned at a distance from the first protrusion. The push-pull tab may comprise a main body and an extender coupled to the main body, the main body having a plurality of walls forming a passageway configured to receive the connector, the plurality of walls including a first wall having a window sized according to the distance between the first and second protrusions and configured to receive the first and second protrusions. In another embodiment, the push-pull tab may comprise a first piece and a second piece configured to couple to each other to form a passageway for receiving the connector.
US09989707B2 Enclosure for fiber optic/electrical system
A fiber optic and electrical connection system includes a fiber optic cable, a ruggedized fiber optic connector, a ruggedized fiber optic adapter, and a fiber optic enclosure. The cable includes one or more electrically conducting strength members. The connector, the adapter, and the enclosure each have one or more electrical conductors. The cable is terminated by the connector with the conductors of the connector in electrical communication with the strength members. The conductors of the connector electrically contact the conductors of the adapter when the connector and the adapter are mechanically connected. And, the conductors of the adapter electrically contact the conductors of the enclosure when the adapter is mounted on the enclosure.
US09989691B2 Lightguide and light source incorporating same
A lightguide (100) is disclosed. The lightguide includes a plurality of light extractors (120-123). Each light extractor is designed primarily to extract light that propagates within the lightguide and is incident on the light extractor from a first direction and reflect light that propagates within the lightguide and is incident on the light extractor from a second direction different than the first direction, toward another light extractor, where the other light extractor extracts the reflected light.
US09989690B2 Thermal expansion compensated backlight illumination
An electronic device includes a display frame, a light guide plate disposed within the display frame, and a light source disposed along an edge of the light guide plate. The light source is secured to the display frame. The electronic device further includes an enclosure in which the display frame and the light guide plate are disposed. The enclosure is configured to allow thermal expansion of the display frame and of the light guide plate. The light guide plate and the display frame have substantially similar coefficients of thermal expansion.
US09989687B2 Wave plate having consistent birefringence properties across the visible spectrum and manufacturing method for same
A wave plate capable of increasing a birefringence quantity and being made into a thin film, and a method of manufacturing the wave plate. The wave plate includes a substrate, whereon convex portions and concave portions are formed with a period less than or equal to the wavelength of light that is used therewith, columnar portions, wherein fine grains of a dielectric material are layered by oblique vapor deposition of a dielectric material from two directions, in a columnar shape on the convex portions in the vertical direction relative to the surface of the substrate, and interstices that are located on the concave portions and disposed between the columnar portions. Using birefringence from the fine grains of the dielectric material and birefringence from the concave/convex portions of the substrate allows increasing the birefringence quantity and making a thin film.
US09989685B2 Illumination optical apparatus, exposure apparatus, and exposure method with optical member with optical rotatory power to rotate linear polarization direction
An illumination optical apparatus illuminates a pattern on a mask with illumination light. The illumination optical apparatus includes an optical integrator arranged in an optical path of the illumination light, and a polarization member made of optical material with optical rotatory power, which is arranged in the optical path on an incidence side of the optical integrator, and which changes a polarization state of the illumination light. The illumination light from the polarization member is irradiated onto the pattern through a pupil plane of the illumination optical apparatus.
US09989683B2 Color filter and display device comprising the same
A color filter comprises a red color filter, a green color filter, and a blue color filter, wherein the green color filter comprises a cyan pigment satisfying the following equation: A ⁢ ⁢ 2 A ⁢ ⁢ 1 = 0 where A1 denotes the absorbance of the cyan pigment in a wavelength range of about 600 nm to about 700 nm and A2 denotes the absorbance of the cyan pigment in a wavelength range of about 450 nm to about 500 nm.
US09989679B2 Infrared transparent film
The invention relates to a thermal infrared transparent polymer film suitable for use in an identification device, said film comprising an infrared transparent polymer matrix with a pigment dispersed therein, wherein the thickness of the polymer film is greater than 30 micron and wherein the polymer film has an average transmission in the thermal infrared of greater than or equal to 0.5. Preferably, the pigment comprises an inorganic material. There is further provided a thin film, thermally reflective material (20) comprising the afore-mentioned infrared transparent film (21) and an infrared reflective layer provided on one surface thereof (22).
US09989675B2 Polarizing plate and image display device
A polarizing plate includes, in the following order, a pressure sensitive adhesive layer, a polarizer, and an outer side layer provided on a visible side rather than the polarizer side, the thickness of the outer side layer is >3 μm and ≤45 μm, the storage elastic modulus of the adhesive layer after lamination is 0.1 MPa to 2.0 MPa, and a hardness ratio (X/Y) is less than 1, when in measuring the hardness of the outer side layer in a depth direction at intervals of 1.5 μm from surface A thereof to a surface B on the polarizer side, the absolute value of the difference between an n-th and n+1 measured hardness (where n is an integer of 1 or more) is defined as the hardness difference (X), and the absolute value of the difference between the hardness of surface A and surface B is hardness difference (Y).
US09989673B2 Photonic crystal microsphere
A photonic crystal microsphere, comprising: a plurality of mono-dispersed polymer particles in a closely-packed and regularly-ordered structure, with interstition therebetween, forming the photonic crystal microsphere; and a co-assembly material contained in the interstition. The photonic crystal microsphere provides a structure of enhanced strength and a good color effect.
US09989670B2 Optical and electrical sensing of a multiphase fluid
Apparatus and methods for optical and electrical sensing different phases of a multiphase fluid. The apparatus includes a cylindrical member formed with an optically transparent material including a first end with a shaped tip and a second end operable to receive an optical conductor. The apparatus also includes first and second electrodes disposed on the cylindrical member operable to receive first and second electrical conductors, respectively.
US09989659B2 Methods and systems of retrieving seismic data by a data server
Retrieving seismic data by a data server. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods including: retrieving a seismic data slice from a seismic data volume, the datums logically organized in parallel layers, the retrieving by: sending a request for the seismic data slice from a client computer to a data sever over a network connection, the request spans at least a quarter of the layers in the seismic data volume, and the data server is remote from the client computer; extracting data values associated with the seismic data slice from the seismic data volume by the data server; sending, by the data server, datums residing within the seismic data slice, the sending such that at least some cache lines of a processor of the client computer filled responsive to the request comprise datums that span more than one layer; and then rendering the seismic data slice on a display device.
US09989658B2 Method of, and apparatus for, processing positron emission tomography data
A positron emission tomography (PET) data processing method comprises obtaining PET data from a PET detector, wherein the PET detector comprises an array of detector elements, and wherein the PET data is representative of a PET measurement of at least part of a subject. The method comprises identifying in the PET data a plurality of paired events, wherein each paired event comprises a first photon event in a first region of the PET detector and a second photon event in a second region of the PET detector. The first photon event comprises an energy deposition in a first detector element of the array or in a first detection region of the first detector element due to a scattering of a first photon at a first azimuthal scattering angle and an associated energy deposition by the scattered first photon in a second detector element of the array or in a second detection region of the first detector element or of the second detector element. The second photon event comprises an energy deposition in a third detector element of the array or in a third detection region of the third detector element due to a scattering of a second photon at a second azimuthal scattering angle and an associated energy deposition by the scattered second photon in a fourth detector element of the array or in a fourth detection region of the third detector element or of the fourth detector element. The method further comprises processing the PET data in dependence on the first and second azimuthal scattering angles for the paired events.
US09989649B2 Systems and methods for power efficient tracking
Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and method for power efficient tracking.
US09989648B2 Electronic device and reception control method
An electronic device includes: a satellite signal receiving section that receives a satellite signal with which positioning information is overlapped from a positioning satellite; a reception control section that controls driving of the satellite signal receiving section; and a detecting section that detects a state change of the electronic device, in which the reception control section allows the satellite signal receiving section to enter a driving state when the detecting section detects the state change to receive the satellite signal. According to this electronic device, it is possible to reduce a TTFF at the positioning start, and to reduce power consumption in the satellite signal reception.
US09989644B2 Use of wide area reference receiver network data to mitigate local area error sources
A system to mitigate errors in GPS corrections and ephemeris uncertainty data broadcast to a vehicle is presented. The system includes reference receivers in a first ground subsystem and a processor. The processor: receives, from reference receivers in a wide area network of reference receivers, satellite measurement data for a first plurality of satellites and receives, from the reference receivers in the first ground subsystem, satellite measurement data and ephemeris data from a second plurality of satellites; evaluate the satellite measurement data to determine if the GPS corrections are degraded by a current ionosphere disturbance activity; determine a current quality metric of the ionosphere; adjust a Vertical Ionosphere Gradient standard deviation sigma-vig; evaluate the ephemeris data to determine if the GPS corrections provided to the vehicle are degraded by ephemeris errors; and establish ephemeris uncertainty to protect integrity based on the evaluation of the ephemeris data.
US09989638B2 Adaptive filtering for FMCW interference mitigation in PMCW radar systems
A radar sensing system for a vehicle includes a transmitter, a receiver, a processor and an adaptive filter. The transmitter is configured to transmit a radio signal. The receiver is configured to receive radio signals that include the transmitted radio signal reflected from objects in the environment, as well as further including other radio signals transmitted from at least one other radar sensing system. The receiver is further configured to produce a sampled stream. The sampled stream is provided to the processor. The processor, responsive to further processing of the sampled stream, controls the adaptive filter to filter the sampled stream, such that the other radio signals transmitted from the at least one other radar sensing system are removed from the received radio signal.
US09989636B2 Multi-use detection system for work vehicle
A work vehicle may include a chassis, a plurality of ground-engaging devices connected to the chassis and configured to provide support and traction to the chassis along a ground surface, an operator station connected to the chassis, and a rear object detection system configured to detect a presence of an object in an area at least partially rearward of the operator station. The rear object detection system may be further configured to detect a presence of a depression of the ground surface in the area.
US09989629B1 Cross-talk mitigation using wavelength switching
A lidar system includes a lighting module configured to (i) select a wavelength from among a plurality of wavelength values, for a particular time period, and (ii) emit light at the selected wavelength. The lighting module emits light at different wavelengths during at least two adjacent periods of time. The lidar system further includes a scanner configured to direct the pulse of light to illuminate a respective region within a field of regard of the lidar system and a receiver module configured to (i) receive a light signal and (ii) determine whether the received light signal includes the light emitted by the lighting module and scattered by a remote target, based at least in part on the wavelength selected by the lighting module.
US09989628B2 Pulsed level gauge system with temperature-based control of pulse repetition frequency
The present invention relates to a method of controlling a pulsed radar level gauge system, comprising the steps of: acquiring a signal indicative of a present operating temperature; determining an initial frequency control parameter for control of at least one of transmission signal generating circuitry and reference signal generating circuitry based on the present operating temperature and a plurality of data sets each comprising data indicative of a previous operating temperature and a previously determined frequency control parameter for the previous operating temperature; and controlling, starting from the initial frequency control parameter, at least one of the transmission signal generating circuitry and the reference signal generating circuitry to achieve the known frequency difference between the first pulse repetition frequency and the second pulse repetition frequency at the present operating temperature.
US09989620B1 Estimating the location of a wireless terminal based on radio-frequency pattern matching and cooperative measurements
A method for estimating the location of a wireless terminal is disclosed that is based on using: the known location of one or more devices, empirical data that indicates the relative position of the wireless terminal to the devices, and empirical data that indicates the relative position of the wireless terminal (which is at an unknown location) relative to other wireless terminals that are also at unknown locations.
US09989610B2 Multiband slice accelerated imaging with balanced slice-selective gradients
A computer-implemented method for performing multi-band slice accelerated imaging includes performing a low-resolution fast multi-dimensional reference scan to obtain a coil sensitivity map. A multiband imaging scan is performed to acquire a plurality of k-space lines representative of an anatomical area of interest. A multi-band signal corresponding to the plurality of k-space lines is separated into a plurality of image slices using a parallel imaging reconstruction technique and the coil sensitivity map.
US09989603B2 Method and apparatus for local specific absorption rate reduction
The embodiments relate to a method, an MRI device, and a circuit for a magnetic resonance imaging device that includes at least one transmission coil for transmitting a magnetic field. The circuit includes a hybrid coupler and at least one phase shifter arranged in the transmission path between an amplifier and at least one transmission coil of the magnetic resonance imaging device.
US09989602B2 Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus and a power control method of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus
An MRI apparatus includes a data acquisition system, a charge/discharge element and a power control unit. The data acquisition system acquires nuclear magnetic resonance signals from an imaging region by performing a scan. The charge/discharge element is a part of an electric power system of the MRI apparatus, and is charged with external electric power. The power control unit controls the electric power system in such a manner that at least one unit excluding the data acquisition system is supplied with electric power from the charge/discharge element.
US09989601B2 Reconfigurable MRI-guided surgical apparatus
Apparatus associated with improved magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) guided needle biopsy procedures (e.g., breast needle biopsy) are described. One example apparatus includes a support structure configured to support a patient in a face-down prone position where a breast of the patient is positioned in a first free hanging pre-imaging position. The example apparatus includes an immobilization structure configured to reposition the breast into an immobilized position suitable for MRI and for medical instrument access. The immobilization structure may include a removable biopsy plate, a removable side coil, a pressure plate, and MRI coils. The MRI coils are configured to be repositioned from a first position associated with the free hanging pre-imaging position to a second position associated with the immobilized position to facilitate improving the signal to noise ratio associated with signal received from the breast through the MRI coils.
US09989600B2 Feeding circuit arrangement for supplying a radio frequency signal to a plurality of coil elements of a magnetic resonance coil system
A feeding circuit arrangement (18) supplies a radio frequency signal to a plurality of coil elements (14) of a magnetic resonance coil system (12). The circuit arrangement (18) includes a main line (20) for connecting a radio frequency signal source (16); a plurality of feeding lines (22), each feeding line (22) for connecting a corresponding coil element (14) of the coil system (14); a power divider (24) arranged between the main line (20) and the plurality of feeding lines (22) for distributing the signal on the main line (20) to each of the feeding lines (22). At least one of the feeding lines (22) includes a controllable switching circuit (26) with a switching element (28) for connecting/disconnecting of two resulting line sections (30, 32) of the feeding line (22), a first line section (30) on the divider side and a second line section (32) on the side connectable to the coil element (14). The switching circuit (26) further includes at least one connectable termination element (44) for line termination of the first line section (30) or the main line (20) includes a circulator device (60) interconnected with a termination (62).
US09989595B1 Methods for on-line, high-accuracy estimation of battery state of power
Some variations provide a method for real-time estimation of state of charge and state of power of a battery, comprising: (a) cycling a battery with a driving profile; (b) utilizing a recursive algorithm that relates battery terminal voltage to battery current, wherein the algorithm includes open-circuit voltage and a finite-impulse-response filter to dynamically model kinetic voltage; measuring the battery terminal voltage and the battery current at least at a first time and a second time during cycling; calculating battery open-circuit voltage and finite-impulse-response filter parameters; calculating battery state of charge based on the open-circuit voltage; and calculating battery state of power based on the open-circuit voltage and the finite-impulse-response filter parameters. An extended Kalman filtering technique is incorporated for real-time updating of FIR model parameters. Only a single FIR filter is necessary, making these methods applicable for battery-powered systems with limited computing and storage capabilities.
US09989583B2 Cross-bar unit for a test apparatus for circuit boards, and test apparatus containing the former
A cross-bar unit for a test apparatus for circuit boards having at least one cross-bar spanning a test field in which a circuit board to be tested may be placed, and is configured to hold positioning units for test fingers in a linearly traversable manner so that the test fingers are able to scan at least part of the test field. The cross-bar unit is configured to hold at least two linear guides, independent of one another, for guiding in each case at least one of the positioning units.
US09989582B2 Device for measuring threshold voltage of a transistor based on constant drain voltage and constant drain source current
A threshold voltage measuring device may include a metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) transistor, a drain voltage clamping circuit configured to control a drain voltage of the MOS transistor wherein the drain voltage having a substantially constant level, and a constant current supply circuit configured to cause a drain-source current to flow through the MOS transistor wherein the drain-source current having a substantially constant magnitude.
US09989581B2 Method and device for locating partial discharges in electric cables
Methods and devices for locating partial discharges in electric cables with a high-voltage source coupled to the cable to be tested, a decoupling unit connected to an end of the cable and a data-processing system that is connected via a sensor unit to the decoupling unit and that detects a partial discharge or partial discharges when they exist from the sensor signals. The methods and devices particularly distinguish themselves by a short evaluation duration for the locating process. This is done by detecting events, parameterizing the events identified as pulses, formation of pairs of the events identified as pulses and parameterized, classification of the event pairs, assignment of a partial discharge from the classification and determination of the location of the partial discharge(s) from the different in transit times between the respective partial discharge and its accompanying reflection.
US09989577B2 Continuity inspection device
In this continuity inspection device, a reference electrode plate held at ground potential is disposed along an intermediate portion of electric wires to be inspected for continuity, and a discharge path (positive charge leaking path) for static electricity charged on the electric wires after the continuity inspection is secured by the reference electrode plate. Thus, accumulation of static electricity after the continuity inspection on electric wires is avoided. Moreover, the electric potential of the static electricity charged on the electric wires by application of voltage to power supplying probes is measured by measuring equipment as the absolute potential with respect to the ground potential of the reference electrode plate through the surface potential of the terminals of the electric wires. Thus, the electric potential of the static electricity of the electric wires is accurately measured without being affected by cross talk due to stray capacitance between the electric wires.
US09989563B2 Disturbance rejection for current-measurement systems
Apparatus and associated methods relate to an in-hole current-measurement system having three or more magnetic-field sensors and a transient-disturbance selection module configured to form an output signal from a selected subset of sensor signals while decoupling the output signals from a non-selected subset of sensor signals during a predetermined time window when a disturbance signal is expected at the non-selected set of sensor signals. In an illustrative example, a disturbance producing operation may be performed on alternating subsets of sensors while the undisturbed subset of sensors measures an electrical current in the electrical conductor. For example, each selected subset of sensors may be aligned on an axis configured to be mounted perpendicular to current flow within a hole in the electrical conductor. Some embodiments may advantageously provide continuous electrical current measurement while being uninterrupted by the predetermined transient disturbances.
US09989562B2 Sensor and method for electric current measurement
A sensor of electric current including a fiber (1) from a soft magnetic material with a uniform cross-sectional area and uniform magnetic properties along its whole length, equipped with an excitation coil (2) wound on said fiber (1) with a uniform winding density along the substantially whole length and possibly equipped with a sensing coil (3) wound on said fiber (1) with uniform winding density along the substantially whole length, where said fiber (1) ends are mechanically joined to form a loop enclosing the measured current carrying conductor (4) by said fiber (1), wherein said excitation coil (2) is connected to the current output of a current source (5) through a current transducer (6) generating a current signal corresponding to the excitation current flowing through said excitation coil (2) wherein the sensor is equipped with a voltage transducer (7) generating a voltage signal corresponding to the voltage on the possibly present sensing coil (3) or on the excitation coil (2) wherein said voltage signal and said current signal are fed into a processor unit (8). The present disclosure also relates to a method for electric current measurement using said sensor.
US09989559B2 Serial bit stream regular expression with states
A test and measurement instrument includes a user interface and a controller. The controller is configured to receive a serial bit stream and apply a logic to the serial bit stream to identify states within the serial bit stream. The result of applying the logic to the serial bit stream is a combined state/bit stream. A regular expression can be applied to the combined state/bit stream: the regular expression can include state information. The controller is also configured to present output data through the user interface in response to the application of the regular expression to the combined state/bit stream.
US09989558B2 Probe head assemblies, components thereof, test systems including the same, and methods of operating the same
Probe head assemblies, components of probe head assemblies, test systems including the probe head assemblies and/or components thereof, and methods of operating the same. The probe head assemblies are configured to convey a plurality of test signals to and/or from a device under test and include a space transformer, a contacting assembly, and a riser that spatially separates the space transformer from the contacting assembly and conveys the plurality of test signals between the space transformer and the contacting assembly. The contacting assembly may include a frame that defines an aperture and has a coefficient of thermal expansion that is within a threshold difference of that of the device under test, a flexible dielectric body that is attached to the frame, maintained in tension by the frame, and extends across the aperture, and a plurality of conductive probes. The plurality of conductive probes may include a dual-faceted probe tip.
US09989557B2 System and method for analyzing electronic devices having opposing thermal components
A system for analyzing electronic devices is described. An input station receives a plurality of electronic devices. A pick-and-place transport apparatus having a pick up tip for engaging and transporting one of the electronic devices at a time from the input station to the electric machine interface station, disengaging from the electronic device, and moving away from the electronic device The pick up tip is movable for engaging the electronic device while at the electric machine interface station and transporting the electronic device away from the electric machine interface station to disengage the electronic devices from the electric machine interface. First and second thermal devices secured to the support structure on opposing sides of the electronic device when the electronic device is at the electric machine interface station to simultaneously transfer heat to or form the electronic device.
US09989552B2 Air movement visualization device
A portable device for checking wind direction discharges a visible, and optionally scented, vapor stream into the atmosphere in a well-defined reference direction. In some embodiments, the device includes a power source, a vessel having an internal plenum chamber storing a volume of air, a reservoir containing a vaporizable agent, a vaporizing element associated with the vaporizable agent, and a pressure switch. The vessel is deformable to generate an airflow that operates the pressure switch to temporarily connect the power source to the vaporizing element, thereby energizing the vaporizing element to generate vapor. The airflow also carries the vapor into the atmosphere as a visible vapor stream flowing in the reference direction. The reservoir and vaporizing element may be carried in a cartridge removably mounted on the device. Other embodiments operate similarly, but use alternative means for generating gaseous flow to operate the switch and/or carry vapor into the atmosphere.
US09989537B2 Methods and tools for vel blood group typing
The present invention relates to methods and tools for discriminating between Vel negative and Vel positive phenotypes. The invention is thus useful for determining Vel blood group status of individuals about to receive blood transfusion.
US09989523B2 Kits, compositions and methods for detecting a biological condition
The present invention provides kits, apparatus and methods for determining a biological condition in a mammalian subject, the method includes incubating a specimen from a patient with at least one composition in a kit for a predetermined period of time to form at least one reaction product, when the subject has said biological condition, and receiving an indication of the at least one reaction product responsive to at least one reporter element in the kit thereby providing the indication of the biological condition in the subject.
US09989519B1 Method for determining in vitro bioequivalence of a sucralfate suspension sample to a sucralfate suspension reference listed drug (RLD)
The invention provides methods for determining in vitro bioequivalence of a sucralfate suspension sample to a sucralfate suspension RLD.
US09989512B2 High pressure rock core testing
A method of performing a rock core flow performance test includes increasing a pressure applied to at least one surface of the rock core to a first pressure, measuring the pressure on a wellbore facing axial end of the rock core to determine a time interval over which the measured pressure drops from a second pressure to a third pressure, and determining a high pressure production ratio of the rock core based on the time interval.
US09989507B2 Detection and prevention of toxic gas
Various arrangements for detecting and mitigating toxic gases are presented. Components of a home automation system may be used to monitor gas concentrations in home. Changes or elevated levels of gas concentrations may trigger mitigation or diagnosis procedures. Diagnosis procedures may include correlating the gas sensor readings with the activity of components of a home to identify possible causality. The activity of components may be changed and altered to test correlations or determine causality between components.
US09989499B2 Detecting damage in an oilfield mixing device
Information relating to vibration of a rotating component of an oilfield mixing device is obtained. The oilfield mixing device is operable to blend oilfield materials while the rotating component rotates. Damage sustained by the rotating component is then determined based on the obtained information.
US09989492B1 Mobile electrochemical air quality meter
According to various embodiments of this disclosure, an electrochemical sensor/cell includes a substrate with a cavity formed on a first side of the substrate, an ionic conductor is disposed within the cavity, and a lid assembly positioned over the cavity. The lid assembly may include a plurality of electrodes attached to a glass or ceramic panel. The glass or ceramic panel may have one or more apertures allowing gas to flow therethrough. The plurality of electrodes include a working electrode configured to react a molecular species (e.g., gas or aerosolized substance) that diffuses through the one or more apertures, wherein said reaction produces ions mobile in the ionic conductor between two or more of the plurality of electrodes. The lid assembly may further include a three-phase interface positioned over at least a portion of the plurality of electrodes.
US09989489B2 Methods for calibrating an array of chemically-sensitive sensors
Methods and apparatus relating to very large scale FET arrays for analyte measurements. ChemFET (e.g., ISFET) arrays may be fabricated using conventional CMOS processing techniques based on improved FET pixel and array designs that increase measurement sensitivity and accuracy, and at the same time facilitate significantly small pixel sizes and dense arrays. Improved array control techniques provide for rapid data acquisition from large and dense arrays. Such arrays may be employed to detect a presence and/or concentration changes of various analyte types in a wide variety of chemical and/or biological processes. In one example, chemFET arrays facilitate DNA sequencing techniques based on monitoring changes in hydrogen ion concentration (pH), changes in other analyte concentration, and/or binding events associated with chemical processes relating to DNA synthesis.
US09989486B2 Induction thermography method
A method for induction thermography includes acquiring a plurality of images or an object at each of a plurality of imaging directions, and deriving a combined Fourier-transformed image from the images taken at different imaging directions to detect defects in the object.
US09989481B2 Rapid microwave phase detection with a solid state device
A solid state sensor may be used to down-convert microwave signal into a low-frequency voltage or current signal, where its phase still carries the information of a measured continuous wave (CW) microwave phase. Two CW microwaves may be mixed and a solid state sensor used to rectify the mixed microwave into a direct voltage or current signal. The measurement system may include an input node for receiving a microwave signal from a source from which the output microwave is coherently split into two parts by a microwave power divider. Each part may travel in a separate path and couple at the solid state sensor. A lock-in amplifier coupled to the solid state sensor may be used to determine simultaneously a magnitude and phase of the microwave signals received from the microwave source.
US09989474B2 Gas sensor, refrigerator having the same, and method for manufacturing the gas sensor
A gas sensor, a refrigerator having the gas sensor, and a method for controlling the gas sensor recognizes the ripening degree of a target food on the basis of a variation in color using a pH indicator having a color that is changed with pH variation generated when the pH indicator reacts with target gas, a refrigerator having the gas sensor. The gas sensor for detecting target gas includes: a base provided for gas permeation; and a detection unit provided at the base, and is discolored in response to pH variation generated when reacting with target gas having permeated the base.
US09989473B2 Portable liquid analyzer
A system is provided for identifying the presence of a target molecule or ion. The system comprises a solid support, and at least one chemical reagent applied to the solid support. Each chemical reagent produces a presumptive color indication that identifies or excludes the presence of a target molecule or ion.
US09989469B2 Sample analyzer and method for controlling a sample analyzer
Disclosed is a sample analyzer comprising: a sample measuring section including a detecting section for detecting a component contained in a sample and a flow path for feeding the sample to the detecting section; and a control section. The control section is programmed to automatically control the sample measuring section to flow a sample blank free of particles to the detecting section and detect a component contained in the sample blank to check a background of the detection after the sample measuring section performs washing of the flow path.
US09989467B2 Cointegration of optical waveguides, microfluidics, and electronics on sapphire substrates
A semiconductor structure includes a first optical waveguide and a second optical waveguide located on a sapphire substrate. The first optical waveguide and the second optical waveguide each include a core portion of gallium nitride (GaN), and a cladding layer laterally surrounding the core portion. The cladding layer includes a material having a refractive index less than a refractive index of the sapphire substrate.
US09989465B2 Multi-channel fluorescence detecting system and method of using the same
The present invention provides a multi-channel fluorescence detecting system for detecting a plurality of fluorescence labeled analytes. The multi-channel fluorescence detecting system comprises a light source, a light filter device, a dual branch light guide tube, and a detector. The light source comprises a plurality of sub light sources for respectively providing an excitation light. The plurality of sub light sources are a plurality of single color Light emitting diodes (LEDs) which can be selectively turned on or off. The light source generates a plurality of lights with full width at half maximum (FWHM) wavelengths formed in a non-overlap manner. With the disposition of the plurality of sub light sources, the accuracy for detecting the specific analytes is raised, the light flux with a specific wavelength band is effectively raised (without raising the light flux of the full wavelength band), the structure is simplified, and the manufacturing cost is decreased.
US09989461B2 Measuring device and non-transitory computer readable medium
A measuring device includes a light-emitting unit that radiates light onto an object, a first lens that changes a divergence degree of the light, a diaphragm having an aperture that reduces a diameter of the light, a second lens that converges and radiates the light onto the object, a light-receiving unit that receives at least part of the light that has been reflected by the object and that has passed through the second lens, a measuring unit that measures the object by using results related to the light-receiving unit, a reflector whose angle with respect to the light is adjustable, and a correction unit that varies a light-receiving position on the light-receiving unit by varying the reflector's angle and corrects a light amount of the light-emitting unit and a sensitivity of the light-receiving unit by using results obtained at each light-receiving position.
US09989457B2 System and assessment of reflective objects along a roadway
A system for classifying different types of sheeting materials of road signs depicted in a videostream compares estimated retroreflectivity values against known minimum retroreflectivity values for each of a plurality of colors. Once a road sign has been identified in the videostream, the frames associated with that road sign are analyzed to determine each of a plurality of colors present on the road sign. An estimated retroreflectivity for each of the plurality of colors present on the road sign is then determined. By comparing the estimated retroreflectivity for each of the plurality of colors against known minimum retroreflectivity values for the corresponding color for different types of sheeting materials, an accurate determination of the classification of the sheeting material of the road sign is established. Preferably, certain conditions of gross failure of the sheeting material are filtered out before classification of the sheeting material is determined.
US09989455B2 Method of testing electrode paste and method of manufacturing electrode
A method of testing an electrode paste for producing an electrode for a secondary battery includes preparing an electrode paste obtained by kneading at least active material particles and water dispersible binder particles in an aqueous solvent; performing centrifugation on the electrode paste and collecting a supernatant containing the binder particles, and a free active material; and measuring an absorbance of the supernatant at an evaluation wavelength by using a spectrophotometer, wherein the evaluation wavelength is determined based on a relationship between an average particle size of the binder particles and the absorbance of the supernatant such that a proportion of an absorbance resulting from the binder particles in the absorbance of the supernatant becomes equal to or less than 30%, the relationship being determined in advance; and determining a quality of the electrode paste, based on the absorbance of the supernatant at the evaluation wavelength.
US09989449B2 System and method for anatomical pathology sample handling, storage, and analysis
A carrier strip having a plurality of areas for retaining anatomical pathology specimens may have a backing, a cover coupled to the backing along side regions located along opposite longitudinal edges of the carrier strip and along lateral intermediate regions positioned between each of the plurality of areas for retaining anatomical pathology specimens. The carrier strip may be configured to individually retain each of the anatomical pathology specimens in one of the plurality of areas for retaining anatomical pathology specimens between the backing and the cover. Diagnostic studies of anatomical pathology specimens may be facilitated by distributing a digital copy of an image of the specimen may be to a pathologist. A diagnosis may be received from the pathologist based on the digital image of the specimen.
US09989447B1 Shape-preserving transformations of organic matter and compositions thereof
The present invention relates to methods of transforming organic matter into organic-inorganic composites, inorganic replicas, or conductive replicas. Organic matter, such as biological cells and tissue and organs, can be converted into such composites and replicas using the methods described herein. In particular, such methods transform organic matter (into inorganic, organic-inorganic, or conductive constructs), while simultaneously preserving microscopic and/or macroscopic structural detail.
US09989445B2 Device for taking air samples for the environmental microbiological control
A device comprises a main body equipped with at least one handle, three sampling chambers that are mounted outside the main body and a control unit. The three sampling chambers are independent of each other and protrude radially from a predefined portion of the main body. The control unit is device can effect multiple environment to be controlled programmed so that the samplings from an in one, two or three different positions in the space, remaining stationary.
US09989442B2 Hydraulic system sensor
A hydraulic system includes a hydraulic circuit and a sensor for sensing a characteristic of hydraulic fluid of the hydraulic circuit. An energy harvester is configured to harvest energy from the hydraulic circuit. A controller interfaces with the sensor and is powered at least in part by the energy harvester. Various types of sensors are employed, including pressure and temperature sensors. A battery may further be included for powering the controller in addition to the energy harvester.
US09989441B2 Tire holding apparatus and tire inspection system provided with said tire holding apparatus
A tire holding apparatus is provided with a first support part for supporting a tire, a second support part for supporting the tire, and an air supply and removal part for supplying and removing air from the inside of the tire. The second support part has a protrusion that protrudes toward the first support part. The air supply and removal part has a first flow path for allowing air to flow, a second flow path for allowing air to flow from an opening formed at the leading end of the protrusion to the inside of the tire, and a collection part that is attached to the opening and collects foreign matter that has been mixed into the second flow path from the inside of the tire.
US09989439B2 Method and data processing device for severity assessment of bearing defects using vibration energy
Method for detecting bearing defect severity based on bearing rotation speed and at least one data sample of sensor data obtained to measure vibrations of a bearing ring is provided. The method includes converting the data sample from time domain to frequency domain to obtain a signal frequency spectrum; determining a defect center frequency of the bearing using the rotation speed; and identifying a predetermined number of frequency peaks of the signal frequency spectrum. A total vibration energy in an overall frequency band including the predetermined number of frequency peaks is first determined; next, for each of the frequency peaks, a peak energy as a spectral energy of signal components giving rise to the frequency peaks is determined; calculating a bearing defect spectral energy using the peak energies; and finally a ratio of the bearing defect spectral energy and a total vibration energy to assess a defect severity is obtained.
US09989435B2 Electrically conductive polymers as sensing media to detect leaks in aerospace pneumatic ducts
A leak detection system for a high-temperature aerospace fluid duct may include a rigid metal fluid duct, an electrically conductive polymer disposed around the high-temperature fluid duct, the conductive polymer configured to melt in response to a leak of high-temperature fluid from the high-temperature fluid duct. The system may include a sensor configured to monitor at least one electrical characteristic of the electrically conductive polymer. The system may include a layer of insulation disposed between the electrically conductive polymer and the high-temperature fluid duct.
US09989434B2 System and method for providing an applied force indication
Certain embodiments provide a system and method for measurement of the force applied to a bone-conduction oscillator during application to a subject, resolving the measured force relative to a pre-determined criteria, and providing an indication to the user to specify whether an external force applied to an applied force indication system coupled with a bone-conduction oscillator is within a pre-determined acceptable range. A mechanical arrangement is prescribed which allows the full extent of the force applied to be represented onto the pressure measurement apparatus. The system and apparatus may be applied onto or integrated into bone-conduction oscillators.
US09989433B2 Piezoelectric measuring element for measuring the dynamic and static pressure and/or the temperature
A measuring element for measuring dynamic pressure, temperature and/or static pressure includes a body made of a piezoelectric material and having opposing side surfaces carrying electrodes. The piezoelectric material of the body is selected in such a manner that a thrust coefficient of the piezoelectric e-tensor is not equal to zero, with the result that the inverse piezoelectric effect can be used, and a transverse coefficient of the piezoelectric d-tensor is not equal to zero and/or a longitudinal coefficient of the piezoelectric d-tensor is not equal to zero, with the result that the transverse piezoelectric effect can be used in the transverse direction and/or the longitudinal piezoelectric effect can be used in the longitudinal direction in a simultaneous manner with the inverse piezoelectric effect.
US09989427B2 Force sensor
A force sensor includes: a base; a first movable portion arranged to face the base; a second movable portion arranged to face the first movable portion; a support that is provided on the base and rockably supports the first movable portion and the second movable portion; a joint that is provided to the support and rotatably supports the second movable portion; and a first detection unit that can detect a force component causing the first movable portion and the second movable portion to rock and a second detection unit that can detect a force component causing the second movable portion to rotate, when external force is applied to at least one of the first movable portion and the second movable portion.
US09989420B2 Temperature sensitive element and temperature sensor
A temperature sensitive element in a temperature sensor includes a covering member formed from alumina and aluminosilicate glass, and the volume ratio of the alumina to the aluminosilicate glass (the alumina/the aluminosilicate glass) in the covering member is 30 vol %/70 vol %. The aluminosilicate glass contained in the covering member is high heat-resistant glass having a softening point of 900° C. or higher. The covering member can hold output lines and pads and can restrain separation of the output lines from the pads and separation of the pads from a ceramic substrate even in an environment of higher temperature as compared with the case where the covering member is formed of the aluminosilicate glass only.
US09989418B2 Disc cavity thermocouple upgrade
An arrangement to prevent thermocouple chafing with a guide tube within a rotor disc cavity during gas turbine operation is provided. The arrangement includes an interstage seal housing, a guide tube, and a thermocouple including a tip portion, an elongated portion, a head portion, and an antichafing strip. The guide tube is disposed in a radially extending bore of the interstage seal housing. The tip portion extends radially inward into the rotor disc cavity, the elongated portion is disposed at least partially within the guide tube, and the head portion is disposed radially outward of the casing. The tip portion includes a temperature sensing element which measures the temperature of the rotor disc cavity. The antichafing strip is disposed along the length of the elongated portion so that it is at least partially disposed within the guide tube. A method to prevent premature gas turbine shutdown due to thermocouople failure is also provided.
US09989415B1 Method for creating uniformity compensation look-up table
A method for creating a uniformity compensation look-up table is revealed. The method includes the following steps. First measure a plurality of areas on a plane users intend to make uniform to get a measured value of the respective area. Then get a central uniform estimate of a center of the plane. Also get a linear skeleton according to the position of one of the measured values and the position of the central uniform estimate. Next get a plurality of skeletal uniform estimates on the linear skeletons respectively by interpolation or extrapolation of the measured values, the central uniform estimate, and the distance between the position of the measured values and the center of the plane. At last get a plurality of planar uniform estimates on the plane in turn according to the skeletal uniform estimates of the two adjacent linear skeletons to establish the look-up table.
US09989412B2 Low-noise spectroscopic imaging system
A spectral imaging device (12) includes an image sensor (28), an illumination source (14), a refractive, optical element (24A), a mover assembly (24C) (29), and a control system (30). The image sensor (28) acquires data to construct a two-dimensional spectral image (13A) during a data acquisition time (346). The illumination source (14) generates an illumination beam (16) that illuminates the sample (10) to create a modified beam (16I) that follow a beam path (16B) from the sample (10) to the image sensor (28). The refractive, optical element (24A) is spaced apart a separation distance (42) from the sample (10) along the beam path (16B). During the data acquisition time (346), the control system (30) controls the illumination source (14) to generate the illumination beam (16), controls the mover assembly (29) (24C) to modulate the separation distance (42), and controls the image sensor (28) to capture the data.
US09989402B1 Method for estimating the weight of a vehicle
A method estimating weight of a motor vehicle including front and rear wheel assemblies using a smart communication device after loading the vehicle, including: (i) identifying the vehicle in the smart communication device; (ii) using a camera of the smart communication device, capturing and processing a photograph of at least one vehicle wheel after loading to determine displacement of a corresponding wheel assembly; (iii) using at least one accelerometer or inclinometer of the smart communication device, measuring at least one tilt angle of the vehicle after loading to determine displacement of the opposite wheel assembly and the corresponding wheel assembly; (iv) using a calculation unit of the smart communication device, calculating load values on the corresponding and opposite wheel assemblies based on respective displacements of the wheel assemblies, to determine a total load vehicle value; and (v) indicating by the smart communication device a vehicle load state to the user.
US09989399B2 Liquid surface sensing device
A liquid surface sensing device includes a rotational body that is made of resin and rotates according to upward and downward motion of a surface of liquid in a container, a magnet that is held by the rotational body to rotate together with the rotational body, a stationary body that is fixed to the container and rotatably bears the rotational body, and a magnetoelectric conversion element that is embedded in the stationary body and detects a magnetic field generated by the magnet to output an electric signal indicating the liquid surface. The rotational body includes a storage space that accommodates the magnet, a resilient claw that projects into the storage space and is in contact with the magnet in its resiliently deformed state to press the magnet on a storage wall for the storage space, and a projection that projects from an opposite side of the magnet toward the resilient claw in the storage space and expands to be in contact with the resilient claw.
US09989393B2 System and method for monitoring mass flow stability at variable air flow rates in an air seeder
A method of monitoring a mass flow rate of product being applied with an agricultural implement includes the steps of: calibrating a pressure drop across a known distance in an air line at a number of air flow rates; metering a product at a desired application rate into the air line at a selected one of the air flow rates; establishing a pressure drop across the known distance at the selected air flow rate, while the product is being metered at the desired application rate; calculating a value of K1 dependent on the established pressure drop; estimating a mass flow rate of the product being applied, using the mathematical expression: log μ=−(1+ϵ)·log Fr+K1 where μ (mass loading ratio); Fr (Froude number); ϵ=calibration variable; and K1=constant for a given product being applied at a given mass flow rate.
US09989388B2 Optical fiber cable
Embodiments of the present invention provide a cable for optical fiber sensing applications formed from fiber wound around a cable core. A protective layer is then preferably placed over the top of the wound fiber, to protect the fiber, and to help keep it in place on the cable core. The cable core is preferably of a diameter to allow bend-insensitive fiber to be wound thereon with low bending losses. The effect of winding the fiber onto the cable core means that the longitudinal sensing resolution of the resulting cable is higher than simple straight fiber, when the cable is used with an optical fiber sensing system such as a DAS or DTS system. The achieved resolution for the resulting cable is a function of the fiber winding diameter and pitch, with a larger diameter and reduced winding pitch giving a higher longitudinal sensing resolution.
US09989387B2 Flow data acquisition and telemetry processing systems
Processing electronics provide flow data acquisition and telemetry for multiphase flow tomographic arrays. The processing electronics convert sensed flow condition data obtained by ultrasonic transceiver tomography arrays into a serial digital data to minimize both the number of external feedthroughs and also the bandwidth required for transmission. The processing electronics also sends the full measured waveforms from each of the transceivers in the tomographic arrays.
US09989376B2 Systems and methods for generating signature ambient sounds and maps thereof
Systems and methods are provided for generating signature ambient sounds and maps thereof to assist in navigation based on a start location, a destination location, start time and average walking speed. The maps are generated by concatenating two or more of the signature ambient sounds and two or more of voice based navigation guidance. The signature ambient sounds for up to all location coordinate pairs in a map, for up to all time ranges and for up to all walking speed ranges are generated and tagged to the corresponding location coordinate pair, the corresponding time range and the corresponding average walking speed. The signature ambient sounds are generated by applying digital signal processing techniques on ambient sounds recorded by client devices, that are filtered and outlier removed.
US09989372B2 Trip reranking for a journey planner
A method and system are disclosed for re-ranking trips from a journey planner using real traveler preferences. A trip request is received that includes an origin, a destination and a departure time. An associated journey planner retrieves a list of candidate trips that correspond to the request. A ranking function, ascertained from actual trips that match the trip request and from which are determined real-world traveler preferences, is applied to the list of candidate trips output by the journey planner, thereby re-ranking the list of candidate trips to reflect real-world traveler's experiences.
US09989361B2 Anomalous tide level fluctuation sensing device, anomalous tide level fluctuation sensing method, and anomalous tide level fluctuation sensing program
Provided is a technology for sensing anomalous tide level fluctuations to be used to monitor a tsunami, in which an estimated value of a sea surface fluctuation is obtained by conducting statistical processing or testing processing for a physical phenomenon of the tsunami displayed in image information. An anomalous tide level fluctuation sensing device according to this invention is configured to: detect a position of an object or a horizon, which fluctuates in association with a tide level, from within a video; and detect that the position fluctuates in a time cycle different from a time cycle of a tide or an ocean wave.
US09989354B2 Conveying apparatus
A conveying apparatus for transporting and for measuring an object includes a sensor having a light transmitter arranged at a conveyor belt and transmits first light beams in the direction of the conveyor belt. The sensor also has a light receiver that is arranged at the conveyor belt and that receives second light beams. The sensor further has an evaluation device for determining a dimension of the object by evaluating the received second light beams. The conveyor belt is an endless conveyor belt that is driven by at least one drive unit and that moves in a main conveying direction. At least one gap is provided in the endless conveyor belt free of interruption, through which gap the first light beams pass, and the first light beams form a scan plane in the at least one gap transversely to the main conveying direction of the conveyor belt.
US09989353B2 Registering of a scene disintegrating into clusters with position tracking
A method for optically scanning and measuring a scene by a laser scanner includes generating multiple scans; tracking scanner positions with a position-tracking device for the multiple scans and providing tracked scanner positions in response; registering sequentially scans selected from the multiple scans into clusters using registration points or targets and confirming registration of the scans into the clusters according to specified quality criteria being fulfilled; selecting scans from the clusters and forming pairs of scans; forming an intersection of the selected pairs and comparing a size of the intersection with a threshold value obtained based at least in part on the tracked scanner positions; and attempting to register the pairs of scans if the size of the intersection exceeds the threshold value and accepting the registered pairs of scans if the registration is successful.
US09989351B2 Tomographic image capturing device
The tomographic image capturing device of the present invention comprises a display means (18) configured to: split light from a light source (11) into measurement light and reference light and cause the measurement light and the reference light to be incident to an object (E) and a reference object (49), respectively; capture tomographic images of the object (E) on the basis of interference light generated by superposition of the measurement light reflected from the object (E) and the reference light reflected from the reference object (49); and display tomographic pictures of the object generated on the basis of the captured tomographic images. The tomographic image capturing device has a first image capturing mode and a second image capturing mode. The first image capturing mode is a mode in which the measurement light is two-dimensionally scanned by raster scan to be incident to the object (E) and the tomographic images of the object (E) are captured. The second image capturing mode is a mode in which the measurement light is two-dimensionally scanned by raster scan to be incident to the object (E) and the tomographic images of the object (E) are captured. The raster scan in the second image capturing mode is thinned from the raster scan in the first image capturing mode. The display means (18) is configured to be switchable between a first display mode and a second display mode. The first display mode is a mode in which a plurality of tomographic pictures including a region of interest of the object (E) is selected from among the tomographic pictures generated on the basis of the tomographic images captured in the second image capturing mode and only the selected plurality of tomographic pictures is displayed. The second display mode is a mode in which all of the tomographic pictures generated on the basis of the tomographic images captured in the second image capturing mode are in turn displayed. The capturing of the tomographic images in the first image capturing mode is performed after separately performing a first adjustment operation and a second adjustment operation for adjustment of an image capturing condition necessary for capturing the tomographic images in the first image capturing mode. The first adjustment operation is based on the tomographic pictures displayed in the first display mode. The second adjustment operation is based on the tomographic pictures displayed in the second display mode.
US09989344B2 Method of producing an explosive emulsion composition
A method of producing an explosive composition comprising a liquid energetic material and sensitizing voids, the sensitizing voids being present in the liquid energetic material with a non-random distribution, which method comprises: providing a flow of liquid energetic material; and delivering sensitizing voids into the flow of liquid energetic material in a series of pulses to provide regions in the liquid energetic material in which sensitizing voids are sufficiently concentrated to render those regions detonable and regions in the liquid energetic material in which the sensitizing voids are not so concentrated.
US09989337B2 Dart scoring system
A dart game system comprising a steel-tipped dart, a sisal dart board, at least one first mobile computing scoring device comprising a scoring interface, and a remote mobile computing device adapted to receive the scoring interface from the at least one scoring device for display of real-time dart game scores at a remote location.
US09989328B2 System and method for firearm rail cover
A rail insert is disclosed. The rail insert includes a backing member, at least one locating pin connected to the backing member, and at least one locking pin connected to the backing member. The backing member has a rail side and a grip side. The at least one locking pin has at least one compressible member.
US09989323B2 Method of cleaning a vehicle heat exchanger
A method for automatically cleaning a vehicle's heat exchanger or air filter is provided. In use, once the system determines that the heat exchanger/air filter should be cleaned, for example based on total operational time or the number of use cycles or air flow, the system temporarily reverses the direction of the corresponding fan assembly, thereby reversing the flow of air through the heat exchanger/air filter and forcing out dust, dirt and other debris.
US09989312B2 Channel inductor
A channel inductor of a channel induction furnace, the channel inductor comprising (a) a channel liner and (b) a back-up liner that supports the channel liner such that the integrity of the channel liner is not compromised during heat-up, dry-out, or operation of the channel induction furnace.
US09989309B1 Condenser assembly for an apparatus for removing liquid from a suspension
A condenser assembly comprises: a main cabinet; one or more filters mounted to a filter frame that is moveable between a first (operating) position within the main cabinet and a second (maintenance) position substantially outside of the main cabinet; and a condenser box that is moveable between a first (operating) position within the main cabinet and a second (maintenance) position substantially outside of the main cabinet. In some applications, the condenser assembly is part of an apparatus for removing liquid from a suspension.
US09989308B2 Hand dryer
A hand dryer comprising a jetting nozzle comprising a duct in fluid communication with a slot which forms a nozzle outlet, and a blower which blows air through the jetting nozzle to produce an air jet. The jetting nozzle is configured such that the angle of inclination of the air jet with respect to a direction which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the slot varies in the longitudinal direction of the slot.
US09989298B1 Powered adjustable shelf for refrigerator appliance
A refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet and a powered track disposed within the cabinet for receiving adjustable shelves at various shelf mounting positions. The powered track can include a first and a second power bus in electrical communication with a power source. The adjustable shelf can include a first electrical connector and a second electrical connector that are biased in electrical communication with the first and second power bus, respectively, when the adjustable shelf is mounted to the powered track.
US09989296B2 System for regulating temperature of water within a food, ice, beverage cooler, or the like
A cooling system for containers holding chilled foods and beverages within chilled water, is defined by a thermally insulated cooler or other chilling vessel including a quantity of ice, water, food, and/or beverages, and a safely comestible liquid having a lower freezing point than water mixed in the water, the chilling vessel having an input conduit and an output conduit originating in the vicinity of the chilling vessel. In thermal communication with input and output conduits of the chilling vessel is an endothermic element for removal of heat from a defined ambient geometry about the endothermic element, the ambient geometry forming a part of a liquid loop including liquids within the chilling vessel and the endothermic element. Also included is a thermostat in thermoelectric communication between the chilling vessel output conduit and a compressor within the refrigeration circuit, the thermostat for regulating a power input to the compressor to control a temperature of re-circulated liquids to the chilling vessel to a temperature suitable for comestibles stored within liquids in the chilling vessel.
US09989294B2 Ice-cutting machines
Ice-cutting machine comprising a cylindrical tank (1) on the upper portion of which two circular blades (2) are arranged, being raised at a certain height above a supporting assembly (3), which constitutes the supporting base of the cylindrical bars, provided with one rotation motor (4) and another translation motor (5) that impart a compound rotational and translational motion, wherein the supporting assembly (3) is provided with two crescent-shaped supports (3.1) that have a ramp (3.2), which prevents the ice bars from being damaged by the teeth of the blades; the blades are fixed by means of screws (2.2); the cylindrical tank (1) is provided with a register flap (6) and the rotation motor (4) is fixed on a platform (8) which in turn is fixed to the cylindrical tank (1), and the rotation motor (4) and platform assembly is covered by a casing (8).
US09989293B1 Ice dispensing and metering system and methods
An ice dispensing assembly includes a hopper, a metering disk, a shelf member, and a separating wall. The hopper includes an outlet opening defined in a bottom end of the hopper, and an ice inlet defined in a top end of the hopper. The metering disk is positioned in the hopper and includes a plurality of cavities. The shelf member is arranged to at least partially shield the cavities from a supply of ice held in the hopper. The metering disk is rotatable relative to the hopper between a first position wherein at least one cavity is exposed to the supply of ice to be filled with ice, and a second position wherein the cavity is separated from the supply of ice by the separating wall and ice in the cavity is dispensed through the outlet opening.
US09989288B2 System for managing lubricant levels in tandem compressor assemblies of an HVAC system
The present invention provides a control system for managing lubricant levels in tandem compressor assemblies of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. In transitioning from a partial load that operates a first compressor but not a second compressor of a tandem assembly to a full load that operates both the first and the second compressor, a controller of the HVAC system turns OFF both compressors of the tandem compressor assembly to allow time for lubricant levels to equalize between the first and the second compressor.
US09989286B2 Compressor operation management in air conditioners
In various implementations, an air conditioning system may include one or more compressors. The operation of the compressor(s) may be managed. For example, when an air conditioner is allowed to operate after being shut down, a first compressor may be allowed to operate and a wait time may elapse prior to starting at least one other compressor. When a compressor has multiple stages of operation, in some implementations, a first compressor may be allowed to operate at a low stage and a wait time may elapse prior to starting a higher stage of operation of the first compressor.
US09989269B2 Dehumidifier
Disclosed is a dehumidifier, having a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator through which refrigerant is circulated, including a casing having an air inlet and an air outlet formed therein, a first passage for drawing air through the air inlet, and discharging the air through the air outlet after passed through the evaporator, the condenser, a first fan, and a second fan in succession, and a second passage for drawing the air through the air inlet and discharging the air through the air outlet after passed through the second fan, thereby, not only increasing the flow rate of the air passing through the condenser enabling to reduce a condensing temperature, but also discharging the air passed through the condenser mixed with the air drawn into the second passage enabling to drop the temperature of the air being discharged to the air outlet, permitting to resolve user's inconvenience.
US09989263B2 Radiator
The invention relates to a radiator (1, 11) with a heating water duct system, within which heating water is able to be transported from a heating water intake (3, 15) to a heating water outlet (4, 16),wherein the heating water duct system comprises: heating segments (5,6,12,13,14) with respectively an internal cavity for receiving heating water, which in a ready-to-operate state of the radiator (1, 11) are arranged over one another in gravitation direction, and which respectively have an inlet opening for the supply of heating water and an outlet opening for the removal of heating water; a connecting pipe (7, 17), which connects the outlet opening of a first heating segment (5, 12) with the inlet opening of a second heating segment (6, 13); wherein the heating water inlet (3, 15) is connected to the inlet opening of the first heating segment (5, 12), and wherein the second heating segment (6, 13) in the ready-to-operate state of the radiator (1, 11), viewed in gravitation direction, is arranged above the first heating segment (5, 12).
US09989262B2 Appliance thermal management systems
A thermal appliance is provided. The thermal appliance includes a heating compartment inside of an enclosure, with insulation disposed between the heating compartment and enclosure. Retainers or standoffs are also included in the thermal appliance to prevent air gaps from forming between the insulation and the heating compartment, and to prevent the insulation from making contact with the enclosure.
US09989260B2 Staged fuel and air injection in combustion systems of gas turbines
A gas turbine that includes: a combustor coupled to a turbine that define a working fluid flowpath; a compressor discharge cavity; a staged injection system that includes the forward injector and a staged injector; a stator blade positioned extending across the working fluid flowpath between an inboard sidewall and an outboard sidewall. A one-way continuous coolant flowpath that includes: an intake section that comprises an upstream port connected to the compressor discharge cavity and a downstream port formed through one of the inboard and outboard sidewalls; an outtake section that comprises a downstream port connected to the staged injector and an upstream port formed through the other one of the inboard and outboard sidewalls; and a cooling circuit extending through an interior of the airfoil of the stator blade and connecting to the downstream port of the intake section and the upstream port of the outtake section.
US09989249B2 Inward firing multiple zoned gas burner
An inward firing multi burner system is provided that can modulate its output and have two or more independent gas/air supplies firing via multiple burners in the same burner cylinder or burner head compartment. Independent control of one or more of gas/air supplies to the multiple burners yields a comparatively large modulation range.
US09989235B2 LED module and luminaire comprising said module
A LED module comprising at least one LED mounted on a thermo-conducting flat substrate, said LED module being adapted for being used together with a TIM and a heat sink, said thermo-conducting flat substrate being adapted for spreading heat from said LED module through said TIM to said heat sink, said thermo-conducting flat substrate comprising a plurality of fastener eyes, each of said fastener eyes being adopted for receiving a fastener such as a screw or a rivet for mounting said thermo-conducting flat substrate to said heat sink, wherein said thermo-conducting flat substrate comprises integrally formed deformable zones in vicinity of each of said plurality of fastener eyes, said integrally formed deformable zones being coherent with said thermo-conducting flat substrate.
US09989230B2 Balloon-type illumination device and projector
The present invention simplifies the system of power lines from the power source of a balloon-type illumination device to the inside of the balloon. The balloon-type illumination device (1) is provided with: a balloon (2); a discharge lamp (3) provided within the balloon (2); a blower (4) that is provided within the balloon (2) and inflates the balloon (2); a ballast (5) that performs stabilized power supply to the discharge lamp (3) and is provided outside the balloon (2); and a power source circuit (6) that is provided within the balloon (2) and is for sending, to the blower (4), a portion of the power to be supplied to the discharge lamp (3).
US09989227B2 Decorative light
A decorative light can include: a lamp case defining a hollow interior region and having an open front end; a beam splitter located inside the lamp case, the beam splitter defining an interior region; a lighting module located within the interior region of the beam splitter, the lighting module including a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) located thereon; a motor located inside the lamp case, the motor coupled to the beam splitter and adapted to rotate the beam splitter with respect to the lighting module; and a front lens mounted to the open front end of the lamp case. A convertible support stand for an outdoor lighting product is also discussed.
US09989226B2 Up—down tree lighting
Improvements in an up-down lighting fixture that is mountable to a trunk or branch at whatever elevation that is desired to provide the required illumination to light the fronds, head or a tree as well and some lighting can be directed downward to illuminate the ground or a pathway under the tree or a wall. The lighting is secured to a tree with a first bracket that is secured to the tree and a second lighting frame that is then secured to the tree brackets. The frame is constructed from aluminum or other metals and further coated or painted to blend with the color of the trunk of the tree. The system includes optional field adjustable switched to allow for multiple levels of illumination. The lighting optics can include multiple LED color temperatures to adjust the lighting for the surroundings or to provide a desired ambiance.
US09989216B2 Interior exterior moving designs
An illumination apparatus for a vehicle is disclosed. The illumination apparatus comprises at least one vehicle panel having a first photoluminescent portion and a second photoluminescent portion. The first photoluminescent portion has a first luminescent absorption range and the second photoluminescent portion has a second luminescent absorption range. The illumination apparatus further comprises a first light source configured to emit a first emission at a first wavelength, wherein the first wavelength is within the first absorption range and outside the second absorption range.
US09989213B2 Lighting device with optical reflector, luminaire having such lighting device and method of manufacturing a compact optical reflector
The invention relates to a lighting device comprising: an optical reflector (200, 500) which has an interior surface (201); and a light source (205, 505); wherein the interior surface has a plurality of facets (203) that form a Fresnel structure-like reflecting surface (202), and the interior surface may further have a cone (504) so as to avoid light from the light source being reflected back to the light source; wherein at least part of the light from the light resource is reflected by the optical reflector into an output direction. The invention also relates to a luminaire which comprises the lighting device according to the invention. The invention further relates to a method of manufacturing an optical reflector for a spot lighting lamp. The method comprises forming (S01) a bowl-like structure that has an opening for emitting light and that has a Fresnel structure on the interior surface of the bowl-like structure.
US09989205B2 Wall grazer light fixture
Wall grazer light fixtures that are configured to illuminate portions of walls are provided. In one embodiment, a wall grazer light fixture can include one or more first light sources for providing wide angle illumination along a wall. In addition, the wall grazer light fixture can include one or more second light sources arranged in the wall grazer light fixture to provide vertical illumination along the wall. In some embodiments, the wall grazer light fixture can include a circuit configured to adjust a color temperature of the first light source(s) and/or the second light source(s) such that the color temperature of the first light source(s) matches the color temperature of the second light source(s).
US09989203B2 Lighting device comprising phosphor arrangement and laser
A lighting device comprising a phosphor arrangement (2) having a phosphor region (31-33), a first laser (5) for irradiating a part of the phosphor region (31-33) with a first laser radiation. The phosphor region (31-33) has at least one phosphor which can be irradiated by the first laser radiation and re-emits the first laser radiation at least partly in a manner wavelength-converted into colored light having a first light color. A second laser (6) is configured for emitting a second laser radiation having a second light color. The second light color of the second laser radiation is identical in color to the first light color of the wavelength-converted colored light. The lighting device is configured to simultaneously emit the second laser radiation and the wavelength-converted colored light of identical color emitted by the phosphor.
US09989202B2 Light emitting device with diffuser and light reflector
A light emitting device and a projection system adopting same. The light emitting device comprises a coherent source generating coherent light, a diffusing element, and a light guide part. The diffusing element includes a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other. The diffusing element disperses the coherent light to generate incoherent light. The light guide part is provided on the side of the first surface of the diffusing element and guides the coherent light from the coherent source onto the first surface to form a first light path, guides a part of incoherent light from the first surface through the first light path, guides the remaining incoherent light through a second path, and separates the first and second light paths. The luminous flux of the incoherent light emitting through the first light path is less than that of the incoherent light emitting through the second light path.
US09989199B2 Illumination device and light-emitting module thereof
The instant disclosure provides an illumination device and a light-emitting module thereof. The light-emitting module includes a cover structure, a light-emitting structure and an assembled type capacitor assembly. The cover structure has a through opening. The light-emitting structure includes a circuit substrate disposed under the cover structure and a plurality of light-emitting elements disposed on the circuit substrate and exposed from the through opening. The assembled type capacitor assembly includes at least one assembled type capacitor electrically connected the circuit substrate through an assembled type electrical connection assembly, and the at least one assembled type capacitor is separated from the circuit substrate.
US09989189B1 Straps for pipe insulation
A piping strapping and insulation system provides a pair of strap assemblies which act to close a seam portion of an insulation structure around a correspondingly-shaped existing piping member such as a pipe, a valve, a pressure vessel, or the like. The straps are removably attached the insulation structure to allow disassembly and reuse of the strapping. It is envisioned that the piping insulation structures would be available in various sizes and shapes which correspond to differently shaped existing piping members.
US09989184B2 Fitting for an exhaust pipe
A fitting for the mounting of an exhaust probe on an exhaust pipe with a base body having a central axis and secured to the exhaust pipe, with a bearing part having a longitudinal axis to accommodate the exhaust probe, wherein the bearing part and the base body are at least two-part and the bearing part can be secured in the base body in various positions, P1, P2.
US09989183B2 Unbonded flexible pipe and an offshore system comprising an unbonded flexible pipe
An unbonded flexible pipe for offshore transportation of fluids from a subsea facility. The unbonded flexible pipe has a length along a longitudinal center axis, and a first and a second end, and a first end fitting connected to the first end. The unbonded flexible pipe comprises from inside and out an electrically conductive carcass, an electrically insulating innermost sealing sheath, at least one electrically conductive armor layer comprising at least one helically wound electrically conductive wire and an electrically insulating outer sealing sheath. At least the electrically conductive layers are mechanically terminated in the first end fitting and the pipe comprises electrical connections arranged to apply a voltage over the electrically conductive layers which electrically conductive layers are electrically connected at a distance along the length of the unbonded flexible pipe from the first end fitting of the unbonded flexible pipe to provide an electric circuit.
US09989179B2 Attachment for different air valve
An air valve connecting device or attachment includes a mouth engaged in a housing and having a compartment for engaging with either a US or French inflation valve, an actuator slidably engaged in the housing and engageable with the mouth, a tube slidably engaged in the actuator for selectively engaging with the inflation valve, and extendible into the mouth for selectively engaging with the other inflation valve, one or more catches are slidably engaged in the actuator and engageable into the actuator for engaging with the tube and for retaining the tube to the actuator, and a cam member is engageable with the actuator for forcing the actuator to compress the mouth and to grasp the inflation valve to the housing.
US09989176B2 Bulkhead fitting assembly and method of sealing a bulkhead opening
A method of sealing an opening in a bulkhead with a fitting assembly having a tube, a mounting flange, a thermal shell, an adapter, a bushing, and a jam nut may include inserting the tube through the opening; placing the mounting flange against the bulkhead, the mounting flange attached to the thermal shell, the thermal shell attached to the tube, and the mounting flange attached to the adapter so that the adapter extends away from the mounting flange and from the thermal shell through the opening; forming an air pocket by spacing a portion of the thermal shell away from the tube; placing the bushing on the adapter; and tightening the jam nut on the adapter to sandwich the bulkhead between the mounting flange and the bushing to form a seal between the mounting flange and the bushing to seal the opening.
US09989170B2 Strap for suspending wires that is reconfigurable for various attachment systems
A strap assembly which may be attached to an overhead hanger is molded with three components used for suspending wires or pipes from an overhead structure such that the three components may be sold and shipped as a single unit, then singulated by the user to use separately. One component is a strap for forming a saddle to hold wires, pipes, and the like; a second component is a dual-function fastener which may be used to permanently attach the strap to a connector, such as a multifunction clip and temporarily fasten the other end of the strap to itself; a third component is a protective tip which may be pushed onto the end of the hanger. The dual-function fastener may be used alone for other purposes.
US09989169B2 Conduit clamp for strut channel
A conduit clamp includes a first coupling component configured for attachment to a first attachment structure of a strut channel and a second coupling component different from the first coupling component and configured for attachment to a second attachment structure of a strut channel.
US09989162B2 Dual cartridge temperature control valve
A dual cartridge temperature control valve having a self-contained, top loading bonnet cartridge and a self-contained, bottom loading seat cartridge. The control valve body may include internally configured pressure channels configured to mate with the upstream and downstream pressure channels of a control valve actuator having internally integrated pressure channels.
US09989158B2 Valve
A valve is described including a valve seat defining a first port and a second port and an angularly movable valve member having a first face and a second face. The valve member is movable between a closed position in which the first face thereof, or a valve element associated therewith, closes at least one of the ports and an open position. The valve member defines a first flow passage and a second flow passage, each flow passage communicating with a chamber defined, at least in part, by the second face of the valve member. At least the first flow passage defines or includes a flow director to impart a circumferential or tangential component to the fluid flow therethrough.
US09989157B2 Valve vented redundant stem seal system
A valve stem packing assembly can seal a valve stem to a valve body having a body cavity. The packing assembly includes a packing ring circumscribing the valve stem within a stem opening extending axially through the valve body. A primary dynamic seal is positioned to seal a dynamic leak path between the packing ring and the valve stem. A secondary dynamic seal is spaced axially apart and functionally independent from the primary dynamic seal and positioned to redundantly seal the dynamic leak path. A primary static seal is positioned to seal a static leak path between the packing ring and the valve body. A secondary static seal is spaced axially apart and functionally independent from the primary static seal and positioned to redundantly seal the static leak path.
US09989156B2 Pressure control valve with control element
The invention relates to a pressure control valve, composed of at least a valve component; situated between a control chamber and a return chamber, the valve component has an orifice, which a control element can close, partially close, or open, and the control element has at least one, at least truncated cone-like first control element region with a truncated cone angle and the orifice is formed by a through opening, which extends through the orifice element and at its end oriented toward the control element, has at least one cone-like, in particular first, orifice region with a cone angle; and the cone angle is greater than the truncated cone angle.
US09989149B2 Shift control method for vehicle with dual clutch transmission
A shift control method for a vehicle with a Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) includes comparing, by a controller, a current clutch temperature with a first predetermined reference value and a second predetermined reference value, the second predetermined reference value being greater than the first reference value, preventing, by the controller, coaxial power-on downshifting when the clutch temperature is greater than the first reference value, and reducing, by the controller, a shift time by preventing coaxial power-on downshifting when the clutch temperature is greater than the second reference value and then increasing a shift speed when biaxial full skip shifting is required.
US09989141B2 Fastening structure for fastening driven member to strain wave gearing device unit, and strain wave gearing device unit
A press plate is tacked to a boss of a cup-shaped flexible externally toothed gear of a wave gear device unit. A second arm as a driven member is attached by a fastening bolt to an end surface on an outer side of an output flange of the wave gear device unit. The fastening bolt is screwed into and secured in a tap hole of the press plate from each bolt insertion hole of the second arm, via a flange-side bolt insertion hole and a boss-side bolt insertion hole. A fastening structure can be achieved in which a driven member is fastened to a wave gear device unit in which holes are easily machined into the output flange, and only a few fastening bolts are needed to fasten the boss, the output flange, and the driven member.
US09989138B2 Integrated drive generator having a variable input speed and constant output frequency and method of driving
An integrated drive generator having a variable input speed and constant output frequency, where the integrated drive generator includes a generator disposed about a first centerline. Also included is a hydraulic trimming device disposed about a second centerline. Further included is an epicyclic differential having a ring gear and a sun gear, wherein at least one of the ring gear and the sun gear drives the generator at a constant output frequency, wherein the epicyclic differential is disposed about a third centerline, wherein the third centerline is coaxial with the second centerline.
US09989137B2 Direct drive hydrostatic transmission
A hydrostatic driveline and method of operating a hydrostatic driveline is provided. The hydrostatic driveline comprises a power source, hydrostatic pump, a hydrostatic motor, a direct drive link, a first transmission portion, and a second transmission portion. The direct drive link is in driving engagement with at least one of the power source and the hydrostatic pump. The first transmission portion is in driving engagement with a vehicle output and the hydrostatic motor. The second transmission portion is in driving engagement with the direct drive link and at least one of the vehicle output and the first transmission portion. The hydrostatic pump, the hydrostatic motor, and the first transmission portion form a first power path for the hydrostatic driveline and the direct drive link and the second transmission portion form a second power path for the hydrostatic driveline.
US09989135B2 Hydrokinetic torque coupling device for a motor vehicle
The invention relates to a hydrokinetic torque coupling device for a motor vehicle, comprising a torque input element (11) intended to be coupled to a crankshaft (1), an impeller wheel (3) rotationally coupled to the torque input element (11) and able to hydrokinetically drive a turbine wheel (4) through a reactor (5), a torque output element (8) intended to be coupled to a transmission input shaft (2), clutch means (10) adapted to rotationally couple the torque input element (11) and the torque output element (8) in an engaged position, through damping means (22, 26), and adapted to rotationally uncouple the torque input element (11) and the torque output element (8) in a disengaged position.
US09989131B2 Chain guide
A chain guide is provided that allows for stable running of a chain, causes less wear or damage on the inner surface of mounting holes or on mounting shafts, and improves the durability without increasing production cost. The guide shoe includes a guide rail and a unit holding part that accommodates a reinforcing unit inserted thereinto from the backside of the guide rail. The reinforcing unit includes a plate and a spacer. The plate and spacer are aligned in a guide width direction, so that a plate through hole and a spacer through hole are continuous in the guide width direction, and are disposed in the unit holding part 22.
US09989130B2 Compression limiter retention for a chain guide
A compression limiter retainer arrangement for a plastic chain guide is provided that minimizes the packaging requirements. The plastic chain guide contains an oblong aperture and a round aperture for mounting to an internal combustion engine. At least one radially inward protruding finger is present at each of the longitudinal ends of the oblong aperture to retain a first compression limiter. Additionally, at least one radially inward protruding finger can be placed proximate to the round aperture to retain an optional second compression limiter. The angular position of the radially inward protruding fingers is defined and limited for optimum chain guide packaging and performance.
US09989127B2 Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission includes a first planetary gear set, a second planetary gear set, and a first brake. A first sun gear includes a first split sun gear on a drive source side, and a second split sun gear on a side opposite to the drive source. The first spilt sun gear is coupled to the first brake, and is fixed to a transmission case during engagement of the first brake. The second split sun gear is constantly coupled to a second sun gear. An input shaft is constantly coupled to a first carrier while passing through the first split sun gear, and between the first and second split sun gears. An output shaft is constantly coupled to a second carrier.
US09989126B2 Planetary gear train of automatic transmission for vehicle
A planetary gear train of an automatic transmission for a vehicle may include an input shaft receiving torque of an engine, an output shaft outputting torque, a first planetary gear set, a second planetary gear set, a third planetary gear set, a fourth planetary gear set, a first shaft, a second shaft, a third shaft, a fourth shaft, a fifth shaft selectively connectable to the second shaft, a sixth shaft connected to the input shaft, and selectively connectable to each of the third shaft and the fourth shaft, a seventh shaft connected to the output shaft, and an eighth shaft.
US09989124B2 Automatic transmission
A power transmission 1 includes an output shaft 9 disposed in parallel to an input shaft 5, and provided at one end with an output gear 35 and at an opposite end with a final drive gear 36 meshing with a final driven gear 37 of a differential device 10, the output gear 35 normally meshing with a reverse speed drive gear 26, and with a first speed driven gear 31 in an array 39 of driven gears 31, 32, 33, and 34 on a counter shaft 8 normally meshing with a first speed drive gear 14 in an array 20A of odd-speed shift position drive gears 14, 15, 16, and 17 on an odd-speed shift position drive shaft 6.
US09989118B2 Brake conditioning
A wheel carrier assembly (104) for a vehicle (110) is clamped on a frame (14) and a carbon composite brake disc 41 of the assembly is bedded by pneumatically applying the brake pads to the brake disc so as to heat the disc in cycles, the wheel carrier assembly then being removed from the frame and fitted to the vehicle.
US09989109B2 Method for calibrating a clutch control algorithm
A method is provided for calibrating a control algorithm of a clutch control unit of a vehicle. The method includes requesting, clutch disengagement or engagement, monitoring clutch actuator position, determining a time interval that starts with the clutch disengagement or engagement request and ends when the clutch actuator has reached a predetermined position, and calibrating an estimated time interval of the control algorithm starting with clutch disengagement or engagement request and ending when the clutch actuator has reached a predetermined position based on the determined time interval. A computer program for implementing the method, as well as a vehicle comprising a clutch control unit calibrated according to the method, are also provided.
US09989102B2 Vented gaiter
A vented gaiter (6) for mounting to a shaft (4) comprises: a rim (34) defining an opening (33) for receiving the shaft (4); and a separate venting element (40). The venting element (40) is disposed within said opening (33). The shaft (4) is received in the opening (33), and the rim (34) is mounted to the shaft by means of a circular clamp (22). The venting element (40) is thus retained in place between the shaft (4) and the rim (34) and allows any air accumulated inside a CV joint enclosure (28) formed by the gaiter (6) when the gaiter (6) is mounted to the shaft (4) to vent axially according to a direction substantially parallel to the shaft longitudinal axis. The venting element (40) comprises a gas-permeable liquid-impermeable membrane (41).
US09989097B2 Bearing cage with antenna and method for detecting failure of a bearing cage
The invention relates to a bearing cage including a bearing cage main body made of a polymer material and having pockets for receiving at least one row of rolling elements of a bearing. The cage is provided with a passive resonant circuit including an antenna coil attached to the cage main body. It is proposed that the antenna coil is formed as a conductive layer directly attached to the cage material of the bearing cage main body and is designed so as to have a breaking point less than or equal to a breaking point of the cage material. Thus, a rupture in the cage main body ruptures the antenna coil, changing the resonance behavior of the passive resonant circuit.
US09989095B2 Water pump bearing with integrated mechanical seal
An integrated shaft bearing assembly is provided having a housing with at least one bearing located in the housing that supports a shaft that extends through the housing. A vent ring is located at one axial end of the housing, with the vent ring having a radial flange that extends toward the shaft. A face seal assembly including a seal support ring is fixed on the shaft. The face seal assembly includes a bellows spring connected to the seal support ring, a face seal carrier connected to the bellows spring, with the face seal carrier supporting a face seal against the face of the radial flange. Here the vent ring is integrated with the integrated shaft bearing and provides a surface for the mechanical seal as well as venting to avoid pressure build up in a region of the mechanical seal between the mechanical seal and the bearing.
US09989094B2 Wheel bearing apparatus
A wheel bearing apparatus has an outer member, an inner member, and double row rolling elements contained between the outer raceway surfaces and inner raceway surfaces of the outer member and the inner member. A cup-shaped steel protective cover is mounted on the inner-side end of the outer member. The cover fitting portion has a cylindrical portion, a radially reduced portion and an elastic member. The elastic member has an annular projection and a contact lip. When the protective cover is fit into the outer member, the annular projection closely contacts with the fitting surface while elastically deforming and the contact lip elastically contacts the inner-side end of the outer member.
US09989093B2 Roller bearings, in particular needle bearings, for arranging on a pivot pin of a variable guide vane of a turbomachine
A roller bearing, particularly a needle bearing, for arranging on a pivot pin of a variable guide vane of a turbomachine, is disclosed. The roller bearing includes at least one radially elastic needle which has two opposing end regions and at least one roller region arranged between the end regions and constructed in a cross-sectionally thickened manner. The end regions roll off at associated raceways of a bearing housing of the roller bearing and the roller region is arranged in the region of an associated groove of the bearing housing. A variable guide vane with at least one such roller bearing, a housing of a turbomachine with such a guide vane, as well as a turbomachine, is also disclosed.
US09989092B2 Sintered bearing and method of manufacturing same
A sintered bearing includes a sintered metal formed by using a metal powder mixture containing copper powder and iron powder. The metal powder mixture contains 80 wt % or more of particles having an average particle diameter of less than 45 μm. The copper powder contains electrolytic copper powder. The electrolytic copper powder contains 40 number % or more of particles having a circularity of 0.64 or more.
US09989089B2 Guide mechanism and method for manufacturing same
A guide mechanism includes: a guide member having a first groove; a slide member having a second groove; and rolling bodies arranged in a guide groove comprising the first groove and the second groove. A stopper for preventing the rolling bodies from moving out of the guide groove is affixed to the second groove by welding. A method for manufacturing the guide mechanism includes a welding step in which the second groove and the stopper are welded by resistance welding while the stopper is pressed against the second groove.
US09989088B2 Linear bearing
A linear bearing (1) includes a collar (2) arranged to receive a shaft (30) therethrough. The linear bearing (1) also has at least one resiliently sprung member (12) mounted within the collar (2) that contacts the shaft (30) when the shaft (30) is mounted inside the collar (2). The at least one resiliently sprung member (12) is arranged to permit displacement of the collar (2), relative to the shaft (30), in a direction substantially perpendicular to the main axis of the collar (2).
US09989087B2 Cable transportation system with at least one haul cable
A cable transportation system with at least one haul cable has a supporting structure with a tubular portion defining an axis of rotation; a pulley extending about the axis of rotation; and a bearing assembly, which is connected to the pulley and the tubular portion to enable the pulley to rotate about the axis of rotation with respect to the supporting structure, and has a first and second bearing arranged concentrically and in series, so as to ensure rotation of the pulley about the axis of rotation and with respect to the supporting structure utilizing at least the first or second bearing.
US09989081B2 Method and system of affixing a plaque to a solid surface
A method and system of affixing a plaque to a solid surface is provided. The method includes the steps of providing at least one opening in a face of the solid surface and inserting a plaque support into the at least one opening. The plaque support includes a body defining a passageway therethrough and having a first end and a second end. The first end has a flange portion. Further, at least one outer tab member extends radially outward toward the first end and at least one inner tab member extends radially inward toward the second end. The outer tab member engages the solid surface upon insertion of the plaque support into the at least one opening. The method and system further include providing the plaque with at least one installation fastener. The at least one installation fastener is inserted into the passageway of the plaque support, such that the at least one inner tab member engages the at least one installation fastener.
US09989080B1 Substrate anchoring device
An anchoring device for a attaching a plurality of substrates when only one side of the substrates is accessible.
US09989078B2 Swirling jet actuator for control of separated and mixing flows
The present invention includes a method of controlling a fluid flow using momentum and/or vorticity injections. Actively controlling an actuator allows for direct, precise, and independent control of the momentum and swirl entering into the fluid system. The perturbations are added to the flow field in a systematic mater providing tunable control input, thereby modifying behavior thereof in a predictable manner to improve the flow characteristics.
US09989077B2 Systems and methods for selective control of fuel tanks
A fuel tank includes a port and an open-cell foam. The open-cell foam is configured to retain a liquid fuel by an interfacial surface tension between the open-cell foam and the liquid fuel. The open-cell foam is configured to selectively release the liquid fuel when a surfactant is applied to the open-cell foam to reduce the interfacial surface tension between the open-cell foam and the liquid fuel.
US09989076B2 Mechanical energy harvesting devices and methods
Methods and systems for harvesting mechanical energy for transformation into electrical energy are described. An energy harvesting apparatus may include a housing having fluid disposed therein and a piston assembly configured to move within the housing in one of an extension stroke and a compression stroke. The piston assembly may include a bidirectional rotor configured to rotate responsive to the piston assembly moving in either of the extension stroke and the compression stroke. The bidirectional rotor may be connected to a rotary generator such that rotational energy generated by rotation of the bidirectional rotor may be transferred to the rotary generator. Electrical energy may be produced by the rotary generator responsive to receiving the rotational energy.
US09989072B2 Fan
A fan includes an impeller and a frame. The frame is used for accommodating the impeller. The frame includes a plurality of static blade groups. Each of the static blade groups has a plurality of static blades. Moreover, at least one first static blade of a first static blade group and at least one first static blade of a second static blade group are symmetric with respect to a central axis of the frame.
US09989070B2 Air cycle machine strut plate assembly
According to one aspect, an air cycle machine includes a fan rotor, a diffuser cone axially aligned with the fan rotor, and a strut plate assembly. The strut plate assembly includes a first strut plate and a second strut plate with an ejector formed between the first strut plate and the second strut plate. The first strut plate is axially positioned between the fan rotor and the ejector, and the second strut plate is axially positioned between the fan rotor and the diffuser cone. The first strut plate includes a plurality of outer struts and is absent inner struts between the fan rotor and the ejector. The second strut plate includes a plurality of inner struts and outer struts, where the inner struts are axially positioned between the ejector and the diffuser cone.
US09989069B2 Vacuum pump and mass spectrometer
One or more through-holes communicating with one or more of the plurality of screw grooves are formed at the cylindrical stator, a total of circumferential dimensions of the one or more through-holes formed at the cylindrical stator is set at equal to or greater than a circumferential dimension of an outer peripheral surface region of the cylindrical stator facing the second suction port, and a gas path through which inflow gas through the second suction port is guided to a screw groove is provided, the one or more through-holes penetrating through the screw groove and the screw groove being apart from the region facing the second suction port.
US09989061B2 Geometry for the compensation of axial gaps arising in electric pumps
The invention proposes an electric pump (1) for delivering a fluid. The electric pump (1) has a first pump component (3) with a first interface (7) and has a second pump component (5). The first pump component (3) and the second pump component (5) are in contact with one another at the first interface (7). Here, the first interface (7) has an incline (11) with respect to a plane running perpendicular to a longitudinal axis (13) of the electric pump (1).
US09989060B2 Fuel system with liquid ring pump with centrifugal air/fuel separator
A fuel system incorporating a boost pump unit, a boost pump unit and method of pumping fuel are provided. The fuel system and boost pump unit are preferably self-priming and do not utilize an airframe mounted pump for supplying fuel for an aircraft combustor. The boost pump unit includes a liquid ring pump and an air/fuel separator. The air/fuel separator has an inlet and first and second outlet ports. The inlet is operably fluidly coupled to an outlet of the liquid ring pump. The air/fuel separator has an arcuate flow path. The first outlet port is in fluid communication with a radially outer portion of the arcuate flow path and the second outlet port is in fluid communication with a radially inner portion of the arcuate flow path. A return line connected to the first outlet port is configured to return fuel to the liquid ring pump.
US09989056B2 Hydraulic pump with integrated clutch
A hydraulic pump with an integrated clutch includes an outer cone coupled to a drive gear or a driven gear and having a frictional inner surface, and an inner cone arranged inside the outer cone, coupled to the drive gear or the driven gear and having a frictional outer surface, wherein the inner and outer cones are rotationally and axially movable with respect to each other. A spring is coupled to the inner cone or the outer cone and acts to axially displace the inner cone with respect to the outer cone in a first direction. An actuator including a rod and a piston is coupled to the inner cone or the outer cone and acts to overcome the force of the spring to axially displace the inner cone with respect to the outer cone in a second direction being axially opposite to the first direction.
US09989041B2 Thruster grid clear circuits and methods to clear thruster grids
Thruster grid clear circuits and methods to clear thruster grids are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a low voltage grid clear circuit to apply first energy to a grid at a first voltage, and a high voltage grid clear circuit to detect a failure of the applied energy to clear a short circuit condition of the grid and to apply second energy to the grid at a second voltage higher than the first voltage.
US09989037B2 Vertical axis wind turbine with low visual impact
Vertical axis wind turbine, indistinctly applicable in land or sea, the main characteristic of which is its low visual impact due to the collapse of its tower and rotor as required by environmental or meteorological conditions.It is constituted by a structure that includes a base (3, 5), a plurality of supporting arms (10, 13), an elevation set (6, 7, 8) and a drive shaft (17) that acts on the generating elements (29) arranged at the base. Said structure supports a rotor (1) and its corresponding blades (2), attached by means of motorized shafts (20) that collapse and expand the blades (2) over the rotor (1).Whenever the electric motor (6) winds the tensioning element (8) attached to two pairs of lower arms (10), they rotate at their base and intermediate point and raise, during their movement, the upper arms (13) and the drive shaft (17). The entirety of this structure is secured with braces (21, 24), which act on the upper and lower part of their corresponding arms (10, 13), achieving a safe collapse and expansion.
US09989028B2 Method for producing a pressure limiting valve, pressure limiting valve, and component for a fuel injection system
A pressure limiting valve for a fuel injection system may include a sleeve, a fixing pin, a spring, a sealing element, and a seat. The sleeve may have a longitudinal axis. The fixing pin protruding through a cavity enclosed by the sleeve. The spring may have a first end supported on the sleeve and a second end supported by the sealing element. The seat may provide a sealing surface for the sealing element to block a fluid flow through the valve when closed position, and allow this flow to pass in other positions. The outer circumference of the sleeve may vary within predefined tolerances along the longitudinal axis. The fixing pin may be shaped to plastically deform by a movement of the fixing pin along the longitudinal axis, in order to press the sleeve into the housing.
US09989027B2 High pressure pump having lubricating and cooling structure
A high pressure pump is provided to be used in a fuel feeding system for a vehicle engine and receive a fuel primarily pressurized by a low pressure pump, and secondarily compresses the fuel to increase the pressure of the fuel for supplying the fuel to a fuel injector. The high pressure pump includes a pump body and a camshaft that is rotatably installed in the pump body to be rotated using torque transmitted from an exterior of the pump body. Additionally, a roller bearing rotatably supports the camshaft in the pump body and an inlet port is disposed on the pump body to introduce a primarily pressurized fluid into the pump body. An orifice is configured to supply the fluid to the roller bearing while reducing a pressure of the fluid introduced via the inlet port.
US09989018B2 System and methods for fuel system recirculation tube diagnostic
Methods and systems are provided for indicating restrictions in a fuel system vapor recirculation line. In one example, a fuel tank is evacuated responsive to a fuel level below a threshold, and if the vacuum is relieved via a negative pressure relief valve in a capless fuel filler system, the negative pressure relief valve is indicated to be functional such that, responsive to a fuel level greater than a threshold, the fuel system may be evacuated and a restriction may be indicated in the vapor recirculation line responsive to the negative pressure valve not relieving the applied vacuum. In this way, restrictions in the vapor recirculation line may be rapidly diagnosed and excessive loading of a fuel vapor canister may be prevented, thus reducing the potential for evaporative emissions being released to the atmosphere and prolonging fuel vapor canister function.
US09989010B2 Thrust reverser for an aircraft engine, pod assembly and corresponding powerplant
A thrust reverser for an aircraft engine assembly, comprising two sub-assemblies configured to surround an engine, each of the sub-assemblies comprising an inner fixed structure, a translating cowl, a torque box, a substantially vertical 12 o'clock bifurcation, and a substantially vertical 6 o'clock bifurcation. At least one of the sub-assemblies comprises at least one separating partition extending between the inner fixed structure, the translating cowl and the torque box of the sub-assembly, the separating partition being rigidly fixed to the inner fixed structure and the torque box, and connected to the translating cowl via a sliding connection.
US09989009B2 Methods and apparatus for sealing variable area fan nozzles of jet engines
Methods and apparatus for sealing variable area fan nozzles of jet engines are disclosed. An apparatus in accordance with the teachings of this disclosure includes a frame and a seal to be coupled to the frame. The seal to enclose petals of a variable area fan nozzle to substantially prevent airflow between the petals.
US09989004B2 System for determining piston pin bore wear
A machine may comprise a piston; a memory; and an electronic control module. The electronic control module may be configured to obtain information identifying a previous amount of wear of the piston pin bore and information identifying a wear limit; determine a base piston pin bore wear rate; calculate an effective piston pin bore wear rate based on the base piston pin bore wear rate; determine an amount of time between a current time and a time when the previous amount of wear of the piston pin bore was calculated; and calculate a current amount of wear of the piston pin bore based on the previous amount of wear, the amount of time, and the effective piston pin bore wear rate. The electronic control module may further be configured to calculate an amount of damage to the piston pin bore based on the current amount of wear and the wear limit.
US09989003B2 Methods and systems for identifying insufficient combustion based on exhaust gas content
Various methods and systems are provided for diagnosing a condition of a cylinder of an engine. In one example, a method includes adjusting recirculated exhaust gas responsive to a determined emission value and indicating insufficient combustion of one or more engine cylinders based on an amount by which the recirculated exhaust gas is adjusted.
US09988998B2 Engine synchronization apparatus and control method thereof
An engine synchronization apparatus includes: a crank shaft position sensor detecting a position of a crank shaft to detect a tooth and a missing tooth; a cam sensor detecting a position of a cam corresponding to an angle of rotation of each of an intake cam and an exhaust cam; and a controller synchronizing the engine to use a tooth detection signal from the crank shaft position sensor and a cam signal from the cam sensor. The controller carries out an engine synchronization by determining the position of the crank shaft and the position of the cam to select one cam between the intake cam and the exhaust cam and to detect the position of a unique part of the cam signal from a voltage level and a level length of the cam signal of the selected cam.
US09988992B2 Method of operating a fuel system of an internal combustion engine
A method of operating an internal combustion engine, and more particularly a fuel injector is disclosed. The fuel injector is commanded to inject a fuel requested quantity. The fuel requested quantity is adjusted by closed-loop for controlling an engine speed to match a target value thereof. A value of a first parameter indicative of an amount of electrical energy supplied to an electric battery by an electric generator coupled to the internal combustion engine is measured. A value of a voltage generated by the electric battery and a value of the engine speed are measured. A reference value of the fuel requested quantity is calculated on the basis of the voltage value, the engine speed value and the value of the first parameter. A difference between the value of the adjusted fuel requested quantity and the reference value is calculated and used to control the internal combustion engine.
US09988990B2 Dual fuel generator system
A movable electrical generation system includes a generator operable to produce a supply of electrical energy, a prime mover operable to drive the generator, and a first fuel supply selectively deliverable to the movable electrical generation system in a first pressure range. A second fuel, different from the first fuel is selectively deliverable to the prime mover in a second pressure range. A controller is operable to automatically deliver the second fuel to the prime mover in response to the first fuel having a pressure outside of the first pressure range.
US09988989B2 Method for controlling of valve timing of continuous variable valve duration engine
A method for controlling valve timing is provided for an engine including a continuous variable valve duration device disposed on an intake valve side, and a continuous variable valve duration device and continuous variable valve timing device disposed on an exhaust valve side. The method includes: classifying first, second, third, fourth, and fifth control regions depending on an engine speed and an engine load; applying a maximum duration to an intake valve and controlling a valve overlap in the first control region; applying the maximum duration to the intake valve and exhaust valve in the second control region; controlling a manifold absolute pressure (MAP) of an intake manifold to be maintained consistently in the third control region; controlling a wide open throttle valve (WOT) and retarding an exhaust valve opening (EVO) timing in the fourth control region; and controlling the WOT and retarding an intake valve closing (IVC) timing in the fifth control region.
US09988988B2 Camshaft slider control systems and methods
A slider control module, based on a mode command: selectively extends pins into one or more slider actuators of a camshaft slider. Contact between the pins and the grooves in the slider actuator(s) during rotation of a camshaft slides the camshaft slider axially along the intake camshaft. An actual mode module: determines a last stored indicator of the mode command; commands the slider control module to extend one of the pins to slide the camshaft slider and achieve the last stored indicator of the mode command; and, based on whether the one of the pins extended in response to the command, indicates that an actual mode is either: (i) the last stored indicator of the mode command; or (ii) another mode. The mode command module updates the mode command to the actual mode.
US09988987B2 Method of starting a turbomachine while reducing thermal unbalance
A method of starting a turbomachine, performed by an electronic unit, the turbomachine including a gas turbine engine including at least one rotor and a starter to drive the rotor in rotation, the method including: receiving an order to start the turbomachine, and executing in response to receiving the order to start: a primary acceleration during which the starter is operated to increase speed of rotation of the rotor; a thermal homogenization during which the starter is operated to keep the speed of rotation of the rotor constant or to decrease it until a predetermined condition is satisfied; after the predetermined condition is true, a secondary acceleration in which the starter is operated to increase the speed of rotation of the rotor; and an ignition in which ignition of the engine is ordered.
US09988980B2 System for a mechanical conversion of an internal combustion engine of 4 strokes into 8 strokes
A converting mechanical system including a dual connecting rod having a top section adapted to be pivotally connected to a piston on a conventional internal combustion engine and a bottom section adapted to be connected to a crankshaft of a conventional internal combustion engine. A support surrounds each dual connecting rod and includes a retractable device. A decoupling device is adapted to be located on the crankshaft a conventional internal combustion engine. The dual connecting rod has a first working position and in which the dual connecting rod is rigid and connected to the crankshaft when the piston moves. In the second working position, the dual connecting rod disconnects the crankshaft from the piston by action of the decoupling device.
US09988966B2 Engine system having coolant control valve
An engine system with a coolant control valve includes: a valve housing having a first valve space and a second valve space formed at both sides by a partition and including a connection passage formed in the partition; a first rotary valve disposed in the first valve space and having first coolant passages; a second rotary valve disposed in the second valve space and having second coolant passages; distribution lines respectively connected to positions corresponding to the first coolant passages and the second coolant passages and distributing the coolant coming through the first rotary valve and the second rotary valve; and a driver to rotate the first rotary valve and the second rotary valve. In particular, the first and second coolant passages are connected to the connection passage depending on the rotation positions of the first rotary valve and the second rotary valve.
US09988963B2 Method for monitoring an oxidation catalysis device
A method for monitoring an oxidation catalysis device or DOC arranged in an exhaust line of an internal combustion engine of a vehicle, in a predetermined range of inlet (2) and outlet (3) temperatures of the DOC, includes injecting predetermined successive quantities of fuel in stages (5, 6) into the inlet of the DOC, recording the outlet (3) temperature of the DOC after each injected quantity of fuel, recording the total quantity injected for a given stage, for which the outlet temperature (3) of the DOC begins to decrease, determining a characterization of the DOC monitored, then comparing this characterization with a test characterization of a similar DOC which has been established beforehand in order to determine a threshold degradation of the DOC monitored that is not to be exceeded.
US09988961B2 System and method of purifying exhaust gas
A method of purifying exhaust gas may include predicting a slip probability of ammonia (NH3) to a rear end of a selective catalytic reduction on diesel particulate filter (SDPF), comparing the predicted ammonia slip probability with a slip probability of ammonia limiting operation of a low pressure-exhaust gas recirculation (LP-EGR) system, comparing an absorption amount of ammonia with a value obtained by multiplying an ammonia absorption target amount by a minimum target absorption amount ratio when the predicted ammonia slip probability is larger than the slip probability of ammonia limiting operation of the LP-EGR system, limiting the operation of the LP-EGR when the absorption amount of ammonia is not larger than the value obtained by multiplying an ammonia absorption target amount by a minimum target absorption amount ratio, and dosing a urea solution.
US09988957B2 Ventilation system for an internal combustion engine
A ventilation system for the ventilation and for the aeration of an internal combustion engine is described and depicted. The ventilation system may have an intake pipe and a supercharger in the intake pipe, and an air-oil separator for the separation of oil and/or oil mist from blow-by gases with at least one inlet and at least one outlet.
US09988945B2 Apparatus for utilizing heat wasted from engine
Apparatus for utilizing heat wasted from an engine includes first pressure detecting means (73) and first temperature detecting means (81) for detecting a pressure and a temperature in a refrigerant passage extending from a condenser (38) to a refrigerant pump (32), second pressure detecting means (72) and second temperature detecting means (82) for detecting a pressure and a temperature in a refrigerant passage extending from a heat exchanger (36) to an expansion device (37), and control means (71) responsive to these four detecting means when operating a Rankine cycle (31). Means (71) is for diagnosing whether or not an electromagnetic clutch (35) is stuck responsive to either the first pressure detecting means (73) and the first temperature detecting means (81), or the second pressure detecting means (72) and the second temperature detecting means (82).
US09988936B2 Shroud assembly for a gas turbine engine
A shroud assembly for a gas turbine engine includes a shroud, hanger, and a hanger support mounted adjacent to a plurality of blades. The hanger can have an interior chamber defining a cooling circuit with a particle separator located within the interior chamber. The particle separator can have an inlet for accepting a flow of cooling fluid, such that a the flow of cooling fluid separates into a major flow and a minor flow carrying particles or particulate matter along the minor flow into a particle collector comprising at least a portion of the particle separator. Particles become constrained to the minor flow and pass into the particle collector, while the major flow is separated into the remaining area of the interior chamber to remove the particles from the flow of cooling fluid passing into the interior chamber.
US09988929B2 Borescope plug for gas turbine engine
A borescope plug includes a threaded section that extends from a head section along an axis, the threaded section including a central passage along said axis. A spindle is located within the central passage. A multiple of detents are positioned in response to an axial position of the spindle along the axis.
US09988913B2 Using inserts to balance heat transfer and stress in high temperature alloys
A method for forming a gas turbine engine component comprises the steps of forming a block of a high temperature alloy material. An external surface of the block is machined to form an external surface of a gas turbine engine component. At least one cooling passage within the component that is open to at least one end of the component is machined. At least one insert with a heat transfer feature is formed. The insert is installed within the at least one cooling passage. A component for a gas turbine engine is also disclosed.
US09988906B2 Turbomachine rotor blade milling machine system and method of field repairing a turbomachine rotor blade
A turbomachine rotor blade milling machine system includes a fixture having a body including first and second opposing surfaces and a slot. The fixture is configured and disposed to connect with first and second rotor blade sections mounted in a rotor wheel. A mounting system includes at least one mounting element coupled to one of the first and second opposing surfaces of the body at the slot. A milling machine is coupled to the one of the first and second opposing surfaces through the at least one mounting element. The milling machine includes a cutter and is configured and disposed to form an opening extending axially through a dovetail portion of a third rotor blade section arranged between the first and second rotor blade sections.
US09988903B2 Combination polycrystalline diamond bit and bit holder
A quick change type bit/bit holder includes several different structures for holding the item in a bit block without the necessity of a fastener. The bit portion of the bit/bit holder combination includes a ductile steel insert with a polycrystalline diamond coated tungsten carbide bit positioned therein. The ductility of the steel insert acts as a shock absorber to allow the bit to successfully remove concrete as well as asphalt in a road milling machine.
US09988898B2 Method and system for monitoring and managing fiber cable slack in a coiled tubing
A method and system for monitoring a cable within a coiled tubing is disclosed. A first set of excitation signals is applied to the coiled tubing at a first point in time. The first set of excitation signals comprises one or more signals applied at one or more depths. The cable is positioned at a first location within the coiled tubing at the first point in time. A signal corresponding to the first set of excitation signals is detected at one or more fiber optic lines associated with the cable and location of the cable within the coiled tubing is determined using the detected signal corresponding to the first excitation signal.
US09988890B2 System and a method of recovering and processing a hydrocarbon mixture from a subterranean formation
The present invention relates to a method and system for recovering and processing a hydrocarbon mixture from a subterranean formation. The method comprises: (i) mobilizing said hydrocarbon mixture; (ii) recovering said mobilized hydrocarbon mixture; (iii) deasphalting said recovered hydrocarbon mixture to produce deasphalted hydrocarbon and asphaltenes; (iv) gasifying said asphaltenes in a gasifier to generate hydrogen, steam and/or energy and CO2; (v) upgrading said deasphalted hydrocarbon by hydrogen addition to produce upgraded hydrocarbon; and (vi) adding a diluent to said upgraded hydrocarbon, wherein said method is at least partially self-sufficient in terms of hydrogen and diluent.
US09988880B2 Systems and methods of drilling control
A system to optimize a drilling parameter of a drill string includes a drill string control subsystem. The system includes an optimization controller to coordinate operations of the drill string control subsystem during a drilling process at least in part by: determining a first optimized rate of penetration based on a drilling parameter model and a first drilling parameter estimate; providing a first set of commands to the drill string control subsystem based on the first optimized rate of penetration; determining a second drilling parameter estimate during the drilling process based, at least in part, on the drilling parameter model and feedback corresponding to the drill string control subsystem; determining a second optimized rate of penetration during the drilling process based on the second drilling parameter estimate; and providing a second set of commands to the drill string control subsystem based on the second optimized rate of penetration.
US09988875B2 System and method for controlling flow in a well production system
A flow control system is provided for a horizontal well production system having a casing, a tube having an intake opening and disposed within the casing, and a gap formed between the casing and the tube. The flow control system includes a valve having an orifice, coupled to the tube and disposed proximate to the intake opening. The flow control system further includes an actuator coupled to the valve and configured to open the valve in response to a presence of a liquid in the gap, proximate to the intake opening, to permit flow of the liquid into the tube via the intake opening, and to close the valve in response to a presence of a gas in the gap, proximate to the intake opening, to prevent flow of the gas into the tube via the intake opening.
US09988873B2 Controlled swelling of swellable polymers downhole
A method of using a swellable polymer downhole may include introducing a first treatment fluid comprising a first aqueous fluid, a salt with a multivalent cation, and the swellable polymer into a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation; placing the swellable polymer in a portion of the subterranean formation; contacting the swellable polymer in the portion of the subterranean formation with a second treatment fluid comprising a second aqueous fluid and at least one selected from the group consisting of a precipitating agent, a chelating agent, and a combination thereof; and swelling the swellable polymer in the portion of the subterranean formation, thereby reducing fluid flow through the portion of the subterranean formation.
US09988862B2 Elevator roller insert system
A device, system, and/or method for reducing friction required to rotate a tubular within an elevator during the process of running tubulars in an oil and gas well are provided. An elevator roller insert may be used in conjunction with an elevator, such as a single joint elevator. Such an insert may comprise upper and lower rollers which are positioned on upper and lower roller sets or a combination roller set containing multiple upper and/or lower rollers. The result is the provision of a plurality of rollers which bear the weight of a tubular yet still allow the tubular to rotate rather freely, facilitating the maintenance of proper thread integrity of the connections while making up a stand to a string of tubulars as well as preventing the loss of resources due to galled or crushed threads or a tubing segment or stand falling to the rig floor.
US09988856B2 Method for riser string handling and an offshore drilling vessel
The present invention relates to a method for riser string handling on an offshore drilling vessel (1), the offshore drilling vessel comprising a multiple firing line hoist system, a riser tensioner system (50) arranged in the second firing line, and a suspended riser transfer device (60). The method comprising the steps of lowering a riser string in the first firing line, and simultaneously assembling and preparing a riser tensioner system in the second firing line, wherein the riser hang-off assembly displaces the riser string, leaving the top end of the riser string exposed, from the first firing line to the second firing line to be connected to the riser tensioner system.
US09988842B2 Ladders including rope and pulley system and fall protection device
A ladder is provided which may include a positioning system, a fall arrest system, or both. In one embodiment, a rope and pulley system is provided wherein a first end of the rope is coupled to a base section of the ladder, a second end of the rope is coupled with a fly section of the ladder, and the rope extends between a plurality of pulleys. In one particular embodiment, the rope extends between five different pulleys, two being coupled with the fly section and three being coupled with the base section. At least one portion of the rope may extend along the side of the ladder (e.g., along the side of a rail of the fly section) while another section may extend up the front of the ladder between the rails and in front of the rungs. A fall arrest mechanism, or an ascender device, may be coupled with the section of rope extending up the ladder between the rails and in front of the rungs.
US09988839B2 Assembly for mounting shades
The present embodiments provide for a system of fastening devices, e.g., mounts, brackets, and assemblies for installing roller window shades. In one embodiment, the fastening device system comprises two one-piece, disk-shaped mounting brackets, one for each end of a shade tube, wherein the mounting brackets are configured such that, in use, the outer circumference of the brackets are visible; the mounting means being largely hidden within the bracket or by the shade. In a particular embodiment, the fastening system is designed for use with motorized shades, wherein one mounting bracket is configured to key the shade motor, and one mounting bracket is configured to receive the idler pin.
US09988835B2 Protection arrangement for an electric vehicle
A protection arrangement for a current collector arranged on a vehicle having a rechargeable energy storage includes a first protective state in which the current collector is covered by the protection arrangement and a second open state in which the protection arrangement allows contact between the current collector and a corresponding current supply during charging of the energy storage and where the protection arrangement is automatically opened from the protective state to the open state when the vehicle has reached a predefined charging position. The current collector can be enclosed when the vehicle is not charged and the protection arrangement can open automatically when a charging position is reached. This can improve the safety of the vehicle and obviate the need of a specific circuit breaker that can disconnect the current collector from the electric energy storage. The charging of the vehicle can also be simplified.
US09988832B2 Modular vehicle door
A modular door assembly is adapted for installation on existing open frame vehicles formed of tubular members. A novel tubular hinge construction provides support for the door assembly while allowing rotational movement of the door in use. Alternative vehicle elements may also be secured to and operable on the novel hinge.
US09988830B2 Latch arrangement having a handle
A latch arrangement for fastening a panel of a door or a window to a frame element is provided. The latch arrangement includes a locking element mounted on the frame element and displaceable between a locked position in which the locking element can be engaged with a depression formed on the panel locking thereby the panel to the frame element, and an unlocked position in which the locking element can be disengaged from the depression on the panel unlocking thereby the panel from the frame element; an actuating mechanism including a manually operable handle, the actuating mechanism being mounted on the panel and being configured to selectively engage the locking element and to displace the locking element away from the depression to the unlocked position.
US09988829B2 Method of calibrating a standby duration of a proximity detection sensor and associated sensor
A method of calibrating a standby duration (DV′) of a proximity detection sensor, the sensor alternating between measurement phases (PM), the evaluation duration (DE) of which is measured by a first oscillator (O1) of stable frequency and standby phases (PV), the predetermined standby duration (DV) of which is controlled by a second oscillator (O2), the frequency of which varies according to external parameters. The method provides for performing immediately after the measurement phase (PM), a second measurement phase (PM2) during which a second evaluation duration (DE2) is measured by the second oscillator (O2) and calibrating the standby duration (DV′) using the ratio between the number of oscillations (N1′) generated during the evaluation duration (DE) by the first oscillator (O1) and the number of oscillations (N2′) generated during the second evaluation duration (DE2) by the second oscillator (O2).
US09988828B2 Method and apparatus for a rekeyable master key lock
A rekeyable master keyable lock includes a plurality of key followers, a plurality of user racks and a plurality of master racks. One user rack and one master rack are associated with each key follower and are configured to be selectively disengaged from, and reengaged with, the key follower. When the user racks are disenggaged from the key follower, the valid user key can be replaced with a new user key. Reengaging the user racks with the key followers rekeys the lock cylinder to the new user key and invalidates the original user key. Similar functionality applies to rekeying the master key. Either the user key or the master key can be rekeyed without rekeying the other.
US09988825B1 Clip facilitating quick assembly and disassembly of fence components
A clip includes a body, a tab, and a tang. The body may be configured to act as a spring. The tab extends upward from the body. The tang extends downwardly from the body.
US09988815B1 Ceiling panel assembly and mounting system therefor
A module for mounting within a ceiling panel assembly. The module includes an upper mounting frame that includes a main body portion that defines a central opening, a lower mounting frame that is at least partially received in the central opening of the upper mounting frame, and a latch assembly. The main body portion of the upper mounting frame includes a flange extending outwardly therefrom. The lower mounting frame is pivotable with respect to the upper mounting frame between a first position and a second position. The latch assembly is associated with a first end of the upper mounting frame and the lower mounting frame. When the latch assembly is released the lower mounting frame pivots from the first position to the second position.
US09988811B2 Interconnection system for panel assemblies
A system for interconnecting multiple panel assemblies comprising a first bracketing body having a first bearing member and at least one planar member; a second bracketing body having a second bearing member pivotally engaged with the first bearing member and at least one planar member; a third bracketing body having at least one planar member; a fourth bracketing body having at least one planar member; a first panel receiving volume at least partially defined by the at least one planar member of the first and third bracketing bodies; a second panel receiving volume at least partially defined by the at least one planar members of the second and fourth bracketing bodies; and wherein the at least one planar members of the second and fourth bracketing bodies at least Partially define a second panel receiving volume. According to another aspect of the present invention, a first thermal insulating body is positioned between and separates the first and third bracketing bodies, and a second thermal insulating body positioned between and separates the second and fourth bracketing bodies. According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a fastenerless connection is provided between surfaces of the system and the panel assemblies.
US09988808B2 Building structure
A building structure includes elements that are integrally connected by a poured bonding structure. The elements include a beam having a cavity that is configured to receive a pourable bonding material and flooring sections that are supported by the beams. The flooring sections include voids that open to a cavity. Inserts are positioned in the voids to control the limit the depth that the pourable bonding material can flow into the voids and to increase the strength of the poured bonding structure.
US09988803B2 Urinal having continuously curved bowl surface
A urinal having the bowl surface formed by only the front face portion in an upper region which does not have any forwardly projecting plate-like side walls at opposite sides thereof as in the conventional urinal. Flush water cleans a wider part of the bowl surface than in the prior art as well as reduce an area of the bowl surface that is not cleaned and provide an improved cleanliness and sanitation of the bowl surface. The urinal includes: a bowl surface being arranged so as to situate between a line segment connecting the left and right side edges and an arcuate segment of a circle having a diameter corresponding to the line segment, as viewed in the horizontal section through the flush water discharging device.
US09988802B1 Pre-primed siphonic toilet
A siphonic toilet including a bowl, a passageway and a valve. The passageway includes an entrance fluidly connected to the bowl, an outlet, and a dam located between the entrance and the outlet, wherein the dam and bowl are configured to hold a first volume of water prior to a flush cycle. An inlet is located in the passageway downstream from the dam to introduce water into the passageway downstream from the dam. The valve is located between the inlet and the outlet of the passageway, and the valve retains a second volume of water when in a closed position prior to the flush cycle of the toilet to affect a siphon during the flush cycle.
US09988797B2 Integrated electronic shower system
An integrated bathroom electronic system including a plurality of sensors to detect conditions within a bathroom and to provide signals indicative thereof to a controller. A plurality of distinct and exclusive modules or subsystems are illustratively provided for integration into the system. Such modules may include a quick hot water module, a roman tub module, a custom shower module, a hands free faucet module, and a tub shower module. In certain illustrative shower modules, a user interface includes a plurality of user defined presets, each preset including a shower setting stored in memory.
US09988773B2 Road paver having layer thickness detecting device and method
A road paver includes a screed for applying a material layer to a foundation and a layer thickness detecting device for detecting the thickness of the applied material layer. The layer thickness detecting device includes a first sensor for detecting a first distance from the applied material layer and a second sensor for detecting a second distance from the foundation. The layer thickness detecting device is securely attached to the screed.
US09988763B2 Cannabis fiber, absorbent cellulosic structures containing cannabis fiber and methods of making the same
A method to prepare, pulp, and bleach cannabis bast and hurd fibers to allow for the fiber to be incorporated into absorbent cellulosic structures on a wet-laid paper machine while keeping the pectin within the fibers. The wet laid paper machine can use the ATMOS, NTT, ETAD, TAD, or UCTAD method to produce the absorbent cellulosic structure. Absorbent cellulosic structures are produced with the cannabis bast and hurd fibers or with the bast fibers alone with the hurd fibers being combined with paper mill sludge or dust to form a fuel pellet.
US09988762B2 High efficiency production of nanofibrillated cellulose
A scalable, energy efficient process for preparing cellulose nanofibers employs treating the cellulosic material with a first mechanical refiner with plates having a configuration of blades separated by grooves, and subsequently treating the material with a second mechanical refiner with plates having a configuration of blades separated by grooves different than the first refiner. The plate configurations and treatment operations are selected such that the first refiner produces a first specific edge loading (SEL) that is greater than the SEL of the second refiner, by as much as 2-50 fold. An exemplary high first SEL may be in the range of 1.5 to 8 J/m. Paper products made with about 2% to about 30% cellulose nanofibers having a length from about 0.2 mm to about 0.5 mm, preferably from 0.2 mm to about 0.4 mm have improved properties.
US09988760B2 Modular carpet systems
A modular carpet system includes a carpet tile and an adhesive. The carpet tile is operative for resisting deformation, even under adverse conditions. In some embodiments, the adhesive may comprise a silicone-based adhesive or a urethane-based adhesive.
US09988755B2 Household appliance
A household appliance (2) has a frontal panel (48) with a front side (62) facing the outside of the appliance (2) in an assembled state and a rear side (64) opposite to the front side (62) facing the interior of the appliance (2) in an assembled state and with an aperture (58). The appliance further has a cover element (60) covering the aperture (58) on the front side (62), and a receptacle (78) arranged on the rear side (64) behind the aperture (58). The receptacle (78) has a sealing element (86) which in an assembled state is in contact with the covering element (60), thereby providing a sealed space between the cover element (60) and the sealing element (86).
US09988750B2 Method of fabricating a composite material part with improved intra-yarn densification
A method of fabricating a composite material part comprises fiber reinforcement densified by a matrix. The method comprises the following steps: making a fiber fabric by weaving yarns having an initial mean fiber percentage; and densifying the fiber fabric with a matrix. The fiber fabric is subjected, prior to densification, to one or more jets of water under pressure so as to reduce the mean fiber percentage in the fabric to a value lying in the range 20% to 45%.
US09988749B2 Under-thread supply device for sewing machine
The present invention relates to an under-thread supply device for a sewing machine, and more particularly, to an enhanced under-thread supply device for a sewing machine, in which the device of the present invention and a unit for mounting said device are just partially changed so as to increase the winding amount of the under-thread of conventional sewing machines in order to achieve improved efficiency of sewing and efficiently reduce the puckering of a work piece without causing changes in the basic structure of conventional sewing machines.
US09988746B2 Partially degradable fibers and microvascular materials formed from the fibers
A partially degradable polymeric fiber includes a thermally degradable polymeric core and a coating surrounding at least a portion of the core. The thermally degradable polymeric core includes a polymeric matrix including a poly(hydroxyalkanoate), and a metal selected from the group consisting of an alkali earth metal and a transition metal, in the core polymeric matrix. The concentration of the metal in the polymeric matrix is at least 0.1 wt %. The partially degradable polymeric fiber may be used to form a microvascular system containing one or more microfluidic channels.
US09988744B2 High-tenacity viscose multifilament yarn with low yarn linear density
A viscose multifilament yarn has a crystallinity in the range from 15% to 40%, and, after conditioning in the standard climate according to DIN EN ISO 139:2005, a yarn linear density in the range from ≥150 dtex to <1100 dtex and a tensile strength in the range from ≥45 cN/tex to ≤55 cN/tex.
US09988734B2 Lipseals and contact elements for semiconductor electroplating apparatuses
Disclosed are cup assemblies for holding, sealing, and providing electrical power to a semiconductor substrate during electroplating which may include a cup bottom element having a main body portion and a moment arm, an elastomeric sealing element disposed on the moment arm, and an electrical contact element disposed on the elastomeric sealing element. The main body portion may be such that it does not substantially flex when a substrate is pressed against the moment arm, and it may be rigidly affixed to another feature of the cup structure. The ratio of the average vertical thickness of the main body portion to that of the moment arm may be greater than about 5. The electrical contact element may have a substantially flat but flexible contact portion disposed upon a substantially horizontal portion of the sealing element. The elastomeric sealing element may be integrated with the cup bottom element during manufacturing.
US09988723B2 Surface treatment to passivate sublimation surfaces to hydrophobic contaminants
The sublimation capability of a porous metal plate used in a sublimator is maintained by heating the porous metal plate at an elevated temperature in a flowing stream of oxygen for an extended period of time to form an oxidized surface. A short chain molecule, such as citric acid, is attached to the oxidized surface having multiple functional carboxylate groups and no hydrophobic tail.
US09988722B2 Method for imparting tarnish protection or tarnish protection with color appearance to silver, silver alloys, silver films, silver products and other non-precious metals
A method of surface coating a metallic object, including removing substantially all of the existing silver sulfide tarnish if present, ultrasonically cleaning the object with immersion in a solvent, uniformly dispersing selected nanoparticles over the surface of the object by sonicating the object in an ultrasonic bath containing the selected nanoparticles. The invention further includes quickly rinsing the object with solvent upon removal from the ultrasonic bath to inhibit formation of large agglomerates, drying the object with a flow of gas, optically inspecting the object for the presence of agglomeration and applying a barrier layer conformal coating and a protective layer conformal coating.
US09988721B2 Additive manufacturing processing with oxidation
A method includes additively manufacturing an article in an inert environment, removing the article from the inert environment and placing the article in a non-inert environment, allowing at least a portion the article to oxidize in the non-inert environment to form an oxidized layer on a surface of the article, and removing the oxidized layer (e.g., to smooth the surface of the article). The method can further include relieving stress in the article (e.g., via heating the article after additive manufacturing).
US09988711B2 Apparatus and method for multilayer deposition
An apparatus may include an extraction assembly comprising at least a first extraction aperture and second extraction aperture, the extraction assembly configured to extract at least a first ion beam and second ion beam from a plasma; a target assembly disposed adjacent the extraction assembly and including at least a first target portion comprising a first material and a second target portion comprising a second material, the first target portion and second target portion being disposed to intercept the first ion beam and second ion beam, respectively; and a substrate stage disposed adjacent the target assembly and configured to scan a substrate along a scan axis between a first point and a second point, wherein the first target portion and second target portion are separated from the first point by a first distance and second distance, respectively, the first distance being less than the second distance.
US09988708B2 Dyeing method and apparatus for dyeing resin body by vaporization and deposition
A dyeing device dyes a resin body by vaporizing and depositing a sublimation dye adhered to a dyeing base to a resin body and fixing the dye to the resin body. The dyeing device lowers the pressure inside a closed chamber that closes the periphery of the resin body by a pump. In the state where the adhesion surface of the dyeing base to which the dye is adhered faces the resin body without contact, by heating the dye adhered to the dyeing base inside the closed chamber of which the pressure is lowered, the dye is sublimated, vaporized, and deposited on the resin body. The pressure inside the closed chamber is raised higher than the pressure at the vaporizing and depositing time. By irradiating the resin body on which the dye is vaporized and deposited with electromagnetic wave, the resin body is heated and the dye is and fixed.
US09988701B2 Method for coating a substrate with a spray material and functional layer achievable with this method
A method for coating a substrate, in which a wire-shaped spray material is melted in an electric arc and is deposited as a functional layer on the substrate. The invention also relates to a functional layer which can be produced on the substrate by this method. The functional layer has a high hardness value and good corrosion resistance on exposure to diesel fuel with a high sulphur proportion.
US09988697B2 High-strength hot-rolled steel sheet having excellent local deformability and manufacturing method thereof
This high-strength hot-rolled steel sheet having excellent local deformability contains, in mass %, C: 0.07% to 0.20%; Si: 0.001% to 2.5%; Mn: 0.01% to 4.0%; P: 0.001% to 0.15%; S: 0.0005% to 0.03%; Al: 0.001% to 2.0%; N: 0.0005% to 0.01%; and O: 0.0005% to 0.01%; and a balance being composed of iron and inevitable impurities, in which an area ratio of bainite in a metal structure is 95% or more, at a sheet thickness center portion being a range of ⅝ to ⅜ in sheet thickness from the surface of the steel sheet, an average value of pole densities of the {100}<011> to {223}<110> orientation group is 4.0 or less, and a pole density of the {332}<113> crystal orientation is 5.0 or less, and a mean volume diameter of crystal grains in the metal structure is 10 μm or less.
US09988696B2 Rail cooling method and rail cooling device
A rail cooling method for forcibly cooling a rail by jetting a coolant includes jetting the coolant to a foot back part of the rail from a porous plate nozzle in which a nozzle hole at an end in a width direction is smaller than a nozzle hole at a central part in the width direction and causes a cooling capacity for the end in the width direction of the underside of the base of the rail to be lower than a cooling capacity for the central part in the width direction of the underside of the base of the rail.
US09988687B2 Companion diagnostics for cancer and screening methods to identify companion diagnostics for cancer based on splicing variants
A method of classifying a patient for eligibility for cancer therapy based on the presence or absence of splicing variants in a sample of the patient's cancer tissue. Also, a method of screening cancer therapies for efficacy against splicing variants. More specifically, the methods relate to novel splicing variants of genes associated with cancer risk and survival, particularly splicing variants of PIK3CD, FGFR3, TSC2, RASGRP2, ITGA4, MET, NF1 and BAK1. Also more specifically, the methods relate to classifying a patient for eligibility for cancer therapy involving the use of GS-1101.
US09988683B2 Method and nucleic acids for the analysis of colon cell proliferative disorders
Provided are methods and nucleic acids for detecting, differentiating or distinguishing between colon cell proliferative disorders by analysis of one or more of the genes Versican, TPEF, H-Cadherin, Calcitonin, and EYA4. Further provided are novel nucleic acid sequences useful for the cell proliferative disorder specific analysis of said genes as well as methods, assays and kits thereof.
US09988677B1 DNA/RNA sequencing using a semiconducting nanopore
The present disclosure provides novel apparatus including, though not necessarily limited to, biosensors utilizing semiconductor materials in electrolyte solutions and methods for using the same. The biosensors rely on a unique property wherein a charged body in the electrolyte solution produces a detectable change in the local conductivity of the semiconductor as the body approaches or travels near the semiconductor.
US09988675B2 Rate based identification of reaction points
An apparatus for identifying transition points in a chemical reaction, the apparatus comprising: a property value receiver, configured to receive a plurality of values of a physical property of the chemical reaction, a function calculator, associated with the property value receiver, configured to calculate a function and verify that the function has a line of best fit with a same slope as a linear function connecting two of the received values, the two values pertaining to a start and end of a time period, a difference calculator, associated with the function calculator, configured to calculate a difference between the calculated function and a plurality of the received values pertaining to the time period having the start and end, and a transition point identifier, associated with the difference calculator, configured to identify at least one transition point of the chemical reaction, using the calculated difference.
US09988671B2 Diagnostic probe detection system
The invention provides methods for detecting target nucleic acid sequences with diagnostic probes including first and second probe regions that are substantially complementary to first and second target regions respectively on a target nucleic acid strand wherein the first probe region is located 5′ to the second probe region. The first probe region is substantially complementary to the first target region, on the target nucleic acid strand, which also includes a second target region, wherein when the first target region is contiguous with the second target region on the target nucleic acid strand, then the first and second probe regions on the diagnostic probe are separated by a spacer region of nucleic acid.
US09988667B2 Device and methods for epigenetic analysis
Provided herein are methods and devices for single object detection. The methods and devices can be used to identify a plurality of epigenetic markers on a genetic material, or a chromatin, encompassing fragments thereof. The invention provides for the characterization of the genetic material flowing through a channel in a continuous body of fluid based on detection of one or more properties of the genetic material. The methods and systems provided herein allow genome-wide, high-throughput epigenetic analysis and overcome a variety of limitations common to bulk analysis techniques.
US09988666B2 Resonance energy transfer assay with cleavage sequence and spacer
Methods for the identification of inhibitors of botulinum neurotoxins are described. Cells are provided that are genetically engineered to express peptides that act as a substrate for a botulinum neurotoxin and the provide reporting groups. Spacer sequences between the reporting groups serve to optimize energy transfer between the reporting groups. Characterization of the energy transfer-dependent signal prior to and following exposure to a botulinum neurotoxin in the presence of a candidate inhibitor provides a measure of the effectiveness of the candidate inhibitor.
US09988658B2 Process for the hydrolysis of biomass
The present invention is directed to a process for the hydrolysis of biomass as well as the saccharide-containing permeate product and the protein-containing product produced by this process. In a further aspect, the present invention is directed to a process for the production of organic compounds from the saccharide-containing product. In an additional aspect the present invention is directed to the use of the protein-containing product for the production of a fermentation medium.
US09988642B2 Identification and use of target genes for control of plant parasitic nematodes
The invention relates to identifying and evaluating target coding sequences for control of plant parasitic nematodes by inhibiting one or more biological functions, and their use. The invention provides methods and compositions for identification of such sequences and for the control of a plant-parasitic nematode population. By feeding one or more recombinant double stranded RNA molecules provided by the invention to the nematode, a reduction in disease may be obtained through suppression of nematode gene expression. The invention is also directed to methods for making transgenic plants that express the double stranded RNA molecules, and the plant cells and plants obtained thereby.
US09988640B2 Nucleic acid sequences encoding transcription factors regulating alkaloid biosynthesis and their use in modifying plant metabolism
Plant metabolism and alkaloid levels can be regulated by transcription factors that regulate the nicotinic alkaloid biosynthetic pathway. In one embodiment, the disclosure provides a transcription factor that negatively regulates alkaloid biosynthesis, such as nicotine biosynthesis.
US09988637B2 Cas9 plasmid, genome editing system and method of Escherichia coli
A Cas9 expression plasmid, a genome editing system and a genome editing method for Escherichia coli are provided. The Cas9 expression plasmid includes a tracrRNA sequence, a Cas9 gene and a chloramphenicol resistance gene (CmR). The Cas9 expression plasmid is applied to CRISPR/Cas-coupled λ-red recombineering system for editing genomes of E. coli with high efficiency.
US09988636B2 SDF-1 binding nucleic acids and the use thereof
The present invention is related to a nucleic acid molecule binding to SDF-1, whereby the nucleic acid molecule influences migration of cells.
US09988631B2 Pharmaceutical composition comprising Nanog shRNA, and method of using Nanog shRNA to treat cancer
The present description relates to an inhibitory RNA molecule, comprising an oligonucleotide that selectively knocks down expression a Nanog pseudogene expressed in many human cancers, a replicating viral vector capable of encoding such inhibitory RNA molecule, pharmaceutical compositions comprising said vector, and methods of treating cancer by administration of said pharmaceutical composition.
US09988630B2 Methods and compositions for the specific inhibition of gene expression by double-stranded RNA
The invention provides compositions and methods for selectively reducing the expression of a gene product from a desired target gene, as well as treating diseases caused by expression of the gene. The method involves introducing into the environment of a cell an amount of a double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) such that a sufficient portion of the dsRNA can enter the cytoplasm of the cell to cause a reduction in the expression of the target gene. The dsRNA has a first oligonucleotide sequence that is between 26 and about 30 nucleotides in length and a second oligonucleotide sequence that anneals to the first sequence under biological conditions. In addition, a region of one of the sequences of the dsRNA having a sequence length of from about 19 to about 23 nucleotides is complementary to a nucleotide sequence of the RNA produced from the target gene.
US09988629B2 Antisense nucleic acids
Provided is a drug that allows highly-efficient skipping of exon 51 in the human dystrophin gene. The present invention provides an antisense oligomer which enables exon 51 in the human dystrophin gene to be skipped.
US09988627B2 Formats for organic compounds for use in RNA interference
The disclosure relates to compositions comprising a RNAi agent having a novel format including a spacer subunit. The disclosure relates to compositions comprising a RNAi agent having a novel format: an 18-mer format with at least one internal spacer. These RNAi agents comprise a first and a second 18-mer strand, wherein the first strand is 18 ribonucleotides or 18 total ribonucleotides and spacer subunit(s), and the second strand is 18 total ribonucleotides and spacer subunit(s), wherein: each spacer subunit consists of: (a) a phosphate or modified internucleoside linker and (b) a spacer; a spacer subunit can be at any position in the strand; the two strands form a duplex with at least one blunt end; and the 3 end of one or both strands terminates in a phosphate or modified internucleoside linker and further comprises, in 5 to 3 order: a second spacer; a second phosphate or modified internucleoside linker, and a 3 end cap. In various embodiments, the RNAi agents comprise a first and a second strand, wherein each strand is a 30-mer or shorter, the first strand comprises ribonucleotides, and the second strand comprises ribonucleotides and one or more spacer subunit(s), wherein: each spacer subunit consists of: (a) a phosphate or modified internucleoside linker and (b) a spacer; a spacer subunit can be at any position in the strand. In some embodiments, the 3 end of both strands further comprise, in 5 to 3 order: a second spacer; a second phosphate or modified internucleoside linker; and a 3 end cap. The two strands can have the same or different spacers, phosphates or modified internucleoside linkers, and/or 3 end caps. The strands can be ribonucleotides, or, optionally, one or more nucleotide can be modified or substituted. Optionally, at least one nucleotide comprises a modified internucleoside linker. Optionally, the first two base-pairing nucleotides on the 3 end of the one or both strand are 2-MOE. Optionally, the RNAi agent can be modified on one or both 5 end. Optionally, the first or second strand is the sense strand, and the sense strand can comprise a 5 end cap which reduces the amount of the RNA interference mediated by this strand. Optionally, the RNAi agent is attached to a ligand. This format can be used to devise RNAi agents to a variety of different targets and sequences. The disclosure also relates to processes for making such compositions, and methods and uses of such compositions, e.g., to mediate RNA interference.
US09988623B2 Methods of X-aptamer generation and compositions thereof
Provided herein are methods for a novel bead-based next-generation “X-aptamer” selection scheme that extends aptamer technology to include X-modified bases, thus resulting in X-aptamers, at any position along the sequence because the aptamers are chemically synthesized via a split-pool scheme on individual beads. Also provides are application to a wide range of commonly used DNA modifications, including, but not limited to, monothioate and dithioate backbone substitutions. This new class of aptamer allows chemical modifications introduced to any of the bases in the aptamer sequence as well as the phosphate backbones and can be extended to other carbohydrate-based systems.
US09988621B2 Method of enzyme inactivation
The present invention relates to a method for the inactivation of enzymes with a composition comprising a sulfonated peroxycarboxylic acid according to formula (I) wherein: R1 is hydrogen, or a substituted or unsubstituted Cm alkyl group; R2 is a substituted or unsubstituted Cn alkyl group; X is a hydrogen atom, a cationic group, or an ester forming moiety; Y is a hydrogen atom, a cationic group, or an ester forming moiety; n is 1 to 10; m is 1 to 10; and n+m is less than or equal to 18, wherein the composition is contacted with the enzyme.
US09988619B2 Non-natural amino acid tRNA synthetases for pyridyl tetrazine
The invention provides methods and compositions for a mutein aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase that preferentially charges a tRNA with a non-natural amino acid. Also provided are methods for incorporating the non-natural amino acids, pyridinyl-amino tetrazine amino acids, into a protein, and further conjugating a biologically active adduct to the pyridinyl-amino tetrazine.
US09988614B1 High fidelity BbsI
A composition comprising a variant BbsI restriction endonuclease having reduced star activity is provided, as well as kits and methods employing the same.
US09988606B2 Generation of airway and lung progenitors and epithelial cells and three-dimensional anterior foregut spheres
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to various methods for generating airway and lung progenitors and epithelial cells and three-dimensional anterior foregut spheres, and to populations of cells made using the methods. The airway and lung progenitors and epithelial cells can be used as a model to study diseases that primarily affect airway epithelial cells, and to study human lung development. Methods are also provided for drug screening. Anterior foregut spheres can be used as a model for lung fibrosis.
US09988595B2 Water soluble unit dose article comprising an aversive agent
Water soluble unit dose article comprising detergent or cleaning composition, a water-soluble film surrounding the composition and a particle comprising an aversive agent coated onto the outer surface of the water soluble film, and a process for making the water soluble unit dose article.
US09988588B2 Post torrefaction biomass pelletization
A process for torrefaction of biomass is provided in which biomass are passed into a fluidized bed or a non-fluidized bed reactor and heated to a predetermined temperature in an oxidizing environment. The dried biomass is then fed to a cooler where the temperature of the product is reduced to approximately 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
US09988587B2 Process for removal of nitrogen from natural gas
A method for removing nitrogen from natural gas includes contacting substantially dry natural gas that contains unwanted nitrogen with lithium metal. The nitrogen reacts with lithium to form lithium nitride, which is recovered for further processing, and pipeline quality natural gas. The natural gas may optionally contain other chemical species that may be reduced by lithium, such as carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, and small amounts of water. These lithium reducible species may be removed from the natural gas concurrently with the removal of nitrogen. The lithium nitride is subjected to an electrochemical process to regenerate lithium metal. In an alternative embodiment, lithium nitride is reacted with sulfur to form lithium sulfide and nitrogen. The lithium sulfide is subjected to an electrochemical process to regenerate lithium metal and sulfur. The electrochemical processes are advantageously performed in an electrolytic cell containing a lithium ion selective membrane separator.
US09988585B2 Method for producing base oil for lubricant oils
A method for producing a base oil for lubricant oils comprising: a first step of hydrocracking a stock oil having a content percentage of a heavy matter of 80% by mass or more so that a crack per mass of the heavy matter is 20 to 85% by mass, to obtain a hydrocracked oil comprising the heavy matter and a hydrocracked product thereof, a second step of fractionating the hydrocracked oil into a base oil fraction comprising the hydrocracked product and a heavy fraction comprising the heavy matter and being heavier than the base oil fraction, respectively, a third step of isomerization dewaxing the base oil fraction from the fractionation in the second step to obtain a dewaxed oil, wherein the heavy fraction from the fractionation in the second step is returned to the first step as a part of the stock oil.
US09988584B2 Method of upgrading heavy crude oil
A method of upgrading a heavy crude oil (10) by thermally cracking (12) the heavy crude oil in a cracking vessel to convert a portion to volatile components (14) while simultaneously venting the volatile components from the cracking vessel. Tetrathydrofurfuryl alcohol is optionally added to the heavy crude oil feedstock before or during cracking. The vented volatile components are separated (16) into condensable volatile components (18) and non-condensable volatile components (20). The condensable components are collected and comprise cracked-distilled oil. The cracking residue (48) is removed from the cracking vessel and a cracking residue extract is prepared and mixed with the cracked-distilled oil to produce synthetic crude oil.
US09988583B2 Highly aromatic base oil and method for producing highly aromatic base oil
A method for producing a highly aromatic base oil of the present invention includes a step of hydrorefining a clarified oil to obtain a highly aromatic base oil having an aromatic content of 50% by mass or more determined by a column chromatography analysis method. The step of hydrorefining a clarified oil is preferably performed under conditions of a hydrogen pressure of 5.0 to 20.0 MPa, a temperature of 280 to 400° C., a hydrogen oil ratio of 300 to 750 NL/L, and a space velocity of 0.3 to 2.0 h−1. According to the present invention, a highly aromatic base oil used for rubber processing, asphalt reclamation and the like, and a novel method for producing a highly aromatic base oil can be provided.
US09988582B2 Method for restoring activity to a spent hydroprocessing catalyst, a spent hydroprocessing catalyst having restored catalytic activity, and a hydroprocessing process
A regenerated spent hydroprocessing catalyst treated with a chelating agent and having incorporated therein a polar additive.
US09988579B2 Process for cracking of liquid hydrocarbon materials by pulsed electrical discharge and device for its implementation
A carrier gas jet is injected into a liquid hydrocarbon material to form a liquid hydrocarbon-gas mixture; flowing the liquid hydrocarbon-gas material through an inter-electrode gap of a discharge chamber, the inter-electrode gap defined by a spaced pair of electrodes, the electrodes being connected to a capacitor; charging the capacitor to a breakdown voltage of the carrier gas; generating a spark discharge in the inter-electrode gap; and recovering a hydrocarbon fraction that includes lower molecular weight hydrocarbons than the liquid hydrocarbon material.
US09988575B2 Polyurethane foam for use as soil improver
Polyurethane foam flakes for use as additive to soil and/or other natural plant growth media for improving the water retention and/or reduction of the methane emission.
US09988573B2 Slurry, polishing liquid set, polishing liquid, method for polishing substrate, and substrate
The polishing liquid according to the embodiment comprises abrasive grains, an additive and water, wherein the abrasive grains satisfy either or both of the following conditions (a) and (b). (a) Producing absorbance of at least 1.50 for light with a wavelength of 400 nm in an aqueous dispersion with a content of the abrasive grains adjusted to 1.0 mass %, and also producing light transmittance of at least 50%/cm for light with a wavelength of 500 nm in an aqueous dispersion with a content of the abrasive grains adjusted to 1.0 mass %. (b) Producing absorbance of at least 1.000 for light with a wavelength of 290 nm in an aqueous dispersion with a content of the abrasive grains adjusted to 0.0065 mass %, and also producing light transmittance of at least 50%/cm for light with a wavelength of 500 nm in an aqueous dispersion with a content of the abrasive grains adjusted to 1.0 mass %.
US09988567B2 Azeotrope-like compositions of tetrafluoropropene and hydrofluorocarbons
Provided are azeotrope-like compositions comprising tetrafluoropropene and hydrofluorocarbons and uses thereof, including use in refrigerant compositions, refrigeration systems, blowing agent compositions, and aerosol propellants.
US09988553B2 Thermosetting coating compositions
The present invention provides emulsions comprising curable polyesters and certain surfactants. The emulsions are useful as coatings binders in waterborne thermosetting coating compositions and can be used in conjunction with cross-linking compounds reactive with curable polyesters. Also provided are shaped or formed articles coated with the waterborne thermosetting coating compositions of the invention.
US09988550B2 Overprint varnishes with non-aqueous dispersions
Provided are overprint varnish (OPV) compositions containing high viscosity essentially non-aqueous dispersions that include acrylic core/shell polymer particles in a non-aqueous solvent such as mineral oil. Also provided are methods of coating a substrate with an OPV containing the non-aqueous dispersions to improve the properties of the OPV when used to coat a substrate, such as improved rub resistance, resistance to yellowing, and desirable gloss values.
US09988549B2 Water-soluble coating composition for surface protection of nuclear fuel rod
Disclosed is a water-soluble coating composition, which is applied on the surface of fuel rods to prevent scratching of the surface of the fuel rods upon manufacturing a nuclear fuel assembly for light water reactors. This water-soluble coating composition facilitates the formation and removal of a coating film and the resulting coating film can exhibit strength and durability equivalent to those of an existing lacquer (nitrocellulose) coating film, and can thus be used as an alternative to lacquer, thereby easily removing the coating film and improving workplace safety, ultimately achieving improvements in the working environment and high workplace safety.
US09988545B2 Thermal ink jet ink composition
A thermal ink jet ink composition includes one or more volatile organic solvents, wherein the one or more volatile organic solvents are selected from C1-C4 alcohols, C3-C6 ketones, C3-C6 esters, C4-C8 ethers, and mixtures thereof; one or more binder resins; and one or more dyes. The ink composition is suitable for use in a thermal ink jet printer and the ink composition has a slow rate of kogation such that it is capable of being printed at least 10 million drops per nozzle from the thermal ink jet printer before drop weight of the ink composition is reduced by more than 10%.
US09988543B2 Ink, ink stored container, inkjet recording apparatus, and recorded matter
Provided is an ink containing a copper phthalocyanine pigment, wherein an absorbance ratio (Y/X) of a local minimum absorbance Y of the ink in a wavelength range of from 665 nm through 675 nm to a local maximum absorbance X of the ink in a wavelength range of from 610 nm through 620 nm is 0.660 or greater but 0.740 or less.
US09988537B2 Coating composition and method for the protection of complex metal structures and components used in submerged environments
A coating composition for application to a subsea component or structure includes a cellulose acetate, a plasticizer, a vegetable oil, a colorant, and a titanium dioxide stabilizer that are mixed together. The plasticizer is epoxidized linseed oil. The colorant is carbon black powder. The vegetable oil is selected from the group including vegetable oil and soybean oil.
US09988536B2 Compositions for surface treatments
A composition having at least one first component containing a perfluorinated aliphatic structure in which no more than six fluorine bearing carbons are connected in any single straight chain segment, in addition a group providing binding functionality to a surface to be treated or containing at least one polymerisable double bond or containing at least one cross-linkable group, and in addition a divalent radical containing at least one group capable of forming polar interactions or hydrogen bonds, and at least one second component containing a perfluorinated aliphatic structure in which no more than six fluorine bearing carbons are connected in any single straight chain segment and a moiety containing at least one group providing binding functionality to a surface to be treated or containing at least one polymerisable double bond or containing at least one cross-linkable group.
US09988533B2 Aqueous binder compositions
The invention relates to mixtures of at least one acrylic resin dispersion A and a second dispersion B which is at least one of a polyurethane dispersion B1 which comprises, in its polymer, moieties derived from grafted fatty acids, and a mixture B2 of a polyurethane dispersion B21 and an aqueously dispersed alkyd resin B22, and to a method of use thereof for coating of porous substrates.
US09988517B2 Physical colorants for plastics based on the Christiansen effect
Microsphere compositions containing a mixture of at least two materials with same or differing phases are described. The materials have differing optical dispersion curves that intersect at at least one particular wavelength exhibiting the Christiansen effect. The materials may be encompassed by a microsphere, which may also include a separation entity.
US09988513B2 Stator compound having an NBIR terpolymer elastomeric base and stators and downhole motors using the same
A stator compound including an acrylonitrile butadiene isoprene rubber (NBIR) terpolymer elastomeric base.
US09988502B2 Elastomer composites, blends and methods for preparing same
Blends of elastomer composites with unfilled or less highly filled elastomer reduces hysteresis without compromising reinforcement. Hysteresis may also be reduced by adjusting the compounding method.
US09988496B2 Method for producing organopolysiloxanes
Highly condensed silicon resins are obtained by a three step continuous procedure without the use of organic solvent, by preliminarily forming a partial alkoxylate by reacting a chlorosilane with alcohol containing no or a minimal amount of water, feeding the partial alkoxylate to a reaction column to form a silicone resin of low degree of condensation, and further condensing the silicone resin intermediate thus formed to produce a silicone resin product.
US09988495B2 Oligomer additive and lithium battery
An oligomer additive is provided. The oligomer additive is obtained by a reaction of a maleimide, a barbituric acid and a dibenzyl trithiocarbonate. A lithium battery including an anode, a cathode, a separator, an electrolyte solution and a package structure is also provided, wherein the cathode includes the oligomer additive.
US09988494B2 Method for forming a high molecular weight polyarylene sulfide
A method for forming a polyarylene sulfide is provided. The method comprises supplying a waste composition to a vessel, the waste composition containing arylene sulfide byproducts, such as an arylene sulfide oligomer, cyclic polyarylene sulfide, and/or fine polyarylene sulfide particles. The arylene sulfide byproducts are heated to a temperature of from about 260° C. to about 285° C. in the presence of a sulfur reactant, thereby forming a high molecular weight polyarylene sulfide having a number average molecular weight of about 2,000 Daltons or more.
US09988492B2 Methods for post-fabrication functionalization of poly(ester ureas)
Amino acid-based poly(ester urea)s (PEU) are emerging as a class of polymers that have shown promise in regenerative medicine applications. Embodiments of the invention relate to the synthesis of PEUs carrying pendent “clickable” groups on modified tyrosine amino acids. The pendent species include alkyne, azide, alkene, tyrosine-phenol, and ketone groups. PEUs with Mw exceeding 100k Da were obtained via interfacial polycondensation methods and the concentration of pendent groups was varied by copolymerization. The incorporation of derivatizable functionalities is demonstrated using 1H NMR and UV-Vis spectroscopy methods. Electrospinning was used to fabricate PEU nanofibers with a diameters ranging from 350 nm to 500 nm. The nanofiber matricies possess mechanical strengths suitable for tissue engineering (Young's modulus: 300±45 MPa; tensile stress: 8.5±1.2 MPa). A series of bioactive peptides and fluorescent molecules were conjugated to the surface of the nanofibers following electrospinning using bio-orthogonal reactions in aqueous media.
US09988488B2 Catalyst for poly(lactide) synthesis and uses thereof
A catalysts for poly(lactide) synthesis having the structure of Formula I: wherein R1 and R2 is, independently, C1-C6 alkoxy, and R3 arylalkyl or substituted phenyl are disclosed. Method of synthesizing the catalysts and method of using the catalysts to prepare poly(lactides) and compositions comprising the catalyst are also disclosed.
US09988485B2 Process for preparing low-viscosity allophanates containing actinically curable groups
The present invention provides a process for preparing radiation-curing allophanates having residual monomer contents of less than 0.5% by weight and an NCO content of less than 1% by weight, wherein (A) compounds containing isocyanate groups, (B) hydroxy-functional compounds which contain groups which react, with polymerization, with ethylenically unsaturated compounds on exposure to actinic radiation (radiation-curing groups) and (C) optionally further compounds containing NCO-reactive groups, also optionally in the presence of a catalyst, are used to form NCO-group-containing urethanes having radiation-curing groups, which are subsequently reacted, without further addition of compounds containing isocyanate groups, in the presence of an allophanatization catalyst, the ratio of NCO groups of the compounds from A) to the OH groups of the compounds from B) and, where used, C) being 1.45:1.0 to 1.1:1.0.
US09988483B2 Pyrrolidine-based catalysts for use in polyurethane materials
The present disclosure relates to pyrrolidine-based catalysts for use in a polyurethane formulation. The polyurethane formulation includes the pyrrolidine-based catalyst, a compound containing an isocyanate functional group, an active hydrogen-containing compound. The use of such catalysts produces high quality polyurethane foam while reducing environmental concerns that can arise during the production of polyurethane foam as well as in the foam that is produced.
US09988480B2 Pigment dispersant, production method for pigment dispersant, and pigment dispersion liquid
The present invention provides a pigment dispersant that exhibits high fine dispersibility, stability, and fluidity in a small amount, a pigment dispersion liquid including the pigment dispersant, and a process of producing the pigment dispersant and pigment dispersion liquid. The pigment dispersant contains as a main component, a graft copolymer formed through living radical polymerization using two or more monomers including a methacrylate A having an acidic group or a basic group and a methacrylate-based macromonomer B having a methacrylate residue at one terminal of a particular polymer chain that has a molecular weight of from 500 to 5000. A ratio of a total molar number of the methacrylate-based monomers relative to 1 mol of a polymerization-initiating compound in the raw material monomers is from 20 to 50 mol. A ratio of the B component-derived polymer chain to the graft copolymer is from 50 to 90 mass %.
US09988478B2 Photopolymerizable composition, photopolymerizable ink jet ink, and ink cartridge
A cured composition prepared from a photopolymerizable composition that includes diethyleneglycoldimethacrylate and alkoxy-modified (meth)acrylic acid ester having an n not less than 9. The n is an average polymerization degree of an alkoxy part of the (meth)acrylic acid ester.
US09988475B2 Method for producing one or more ethylene-based polymers
The instant invention provides a method for polymerizing one or more ethylene-based polymers. The method for polymerizing one or more ethylene-based polymers according to the present invention comprises the following steps: (1) selecting ethylene and optionally one or more alpha-olefin comonomers; (2) selecting one or more catalyst systems comprising one or more procatalysts comprising Ti, one or more cocatalysts comprising Al, and one or more self-limiting agents (SLA); wherein the ratio of SLA to Ti is from 5:1 to 40:1 and the ratio of Al to SLA is from 2:1 to 40:1; (3) polymerizing said ethylene and optionally one or more alpha-olefin comonomers in the presence of said one or more catalyst systems via a slurry polymerization process or gas-phase polymerization process in one or more reactors; (4) thereby producing one or more ethylene; wherein said catalyst system has a loss of least 85% of catalyst productivity when the temperature is increased from 85 to 115 C.
US09988463B2 Thrombin-binding antibody molecules and uses thereof
This invention relates to isolated antibodies which recognise the exosite 1 epitope of thrombin and selectively inhibit thrombin without promoting bleeding. These antibody molecules may be useful in the treatment and prevention of thrombosis, embolism and other conditions mediated by thrombin.
US09988456B2 Fusion immunomodulatory proteins and methods for making same
The present invention relates generally to the field of generating recombinant chimeric fusion proteins to be used in the cancer therapy, and more specifically, to fusion molecules of Anti-EGFR1-TGFβRII, Anti-EGFR1-PD1 and Anti-CTLA4-PD1 and methods of generating same, wherein the methods reduce production costs and increase homogeneity of the recombinant chimeric fusion proteins.
US09988435B2 Composite comprising antibody capable of binding to intranuclear protein of influenza virus
The present invention provides a composite comprising a novel antibody and at least one selected from the group consisting of a solid phase support and a labeled substance. The antibody consists of the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 08, and is capable of binding to an intranuclear protein of an influenza virus type A. The influenza virus type A is at least one selected from the group consisting of H1N1, H2N2, H3N2, and H7N9. The antibody is bound to the at least one selected from the group consisting of the solid phase support and the labeled substance. The present invention also provides a detection device and a detection method using the composite.
US09988433B2 Covalent modification of biological macromolecules
The present disclosure provides a method of covalently modifying a biological macromolecule, the method comprising subjecting a reaction mixture comprising: (a) a biological macromolecule comprising one or more thiol groups; and (b) a molecule comprising one or more olefin or alkyne moieties to a radical reaction under conditions sufficient to produce the covalently modified biological macromolecule. The present disclosure also provides a method of covalently modifying a biological macromolecule, the method comprising subjecting a reaction mixture comprising: (a) a molecule comprising one or more thiol groups; and (b) a biological macromolecule comprising one or more olefin or alkyne moieties to a radical reaction under conditions sufficient to produce the covalently modified biological macromolecule. The present disclosure further provides a covalently modified biological macromolecule prepared by any of the disclosed methods. The covalently modified biological macromolecules may be further crosslinked to form a scaffold.
US09988406B2 Forms of R)-3-(4-(2-(2-methyltetrazol-5-yl)pyridin-5-yl)-3-fluorophenyl)-5-hydroxymethyl oxazolidin-2-one dihydrogen phosphate
A crystalline form of crystalline (R)-3-(4-(2-(2-methyltetrazol-5-yl)-pyridin-5-yl)-3-fluorophenyl)-5-hydroxymethyl oxazolidin-2-one dihydrogen phosphate, methods of making the crystalline form and pharmaceutical compositions comprising the crystalline form are useful antibiotics. Further, the derivatives of the present invention may exert potent antibacterial activity versus various human and animal pathogens, including Gram-positive bacteria such as Staphylococi, Enterococci and Streptococi, anaerobic microorganisms such as Bacteroides and Clostridia, and acid-resistant microorganisms such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium avium. Accordingly, the compositions comprising the crystalline form may be used in antibiotics.
US09988402B2 Amine-boranes bearing borane-intolerant functionalities
Disclosed herein is the preparation of functional group containing amine-boranes from the corresponding amines. The mild reaction conditions allow for the direct preparation of several hitherto inaccessible amine-boranes containing a functional moiety, such as but not limited to, alkene, alkyne, hydroxyl, thiol, acetal, ester, amide, nitrile, nitro, and alkoxysilane.
US09988401B2 Crystalline forms of a PI3K inhibitor
The present invention is related to crystalline forms of (S)-7-(1-(9H-purin-6-ylamino) ethyl)-6-(3-fluorophenyl)-3-methyl-5H-thiazolo[3,2-a]pyrimidin-5-one which is a PI3K inhibitor useful in the treatment of cancer and other diseases.
US09988400B2 Thiazolopyrimidinones and methods of use thereof
The present invention relates to certain thiazolopyrimidinone compounds, pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds, and methods of treatment using such compounds.
US09988396B2 Oxaziridine compound and production method thereof
Provided are an oxaziridine compound showing an antifungal activity and cytotoxicity and expected as a new antifungal agent or anticancer agent, and a production method thereof.A compound represented by the formula 1: wherein X is a single bond, —C(H)(R6)— or —C(H)(R7)—C(H)(R8)—; and R1-R8 are each independently a hydrogen atom, an optionally substituted hydrocarbon group or an optionally substituted heterocyclic group, or a salt thereof.
US09988394B2 Oxabicycloheptane prodrugs
The present invention provides a compound having the structure:
US09988393B2 Isosorbide-based polymethacrylates
A monomer comprises the structure wherein R1 comprises H or a substituted hydrocarbyl or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl, and wherein R2 comprises H, a halide, or a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C4) hydrocarbyl. A method comprises (a) reacting a dianhydrohexitol precursor having the structure with an acyl-group containing compound having the structure wherein R1 comprises H or a substituted hydrocarbyl or unsubstituted hydrocarbyl, and X comprises a halide, a hydroxyl group, or an acyl group to form an acylated dianhydrohexitol ester intermediate having the structure and (b) reacting the acylated dianhydrohexitol ester intermediate with an acrylic-based compound having the structure wherein R2 comprises H, a halide, or a substituted or unsubstituted (C1-C4) hydrocarbyl, and Y comprises a halide, a hydroxyl group, or an acyl group, to form a dianhydrohexitol-based monomer having the structure
US09988385B2 Strongly fluorescent heterocycles and a method for their synthesis
This invention provides 1,4-dihydropyrrolo[3,2-b]pyrrole derivatives which can be used as strongly fluorescent compounds and a one-stage method for their synthesis from simple substrates.
US09988366B2 Pesticidally active heterocyclic derivatives with sulphur containing substituents
Compounds of formula (I), wherein the substituents are as defined in claim 1, and the agrochemically acceptable salts, stereoismers, enantiomers, tautomers and N-oxides of those compounds, can be used as insecticides and can be prepared in a manner known per se.
US09988363B2 Process for preparing organic esters
The present invention relates to a process for preparing an ester having formula R—COO—R′ (I), wherein R represents a group selected from: (i) a linear or branched alkyl, containing from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, (ii) an aryl containing from 6 to 12 carbon atoms, (iii) a heterocycle with 4 to 12 carbon atoms containing at least one heteroatom selected from O, N, P and S, R′ represents a linear or branched alkyl containing from 1 to 12 carbon atoms, said process comprising at least a phase of reacting a reaction mixture comprising at least one aldehyde having formula R—CHO (II), wherein R has the meanings defined above, and at least one alcohol having general formula R′—OH (III), wherein R′ has the meanings defined above, in the presence of at least one solid basic catalyst, at a temperature within the range of 120° C.-300° C., obtaining said ester having formula (I).
US09988356B2 Processes for the preparation of pesticidal compounds
The present application provides processes for making pesticidal compounds and compounds useful both as pesticides and in the making of pesticidal compounds.
US09988347B2 Herbicidally active arylcarboxylic acid amides
Benzamides of the general formula (I) are described as herbicides. In this formula (I), X, Z and R are radicals such as alkyl and cycloalkyl. Q is a 5-membered heterocycle.
US09988346B2 Large hydrophobe surfactants
Provided herein are inter alia novel compositions and methods having application in the field of enhanced oil recovery. In particular, the large hydrophobe compounds and mixtures thereof presented herein can be used, inter alia, for the recovery of a large range of crude oil compositions from challenging reservoirs.
US09988342B2 Method for producing 2-aminoethylmethacrylate hydrochloride
Provided is a method for producing 2-aminoethyl methacrylate hydrochloride that, according to one embodiment, includes a step (A) for reacting a ketimine compound of 2-aminoethyl methacrylate with water and hydrogen chloride and obtaining a mixture containing 2-aminoethyl methacrylate hydrochloride, wherein in the step (A), the ratio of the total amount of hydrogen chloride to the total amount of ketimine compound of 2-aminoethyl methacrylate is 1.0-1.5 expressed in terms of equivalents, and the ratio of the total amount of water to the total amount of ketimine compound of 2-aminoethyl methacrylate is 1.0-2.0 expressed in terms of equivalents.
US09988339B2 Nonpolar phase-soluble metathesis catalysts
One embodiment of the invention provides polyisobutylene (PIB) oligomers that are end-functionalized with ruthenium (Ru) catalysts. Such nonpolar catalysts can be dissolved in nonpolar solvents such as heptane, or any other nonpolar solvent that is otherwise not latently biphasic (i.e., if two or more solvent components are present, they remain miscible with each other throughout the entire reaction process, from the addition of substrate through to the removal of product). Substrate that is dissolved in the nonpolar solvent with the catalyst is converted into product. The lower solubility of the product in the nonpolar solvent renders it easily removable, either by extraction with a more polar solvent or by applying physical means in cases where the product precipitates from the nonpolar solvent. In this manner the catalysts are recycled; since the catalysts remain in the nonpolar solvent, a new reaction can be initiated simply by dissolving fresh substrate into the nonpolar solvent.
US09988338B2 Method for producing diesters of terephthalic acid
The present invention relates to a process for preparing a terephthalic diester by reacting terephthalic acid with at least one alcohol, wherein terephthalic acid is suspended in the alcohol in a dispersing tank, the preliminary suspension is passed from the dispersing tank into a reactor and converted in the presence of an esterification catalyst to obtain a reaction suspension, a stream of the reaction suspension is drawn off from the reactor, passed through a heat exchanger outside the reactor and heated and the heated reaction suspension is recycled into the reactor, and water of reaction is distilled off together with the vapor as alcohol-water azeotrope, the vapor is at least partly condensed, the condensate is separated into an aqueous phase and an organic phase and the organic phase is at least partly recycled into the reactor.
US09988335B2 Method and apparatus for concentration and crystallization of fermentable carboxylic acids
A method for concentrating and crystallizing fermentable carboxylic acids, salts, and mixtures thereof may involve the use of carboxylic acids that have a defined temperature dependence of the solubility and of the osmotic pressure. The carboxylic acids may be concentrated by a membrane method and subsequently crystallized out by a cooling crystallization and isolated. In some examples, the membrane method may involve nanofiltration, reverse osmosis, and/or membrane distillation for separation into a concentrate and a permeate. Similarly, an apparatus for implementing such methods may include a nanofiltration, reverse osmosis, and/or membrane distillation unit for concentrating the carboxylic acid, and at least one cooling crystallization unit for crystallizing the carboxylic acid.
US09988334B2 Salts of treprostinil
Provided are novel treprostinil salts as well as methods for making treprostinil salts.
US09988333B2 Process for making 2,5-dihalogenated phenol
The present invention relates to a process for reacting chemical compounds comprising the step of reacting a compound of formula (IV) wherein Hal is independently selected from Cl or Br, and X− is a monovalent anion, in the presence of an inorganic acid, wherein the aqueous inorganic acid has a concentration of at least about 60%, at a temperature of about 140° C. to about 250° C., to obtain a compound of formula (V) wherein Hal is as defined above.
US09988331B2 Method for producing optically active, racemic menthol
The present invention relates to a particularly economic overall method for producing menthol, specifically for producing optically active, essentially enantiomerically and diastereomerically pure L-menthol and racemic menthol, starting from the starting material citral which is available inexpensively on an industrial scale. The method has the following steps a.1) catalytic hydrogenation of neral and/or geranial to give citronellal, b.1) cyclization of citronellal to isopulegol in the presence of an acidic catalyst, c.1) purification of isopulegol by crystallization and d.1) catalytic hydrogenation of isopulegol to give menthol.
US09988328B2 Method for producing fluorinated methane
An object of the present invention is to extend the catalyst lifetime in a method for producing fluoromethane by pyrolyzing fluorine-containing methyl ether in the presence of a catalyst. The present invention provides a method for producing fluoromethane by pyrolyzing a fluorine-containing methyl ether represented by Formula (1) in a gas phase in the presence of a catalyst, the pyrolysis being conducted at a moisture concentration of 100 ppm or less, wherein R1 and R2 are identical or different, and each represents a substituted or unsubstituted straight or branched monovalent aliphatic hydrocarbon group, substituted or unsubstituted monovalent aromatic hydrocarbon group, substituted or unsubstituted monovalent cyclic aliphatic hydrocarbon group, hydrogen atom, or halogen atom.
US09988327B2 Process for producing hydrofluoroolefin
A method for producing a hydrofluoroolefin is provided. The formation of by-products of an over-reduced product having hydrogen added to a material chlorofluoroolefin and an over-reduced product having not only chlorine atoms but also fluorine atoms in the chlorofluoroolefin replaced with hydrogen atoms is suppressed in the method. The method includes reacting a specific chlorofluoroolefin with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst supported on a carrier to obtain the hydrofluoroolefin. The catalyst is a catalyst composed of an alloy containing at least one platinum group element of palladium and platinum, and at least one second element of manganese, copper, aluminum, gold, lithium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, silver, zinc, cadmium, indium, silicon, germanium, tin, lead, arsenic, antimony, and bismuth.
US09988325B2 Hydrocarbon conversion
The invention relates to the hydrocarbon upgrading to produce aromatic hydrocarbon, to equipment and materials useful in such upgrading, and to the use of such upgrading for, e.g., producing aromatic hydrocarbon natural gas. The upgrading can be carried out in the presence of a dehydrocyclization catalyst comprising at least one dehydrogenation component and at least one molecular sieve.
US09988323B2 Catalyst
A process for the preparation of a compound of formula (V): comprising at least the step of reacting a compound of formula (VI) with a compound (VII) wherein; R2 is hydrogen or a C1-C20 hydrocarbyl radical provided that at least one R2 is not hydrogen; R5 is hydrogen or a C1-20 hydrocarbyl group optionally containing one or more heteroatoms from groups 14-16; R6 is hydrogen or a C1-20 hydrocarbyl group optionally containing one or more heteroatoms from groups 14-16; n is 1, 2 or 3; each R8 is a C1-20 hydrocarbyl group; and Hal is a halide; in the presence of a nickel imidazolidin-2-ylidene compound.
US09988320B2 Aerobic hose wrap composting apparatus and method for decomposing waste material
Decomposing waste material may use a no-turn, aerobic composting apparatus that includes an enclosure for containing waste material and a fluid distribution system including a fluid injection member removably disposable in waste material disposed in the enclosure. The fluid injection member includes a plurality of spaced apertures for injecting fluid into the waste material.
US09988319B2 System for treating a plant exposed to a phytotoxicant
Methods of treating a plant exposed to a phytotoxicant are provided. Embodiments of the subject methods include identifying a plant exposed to a phytotoxicant and applying an assimilable carbon-skeleton energy component-comprising composition to the identified plant. Embodiments of the subject compositions may include one or more of a macronutrient component, micronutrient component, vitamin/cofactor component, complexing agent and microbe. Kits for use in practicing the subject invention are also provided. The subject methods find use in a variety of different applications in which a plant is phytotoxic or at least in danger of becoming phytotoxic due to exposure or potential exposure to a phytotoxicant.
US09988314B2 Sintered compact and cutting tool
A sintered compact has a first material, a second material, and a third material. The first material is cubic boron nitride. The second material is a compound including zirconium. The third material is an aluminum oxide and the aluminum oxide includes a fine-particle aluminum oxide. The sintered compact has a first region in which not less than 5 volume % and not more than 50 volume % of the fine-particle aluminum oxide is dispersed in the second material. On arbitrary straight lines in the first region, an average value of continuous distances occupied by the fine-particle aluminum oxide is not more than 0.08 μm and a standard deviation of the continuous distances occupied by the fine-particle aluminum oxide is not more than 0.1 μm.
US09988309B2 Thermal barrier coating material with enhanced toughness
Disclosed are compositions, devices and methods related to thermal barrier coating materials having enhanced toughness. In some embodiments, a multiphase ceramic can include a first phase formed from a cubic and/or a tetragonally stabilized metal oxide, and a second phase formed from a magnetoplumbite-based aluminate that is chemically compatible with the first phase. Various example applications in which such materials can be utilized are disclosed.
US09988302B2 Frits for use in vacuum insulating glass (VIG) units, and/or associated methods
Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to vacuum insulating glass (VIG) units having improved seals made using two different frit-based edge seal materials, and/or methods of making the same. In certain example embodiments, a first frit material is applied around peripheral edges of first and second glass substrates. The first frit material, which may be bismuth-based in certain example embodiments, is fired with a heat treatment (e.g., thermal tempering) process. A second frit material, which may be VBZ-based in certain example embodiments, is applied and at least partially overlaps with the fired first frit material. The first frit material acts as a primer, and the second frit material helps seal together the VIG unit. The second frit material is fired at a significantly lower temperature that enables the glass to retain the temper or other strength imparted by the heat treatment.
US09988295B2 Fiber optic manufacturing in space
Aspects of the embodiments are directed to systems and methods for forming an optical fiber in a low gravity environment, and an optical fiber formed in a low gravity environment. The system can include a preform holder configured to secure a preform; a heating element secured to a heating element stage and residing adjacent the preform holder; a heating element stage motor configured to move the heating element stage; a tension sensor; a spool; a spool tension motor coupled to the spool and configured to rotate the spool; and a control system communicably coupled to the heating element stage motor and the spool tension motor and configured to control the movement of the heating element stage based on a rotational speed of the spool. The optical fiber can include a fluoride composition, such ZrF4-BaF2-LaF3-AlF3-NaF (ZBLAN), and can be characterized by an insertion loss in a range from 13 dB/1000 km to 120 dB/1000 km.
US09988290B1 Method and apparatus for operation of aerobic biological solids digester
A method and apparatus for continuous operation of an aerobic metabolic digester in a multi station aerobic wastewater treatment system is disclosed that eliminates the the volume of residuals solids that must be finally disposed of off site and improves the overall efficiency of the treatment system.
US09988287B2 Process water for producing salt by means of strong brine concentration after sea water desalination by using a two-way circulation method and bromine extraction
A process produces salt by way of strong brine concentration after sea water desalination by using a two-way circulation method and bromine extraction. The process includes the following steps: A, preparing fresh water and strong brine from sea water in a high-pressure reverse osmosis unit by using a reverse osmosis method, wherein the concentration of the prepared strong brine is 70000 to 80000 PPM; and B, performing fresh and concentrated separation on the strong brine with the concentration of 70000 to 80000 PPM in a two-way circulation manner by using a concentration difference method till the strong brine is crystallized.
US09988275B1 Ferrocene catalyzed method for preparing carbon nanotubes
A method for preparing multi-wall carbon nanotubes comprising atomizing a precursor solution comprising an aromatic hydrocarbon and a carrier gas. The mixture is then injected through an ultrasonic atomization system to form atomized precursor droplets. Then by injecting the atomized precursor droplets from the top of a vertical chemical vapor deposition reactor, the droplets can then react with a reaction gas in the reactor vessel to form a film that adsorbs to a growth surface in the reactor vessel. Layer by layer multi-wall carbon nanotubes are formed. This method is repeated to form layers of the multi-wall carbon nanotubes. The nanotubes formed have an outer diameter of 10 nm-51 nm and a length to diameter aspect ratio of 7200-13200.
US09988274B2 Method for chemical modification of a graphene edge, graphene with a chemically modified edge and devices including the graphene
A method for chemical modification of graphene includes dry etching graphene to provide an etched graphene; and introducing a functional group at an edge of the etched graphene. Also disclosed is graphene, including an etched edge portion, the etched portion including a functional group.
US09988268B2 Preparation of 2,6- and 2,7-disubstituted anthraquinone derivatives
The present invention relates to novel anthraquinone derivatives, 2,6-diisohexylanthracene-9,10-dione and 2,7-diisohexyl-anthracene-9,10-dione, preferably to be used for the preparation of hydrogen peroxide, and to a process for the preparation of these anthraquinone derivatives.
US09988267B2 Mixing device for a fuel reformer for converting hydrocarbon fuels into hydrogen rich gas
A mixing device for a fuel reformer for mixing at least two fluids is provided. The mixing device includes at least a first plurality of holes which is arranged along a first row, and a second plurality of holes which is arranged along a second row. The mixing device can be used in a fuel reformer for converting hydrocarbon fuel into hydrogen rich gas by auto-thermal reaction process having a, preferably cylindrically shaped and double walled, housing with two side walls forming a reaction chamber of the fuel reformer, wherein hydrocarbon fuel and an oxidizing agent are mixed by the mixing device.
US09988266B2 Method and apparatus for producing H2-rich synthesis gas
A method for producing ¾-rich synthesis gas comprises the following steps: decomposing a hydrocarbon-containing fluid into an H2/C-aerosol in a first hydrocarbon converter by supplying energy which is at least partly provided in the form of heat; introducing at least a first stream of the H2/C-aerosol into a first sub-process which comprises the following steps: directing at least a part of the H2/C-aerosol from the first hydrocarbon converter into a first C-converter; introducing CO2 into the first C-converter and mixing the CO2 with the H2/C-aerosol introduced into the first C-converter; converting the mixture of H2/C-aerosol and CO2 into a synthesis gas at a temperature of 800 to 1700° C.; mixing additional H2 with the synthesis gas for the production of H2-rich synthesis gas. In a second sub-process running in parallel with the first sub-process, hydrogen H2 and carbon dioxide CO2 are produced from a hydrocarbon-containing fluid, wherein at least a portion of the CO2 produced in the second sub-process is introduced into the first C-converter; and wherein at least a portion of the H2 produced in the second sub-process is mixed with the synthesis gas from the first C-converter. The CO2 which is needed for the conversion of C in the first C-converter can thereby be provided independently of an external source, and the entire operational sequence is easily controllable.
US09988263B2 Substrate etch
An example provides a method including sputtering a metal catalyst onto a substrate, exposing the substrate to a solution that reacts with the metal catalyst to form a plurality of pores in the substrate, and etching the substrate to remove the plurality of pores to form a recess in the substrate.
US09988257B2 Manual dispensing valve
A pinch valve includes a valve block. A valve insert defines a tube chamber and is disposed within an open interior of the valve block. A valve gate includes a body. The valve gate body is movably engaged with the valve insert. The valve gate is at least partially disposed within the open interior of the valve block. A lever is pivotably connected to the valve insert. The lever includes a tube projection that is pivotably movable within the tube chamber.
US09988251B2 Motorized lifting device with mounting flanges
An apparatus includes a motor and a drum rotated by the motor to draw in or let out a line from the drum. The drum includes a groove formed in an outer surface thereof to accommodate the line. In certain embodiments, the motor and drum are quickly and easily detachable from a structure by way of a flange and mounting bracket. The flange and mounting bracket have holes which are coaxially aligned. A pin or other fastener is used to join the flange and mounting bracket together.
US09988250B2 Drum for a motorized lifting/pulling device
An apparatus for providing reliable line spooling for hoists, winches, and other pulling and/or lifting devices is disclosed. In one embodiment, such an apparatus includes a motor and a drum rotated by the motor to draw in or let out a line from the drum. The drum includes a helical groove formed in an outer surface thereof to accommodate the line. A roller is provided to place pressure on the line against a groove in the drum. In certain embodiments, the drum comprises a groove which widens as it gets closer to the drum. In other embodiments, the groove is formed by sidewalls which are various shapes and dimensions allowing the line to be held in the groove.
US09988244B2 Track system for an escalator or moving walkway
A track module of an escalator or a moving walkway comprises at least two support structures and at least one guide rail. Each support structure includes at least two supports and at least one cross strut, wherein the cross strut is arranged between the at least two supports and connects these together. Each support has a foot fastening region which, in the installed state, is fastened to a carrying structure. Moreover, a balustrade fastening region, to which in the installed state at least a part of a balustrade is fastened, is formed at each support, so that static and dynamic loads acting on the balustrade are transmissible directly to the carrying structure by way of the supports.
US09988240B2 Elevator with master controller
A system and method for controlling the movement of an elevator is provided. The elevator controller directs the operation of the elevator and receives information from the elevator system to calculate a brake profile. The elevator system transmits the brake profile to a master controller. The master controller selectively actuates the brakes to apply a braking force configured to generate the brake profile. The system and method may include local controllers, each configured to actuate a respective brake, wherein the master controller selectively directs the local controllers to generate a brake force commensurate with the braking profile.
US09988230B2 IC tag issuing apparatus
Conveyance means for conveying an IC tag continuous body includes a tractor feeder unit for conveying the IC tag continuous body by engaging and disengaging feed pins with sprocket holes formed in the IC tag continuous body and a negative pressure conveyance unit for conveying the IC tag continuous body while suctioning it to a conveyance belt, and printing on the IC tags in the printing device is configured such that a toner image transferred to the IC tags by a print unit is optically fixed by an optical fixation unit in a non-contact manner.
US09988227B2 Sheet conveying apparatus and image forming apparatus
A sheet conveying apparatus includes an abutment member against which a leading end of a sheet conveyed by a conveying roller abuts, a phase determiner that determines a rotation phase of a rotor of a motor driving the conveying roller, a controller that controls the motor by controlling the value of a torque current component and the value of an excitation current component so that a difference between an instruction phase and the rotation phase is decreased, and a torque determiner that determines load torque exerted on the rotor. The controller continues driving of the motor if the load torque is lower than predetermined torque in a state in which the leading end of the sheet abuts against the abutment member to deflect the sheet and stops the driving of the motor if the load torque is higher than or equal to the predetermined torque.
US09988225B1 Sheet conveyer and image forming apparatus
A sheet conveyer having a load applier unit is provided. The load applier unit includes a contacting member, a lever, a contractive spring, and a preloading member. The lever is movable between a first position, in which the lever being moved in a direction to stretch the contractive spring causes the contractive spring having been stretched by the preloading member to be further stretched to urge the contacting member and causes the load applier unit to apply a load that acts in a direction to press a feed roller against sheets on a tray to the holder, and a second position, in which the contractive spring is maintained in a condition stretched by the preloading member without causing the load applier unit to apply the load that acts in the direction to press the feed roller against the sheets on the tray to the holder.
US09988224B2 Removable media tray having a high latching force and a low opening force
A removable media tray assembly for an image forming device according to one embodiment includes a media tray having a bottom surface and a front wall extending upward from the bottom surface. A bottom surface defines a media storage location for storing a stack of media sheets. The assembly includes a housing having an opening therein to receive the media tray. A magnet and a plate provide a latching force FL greater than a pick motor stall force keeping the media tray in a closed position during media picking. A handle assembly including a finger bar and a pivoting link is mounted to the front wall. With the media tray being held closed by the latching force, a user-supplied actuation force FA that is less than 22.2 N applied to the finger bar, pivots the link which acts as a force multiplier providing a release force exceeding the latching force.
US09988218B2 Modular handling system with multi-level sorter and method of using same
A multi-level sorter of a handling system for transporting cases. The handling system has conveyors extending between locations of a facility. The multi-level sorter includes a multi-level frame positionable adjacent at least one outlet of at least one of the conveyors, at least one diverter carried by the multi-level frame, and at least one bin supported about at least one of the levels of the multi-level frame. Each of the outlets of the conveyors aligned with a level of the multi-level frame to pass the cases thereto. The diverter has rollers to pass the cases along a main path and crossbands to selectively divert the cases from the main path. Each of the bins is alignable with the diverter to receive the diverted cases therefrom whereby the cases are sorted.
US09988217B2 Conveyor belt wear monitoring system
Provided is a conveyor belt wear monitoring system capable of determining the wear condition of an upper rubber cover of a conveyor belt. When the conveyor belt is stopped, on the return side of the conveyor belt, a wear detector with a sensor unit corresponding to an upper cover rubber is disposed, the wear detector is controlled by a control unit to move across an entire length in a belt width direction and the distance from the sensor unit and a surface of the upper cover rubber is detected, the detected data is received by a calculation unit, and an amount of wear of the upper cover rubber is calculated on the basis of the received data.