US09048211B2
A semiconductor device has a first thermally conductive layer formed over a first surface of a semiconductor die. A second surface of the semiconductor die is mounted to a sacrificial carrier. An encapsulant is deposited over the first thermally conductive layer and sacrificial carrier. The encapsulant is planarized to expose the first thermally conductive layer. A first insulating layer is formed over the second surface of the semiconductor die and a first surface of the encapsulant. A portion of the first insulating layer over the second surface of the semiconductor die is removed. A second thermally conductive layer is formed over the second surface of the semiconductor die within the removed portion of the first insulating layer. An electrically conductive layer is formed within the insulating layer around the second thermally conductive layer. A heat sink can be mounted over the first thermally conductive layer.
US09048202B2
The present invention is to ensure that when it has been judged that film-formation areas of a plurality of layers laminated on the same luminescent areas of organic EL devices involve a defect, it is possible to exactly find which layer of the multi-laminated layers is a defective layer. The film formation areas of layers to be laminated on luminescent area are formed in a manner such that overlap deviations e1-e3 are intentionally formed.
US09048200B2
In manufacturing an LSI, or semiconductor integrated circuit device, the step of assembling device (such as resin sealing step) is normally followed by a voltage-application test in an environment of high temperature (e.g., from 85 to 130° C.) and high humidity (e.g., about 80% RH). It has been found that separation of a titanium nitride anti-reflection film from an upper film and generation of cracks in the titanium nitride film at an upper surface edge part of the aluminum-based bonding pad applied with a positive voltage in the test is caused by an electrochemical reaction due to moisture incoming through the sealing resin and the like to generate oxidation and bulging of the titanium nitride film. These problems are addressed by removing the titanium nitride film over the pad in a ring or slit shape at peripheral area of the aluminum-based bonding pad.
US09048194B2
Methods for circuit material processing are provided. In at least one such method, a substrate is provided with a plurality of overlying spacers. The spacers have substantially straight inner sidewalls and curved outer sidewalls. An augmentation material is formed on the plurality of spacers such that the inner or the outer sidewalls of the spacers are selectively expanded. The augmentation material can bridge the upper portions of pairs of neighboring inner sidewalls to limit deposition between the inner sidewalls. The augmentation material is selectively etched to form a pattern of augmented spacers having a desired augmentation of the inner or outer sidewalls. The pattern of augmented spacers can then be transferred to the substrate through a series of selective etches such that features formed in the substrate achieve a desired pitch.
US09048182B2
A semiconductor device manufacturing method, the method including: forming an insulation layer having a protruding portion, the insulation layer having a surface and a rising surface that protrudes upward from the surface, on a semiconductor substrate; forming a conductive layer to cover the insulation layer having the protruding portion; and removing a predetermined region of the conductive layer by patterning the predetermined region according to an etching process using microwave plasma, which uses a microwave as a plasma source, while applying bias power of 70 mW/cm2 or above on the semiconductor substrate, under a high pressure condition of 85 mTorr or above.
US09048179B2
Systems and methods for preparing films using sequential ion implantation, and films formed using same, are provided herein. A structure prepared using ion implantation may include a substrate; an embedded structure having pre-selected characteristics; and a film within or adjacent to the embedded structure and including ions having a perturbed arrangement arising from the presence of the embedded structure. The perturbed arrangement may include the ions being covalently bonded to each other, to the embedded structure, or to the substrate, whereas the ions instead may be free to diffuse through the substrate in the absence of the embedded structure. The embedded structure may inhibit or impede the ions from diffusing through the substrate, such that the ions instead covalently bond to each other, to the embedded structure, or to the substrate. The film may include, for example, diamond-like carbon, graphene, or SiC having a pre-selected phase.
US09048171B2
A precision resistor is formed with a controllable resistance to compensate for variations that occur with temperature. An embodiment includes forming a resistive semiconductive element having a width and a length on a substrate, patterning an electrically conductive line across the width of the resistive semiconductive element, but electrically isolated therefrom, and forming a depletion channel in the resistive semiconductive element under the electrically conductive line to control the resistance value of the resistive semiconductive element. The design enables dynamic adjustment of the resistance, thereby improving the reliability of the resistor or allowing for resistance modification during final packaging.
US09048169B2
A method of fabricating a device layer structure includes providing a III-nitride semiconductor layer which is bonded to a bonding substrate. A device layer structure is formed on a nitrogen polar surface of the III-nitride semiconductor layer. The device layer structure includes an indium gallium nitride layer with a metal polar surface adjacent to the nitrogen polar surface of the III-nitride semiconductor layer.
US09048168B2
A semiconductor package can include a substrate body having a first surface and a second surface. A semiconductor chip can be mounted on the first surface and a plurality of electrode pads can be on the second surface and selectively formed to have progressively smaller or larger sizes extending from a central region of the substrate body toward an outer edge of the substrate body based on a reflow soldering process warpage profile for the semiconductor package.
US09048145B2
Disclosed is a method for manufacturing an array substrate, comprising: step A, sequentially forming patterns of a first conduction layer, source and drain electrodes, an active layer, and an insulation layer on one side of the substrate, wherein at least one via hole is provided on the insulation layer; step B, sequentially forming a gate metal layer and a passivation layer on the substrate on which the first conduction layer, the source and drain electrodes, the active layer, and the insulation layer have been formed, wherein the gate metal layer comprises a gate electrode and a gate line, and the gate metal layer is coupled to the first conduction layer through the at least one via hole to form a path for dispersing static electricity.
US09048139B2
A method for fabricating a non-volatile memory device includes alternately stacking a plurality of inter-layer dielectric layers and a plurality of sacrificial layers over a substrate, forming at least a channel hole that exposes the substrate by selectively etching the inter-layer dielectric layers and the sacrificial layers, forming a protective layer on sidewalls of the sacrificial layers that are exposed through the channel hole, sequentially forming a memory layer and a channel layer on the sidewalls of the channel hole, forming slit holes that penetrate through the inter-layer dielectric layers and the sacrificial layers on both sides of the channel hole, removing the sacrificial layers that are exposed through the slit holes, removing the protective layer, and forming gate electrodes in space from which the sacrificial layers and the protective layer are removed.
US09048138B2
A three dimensional semiconductor memory device has a stacked structure including cell gates stacked therein that are insulated from each other and first string selection gates laterally separated from each other, vertical active patterns extending through the first string selection gates, multi-layered dielectric layers between sidewalls of the vertical active patterns and the cell gates and between the sidewalls of the vertical active patterns and the first string selection gates, and at least one first supplement conductive pattern. The first string selection gates are disposed over an uppermost cell gate of the cell gates. Each vertical active pattern extends through each of the cell gates stacked under the first string selection gates. The first supplement conductive pattern is in contact with a sidewall of one of the first string selection gates.
US09048136B2
A static random access memory cell is provided formed in a silicon layer over a buried oxide layer on a substrate and including first and second inverters each having a pull-up and pull-down transistor configured to form a cell node. Each of the pull-down transistors of the first and second inverters are formed over first regions below the buried oxide layer with the first regions having a first doping level forming first backgates for the pull-down transistors. A pair of passgate transistors respectively couples to the cell nodes of the first and second inverters and each are formed over second regions below the buried oxide layer with the second regions having a second doping level forming second backgates for the passgate transistors. Active bias circuitry applies potentials to the first and second backgates during read, standby and write operations of the static random access memory cell.
US09048134B2
A memory device comprises a substrate, a plurality of buried word lines, a plurality of digital contacts, a patterned insulating layer, a liner layer, a plurality of buried bit lines, and a cap layer. The buried word lines are arranged in the substrate in parallel along a first direction. Each of the digital contacts is arranged between one pair of the neighboring buried word lines. The patterned insulating layer is arranged on the buried word lines, having a plurality of contact holes opposite to the digital contacts. The liner layer is arranged on the substrate, and abuts the patterned insulating layer. The buried bit lines are arranged in parallel along a second direction different from the first direction. The cap layer arranged to cover the buried bit lines.
US09048129B2
Semiconductor devices are formed with a thin layer of fully strain relaxed epitaxial silicon germanium on a substrate. Embodiments include forming a silicon germanium (SiGe) epitaxial layer on a semiconductor substrate, implanting a dopant into the SiGe epitaxial layer, and annealing the implanted SiGe epitaxial layer.
US09048128B2
Embodiments of mechanisms of forming an inductor structure are provided. The inductor structure includes a substrate and a first dielectric layer formed over the substrate. The inductor structure includes a first metal layer formed in the first dielectric layer and a second dielectric layer over the first metal layer. The inductor structure further includes a magnetic layer formed over the first dielectric layer, and the magnetic layer has a top surface, a bottom surface and sidewall surfaces between the top surface and the bottom surface, and the sidewall surfaces have at least two intersection points.
US09048125B2
A semiconductor device including a relatively thin interposer excluding a through silicon hole and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The method includes forming an interposer on a dummy substrate. The forming of the interposer includes, forming a dielectric layer on the dummy substrate, forming a pattern and a via on the dielectric layer, and forming a seed layer at the pattern and the via of the dielectric layer and forming a redistribution layer and a conductive via on the seed layer. A semiconductor die is connected with the conductive via facing an upper portion of the interposer, and the semiconductor die is encapsulated with an encapsulant. The dummy substrate is removed from the interposer. A bump is connected with the conductive via facing a lower portion of the interposer.
US09048123B2
A semiconductor device includes a first fin rising out of a semiconductor base. It further includes a second fin rising out of the semiconductor base. The second fin is substantially parallel to the first fin that forms a span between the first fin and the second fin. A first dielectric layer is deposited on exposed surfaces of a first gate body area of the first fin, a second gate body area of the second fin, and an adjacent surface of the semiconductor base that defines the span between the first and second gate body areas. A gate electrode layer is sandwiched between the first dielectric layer and a second dielectric layer. The semiconductor device includes a third fin interdigitated between the first fin and the second fin within the span. Exposed surfaces of the gate body area of the third fin are in contact with the second dielectric layer.
US09048119B2
There exists a possibility that a semiconductor device configured with a normally-on JFET and a normally-off MOSFET which are coupled in cascade may break by erroneous conduction, etc. A semiconductor device is configured with a normally-on SiCJFET and a normally-off Si-type MOSFET. The normally-on SiCJFET and the normally-off Si-type MOSFET are coupled in cascade and configure a switching circuit. According to one input signal, the normally-on SiCJFET and the normally-off Si-type MOSFET are controlled so as to have a period in which both transistors are set in an OFF state.
US09048118B2
Methods and systems for power semiconductor devices integrating multiple quasi-vertical transistors on a single chip. Multiple power transistors (or active regions) are paralleled, but one transistor has a lower threshold voltage. This reduces the voltage drop when the transistor is forward-biased. In an alternative embodiment, the power device with lower threshold voltage is simply connected as a depletion diode, to thereby shunt the body diodes of the active transistors, without affecting turn-on and ON-state behavior.
US09048117B2
An object of the present invention is to suppress deterioration in the thin film transistor. A plurality of pulse output circuits each include first to eleventh thin film transistors is formed. The pulse output circuit is operated on the basis of a plurality of clock signals which control each transistor, the previous stage signal input from a pulse output circuit in the previous stage, the next stage signal input from a pulse output circuit in the next stage, and a reset signal. In addition, a microcrystalline semiconductor is used for a semiconductor layer serving as a channel region of each transistor. Therefore, degradation of characteristics of the transistor can be suppressed.
US09048115B2
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device is provided. An epitaxial layer is grown on a substrate, wherein the epitaxial layer and the substrate have a first conductivity type. A trench is formed in the epitaxial layer. A barrier region is formed at a bottom of the trench. A doped region of a second conductivity type is formed in the epitaxial layer and surrounds sidewalls of the trench, wherein the barrier region prevents a dopant used for forming the doped region from reaching the epitaxial layer under the barrier region. The trench is filled with a dielectric material. A pair of polysilicon gates is formed on the epitaxial layer and on both sides of the trench.
US09048108B2
An electrical circuit, planar diode, and method of forming a diode and one or more CMOS devices on the same chip. The method includes electrically isolating a portion of a substrate in a diode region from other substrate regions. The method also includes recessing the substrate in the diode region. The method further includes epitaxially forming in the diode region a first doped layer above the substrate and epitaxially forming in the diode region a second doped layer above the first doped layer.
US09048093B2
A single crystal substrate made of silicon carbide and a first support substrate having a size greater than a size of each of the single crystal substrates are prepared. The single crystal substrate is bonded onto the first support substrate. Process on the single crystal substrate bonded to the first support substrate is performed. The first support substrate is removed. The single crystal substrate is subjected to heat treatment. The single crystal substrate is bonded onto a second support substrate having a size greater than the size of the single crystal substrate. Process on the single crystal substrate bonded to the second support substrate is performed.
US09048088B2
This invention pertains to fabrication of devices. One embodiment is a method of substrate cleaning and electroless deposition of a cap layer for an integrated circuit. The method is performed on a substrate having a surface comprising a metal and dielectric damascene metallization layer. The method comprises exposing the surface of the substrate to a cleaning solution sufficient to clean the surface of the substrate and exposing the surface of the substrate to an electroless deposition solution sufficient to deposit the cap layer. Other embodiments of the present invention include solutions to clean the substrate and solutions to accomplish electroless deposition.
US09048086B2
Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a substrate recycling method and a recycled substrate. The method includes separating a first surface of a substrate from an epitaxial layer; forming a protective layer on an opposing second surface of the substrate; electrochemically etching the first surface of the substrate; and chemically etching the electrochemically etched first surface of the substrate.
US09048076B2
Methods and devices for detecting a target substance on a subject without contacting the subject are disclosed. At least one air jet blows analyte from a surface of the subject into an airflow, the airflow entraining the analyte. A desorption channel desorbs molecules from analyte in a portion of the airflow travelling through the desorption channel. An ionizer forms ions from vapor molecules in the portion of the airflow. At least one mass spectrometer analyzes the ions to detect the target substance. The flow travels without interruption from the subject to the at least one mass spectrometer. The desorption channel causes a sufficient quantity of molecules to desorb from the analyte to enable the at least one mass spectrometer to detect the target substance.
US09048071B2
An imaging mass spectrometer capable of reducing the dependence of the resolution of a projection image on mass is offered. Also, a method of controlling this spectrometer is offered. The imaging mass spectrometer includes: a plate on which a sample is placed; a lens system through which ions generated by irradiating the sample with laser light pass; an ion optical system for separating the ions according to flight time corresponding to mass-to-charge ratio; a detection system for measuring arrival positions and flight times of the ions passed through the ion optical system and generating an image of the sample when it is ionized; and a voltage control portion for sweeping the voltage applied to an electrode included in the lens system such that the lens effect of the lens system increases with time during a given period synchronized with the laser irradiation.
US09048069B2
An apparatus for monitoring beam currents of an implanter is provided. The apparatus includes a beam-sensing unit for sensing the beam currents; a position-determining unit for determining scan positions; and a computing unit. The computing unit is configured to perform the functions of receiving the beam currents from the beam-sensing unit; receiving the scan positions from the position-determining unit; and determining a drift status of the implanter from the beam currents, wherein the computing unit is configured to receive the beam currents and the scan position periodically between a starting time and an ending time of a scan process of the implanter.
US09048067B2
Mineral definitions each include a list of elements, each of the elements having a corresponding standard spectrum. To determine the composition of an unknown mineral sample, the acquired spectrum of the sample is sequentially decomposed into the standard spectra of the elements from the element list of each of the mineral definitions, and a similarity metric computed for each mineral definition. The unknown mineral is identified as the mineral having the best similarity metric.
US09048061B2
The present invention is directed toward an X-ray scanner that has an electron source and an anode. The anode has a target surface with a series of material areas spaced along it in a scanning direction. The material areas are formed from different materials. The electron source is arranged to direct electrons at a series of target areas of the target surface, in a predetermined order, so as to generate X-ray beams having different energy spectra.
US09048060B2
The invention relates to a charged-particle microscope comprising a charged-particle source; a sample holder; a charged-particle lens system; a detector; and a beam pulsing device, for causing the beam to repeatedly switch on and off so as to produce a pulsed beam. The beam pulsing device comprises a unitary resonant cavity disposed about a particle-optical axis and has an entrance aperture and an exit aperture for the beam. The resonant cavity is configured to simultaneously produce a first oscillatory deflection of the beam at a first frequency in a first direction and a second oscillatory deflection of the beam at a second, different frequency in a second, different direction. The resonant cavity may have an elongated (e.g. rectangular or elliptical) cross-section, with a long axis parallel to said first direction and a short axis parallel to said second direction.
US09048057B2
A field-emission electron gun including an electron emission tip, an extractor anode, and a mechanism creating an electric-potential difference between the emission tip and the extractor anode. The emission tip includes a metal tip and an end cone produced by chemical vapor deposition on a nanofilament, the cone being aligned and welded onto the metal tip. The electron gun can be used for a transmission electron microscope.
US09048056B2
A glass composition according to the present invention comprises: transition metals; phosphorus; barium; and zinc, the transition metals including: vanadium; and tungsten and/or iron, the glass composition not containing substances included in the JIG level A and B lists, an softening point of the glass composition being from 430 to 530° C., an average linear expansion coefficient of the glass composition being from 6 to 9 ppm/° C. at temperatures from 30 to 250° C.
US09048055B2
A method for making carbon nanotube slurry is presented. At least one carbon nanotube film is provided, the at least one carbon nanotube film includes a plurality of carbon nanotubes oriented along substantially the same direction. A substrate is provided, and the at least one carbon nanotube film is attached to a surface of the substrate. The at least one carbon nanotube film is cut perpendicular the oriented direction of the carbon nanotubes with a laser to form a carbon nanotube belt. An inorganic binder and an organic carrier is provided, the carbon nanotube belt, the inorganic binder, and the organic carrier are mixed in an organic solvent to form a mixture. The organic solvent is removed.
US09048054B2
A circuit breaker is disclosed that has a neutral lock-out mechanism that prevents electrical connection between a power source and a load when a neutral rail is disconnected from the circuit breaker. The circuit breaker has a line connector, a load connector and a plug-on neutral line connector. A trip mechanism has an on position allowing electrical connection between the line connector and the load connector. The trip mechanism has a tripped position interrupting electrical connection between the line connector and the load connector in response to detection of a fault condition such as a short circuit. The trip mechanism also has an off position which is required before resetting the trip mechanism to the on position. A trip link is coupled to the trip mechanism. The trip link has a first position that prevents the trip mechanism from being reset to the on position. The trip link has a second position allowing the trip mechanism to be reset to the on position. A neutral lock mechanism is coupled to the plug-on neutral line connector. The neutral lock mechanism has a tension spring that retains the trip link in the first position when the neutral rail is disconnected from the neutral line connector. When the neutral rail is inserted into the neutral line connector, the tension spring is compressed and the trip link may move to the second position allowing the circuit breaker to be reset.
US09048051B2
An electromagnetic contactor has a pair of fixed contacts disposed and fixed maintaining a predetermined interval; a movable contact disposed to be capable of contacting to and separating from the pair of fixed contacts; an electromagnet unit to drive the movable contact; and a drive circuit driving the electromagnet unit. The electromagnet unit includes at least a movable plunger urged by a return spring, a coil to move the movable plunger, and a ring-form permanent magnet magnetized in a moving direction of the movable plunger. The drive circuit includes a power source to supply power to the coil; a pulse drive circuit to output and supply to the coil an engage pulse causing the movable plunger to perform an attracting operation and a hold pulse maintaining the attracting operation when the movable plunger is subject to the attracting operation, and a flywheel circuit having a semiconductor switching element.
US09048047B2
A micro-reed switch includes a first magnetic reed and a second magnetic reed. The first magnetic reed includes a first metal electrode and a first non-wettable area. The first metal electrode includes a liquid metal. The second magnetic reed includes a second metal electrode and a second non-wettable area. The first magnetic reed and second magnetic reed is parallel to each other and a gap is defined there between. When a magnetic field is available, the liquid metal and the second metal electrode are engaged with one another by a magnetic force of the magnet.
US09048042B2
A connector (100) and connector system are provided. A connector can include a domed metal switch (102) that is partially covered with a liquid impermeable barrier (101) such that a portion of the domed metal switch is exposed and the liquid impermeable barrier is coupled to the domed metal switch with a liquid impermeable junction (221). In a connector system, a complementary connector can include a dome switch actuator (706,707), partially covered with another liquid impermeable barrier. When pressed against the connector, the domed metal switch can deform to contact an electrical conductor (104). A control circuit (1309) can determine whether an electronic device or user is causing the deformation by detecting whether voltage or current is applied to the domed metal switch while deformed.
US09048039B2
The present invention relates to a vacuum switch assembly for interrupting and isolating fault current. The vacuum switch assembly includes first and second dc lines that, in use, are electrically connected to the dc output terminals of a primary dc power source and a dc network. Each dc line includes at least one vacuum switch having contacts that are opened and closed under the control of a vacuum switch controller. A passive dc power supply unit is electrically connected to the first and second dc lines and includes a secondary dc power source that provides a substantially ripple-free sensing voltage. The vacuum switch controller is adapted to open the vacuum switch contacts when a fault condition (e.g. a fault current or other fault) or an operator request has been identified and when the current flowing between the vacuum switch contacts is below a chopping current associated with the vacuum switches.
US09048037B2
A transfer switch including: a bus bar; a track parallel to the bus bar; a first power source connection proximate to the track; a second power source connection proximate to the track offset along the track from the first power source connection; a conductive core slidably coupled to the track, wherein the core includes a deformable array of conductive sections and the array includes contacting surfaces on opposite sides of the array; wherein the conductive core has a first position providing a conductive coupling between the bus bar and the first power source and a second position providing a conductive coupling between the bus bar and the second power source.
US09048031B2
Multilayer carbon nanotube capacitors, and methods and printable compositions for manufacturing multilayer carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are disclosed. A first capacitor embodiment comprises: a first conductor; a plurality of fixed CNTs in an ionic liquid, each fixed CNT comprising a magnetic catalyst nanoparticle coupled to a carbon nanotube and further coupled to the first conductor; and a first plurality of free CNTs dispersed and moveable in the ionic liquid. Another capacitor embodiment comprises: a first conductor; a conductive nanomesh coupled to the first conductor; a first plurality of fixed CNTs in an ionic liquid and further coupled to the conductive nanomesh; and a plurality of free CNTs dispersed and moveable in the ionic liquid. Various methods of printing the CNTs and other structures, and methods of aligning and moving the CNTs using applied electric and magnetic fields, are also disclosed.
US09048027B2
A fluid dispersion obtained by mixing oxide particles and water is sprayed to a raw aluminum foil from a direction opposite to a travelling direction of the raw aluminum foil while the raw aluminum foil is allowed to travel. In this way, a roll-pressed mark of the raw aluminum foil is eliminated, and thus aluminum foil for aluminum electrolytic capacitor electrode is produced. Pyramidal-shaped recesses each having an acute angle tip are present all over a surface of the aluminum foil.
US09048026B2
There is provided a multilayered ceramic capacitor, including: a ceramic body; an active layer including a plurality of first and second internal electrodes; an upper cover layer; a lower cover layer, the lower cover layer being thicker than the upper cover layer; a dummy electrode formed inside at least one of the upper and lower cover layers; and first and second external electrodes, wherein, when A is defined as ½ of an overall thickness of the ceramic body, B is defined as a thickness of the lower cover layer, C is defined as ½ of an overall thickness of the active layer, and D is defined as a thickness of the upper cover layer, a ratio of deviation between a center of the active layer and a center of the ceramic body, (B+C)/A, satisfies 1.063≦(B+C)/A≦1.745.
US09048024B2
The present invention provides a solid electrolytic capacitor and a method producing the same, in which high reliability is realized and further in which the product yield is improved by suppressing the increase of ESR or the like. In the present invention, the electroconductive polymer layer includes first electroconductive polymer layer 3 and second electroconductive polymer layer 10, in which first electroconductive polymer layer 3 covers the surface of dielectric polymer 2, and the second electroconductive polymer layer is provided on a surface of first electroconductive polymer layer 3 covering the bottom surface and the side surfaces, and is provide with opening at least a part of the leading surface of first electroconductive polymer layer 3.
US09048014B2
There are provided a permanent magnet and a manufacturing method thereof capable of decreasing an activity level of a calcined body activated by a calcination process. To fine powder of milled neodymium magnet is added an organometallic compound solution containing an organometallic compound expressed with a structural formula of M−(OR)x (M represents Dy or Tb, R represents a substituent group consisting of a straight-chain or branched-chain hydrocarbon, x represents an arbitrary integer) so as to uniformly adhere the organometallic compound to particle surfaces of the neodymium magnet powder. Thereafter, desiccated magnet powder is held for several hours in hydrogen atmosphere at 200 through 900 degrees Celsius. Thereafter, the powdery calcined body calcined through the calcination process in hydrogen is held for several hours in vacuum atmosphere at 200 through 600 degrees Celsius for a dehydrogenation process. Thereafter, through powder compaction and sintering process, the powdery calcined body is formed into a permanent magnet.
US09048012B2
A method of fabricating electrical feedthroughs selectively removes substrate material from a first side of an electrically conductive substrate (e.g. a bio-compatible metal) to form an array of electrically conductive posts in a substrate cavity. An electrically insulating material (e.g. a bio-compatible sealing glass) is then flowed to fill the substrate cavity and surround each post, and solidified. The solidified insulating material is then exposed from an opposite second side of the substrate so that each post is electrically isolated from each other as well as the bulk substrate. In this manner a hermetic electrically conductive feedthrough construction is formed having an array of electrical feedthroughs extending between the first and second sides of the substrate from which it was formed.
US09048009B2
Domain segregation of polymer blends or block copolymers in the presence of thermal conducting high aspect ratio nanocrystals leads to preferential placement of conductive filler either inside one domain, which promote the self-assembly of a thermal and/or electrical conducting pathway composed of high aspect ratio filler. The self-assembly of such thermal and/or electrical conducting pathway effectively enhances the thermal and/or electrical conductivity of the composite with significantly less amount of filler.
US09048007B2
A separator structure for Cat 6 cable has a core (2); a shield layer (1) between the core (2) and a jacket, or a jacket (1); four conductor sets (3) each consisting of a pair of conductors (21), and insulating layers (22) covering the conductors provided inside the core (2); and a separator (25) among the four conductor set (3). The separator (25) has a shape of “V”, the bottom end of which is located at the center of the core (2) and the two sides of which respectively separate the adjacent conductor sets (3) from each other.
US09048003B2
The current invention relates to self-supporting cables that often are aerial mounted between cable fixing points (800) and where the conductors in the cables act as the bearing elements. In this type of cables, slippage between the surfaces of different layers in the cable is undesirable. On the other hand, it must be possible to easily bend the cable, even for larger dimensions. Both these requirements are difficult to meet with the solutions from prior art. The present invention overcomes this by introducing an intermediate layer (130) between the surfaces (112, 121) comprising at least on tape (511) with friction particles (512) where the friction obtained by the friction particles (512) is low enough to allow the two surfaces (112, 121) to slip relatively each other in longitudinal direction enough so that the cable 100 can be bent but prevents the two surfaces (112, 121) from slipping in response to an inwardly directed radial pressure force (F) at the cable fixing points (800).
US09047993B2
A method and an arrangement for producing spherical fuel cores and/or breeder material cores by dripping a pouring solution containing uranyl nitrate and a solution containing at least one auxiliary agent into an ammoniacal precipitation bath to form microspheres, aging, washing, drying, and thermally treating the microspheres. In order to provide a continuous production method along with a constantly high core quality, it is proposed that 1) the microspheres from the precipitation bath be separated through a first separator and fed to the ammoniacal aging water for aging, 2) the contact duration of the microspheres with the liquid of the precipitation bath before being introduced into the aging water be set equally or substantially equally, 3) the microspheres be transferred from the aging water to a multi-stage cascade scrubber using a transfer device, wherein the microspheres are washed in the multi-stage cascade scrubber so as to be free or substantially free from ammonium nitrate and at least one auxiliary agent contained in the microspheres, and 4) after drying, the microspheres be calcinated while distributed in a monolayer during a thermal treatment.
US09047968B2
A multi-state current-switching magnetic memory element includes a stack of magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) separated by a non-magnetic layer for storing more than one bit of information, wherein different levels of current applied to the memory element cause switching to different states.
US09047964B2
A Multi-Level Memory Cell (MLC) using multiple Magnetic Tunnel Junction (MTJ) structures having one or more layers with varying thickness is disclosed. The multiple MTJ structures, which are vertically stacked and arranged in series, may have substantially identical area dimensions to minimize fabrication costs because one mask can be used to pattern the multiple MTJ structures. Further, varying the thicknesses associated with the one or more layers may provide the multiple MTJ structures with different switching current densities and thereby increase memory density and improve read and write operations. In one embodiment, the layers with the varying thicknesses may include tunnel barriers or magnesium oxide layers associated with the multiple MTJ structures and/or free layers associated with the multiple MTJ structures.
US09047955B2
Disclosed is an apparatus and method for adjusting operating parameters in a storage device. A controller in a solid state drive monitors current operating conditions for blocks of memory used to store data in the drive. When a block has been subjected to a predetermined number of program/erase cycles one or more stored bias values are retrieved from a storage location based on the wordline(s) associated with a current memory operation. The one or more parameters of the memory operation are then adjusted based on the one or more stored bias values, and the memory operation performed on the block of memory cells using the adjusted parameters.
US09047952B2
Provided are nonvolatile memory devices and methods of forming the same. The nonvolatile memory device includes a plurality of word lines, a ground select line, string select line, and a dummy word line. Each of distances between the dummy word line and the ground select line and between the dummy word line and the word line is greater than a distance between a pair of the word lines adjacent to each other.
US09047950B2
Voltage controlled magnetoelectric tunnel junction (MEJ) based content addressable memory is described which provides efficient high speed switching of MEJs toward eliminating any read disturbance of written data. Each cell of said CAM having two MEJs and transistor circuitry for performing a write at voltages of a first polarity, and reads at voltages of a second polarity. If the data searched does not equal the data written in the CAM, then the match line state is changed.
US09047944B2
The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods for sensing a resistance variable memory cell. A number of embodiments include programming a memory cell to an initial data state and determining a data state of the memory cell by applying a programming signal to the memory cell, the programming signal associated with programming memory cells to a particular data state, and determining whether the data state of the memory cell changes from the initial data state to the particular data state during application of the programming signal.
US09047938B2
A three dimensional (3D) stack of phase change memory (PCM) devices which includes PCM devices stacked in a 3D array, the PCM devices having memory regions; a memory management unit on at least one of the PCM devices; a stack controller in the memory management unit to monitor an ambient device temperature (Tambient) with respect to a neighborhood of memory regions in the PCM devices and to adjust a programming current with respect to at least one of the memory regions in the neighborhood of memory regions in accordance with the Tambient. Also disclosed is a method of programming a PCM device.
US09047937B2
A resistive random access memory device, a method for manufacturing the resistive random access memory device, and a method for operating the resistive random access memory device are disclosed. The resistive random access memory device includes a resistive switching memory element including two electrodes and a layer of variable-resistance material between the two electrodes, wherein the layer of variable-resistance material exhibits bipolar resistive switching behavior; and a Schottky diode including a metal layer and a p-doped semiconductor layer which contact each other, wherein the metal layer of the Schottky diode is coupled to one of the two electrodes of the resistive switching memory element. The present disclosure provides the resistive random access memory device operating in bipolar resistive switching scheme.
US09047935B2
Disclosed is a read timing generation circuit, capable of reducing dynamic power consumption. After a multi-bit address Add1, Add2, . . . , and AddN passes through an address change monitoring unit (100), a response pulse signal corresponding the address is generated. After the response pulse signal passes through an address trigger determination unit (200), a single trigger determination signal ATDPRE is generated. The single trigger determination signal ATDPRE passes through an ATD timing generation unit (300) and a post-timing generation unit (1000), thereby forming a read timing generation circuit in a serial link and generating corresponding read timing. Compared with the conventional read timing generation circuit in which each bit of an address signal corresponds to a stage of structures to execute the trigger, ATD control timing output, and ATD determination process separately, the present invention greatly reduces the total dynamic power consumption of the circuit.
US09047934B1
An integrated circuit includes a delay circuit, a buffer circuit, and a storage circuit. The delay circuit delays a first timing signal to generate a second timing signal. The buffer circuit generates a third timing signal for transmission to an external device. The third timing signal is generated based on the first timing signal. The external device provides data to the integrated circuit based on the third timing signal. The storage circuit captures the data transmitted from the external device in response to the second timing signal.
US09047920B2
An apparatus and a method for efficiently converting, by means of mixdown, audio signals recorded in multiple tracks into stereo signals.A plurality of audio signals input from an input terminal are recorded into a plurality of tracks of a recording medium. A mixer reads the audio signals recorded in the multiple tracks, subjects the audio signals to mixdown according to a mixer parameter set by an operation section, and records the processed signals as audio signals in the recording medium without reproducing the processed signal in real time. A plurality of mixer parameters are set, and a user can select a desired mixer parameter.
US09047916B2
A category creating apparatus receives a piece of music, extracts video image information included in the received music, and decomposes the extracted video image information with respect to each characteristic of the extracted video image information. Then, the category creating apparatus creates, with respect to each piece of decomposed video image information, a category representing the characteristic of the piece of video image information. The category creating apparatus extracts, from the video image information in the received music, character information and decomposes the extracted character information into words. The category creating apparatus creates, for each decomposed word, a category associated with the word.
US09047915B2
A method for managing a revision to a media asset in media production. The method includes identifying error or defect in the media asset; manually generating a path or arc of corrections and approvals needed to correct the identified error or defect in the media asset when manual generation of the path or arc of corrections is requested; generating the path or arc of corrections and approvals using a pre-defined set of steps or tasks when no request for manual generation is received; and performing the corrections and approvals according to the generated path or arc.
US09047909B2
A skew adjusting apparatus is provided. The skew adjusting apparatus includes a plurality of skew support members provided on a base mold coupled to a base chassis to have an elastic force, and a plurality of skew screws configured to couple a motor plate that supports a spindle motor to the base mold.
US09047902B1
A method and system for providing a touchdown sensor for use in disk drive is described. The touchdown sensor includes a seed layer, a sensor layer on the seed layer, and a capping layer. The sensor layer includes NiFe. In some embodiments, at least one of the seed layer and the capping layer promote stability and performance of the sensor layer.
US09047894B2
A magnetic write head having a write pole with a tapered trailing edge portion and having a spin torque oscillator that is formed entirely on the tapered trailing edge portion and that is self aligned with first and second sides of the write pole. The write pole and spin torque oscillator are formed by a method wherein the sides of the spin torque oscillator and write pole are defined in the same photolithographic and ion milling process, thereby allowing for the self alignment of the spin torque oscillator with the sides of the write pole.
US09047892B2
A current-perpendicular-to-the-plane magnetoresistive sensor has an antiparallel free (APF) structure and soft side shields wherein the upper free layer (FL2) of the APF structure is magnetically coupled antiparallel to the top shield and a top shield seed layer via a nonmagnetic antiparallel coupling (APC) layer. In one embodiment the antiparallel coupling is through an antiferromagnetic-coupling (AFC) layer that provides a dominant antiferromagnetic indirect exchange coupling of FL2 to the top shield. In another embodiment the antiparallel coupling is by an APC layer that decouples FL2 and the top shield and causes the edge-induced magnetostatic coupling between FL2 and the seed layer to dominate. The degree of coupling is controlled by the composition and thickness of the nonmagnetic APC layer between FL2 and the seed layer, and by the thickness of the seed layer.
US09047889B1
In one embodiment, a perpendicular magnetic recording head includes a main pole configured to write data to a magnetic medium, a leading-side magnetic shield positioned on a leading side of the main pole in a down-track direction adjacent a media-facing surface of the head, and a trailing-side magnetic shield positioned on a trailing side of the main pole in the down-track direction adjacent the media-facing surface of the head, wherein a trailing side taper is provided on the trailing side of the main pole in the down-track direction, wherein a leading shield taper is provided on a main pole side of the leading-side magnetic shield, and wherein an angle of the trailing side taper relative to a line extending along an element height direction is less than or equal to an angle of the leading shield taper relative to the line extending along the element height direction.
US09047885B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a perpendicular magnetic recording head which can suppress reduction in recording field and efficiently reduce a fringe field. According to one embodiment, a side shield disposed at a side of each side face in a cross track direction of a main pole is arranged at a far leading side compared with the main pole.
US09047882B2
A storage system includes a storage medium operable to maintain a data set, a read/write head assembly operable to write the data set to the storage medium and to read the data set from the storage medium, a multi-level encoder operable to encode the data set at a plurality of different code rates before it is written to the storage medium, and a multi-level decoder operable to decode the data set retrieved from the storage medium and to apply decoded values encoded at a lower code rate when decoding values encoded at a higher code rate.
US09047881B2
A method and system for storing information in a nonvolatile memory comprising: a substrate comprising magnetic material operatively associated therewith, the magnetic material having at least one first portion of low permeability and at least one second portion of high permeability; a reader comprising a sensor for reading information by measuring the magnetic permeability for the at least one first portion and the at least one second portion; whereby the at least one first and second portions are subjected to a magnetic probe field from one of an external source, the sensor, or a combination of an external source and the sensor.
US09047874B2
The noise suppression device includes: a shock noise detection unit which receives an input signal including a shock noise and detects a shock noise according to a change of the input signal; and a shock sound suppression unit which receives the shock sound detection result and the input signal so as to suppress the shock sound.
US09047873B2
A self-contained breathing and communication apparatus is described that can facilitate communication between a first user and a second user. A microphone can record sound when the first user speaks. The microphone can convert the recorded sound to a voice signal. A voice activity detection processor can detect spoken words and informative sounds of the first user from the converted voice signal. For this detection, the voice activity detection processor can remove noise from the voice signal. A voice-to-text processor can convert the detected words and informative sounds to a text message. A transmitter of the transmitting module can transmit the text message to a receiver of the second user via a communication network. A display device of the second user can display the text message on a graphical user interface. Related methods, apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described.
US09047867B2
Methods and systems for recognition of concurrent, superimposed, or otherwise overlapping signals are described. A Markov Selection Model is introduced that, together with probabilistic decomposition methods, enable recognition of simultaneously emitted signals from various sources. For example, a signal mixture may include overlapping speech from different persons. In some instances, recognition may be performed without the need to separate signals or sources. As such, some of the techniques described herein may be useful in automatic transcription, noise reduction, teaching, electronic games, audio search and retrieval, medical and scientific applications, etc.
US09047863B2
A method of audio signal processing is described. The method includes calculating a criticality measure based on information about a first frame of the audio signal. The method also includes calculating a threshold value based on information relating to a state of a transmission channel. The method further includes comparing the calculated criticality measure to the calculated threshold value. The method additionally includes deciding to transmit a redundant copy of the first frame based on a result of the comparison. The method also includes transmitting the redundant copy of the first frame with a second frame. The first frame precedes the second frame in the audio signal.
US09047853B2
A CPU 41 detects an operation performed with respect to a plurality of frets 23 provided on a fingerboard 21, decides pitch of a musical sound to be generated based on the detected operation, decides sound generation timing for the musical sound to be generated, instructs a sound source to generate a musical sound of the decided pitch at the decided sound generation timing, and controls the musical sound generated in the sound source 45 based on a state of the detected operation.
US09047839B2
A liquid crystal display device includes an array of pixels each having a memory function, a driving section that supplies a common voltage to a counter electrode of a liquid crystal capacitor, and supplies one of a first voltage and a second voltage to a pixel electrode of the liquid crystal capacitor, the first voltage being the same as the common voltage, the second voltage reversing polarity every predetermined period, and an adjusting section that adjusts an amplitude of at least the second voltage.
US09047833B2
An exemplary liquid crystal display (LCD) provides data lines, gate lines, and pixel units arranged as a matrix array. A method for driving the LCD includes a step of analyzing and determining polarities of one column of the pixel units as determining pixels, thereby defining a first polarity group and a second polarity group, and a step of sequentially applying corresponding data signals to a part of the whole pixel units that are arranged at same rows with the first polarity group in a part of a period of a frame. Corresponding data signals are sequentially applied to the other part of the whole pixel units that are arranged at same rows with the second polarity group in another part of a period of a frame.
US09047831B2
A liquid crystal display panel and a display driving method are disclosed. The liquid crystal display panel includes data lines, scan lines, common electrode lines, pixel units, voltage buffer circuits and common electrode controller units. The pixel units are coupled to corresponding data lines and scan lines. Each pixel unit includes a storage capacitor. The pixel units on the same row are coupled to the same common electrode line. The common electrode controller units drive the common electrode lines to re-charge each pixel unit via the storage capacitor. The voltage buffer circuits are coupled between the common electrode controller units and the common electrode lines. The voltage buffer circuits are used for maintaining the voltage levels on each of the common electrode lines when each of the pixel units is not in their data writing period.
US09047830B2
An apparatus includes a plurality of display elements arranged in an array and a control matrix coupled to the plurality of display elements to communicate data and drive voltages to the display elements. For each display element, the control matrix includes an actuation circuit coupling a voltage source to the display element. The control matrix is configured to apply an actuation voltage to an actuator of the display element throughout an actuation stroke of the actuator and to initiate the actuation of the actuator after a pre-charging signal that initiated the application of the actuation voltage to the actuator has been deactivated.
US09047829B2
An image display apparatus includes a dimming value determination circuit for determining a dimming value of a backlight based on an input image signal, an image signal compensation circuit for compensating the input image signal supplied to a liquid crystal panel in accordance with the dimming value, and a backlight drive circuit for driving and controlling the backlight in accordance with the dimming value. When the light emitting luminance of the present frame of the backlight increases relative to the light emitting luminance of the previous frame, the backlight drive circuit delays the timing for applying the dimming value of the present frame. This makes it possible to reduce power consumption of the backlight by suppressing deterioration in the image quality in spite of the sharp change in the display image luminance.
US09047828B2
A liquid crystal display includes: a liquid crystal panel including a first region and a second region; a first signal controller which generates a first representative value representing image signals of the first region; a second signal controller which generates a second representative value representing image signals of the second region and transmits the second representative value to the first signal controller; a light source unit which irradiates light to the liquid crystal panel; and a light source driver which controls luminance of the light source unit. The first signal controller transmits a luminance of the light source unit to the light source driver. The luminance of the light source unit is calculated from the first representative value and the second representative value.
US09047825B2
A display device includes a calculation unit which calculates a required luminance according to a set luminance for each color of a backlight, for each of a first video signal and a second video signal, and obtains the higher of the required luminance corresponding to the first video signal and the required luminance corresponding to the second video signal as an objective luminance for each color based on a calculation result, a backlight driving unit which drives the backlight for each color according to the obtained objective luminance of each color, a detection unit which compares the required luminance with the objective luminance and detects, for each color, the required luminance corresponding to the video signal lower than the objective luminance, and a brightness adjustment unit which performs adjustment for each color so that an image corresponding to the video signal lower than the objective luminance is darkened.
US09047822B2
In order to achieve lower power consumption, a technique of performing display (partial display) by utilizing only a part of a display area is used. For example, a display area is divided, a plurality of driver circuits for driving the divided display areas independently are provided, and only a region where a fixed pattern is displayed is driven in a power saving mode, thereby partial display is performed; however, display cannot be performed at an arbitrary position. Alternatively, partial display can be performed by inputting a video signal to a pixel in an arbitrary display area; however, a structure of a driver circuit is complicated. The object of the invention is to provide a display device which can perform partial display at an arbitrary position and reduce power consumption. In partial display, operation of a signal line driver circuit is set so as to be stopped and a non-display signal is set so as to be outputted from the signal line driver circuit when a pixel in a non-display area is selected.
US09047820B2
A method of driving an organic light emitting display capable of providing a sufficient (e.g., a sufficiently long) data writing period and/or threshold voltage compensating period is provided. The method includes supplying scan signals to odd scan lines in a writing period of an odd frame set to be in a non-emission state, and supplying scan signals to even scan lines in a writing period of an even frame set to be in the non-emission state.
US09047818B1
An active matrix microdisplay system is provided. The microdisplay system includes an array of micro-emitters. The microdisplay system also includes an array of CMOS driving circuits. Each of the CMOS driving circuits is coupled to a respective micro-emitter for controlling current to each respective micro-emitter. Each driving circuit includes metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) devices, where the MOSFET devices comprise p-type metal-oxide-semiconductors (PMOSs) or n-type metal-oxide-semiconductors (NMOSs).
US09047816B2
A pixel for an organic light emitting display is disclosed. The pixel is configured to provide a current to an organic light emitting diode which is substantially independent of a voltage threshold of the driving transistor of the circuit.
US09047810B2
The present disclosure provides a circuit for discharging parasitic capacitance in a display panel with common-anode topology having a plurality of light emitters, as well as a circuit for charging parasitic capacitance in a display panel with common-cathode topology. In the common-cathode topology, the circuit includes a three-terminal device having a gate, a source, and a drain, wherein one of the source and the drain is electrically coupled to a common cathode of the light emitters, and a mechanism for controlling the three-terminal device, the mechanism being electrically coupled to the gate. Shortly after a previously selected light emitter is unselected, the mechanism turns on the three-terminal device to form a conductive path between the source and the drain. The mechanism turns off the three-terminal device after a voltage at the common cathode is increased to a predetermined voltage level or after a maximum period of time lapses.
US09047806B2
A display device for selectively adjusting a viewing angle thereof and a method of adjusting a viewing angle thereof are provided. The display device comprises: a display unit displaying an input image based on a determined viewing angle; and a controlling unit determining a viewing angle of the display unit according to a predetermined viewing condition and controlling to display the input image with the determined viewing angle, wherein the viewing condition is one of a viewer position condition, an image type condition, and a viewer setting condition.
US09047799B2
An e-book reader in which destruction of a driver circuit at the time when a flexible panel is handled is inhibited. In addition, an e-book reader having a simplified structure. A plurality of flexible display panels each including a display portion in which display control is performed by a scan line driver circuit and a signal line driver circuit, and a binding portion fastening the plurality of display panels together are included. The signal line driver circuit is provided inside the binding portion, and the scan line driver circuit is provided at the edge of the display panel in a direction perpendicular to the binding portion.
US09047797B2
An image display apparatus and a method for controlling the same are provided. The method includes displaying at least one of a left-eye object or a right-eye object when the image display apparatus has entered a 3-dimensional (3D) mode, displaying a movement amount object indicating the amount of movement of pixel arrangement of the at least one of the left-eye object or the right-eye object, receiving a pixel arrangement movement amount input through the movement amount object, and changing at least one pixel of the displayed left-eye object to a pixel of the right-eye object and displaying the changed pixel or changing at least one pixel of the displayed right-eye object to a pixel of the left-eye object and displaying the changed pixel according to the pixel arrangement movement amount input. This increases user convenience when stereoscopic images are displayed in an autostereoscopic manner.
US09047796B2
The present invention supplies a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device, which includes a non-contact inspection process capable of confirming if a circuit or circuit element formed on an array substrate is normally performed and can decrease a manufacturing cost by eliminating wastes to keep a defective product forming.An electromotive force generated by electromagnetic induction is rectified and shaped by using primary coils formed on a check substrate and secondary coils formed on an array substrate, whereby a power source voltage and a driving signal are supplied to circuits or circuit elements on a TFT substrate so as to be driven.
US09047778B1
The various examples disclosed herein relate to systems, methods, and equipment that provide location and velocity monitoring of both a user's vehicle and another vehicle to avoid collision. The examples are applicable for using on-board telematics units to process that information and provide additional information based thereon such as the probability of collision. In some examples, if the chances of collision are high based on information received, warnings may be given to the vehicle's user. Based on these warnings, the user may take evasive maneuvers to reduce the probability of collision and prevent it. In other examples, if the chances of collision are high, the vehicle may decelerate without prompting from the user to minimize the impact of the collision. Any emergency reporting by the telematics unit, e.g. if a collision still occurred, may be enhanced with the relative location and velocity data from some interval prior to the emergency.
US09047771B1
A system for displaying guidance aids to a crew for ground obstacle avoidance, particularly wingtip clearance. Perspective areas are drawn representing the current locations of the wingtips over the ground and predicted locations out into the future for a specified time or a specified distance. A flight crew may use these displayed guidance aids to determine the proximity of any perceived threat to the airplane. This capability addresses the costly problem of wingtip/airplane ground collisions. The graphical cue systems are specifically targeted toward aircraft that have a large wing span/size and/or folding wingtips.
US09047763B2
A method is provided for displaying information on a display device of an aircraft. The method comprises receiving data indicating a point selected from a trajectory of a flight path; determining an estimated time of arrival minimum and an estimated time of arrival maximum based on the point; and displaying in a dialogue box associated with the trajectory of the flight path the estimated time of arrival minimum and the estimated time of arrival maximum for the point.
US09047759B2
A mobile device includes a position sensing unit, a remote control information obtainment unit, and a storage unit. Position information obtained by the position sensing unit is stored in the storage unit in association with remote control information. The mobile device further includes a directional space obtainment unit and an apparatus specification unit. The mobile device recognizes a direction pointed by a user using the mobile device, and enables operation of a terminal apparatus existing in the pointing direction.
US09047745B2
Systems and methods disclosed herein provide, for some embodiments, infrared cameras and target position acquisition techniques for various applications. For example, in one embodiment, a system may include a portable imaging/viewing subsystem having a target position finder and may also include a fixed mount camera subsystem having a camera and a camera positioner. A communications link may be configured to communicate a signal from the target position finder to the camera positioner. The signal may be representative of a position of a target being imaged/viewed with the portable imaging/viewing subsystem. The camera positioner may aim the camera toward the target in response to the signal. The target may, for example, be a man overboard. Thus, the system may be useful in search and rescue operations.
US09047744B2
An apparatus including a flexible strap section configured to emit visible light; and a connection section configured to connect the flexible strap section to a portable electronic device such that the portable electronic device can hang from the flexible strap section. The connection section is configured to receive a signal from the portable electronic device. The flexible strap section is configured to emit the visible light based, at least partially, upon the signal from the portable electronic device.
US09047743B2
Device, process and program for determining and alerting a user of the existence of nearby acquaintance, including: providing a first electronic communication device having near-field transmitting and receiving communications capability, a user interface and control circuitry; transmitting from the first communication device an inquiry to determine the presence in the near-field of a compatible second electronic communication device; upon receipt of a positive response to the inquiry, transmitting from the first communication device anonymous user indicia; receiving anonymous user indicia from the second communication device; coordinating the received anonymous user indicia to determine the presence of any matches between the transmitted anonymous user information and the received anonymous user indicia; and providing either a list of matches or an indication of no matches to the user via the user interface. Based on the information exchanged, the users can determine whether a relationship between the users exists or might be created.
US09047740B2
A wagering game is operable on a reel-based gaming machine which has the capability to selectively illuminate one or more reels with one or more colors of graduating intensity. In conjunction with the stopping sequence of the reels for a given play of the wagering game, the gaming machine provides a distinctive lighting effect at one or more of the reels when a reel in the set is stopped showing a predefined symbol. The predefined symbol presents the possibility of some desirable outcome for the given play of the wagering game depending upon the positions in which the remaining reels in the set stop.
US09047722B2
A fault diagnostic system of a vehicle includes: a global positioning system (GPS) receiver and a diagnostic module. The GPS receiver determines a location of the vehicle. The diagnostic module diagnoses a fault in a component of the vehicle. In response to the diagnosis of the fault, the diagnostic module stores diagnostic data in a computer readable medium. The diagnostic data includes both a predetermined diagnostic trouble code associated with the fault diagnosed and the location of the vehicle when the fault was diagnosed.
US09047721B1
A system for determining a driver log entry comprises a processor and a memory. The processor is configured to determine a log start time. The processor is configured to determine a driver identity after the log start time. The processor is configured to determine whether a change to the driver identity has occurred based at least in part on a sensor data. In the event that the driver identity has changed, the processor is configured to determine a log stop time and determine a driver log entry using the log start time, the driver identity, and the log stop time.
US09047717B2
A fleet operations quality management system for use with one or more vehicles which includes a data recording unit and separate memory subsystem mounted on each vehicle, a remotely located data collection station to collect, store and pre-process data from multiple vehicles, a centralized data storage and retrieval system designed to accept and assimilate recorded trip data, a web application designed to provide access to and analysis of the recorded trip data, and a graphical software application that can be used to view the recreated trip in a realistic simulated environment. An electronic system comprising a receiver module and a mobile device, whereby the receiver module is capable of receiving data transmissions from a network of ground stations and buffering the data for future use.
US09047706B1
To align a first digital 3D model of a scene with a second digital 3D model of the scene, real-world photographs of the scene are received and synthetic photographs of the first digital 3D model are generated according to different camera poses of a virtual camera. Using the real-world photographs and the synthetic photographs as input photographs, points in a coordinate system of the second digital 3D model are generated. Camera poses of the input photographs in the coordinate system of the second 3D model also are determined. Alignment data for aligning the first 3D model with the second 3D model is generated using the camera poses of the virtual camera and the camera poses corresponding to the input photographs.
US09047703B2
A method, augmented reality driving system and device safely guide a vehicle driver to perform a left turn. A vehicle navigator detects a left turn based upon proximity and speed for a vehicle. A target sensor determines a current position and a relative vector for an oncoming vehicle in a lane for opposing traffic that is approaching the left turn. An augmented reality controller three dimensionally maps a forward view including the oncoming vehicle and spatially overlays an augmented reality display on a volumetric heads up display for a driver of the vehicle by projecting a target path of the oncoming vehicle based upon the vector and relative vector and by projecting a left turn path.
US09047698B2
A head mounted device provides an immersive virtual or augmented reality experience for viewing data and enabling collaboration among multiple users. Rendering images in a virtual or augmented reality system may include capturing an image and spatial data with a body mounted camera and sensor array, receiving input indicating a first anchor surface, calculating parameters with respect to the body mounted camera and displaying a virtual object such that the virtual object appears anchored to the selected first anchor surface. Further rendering operations may include receiving a second input indicating a second anchor surface within the captured image that is different from the first anchor surface, calculating parameters with respect to the second anchor surface and displaying the virtual object such that the virtual object appears anchored to the selected second anchor surface and moved from the first anchor surface.
US09047696B2
A method is disclosed for reconstructing image data of an examination object from measurement data, wherein the measurement data were acquired in the course of a relative rotational movement between a radiation source of a computed tomography system and the examination object. First image data of the examination object are reconstructed from the measurement data. Scatter signals are calculated from the first image data using a scattered radiation model, wherein the scattered radiation model specifies an angle-dependent scatter distribution for a scatter point as a function of a line integral corresponding to an attenuation integral of a scattered beam from the scatter point to a specific detector element. The calculated scatter signals are used for correcting the measurement data, and second image data are reconstructed using the corrected measurement data.
US09047695B2
A transformation method for diffusion spectrum imaging includes: receiving an original DSI dataset and a template DSI dataset; computing an energy function; computing, for each time point, first-order and second-order derivatives of the energy function with respect to velocity fields in an image space and in a q-space; computing, for each time point, the velocity fields in the image space and in the q-space based upon the first-order and second-order derivatives; performing integration on the velocity fields over time to obtain a deformation field; and generating a transformed DSI dataset according to the deformation field.
US09047684B2
Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed that use super-resolution (SR) processes to use information from a plurality of low resolution (LR) images captured by an array camera to produce a synthesized higher resolution image. One embodiment includes obtaining input images, determining an initial estimate of at least a portion of a high resolution image using a plurality of pixels from the input images, and determining a high resolution image that when mapped through the forward imaging transformation matches the input images to within at least one predetermined criterion using the initial estimate of at least a portion of the high resolution image. In addition, each forward imaging transformation corresponds to the manner in which each imager generates the input images, and the high resolution image has a resolution that is greater than any of the input images.
US09047680B2
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and data structure of content files
As a user inputs instruction to start up content, an initial image is displayed. A viewpoint shift request is made, viewpoint coordinates are calculated according to the viewpoint shift request. Then verified is whether a hierarchical level has been changed in hierarchical image data due to a shift of the viewpoint coordinates or not. If the hierarchical level has been changed, the node of a hierarchical image is extracted from image correspondence data and then a coordinate transform matrix associated with the node is modified. A new elemental image is decoded, each image is subjected to the coordinate transform based on the image correspondence data so as to evaluate the coordinates on display coordinates. Each elemental image is placed on the evaluated coordinates, which in turn integrates the elemental images and updates a displayed imaged.
US09047677B2
An image segmentation method has a training phase and a segmentation phase. In the training phase, a frame of pixellated data from a camera is processed using information on camera characteristics to render it camera independent. The camera independent data are processed using a chosen value of illuminant spectral characteristics to derive reflectivity data of the items in the image. Pixels of high reflectivity are established. Then, using data from the high reflectivity pixels, the actual illuminant spectral characteristics are established. The illuminant data are then processed to determine information on the illumination of the scene represented by the frame of pixellated data to derive reflectivity data of the scene. The segmentation phase comprises operating on a subsequent frame of pixellated data to render it camera independent and using the determined illumination information to process the camera independent data to determine reflectivity data of the scene to derive a foreground mask.
US09047674B2
An image represented by multiple nodes can be processed by determining whether information can be propagated to a node from another node (e.g., source node) of the image, thereby allowing significantly greater parallelism and scalability by taking advantage of multiprocessing or multi-core processors that are prevalent and widely available today. Conceptually, an image can be presented as a “structured grid” of multiple nodes (e.g., a structured grid of pixels of an image). In a “structured grid,” two or more of the nodes can determine whether to propagate information in parallel. In fact, each node of a “structured grid” can perform operations relating to propagation of information in parallel. This means that for an image of N pixels, it is possible to perform N operations in parallel. It is also possible to divide the processing of N operations for N pixels substantially equally between the number processors or processing cores available at a given time.
US09047670B2
A method for exemplar-based inpainting using a Laplacian pyramid in a multi-scale space is provided, which is capable of reflecting structural features and texture features simultaneously every time inpainting is performed. The exemplar-based inpainting method using the Laplacian pyramid in the multi-scale space includes constructing a Laplacian pyramid image including a plurality of levels using an input image and performing inpainting reflecting the structural features of a low frequency region and the texture features of a high frequency region using the Laplacian pyramid image.
US09047669B1
There is described herein a method and system for dynamically controlling the bit rate of a codec during image data compression by analyzing information output by a first module that processes the group of macroblocks as part of the compression scheme, and configuring a second module to process the group of macroblocks according to this analysis.
US09047668B2
A global position of an observed object is determined by obtaining a first global position of an observed object with at least one positioning device. A determination is made as to whether a set of stored visual characteristic information of at least one landmark matches a visual characteristic information set obtained from at least one captured image comprising a scene associated with the observed object. In response to the set of stored visual characteristic information matching the obtained visual characteristic information set, a second global position of the observed object is determined based on a set of stored location information associated with the at least one landmark and the first global position.
US09047667B2
The invention relates to methods and apparatuses for encoding/decoding high resolution images, which involve setting the size of the prediction unit to be encoded to an expanded macro-block size in accordance with the temporal frequency characteristics or spatial frequency characteristics among pictures to be encoded, and performing motion prediction motion compensation, and transformation on the basis of a set prediction unit size. In addition, the methods and the apparatuses of the present invention involve dividing a macro-block having a pixel size of 32*32 or 64*64 into at least one partition on the basis of an edge, and performing encoding processes for each partition. Accordingly, encoding efficiency can be improved for high definition (HD) or higher resolution high-resolution images.
US09047665B2
An image processing apparatus comprises: a separation unit configured to separate image data into a luminance signal and a color difference signal; a decision unit configured to decide a reference pixel, which is referenced for a pixel of interest included in the image data; a luminance noise reduction unit configured to reduce luminance noise in the luminance signal of the image data; a weight calculation unit configured to calculate a weight of the reference pixel based on similarity of luminance included in the luminance signal having been subjected to noise reduction by the luminance noise reduction unit between a first area containing the pixel of interest and a second area containing the reference pixel; and a color noise reduction unit configured to reduce color noise in the color difference signal for the pixel of interest by using the weight of the reference pixel.
US09047660B2
Methods for analyzing biomedical data include: (a) obtaining macroscopic imaging data; (b) obtaining histopathological imaging data; (c) executing a parallel algorithm stored on a non-transient computer-readable medium to compute one or a plurality of network cycle features of a relative neighborhood graph derived from the histopathological imaging data; (d) registering the macroscopic imaging data and the histopathological imaging data; and (e) correlating the macroscopic imaging data and the network cycle features. Systems for analyzing biomedical data and computer readable storage media are described.
US09047657B2
A method and system for optically inspecting the entire outer peripheral surface of a part are provided. The system includes an enclosure which allows movement of a part relative to the enclosure both prior to and after inspection within the enclosure. An illumination assembly simultaneously illuminates a plurality of exterior side surfaces of the part which are annularly spaced about the axis of the part with radiation when the part is at a predetermined location within the enclosure to obtain corresponding reflected radiation signals. A plurality of lens and detector assemblies are provided. Each of the assemblies forms an optical image of one of the illuminated exterior side surfaces from the reflected radiation signals and detects the formed optical image within the enclosure. A processor processes the detected optical images to obtain a continuous, seamless, 360° panoramic composite image of the peripheral surface of the part.
US09047656B2
A method of processing a digital image. The method comprises: populating (100) a bilateral grid (10) comprising a plurality of cells (20), based on information obtained from the image, each cell comprising at least one value; then cumulatively integrating (110) the at least one value over the bilateral grid to form an integrated grid comprising integrated values; generating (120) a modified bilateral grid, comprising computing the sum of the at least one value over a predetermined rectangular box of cells of the bilateral grid, by using the integrated values corresponding to the corners of the box; and slicing (130) the modified bilateral grid to generate an output image.
US09047649B2
A method, system, and medium are provided for distributing transportation alerts to computing devices in accordance with factors, such as device-specific and location-specific factors. In embodiments of the present invention, travel alerts, including public alerts associated with certain areas, are formatted or held prior to delivery, based on safety concerns, legal requirements, device settings, or other considerations.
US09047640B2
In general terms, embodiments of the present invention relate to methods and apparatuses for providing an account exceeding available funds or credit service involving an account exceeding available funds or credit magnetic stripe. For example, in some embodiments, a method is provided that includes: (a) receiving transaction information associated with a transaction, where the transaction involves a transaction machine and an account, and where the account is associated with a credit/debit card; (b) determining, based at least partially on the transaction information, that the account will incur an account exceeding available funds or credit as a result of the transaction; (c) receiving account exceeding available funds or credit swipe information indicating that an account exceeding available funds or credit magnetic stripe of the credit/debit card was swiped at the transaction machine; and (d) authorizing the transaction based at least partially on receiving the account exceeding available funds or credit swipe information.
US09047627B1
This specification describes methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage device, for precluding the serving of expandable content items from vendors for publisher hosts that do not support the particular vendors.
US09047613B2
A computer-implemented method comprises receiving a request for content from a user, determining two user lists that are associated with the user, each user list including a definition that characterizes members of a respective user list, determining a consumer is a subscriber to the two user lists, determining the consumer has indicated a preference to target members that are included in both user lists, and providing an indication to the consumer for all users that are included in both user lists including providing the definitions associated with both user lists along with the request to the consumer.
US09047610B1
A method for generating a list of recommendations to be supplied by a vendor to a prospective customer by the use of a computer comprising the steps of inputting into a searchable data set a plurality of products and attributes of each product. A product is. The attributes of the selected product are ascertained. All products are ascertained that match at least one of the attributes of the selected product to provide looked-up products. From the looked-up products then are selected all products that are the closest match to the selected product to provide best matches. An output list of best matches of correlated products from the looked-up products is generated.
US09047605B2
A fingerprint analysis device is presented including a sensing mechanism including an adhesive member configured to perform at least a chemical analysis of a fingerprint and a sound emitting mechanism for emitting one or more sounds based on the chemical analysis of the fingerprint. The chemical analysis device further performs on-the-spot, substantially instantaneous chemical analysis of received fingerprints and emits or conveys audible and/or non-audible information based on the fingerprints received.
US09047601B2
Techniques for mobile devices configured to support settlement of charges in electronic invoices or bills are described. A mobile device embedded with a secure element generates or is loaded with an electronic invoice. When the mobile device is brought to a consumer with an NFC mobile device, the data including the electronic invoice and other information regarding the mobile device or an owner thereof is read off wirelessly into the NFC mobile device. After the user verifies the amount being charged and authorizes the payment, the NFC mobile device communicates with a payment gateway or network for payment that is configured to proceed with the payment in accordance with a chosen payment methods.
US09047600B2
Provided are computer implemented methods and systems for facilitating mobile and wearable device payments and multimedia transfer. The method commences with receiving a multimedia transfer request from a mobile and wearable device associated with a sender. The method further comprises receiving a recipient identifier. The recipient identifier is associated with a mobile and wearable device associated with a recipient. The method continues with transferring the multimedia content to the recipient. The transfer is based on the recipient identifier. The method further comprises receiving a transaction request from the sender. The transaction request includes one or more of a currency amount, the recipient identifier, and payment data associated with the sender. The method further comprises encrypting transaction data. The transaction data includes one or more of the currency amount and the payment data associated with the sender. The method continues with performing a transaction based on the transaction request.
US09047591B2
Systems and methods are provided to specify a location of a planned event via a selection of a listing that has location information. For example, in response to a search request a listing may show a business entity at a geographic location; and the user may select the listing as a way to specify the location of a new event or an existing event. In some embodiments, one event can have multiple listings specifying multiple locations.
US09047574B2
A system and methods for capacity planning of electronic systems storage are provided. Features include a non-invasive data discovery and collection mechanism, an adaptive grouping mechanism, a flexible analysis mechanism, predictive modeling and forecasting mechanisms, and a business metric and correlation mechanism. A discovery engine that ascertains the availability of collectable entities. A collection engine in turn gathers information from and about entities discovered by the discovery engine. A grouping module groups together entities according to parameters specified by the user. An analysis and forecasting module allows a user to create, modify and save forecast scenarios from which a model is generated by a modeling module. Correlations can be identified between specified key business metrics and historical data. Once a model has been created, a forecast is generated and can then be analyzed using Bold Freehand Extrapolation, time-series analysis, and business trend-based forecasting.
US09047570B2
A method is provided of evolving algorithms for network node control in a telecommunications network node by updating a model of the network node, and genetic programming by (a) generating algorithms, (b) determining fitness level of the algorithms based on the model of the network node, and (c) selecting the algorithm that meet a predetermined fitness level. The steps (a), (b) and (c) are repeated automatically to provide a series of algorithms over time adapted to the changing model of the network node for possible implementation in the network node.
US09047569B2
A multi-objective optimization method. The method comprises a population of objects for each objective utilizing an optimization process and determining a measure for the variation in values of each gene within each population. A crossbreed between objects from different ones of the populations is performed, wherein a selection of gene values for the child object is weighted based on the measures for the variations in the values of each gene within the respective populations.
US09047563B2
A plurality of topics encompassed in a document are determined and, for each such topic, a sentiment for that topic is likewise determined. Thereafter, credibility of the document is determined based on the resulting plurality of sentiments. In one embodiment, credibility of at least one target document is established by first determining, for each of a plurality of portions of the at least one target document, at least one topic encompassed in the portion to provide a plurality of target topics. Likewise, sentiment scores are determined for each portion. Thereafter, for each prior topic of a plurality of prior topics, a topic-sentiment score is determined based on sentiment scores corresponding to those portions of the plurality of portions having a target topic corresponding to the prior topic. A credibility index is determined based on the resulting plurality of topic-sentiment scores.
US09047559B2
Systems and methods are provided for evaluating performance of forecasting models. A plurality of forecasting models may be generated using a set of in-sample data. Two or more forecasting models from the plurality of forecasting models may be selected for use in generating a combined forecast. An ex-ante combined forecast may be generated for an out-of-sample period using the selected two or more forecasting models. The ex-ante combined forecast may then be compared with a set of actual out-of-sample data to evaluate performance of the combined forecast.
US09047555B2
An apparatus sets a chromaticity point serving as a gray reference in a color gamut of a color space that an output device is able to output, specifies, in the color gamut of the color space that the output device is able to output, a first minimum lightness point on a lightness axis of the set chromaticity point and a second minimum lightness point that is achromatic, and generates a gray line that passes through a black point that is a minimum lightness point on a line connecting the first minimum lightness point and the second minimum lightness point, the first minimum lightness point, and the set chromaticity point and reaches a white point in the color gamut of the color space that the output device is able to output.
US09047552B2
The image forming apparatus includes a printing device that performs printing on the basis of output image data; a transmission processing unit that generates image log data from the output image data of one page and transmits the generated image log data to a server apparatus that stores image log data corresponding to a print job of plural pages; and a job executing unit that (a) starts a waiting status before a generation process of output image data of a next page when the generation process of the output image data of the aforementioned one page is completed, and (b) releases the waiting status after the image log data corresponding to the output image data of the aforementioned one page is generated and transmitted to the server apparatus by the transmission processing unit.
US09047550B2
Image formation apparatus configured to detect and correct detected light reflection characteristics
An image formation apparatus includes a conveyance member in which a reflection characteristics irregular part having light reflection characteristics different from those of a surrounding surface part is formed, a measurement unit configured to perform an detection operation including irradiating the conveyance member with irradiation light and detecting reflection light, a controller configured to perform a current detection operation, and perform a next detection operation after a surface of the conveyance member is moved by a distance longer than a reflection characteristics irregular part length that is a length of the reflection characteristics irregular part in a movement direction of the conveyance member surface, and a correction unit configured to perform correction for image formation on the basis of detection results of the current detection operation and the next detection operation by the measurement unit.
US09047548B2
A semiconductor chip (1, 91) for a transponder (3, 93) comprises a chip substrate (4) with a surface (5), chip terminals (6, 7) arranged on the surface (5), and a passivation layer (22) covering the surface (5) and completely covering the chip terminals (6, 7), so that an antenna (2, 30) with antenna terminals (24, 25) can be attached to the chip (1, 91) above the chip terminals (6, 7), so that the chip terminals (6, 7), the passivation layer (22) and the antenna terminal (24, 25) form first capacitors.
US09047543B2
A designating unit designates any of three edge faces other than an edge face corresponding to a spine of a book-bound article generated by a printer. A generating unit generates a bitmap corresponding to the designated edge face depending on a bookbinding condition. A rendering unit renders a first image designated by a user on the bitmap. A specifying unit specifies, among pieces of line data respectively corresponding to dots forming a first side parallel to a paper thickness direction and that each extend parallel to a second side orthogonal to the first side, in the bitmap, line data corresponding to an object page to be printed. An adding unit adds a second image to a place corresponding to the dots of the first image included in the specified line data, on a third side indicating a side of the object page corresponding to the specified line data.
US09047537B2
A detection process, contact recognition process, classification process, and identification process are applied to raw sensor data to produce an identified contact record set containing one or more identified contact records. A prioritization process is applied to the identified contact record set to assign a contact priority to each contact record in the identified contact record set. Data are removed from the contact records in the identified contact record set based on the contact priorities assigned to those contact records. A first contact stream is produced from the resulting contact records. The first contact stream is streamed in a contact transport stream. The contact transport stream may include and stream additional contact streams. The contact transport stream may be varied dynamically over time based on parameters such as available bandwidth, contact priority, presence/absence of contacts, system state, and configuration parameters.
US09047536B2
Method for providing target point candidates forming a candidate set for selecting a target point from the candidate set by means of a geodetic measuring device. The measuring device is coarsely oriented toward the target point, and an image is recorded in the sighting direction. A search process for certain target object candidates in the recorded image is performed by means of image processing and wherein at least one respective point representing the target object candidate is associated with each of the target object candidates as a target point candidate. Candidates are associated with a candidate set. respective weight values are derived according to at least one value of a predetermined target point property of the candidates and associated with the target point candidates. The target point candidates from the candidate set are each provided together with respective information representing the weight value associated with the target point candidate.
US09047526B2
A reader device includes a mounting surface on which a passport with a page to be read is placed, a light source for illuminating the page to be read, and a camera for picking up an image of the page to be read. The light source is arranged outside a front area of the page to be read. The page to be read contains a near-edge code positioned close to an edge of the page to be read. The light source includes an infrared LED array and a white LED array. An infrared LED and a white LED included in the infrared LED array and the white LED array, respectively, and located at a near-edge code position corresponding to the near-edge code are arranged closer to the page to be read than the other infrared LEDs and white LEDs in a direction perpendicular to the mounting surface.
US09047522B1
An RFID system is used to detect whether an RFID tag is part of the load of a forklift or other transport device. In one aspect where the load is in motion relative to an RFID reader system, the RFID system obtains tag readings and derives tag vector motion information which can be compared to the known motion of the load to distinguish tags that are part of the load from false positives which are unavoidably also within the field of the reader system. A forklift antenna system may also make readings from load pickup to load deposit in a truck trailer, and utilize computed tag vector motion information to distinguish tags that are part of the load from false positives. The tag vector information my relate to tag velocity, tag acceleration, and/or rate of change of tag acceleration. The two components of the RFID system may communicate information on identified tags, and/or interact (e.g. by silencing tags), so as to cooperate in identifying true positive tags in the load. A portal or reader system location along the path of the forklift can be activated prior to arrival of the load to eliminate certain false positives from requiring evaluation while the forklift load is moving through the field region of such reader system. Vertical motion of the load can be utilized as a way of discriminating between true positive tags in the load and false positives.
US09047521B2
A computer implemented method for diagnosing a magnetic reader subassembly. A processor generates a test signal during a diagnostic period. The processor then receives a return signal from the magnetic reader subassembly. The processor then compares the test signal and the return signal and diagnoses an operational status of the magnetic reader subassembly in response to the comparison of the test signal and the return signal.
US09047520B2
Systems and methods for providing remote approval of an image for printing are provided. One system includes a processing circuit in communication with an image capturing device that is configured to capture an image of a printed product. The processing circuit is configured to process the captured image into a processed image accurate to within a tolerance in a color space to indicate the visual appearance of one or more colors. The color space is a standardized color space, such as sRGB or CIELAB. The processing circuit is further configured to transmit the processed image to a display located remote from the image capturing device and to receive an input signal from a remote input device to allow a user to approve or reject the displayed processed image for printing on a print device.
US09047513B2
A method for increasing the accuracy of a target property value derived from a rock sample is described in which the sample is scanned to obtain a three-dimensional tomographic digital image which can be processed to pore space and solid material phases through a segmentation process. A process is used which revises the segmented volume, e.g., by increasing pore space connectivity, in a manner affecting the target property value that would be derived. Another described method increases the accuracy with which a segmented volume represents a material sample having structure not adequately resolved in an original three-dimensional tomographic digital image. Further, a system for performing the processes, and a segmented digital volume which more accurately represents a sample of a porous media, are described.
US09047512B2
Apparatus, systems and methods for facilitating iris-scanning contact lenses and/or biometric identification employing iris scanning contact lenses are provided. In one implementation, the contact lens can include: a transparent substrate formed to cover at least a portion of an iris of an eye; and a circuit. The circuit can include: one or more light sensors disposed on or within the transparent substrate and that detects light filtered through the iris and incident on the one or more light sensors; readout circuitry, operably coupled to the one or more light sensors, that outputs information indicative of the light filtered through the iris and incident on the one or more light sensors; and a power component that supplies power to the readout circuitry. In various implementations, the contact lens can be employed in systems and/or methods associated with authentication and identification.
US09047506B2
A computer-readable recording medium storing an authentication program for causing a computer to execute an authentication process, the authentication process includes: extracting a plurality of face information from an image acquired; when the plurality of face information include both first face information registered in authentication information and second face information not registered in the authentication information, registering the second face information in the authentication information; and if new face information extracted from new image is the second face information stored in the authentication information, determining that an authentication for the new face information is successful.
US09047505B2
A collating device includes a collation list, a collation unit and a comparison unit. The collation list is configured to retain a false alarm list including a registered image, a threshold value serving as a criterion for determining whether to perform alarm activation, and a false alarm person image. The collation unit is configured to collate an input image with the registered image and the false alarm person image managed by the collation list, thereby obtaining a similarity therebetween. The comparison unit is configured to compare: a larger one of a value of the similarity between the input image and the false alarm person image, which is obtained by the collation unit, and the threshold value; and the similarity between the input image and the registered image, which is obtained by the collation unit, thereby determining whether to perform the alarm activation.
US09047502B2
An automatic culture device 1 having an automatic quality determination system is equipped with an analysis program 12. The analysis program 12 extracts cell characteristics from a captured image of a cell by driving a characteristic quantity extraction program 13, which is an image processing program for extracting characteristics (characteristic quantities) of this cell. The quality of the cell is then determined from the extracted characteristic or a combination of a plurality of characteristics by driving an identification program 15 that determines the quality of a cell. This allows cell quality determination to be automated.
US09047498B2
A method reconstructs a reconstruction data set containing virtual X-ray images of projection images of a target region recorded with an X-ray device. The projection images being recorded at different positions of an X-ray source along a scanning trajectory. The method includes defining an imaginary position of the X-ray source for each virtual X-ray image. For each virtual X-ray image and each pixel to be reconstructed in the X-ray image a virtual beam section, covering the target region, of the path between the imaginary position of the X-ray source and the pixel is defined. For each projection image, an integral is determined from the relationships between the forward projection and the filtered back-projection by re-parameterizing. A projection value of the virtual X-ray image from the integrals determined is combined.
US09047490B2
There are provided a method, a system and an initiator server for a secure execution of workflow tasks of a workflow to be executed according to a given execution pattern in a distributed workflow management system within a decentralized network system with a plurality of servers (b0, b1, . . . , bn) including at least an initiator server and at least a number of groups of servers of the plurality of servers. Each group satisfies a policy (poli) of a vertex, and thus, knows a corresponding policy key pair including a policy private key (SKpoli) and a policy public key (PKpoli), respectively. Each vertex denotes a set of workflow tasks to be executed in accord with the execution pattern and is assigned a vertex key pair including a vertex private key and a vertex public key. The vertex private keys and the policy public keys are jointly encrypted within a first onion structure, the first onion structure being built up of a number of onion layers representing the execution pattern which defines a succession of vertices such that each layer is decryptable by using the policy private key of exactly one vertex thus revealing the corresponding vertex private key.
US09047483B2
The apparatus comprises at least one database for storing digital information associated with at least a first user and a second user, at least one links module for the first user and for the second user, at least one manipulations module and at least one display device for respectively displaying at least said linked digital information wherein said linked digital information associated with said first user is automatically updated on at least said display device of said second user when that information is manipulated, and wherein said linked digital information associated with said second user is automatically updated on at least said display device of said first user when that information is manipulated.
US09047470B2
A device receives identification information associated with a mobile commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) device, and receives configuration and security requirements defined for the mobile COTS device. The device creates secure configuration software for the mobile COTS device based on the identification information and the configuration and security requirements, and provides the secure configuration software to the mobile COTS device for installation.
US09047467B1
A method, system and apparatus for assembling and publishing frequent malware signature definition updates through the use of additive or “streaming” definition packages is provided. Embodiments of the present invention provide such functionality by publishing not only full malware signature definition updates on a long periodicity but also streaming malware signature definition updates containing newly certified signature definitions on a short periodicity. As newly-certified malware signature definitions are received, those newly-certified signature definitions are incorporated not only in the full signature definition file but also in a streaming signature definition update that contains only newly-certified signature definitions received during a streaming update period. At the end of the streaming update period, a streaming signature definition file is made available by publication to anti-malware clients. A streaming signature definition file only contains those signature definitions received during the assembly period for that streaming definition file.
US09047462B2
A computer account management system includes: an account management subsystem; an information asset management subsystem; an authentication (integrated) subsystem; a service (integrated) subsystem; and an account portal subsystem; wherein the account management subsystem manages information of physical accounts and logical account numbers; wherein the information asset management subsystem manages data information resources generated by network activities of physical account information; wherein the authentication subsystem provides an authentication integrated interface to the physical account numbers; wherein the service subsystem is a customizable interface which is open to internet or local network; wherein the account portal provides interfaces and tools of login, service list management of services subscribed or bought by the account, account information management and information asset management. The computer account management system is not bundled with services, seamlessly integrated with the user information asset and is lifetime-valid. The system can be used in account management of the internet.
US09047461B2
A computer-implemented method for replacing a security-relevant unencrypted data string from a data record by a token in a tokenisation device. The method is structured in such a way that it works more efficiently than a replacement table with randomly generated tokens and is more secure than the generation of tokens by exclusive application of a mathematical function to the unencrypted data string.
US09047458B2
A system or method for network access protection executes steps for receiving, at a server, an access request for access to at least one network resource from a client machine, the access request including account authentication information comprising an account identifier and password, obtaining a client machine identifier from the client machine in response to receiving the request for access, and controlling access to the network resource in response to the access request by authorizing access to the network resource for the access request if the client machine identifier matches a registered machine identifier that is registered for use with the account authentication information and the account authentication information matches registered information for a valid account, but denying access to the network resource if the client machine identifier does not match a registered client machine identifier that is registered for use with the account authentication information.
US09047444B2
An application on a mobile terminal in a mobile network is registered with an application server. The mobile terminal includes an identity module. At the application server, a first message is received for registering the application, the first message including a telephone number associated with the identity module. The application server generates a unique identifier and associates the unique identifier with the telephone number. A second message is sent from the application server to the mobile terminal, the second message including the unique identifier. The mobile terminal generates and stores a data block including the unique identifier, a subscriber identity associated with the identity module and a terminal identifier associated with the mobile terminal.
US09047443B2
Provided is a data federation system for a sociality storage service in cloud computing, the data federation system including an instance management unit to collect instance information from a cloud system for integrating cloud storage services provided to individuals, a service authentication unit to authenticate a state of the cloud storage services using the collected instance information, a storage synchronization unit to integrate cloud storages to collect data of the authenticated cloud storage services, and an index management unit to organize the collected data based on a state value of at least one of a file and a folder in the integrated cloud storage.
US09047438B2
Herein is reported a method for determining whether a re-usable chromatography column packing, which is used at least for the second time in a purification step of a purification of a polypeptide, has reduced separation efficacy in said purification step of said purification of said polypeptide, comprising the following steps: a) identifying and determining the experimental data of an inert change of at least one physicochemical parameter of a mobile phase passing through said re-usable chromatography column packing, b) determining the parameters of a function of formula I by fitting the experimental data of the inert change of the physicochemical parameter of the at least second use, c) determining the difference between the experimental data of the inert change of the physicochemical parameter of the at least second use and the function of formula I with the parameters determined in step b), d) calculating the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of the difference determined in step c) and normalizing said difference, e) determining reduced separation efficacy of said re-usable chromatography column packing when the absolute value of the difference calculated in step d) is more than 0.1.
US09047432B2
A system comprises a processor-implemented tool configured to generate a layout of an integrated circuit (IC) die. At least one non-transitory machine readable storage medium includes a first portion encoded with a first gate-level description of first and second circuit patterns to be formed on first and second integrated circuit (IC) dies, respectively, and a second portion encoded with a second gate level description of the first and second circuit patterns received from the processor implemented tool. The second gate level description includes power and ground ports, and the first gate level description does not include power and ground ports. A processor-implemented first verification module is provided for comparing the first and second gate level descriptions and outputting a verified second gate-level description of the first and second circuit patterns.
US09047425B2
Methods and apparatus disclosed herein operate to receive a plurality of cycles characterized by a set of time-domain aspects, to modify at least one of the time-domain aspects of at least some of the plurality of cycles to produce a plurality of modified cycles, to process at least some of the modified cycles to produce time-domain cycles, and to create a time-domain signal based at least in part on concatenating the time-domain cycles.
US09047422B2
A system and method determines a path in an open space that does not have a well-structured routing infrastructure. In some embodiments, the system and method may model the open space with one-dimensional segments. The system and method may determine a path between two points along the one-dimensional segments. In some embodiment, the system and method may smooth the path based on geometry of objects in the open space.
US09047421B2
Embodiments of the invention provide improved timing compensation for a bidirectional serial link in order to relax accuracy requirements of clock sources used for the link. When forming a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) for transmission over the link, fill levels of receiver buffers at either ends of the link are used to determine a particular type of start of PDU (SOP) character sequence to use. When a given type of SOP character sequence is present in a PDU received at one end of the link, a next PDU to be transmitted from the same end of the link is delayed by a predetermined amount of time to allow the receiver buffer at the other end of the link to decrease its fill level before receiving the next PDU.
US09047418B2
Devices and methods for extending USB-compliant communication distances, including USB 3.0 SuperSpeed communication, are provided. In some embodiments, a host is communicatively coupled to a device that provides an upstream facing port, and a USB device is communicatively coupled to a device that provides a downstream facing port. The upstream facing port and downstream facing port are coupled via a communication channel. In some embodiments, the upstream facing port and downstream facing port generate packets to ensure that timing requirements of the USB specification are met regardless of the latency of the communication channel.
US09047413B2
Certain example embodiments relate to white-box testing techniques, e.g., for graphical user interfaces (GUIs). A test case to be run on the application includes interactions between the application and external components that were gathered as the application ran and received user input from a user until a desired test state was reached, and assertions to be made to the application once that state is reached. A test environment replaces a normal environment in which the application runs. An adapter executes interactions on the test environment's GUI dedicated thread(s). The application is fed with interactions, through the adapter, until the application reaches the desired state. Once the application reaches that state, the application is fed with assertions. Expected data associated with the assertions is compared with data actually being generated by the application. A determination is made regarding whether the test case resulted in success or failure.
US09047408B2
A method enables a computer to execute software and to monitor software execution, the method comprising: acquiring, by one or more processors, image data of a screen image displayed on a display device while monitored software is executed; acquiring, by one or more processors, peripheral information, wherein the peripheral information is a state of software and hardware in which the software is executed, at a time of acquisition of the image data; and adding, by one or more processors, the peripheral information to the image data and storing the image data having the peripheral information added thereto into a storage device, so that, in response to an image based on the image data being displayed on the display device, a content of the peripheral information acquired by the peripheral information acquiring unit is displayed along with the screen image.
US09047407B2
The execution of a dynamic code segment sequence that includes at least two code segments in sequence. The first code segment is first executed and the corresponding state of the environment is captured. The second code segment is then executed. When the second code segment is later re-executed, the first code segment is not re-executed again. Rather, the environmental state is set to be the captured state that existed when the first code segment originally executed. Then, the second code segment may be executed without spending the resources required to re-run the first code segment. This may be employed at authoring time, or after deployment time.
US09047404B1
Techniques are disclosed for development of code for deployment on target devices within native code containers that provide access to native resources on the target devices. The native code containers on the target devices may provide only limited development capabilities. Thus, the disclosed development techniques may make use of a device that offers extended development capabilities in comparison to the native code containers on the target devices. A bridge may be established to connect an extended development capability device to a target device. The disclosed bridge may allow developers to benefit from extended development capabilities, while also enabling certain appropriate features to be tested on the target device in the environment in which they will eventually be used.
US09047403B2
According to embodiments of the invention, methods, computer readable storage medium, and a computer system for providing multiple versions of elements of a program in a single compile are disclosed. The method may include receiving a request to compile a current version of a program for debug. The method may also include identifying, by an integrated development environment, a previous version of an element of the program, wherein the previous version of the element is identified by comparing the current version of the program to a previous version of the program. The method may also include inserting the previous version of the element into the current version of the program. The method may also include creating a compiler directive identifying the previous version of the element. The method may also include compiling the current version of the program for debug.
US09047399B2
A method and apparatus for generating visualizations from running executable code is described. In one embodiment, the method includes monitoring an executable software application while the software application is running. The method may also include capturing data indicative of runtime events that occur while the executable software application is run. In one embodiment, the method may further include generating a profile of the executable software application from the captured data, and rendering a visualization of the profile for display.
US09047393B1
Techniques are described herein that provide for inter-domain communications with one or more shared worker applications. A parent web application associated with a first domain may create a child web application associated with a second domain different than the first domain. The child web application may determine whether a shared worker associated with the second domain is operating. The shared worker acquires information associated with the second domain in response to one or more requests, and stores acquired information associated with the second domain in a memory of the local computing device. The parent web application may request, via the child web application, information associated with the second domain from the shared worker. In response to the request, the parent web application may receive, from the shared worker, information associated with the second domain stored in the memory of the local computing device.
US09047388B2
The present invention provides a system, method, and software application for enabling a user to view data from an external data source in a visual map, wherein the external data source has a web services interface. Visual mapping software on a computer provides a visual mapping interface in which a user can create, edit, and/or view a visual map. Within the visual mapping interface, the visual mapping software provides the user with an option to obtain data from one or more data sources associated with a web service. In response to the user selecting a data source associated with a web service, the visual mapping software builds a web service request for the web service associated with the selected data source. The visual mapping application makes a call to the applicable web service with the web service request. The visual mapping application subsequently receives data from the web service and transforms the data into a format that can be used to generate visual map data. The visual mapping software then displays the data in a visual map.
US09047387B2
A system and method are provided for segregating access to dynamic content on multiple websites hosted by a web server. When a request is received for dynamic content from a website, a UserRetriever module identifies a path to the content and retrieves a username and password corresponding to the website, from a database that is separate from the web server and used for other purposes (e.g., billing). A UserImpersonator module requests a logon handle for that username from a logon cache manager. The logon handle is used to associate the request with the impersonated user account instead of the default anonymous user account with which the request was initially associated. The dynamic content is retrieved and served under the context of the restricted impersonated user account session, after which the applied logon handle is stripped off and the request is re-associated with the default anonymous user account.
US09047378B1
A host service holds a collection of contacts for multiple organizations, or domains. The system maintains an index made of one or more tables. The index may be sorted across multiple machines. Each table contains a set of elements, and each element points to a subset of the contacts that share a common attribute. When the system receives query to return at least one of the contacts in the collection, the system accesses the index to identify a first element having a domain that matches the domain of the first query and an attribute that matches an attribute value of the query. In response, it returns the contacts to which the first element points.
US09047361B2
An enhanced metadata structure and associated process is provided which captures and stores metadata gathered about the source and usage of a media asset or file. The source and usage metadata is integrated, such as by encoding within the enhanced media file, as the media asset is transferred and used. The integrated metadata accumulates, as a trail of source information and usage information in the enhanced media asset, and can be extracted upon arrival at a target computer system.
US09047353B2
Example methods, apparatuses, or articles of manufacture are disclosed that may be implemented using one or more computing devices or platforms to facilitate or otherwise support one or more processes or operations associated with a space-time-node engine signal structure.
US09047352B1
Described are techniques for searching. Search criteria including parameters is received. It is determined whether to perform searching based on storage provisioned for one or more selected applications identified in the search criteria. If it is determined to perform searching based on storage provisioned for one or more selected applications, first processing is performed in accordance with the search criteria, and otherwise second processing is performed in accordance with the search criteria. Search results produced as a result of one of the first processing and the second processing are received.
US09047344B2
Fast restoration of referential integrity between metadata and data after they were restored to some inconsistent backup copies in content management archival solutions. An inferred logging mechanism uses separate metadata and data logs to capture recent update activities during normal system conditions with additional object reference information using a method called reference tagging. This requires no system internal changes and introduces no performance overhead. The information in the logs facilitates quick identification of potential referential inconsistencies and allows referential integrity between metadata and data to be restored in a fraction of the time when compared to exhaustive data scans.
US09047336B2
Approaches for providing reputation based access control are provided. Specifically, at least one approaches includes: identifying a requesting subject that is requesting access to a controlled resource; retrieving the requesting subject's reputation stored as a virtual attribute in a reputation-based access control database, wherein the requesting subject's reputation comprises a value for skill for operating with the requested controlled resource, and wherein the requesting subject's reputation is modified following an indication from a peer of the requesting subject that the requesting subject's value for skill is diminished; retrieving the requested controlled resource's policy; determining if the requesting subject's reputation meets the requested controlled resource's policy; if the requesting subject's reputation meets the requested controlled resource's policy, allowing the requesting subject access to the requested controlled resource; and if the requesting subject's reputation does not meet the requested controlled resource's policy, denying the requesting subject access to the requested controlled resource.
US09047327B2
A method and apparatus for developing a social hierarchy for a user from a plurality of contacts includes, for each contact, tracking communications occurring between the user and the contact; determining, from the tracked communications, a rate of change for communications between the user and the contact; and identifying, based on the rate of change, a position in the social hierarchy for the contact. Another method and apparatus includes tracking communications occurring between the user and a contact in the plurality of contacts, wherein tracking a communication comprises identifying a method of communication and a time the communication occurred; determining, from the tracked communications, that repeated communication attempts were made between the user and the contact; and identifying, based on the repeated communication attempts, a position in the social hierarchy for the contact.
US09047325B2
A mechanism is provided for creating modules from an XML schema. The mechanism includes creating a syntax tree from a sample XML fragment of the XML schema, creating a module with a list of parameters based on the syntax tree, identifying variable pieces of information in the syntax tree to be inserted in the list of parameters with a variable sign, and inserting the variable information into the list of parameters. The mechanism includes inserting another module in the syntax tree of the module, in which the other module corresponds to another sample XML fragment and has another list of parameters, and identifying the other module with the variable sign in the syntax tree of the module. The mechanism includes inserting the other module into the list of parameters of the module in which the other module to serve as a parameter, and providing an option for constraining the module.
US09047319B2
A computing device configured to determine that one or more regions of an image are associated with a tag of the image is described herein. The computing device is further configured to determine one or more attribute tags describing at least one of the content or context of the one or more regions. Upon determining the attribute tags, the computing device associates the attribute tags with the tag to enable image searching based on the tag and attribute tags.
US09047311B2
Approaches for retrieving files from a replicated file system. A component receives, from a requestor, a request for a copy of a data unit. The component identifies a plurality of storage nodes that each stores a complete copy of the data unit. The component sends, to the plurality of storage nodes, an instruction to retrieve a copy of the data unit within a specified period of time. At each storage node receiving an instruction, a determination of whether the copy of the data unit may be retrieved within the specified period of time is made, and if so, the copy of the data unit is provided to the component only if the copy of the data unit was actually retrieved within the specified period. The component provides the first copy of the data unit it receives to the requestor and discards any subsequently received copies of the data unit.
US09047293B2
A method and a non-transitory computer readable medium that stores instructions for converting a first file of a first format to a second file of a second format that differs from the first format; wherein the converting comprises converting first file fields having invalid values with second file fields having valid values; and converting the second file to a third file of the first file format, if the converting of the first file to the second file succeeds.
US09047290B1
At least one case from a set of cases is identified in response to a query relating to at least one category. An indication is received regarding whether the at least one case belongs to the category. A categorizer is trained based on the received indication. A quantification measure associated with cases in the category is computed based on output from the categorizer.
US09047281B2
Improved methods and systems for granular opportunistic locking mechanisms (oplocks) are provided for increasing file caching efficiency. Oplocks can be specified with a combination of three possible granular caching intentions: read, write, and/or handle. An oplock can be specified with an identifier that indicates a client/specific caller to avoid breaking the original oplock due to an incompatibility from other requests of the same client. An atomic oplock flag is added to create operations that allow callers to request an atomic open with an oplock with a given file.
US09047275B2
Computer-implemented systems and methods align fragments of a first text with corresponding fragments of a second text, which is a translation of the first text. One preferred embodiment preliminarily divides the first and second texts into fragments; generates a hypothesis about the correspondence between the fragments of the first and second texts; performs a lexico-morphological analysis of the fragments using linguistic descriptions; performs a syntactic analysis of the fragments using linguistic descriptions and generates syntactic structures for the fragments; generates semantic structures for the fragments; and estimates the degree of correspondence between the semantic structures.
US09047274B2
An authoring method includes generating an authoring interface configured for assisting a user to author a text string in a source language for translation to a target string in a target language. Initial source text entered by the user is received through the authoring interface. Source phrases are selected that each include at least one token of the initial source text as a prefix and at least one other token as a suffix. The source phrase selection is based on a translatability score and optionally on fluency and semantic relatedness scores. A set of candidate phrases is proposed for display on the authoring interface, each of the candidate phases being the suffix of a respective one of the selected source phrases. The user may select one of the candidate phrases, which is appended to the source text following its corresponding prefix, or may enter alternative text. The process may be repeated until the user is satisfied with the source text and the SMT model can then be used for its translation.
US09047272B1
Systems and methods are disclosed that utilize a genetic algorithm to search for an index configuration for a collection of data such as, e.g., a database. Genetic algorithms can include stochastic search heuristics that mimic processes of natural evolution including inheritance, mutation, crossover, and selection. A population of chromosomes representing candidate index configurations can evolve to increase or optimize the fitness of the population and to identify the best (e.g., most fit) index configuration. Fitness of a chromosome may be measured based at least in part on the cost of computer resources used for executing Structured Query Language (SQL) statements in the indexed database. In various implementations, virtual indexing may be used to simulate building an index, chromosomes may be encoded using non-bitmapped representations of index configurations, chromosomes may include genes representing a column in a table in a database, dropping an index from a table in a database, or a composite index for a database, and/or a participation pool may be used to select fitter genes for an initial population of chromosomes.
US09047267B2
Various methods for written mathematical expression analysis are provided. One method may include receiving written input where the written input is representative of a mathematical expression. The method may also include analyzing the written input to identify at least one operator and at least one operand and constructing an expression tree based at least in part on predefined symbol relationships, the at least one operator, and the at least one operand. Similar apparatuses and computer program products are also provided.
US09047266B2
Methods, systems and computer program products are provided for processing cells in a spreadsheet. A first formula contained in a first cell and a second formula contained in a second cell to provide a consolidated formula, wherein the second formula references the output of the first cell are automatically consolidated. The consolidated formula is stored in a single cell. Further methods, systems and computer program products are provided for processing cells in a spreadsheet and wherein a first cell, a second cell that is referenced as a precedent cell by a formula contained in the first cell, and a formula or data contained in the second cell are displayed while hiding the formula contained in the first cell and its value.
US09047257B2
An improved USB host controller and method supports concurrent host and device debug operations with only one usable USB port. The described embodiments save silicon cost and avoid additional connectors, which are undesirable in ever-smaller devices.
US09047250B2
A method of providing failover processing between a first element and a second element in a data communications network, the method comprising configuring a first channel and a second channel between the first and second elements, the first and second channels comprising different physical data paths, receiving at the first element, via the first channel, first data signals representative of functioning statuses of the second element, the first channel being configured to allow a non-optimal, partly functioning status of the second element to be communicated to the first element; and receiving at the first element, via the second channel, second data signals representative of functioning statuses of the second element, the second channel being configured to allow a failed functioning status of the second element to be communicated to the first element; and conducting failover processing based on both the first and second data signals.
US09047236B2
Client side stream switching enables substantially uninterrupted transmission of a highest compatible bit rate of a stream of media to a client via a network connection. The client may include one or more buffers for receiving the stream of media. Attributes including the buffer activity and a bandwidth of the network connection may be monitored by a streaming module to determine an alternative bit rate of the stream of media. The stream of media may be transitioned from the first bit rate to the alternative bit rate without an interruption of the stream of media to provide the client with the highest compatible bit rate based on the monitored attributes.
US09047235B1
Media content associated with a playlist is provided for remote access over a packet-based network. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, a host server provides access to a user-defined playlist depicting media content available from user's media content source (e.g., at a registered user's PC). User-defined playlists and associated media content are managed to facilitate access to media in accordance with characteristics of the media content and/or playlist such as format and bitrate, and as may be related to an intended playback use of the playlist. Media content for the playlists is stored in a network storage device for remote access, with the storage managed to facilitate remote access in appropriate formats, with selective cross-referencing among playlists for different playlist types, content format and content bandwidth.
US09047231B2
A data saving device, system, and method rapidly and deterministically saves data of a computer system. The device may mark data that must be saved when the computer is shut down. In certain embodiments, a boot control module detects a condition requiring a rapid deterministic data saving operation, such as a power failure and reboots the computer, deterministically terminating all existing processes. Additionally, the boot control module loads a data transfer kernel in place of a standard operating kernel used for normal operation. The data transfer kernel supports a set of processes exclusively dedicated to saving data. The data transfer kernel configures the computer and storage devices for the data transfer and saves the marked data with a minimum of interruptions from other processes. Also, the data transfer kernel may shut down the computer and the storage devices after transferring data.
US09047226B2
A computing device having an optimized file system and methods for use therein. File system optimizations include sector-aligned writes, anchored cluster searches, anchored index searches, companion caches dedicated to particular file management data types and predictive cache updates, all of which expedite processing on the computing device. The file system optimizations are especially advantageous for data collection systems where an embedded device is tasked with logging to a target memory data received in a continuous data stream and where none of the streamed data is deleted until after the target memory has been offloaded to another device.
US09047221B2
Disclosed is a computer system (100) comprising a processor unit (110) adapted to run a virtual machine in a first operating mode; a cache (120) accessible to the processor unit, said cache including a cache controller (122); and a memory (140) accessible to the cache controller for storing an image of said virtual machine; wherein the processor unit is adapted to create a log (200) in the memory prior to running the virtual machine in said first operating mode; the cache controller is adapted to transfer a modified cache line from the cache to the memory; and write only the memory address of the transferred modified cache line in the log; and the processor unit is further adapted to update a further image of the virtual machine in a different memory location, e.g. on another computer system, by retrieving the memory addresses stored in the log, retrieve the modified cache lines from the memory addresses and update the further image with said modifications. A computer cluster including such computer systems, a method of managing such a computer cluster and a computer program product are also disclosed.
US09047215B1
Methods, computer-readable mediums and systems for reducing transistor recovery are disclosed. Data which toggles at least one bit may be periodically communicated over a data path, where toggling of at least one bit may effectively reset the recovery period for any transistors in the data path associated with the at least one bit. Timing uncertainty associated with a given transistor may be reduced by limiting the amount of recovery experienced by the transistor. Accordingly, recovery of transistors in a data path may be limited to predetermined amount by toggling bits of the data path at a predetermined frequency, thereby reducing timing uncertainty and allowing a smaller system margin and/or higher data transmission speeds.
US09047212B2
The present invention relates to the field of data storage, and more particularly to an estimation technology in an error correction process of a flash memory. The present invention provides an error estimation module and an error estimation method thereof for a flash memory. The estimation module mainly includes a timer, a quantification index table, a storage page table, and an error index table. The error estimation method of a flash memory includes: creating rewriting and programming error a priori data, and estimating an error rate of the flash memory by using special physical signals in a flash memory device to provide proper error estimation for an error correction algorithm of the flash memory. The present invention is applicable to a solid-state hard disk controller, a flash memory controller, and the like, where the flash memory device is used as a storage medium, so that the reliability of the flash memory device is improved.
US09047210B2
A data storage device includes a memory including a plurality of storage elements. The memory is configured to read a group of the storage elements using a first read voltage to obtain a first plurality of bit values. A controller is coupled to the memory. The controller is configured to initiate a first error correction code (ECC) procedure on the first plurality of bit values. In response to the first ECC procedure determining that the first plurality of bit values is not correctable, the controller is further configured to instruct the memory to read the group of the storage elements using a second read voltage to obtain a second plurality of bit values, and to change one or more values of the first plurality of bit values to corresponding values of the second plurality of bit values to generate a first plurality of corrected bit values.
US09047209B2
Communication performance can be appropriately and easily improved without changing an application on the host side when controlling communication between electronic devices. A computer that operates according to an operating system on an OS kernel layer, has an application on an application layer that outputs a first unit of command data causing a connected electronic device to perform an operation, and has a communication port on a physical layer that sends data output from the application to the electronic device: receives data output from the application on the OS kernel layer before the data is received by the communication port; accumulates the received data and generates a second unit of data that is larger than the first unit; and outputs the generated second unit of data to the communication port.
US09047205B1
A data storage device is disclosed comprising a non-volatile memory (NVM), wherein data is read from the NVM to generate a two dimension matrix of signal samples, including a first dimension and a second dimension. The matrix of signal samples is first equalized to reduce intersymbol interference (ISI) in the first dimension to generate second dimension signal samples, and second equalized to reduce ISI in the second dimension to generate first dimension signal samples. A first data sequence is detected in response to the first dimension signal samples, and a second data sequence is detected in response to the second dimension signal samples.
US09047200B2
A method for managing redundancy of data in a solid-state cache system including at least three solid-state storage modules. The method may include designating one or more extents of each dirty mirror pair to be of a particular priority order of at least two priority orders. The at least two priority orders can include at least a highest priority order. The highest priority order can have a higher relative priority than the other priority orders. The method may also include performing at least one redundancy conversion iteration. Each redundancy conversion iteration includes converting extents of at least two dirty mirror pairs into at least one RAID 5 group and at least one unconverted extent. The extents of the at least two dirty mirror pairs can include extents designated to be of a highest remaining priority order. Each redundancy conversion iteration can also include deallocating the at least one unconverted extent.
US09047199B2
A computer program product for reducing penalties for cache accessing operations is provided. The computer program product includes a tangible storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method. The method includes respectively associating platform registers with cache arrays, loading control information and data of a store operation to be executed with respect to one or more of the cache arrays into the one or more of the platform registers respectively associated with the one or more of the cache arrays, and, based on the one or more of the cache arrays becoming available, committing the data from the one or more of the platform registers using the control information from the same platform registers to the one or more of the cache arrays.
US09047197B2
A method is disclosed that uses a non-coherent store instruction to reduce inter-thread communication latency between threads sharing a level one write-through cache. When a thread executes the non-coherent store instruction, the level one cache is immediately updated with the data value. The data value is immediately available to another thread sharing the level-one write-through cache. A computer system having reduced inter-thread communication latency is disclosed. The computer system includes a first plurality of processor cores, each processor core including a second plurality of processing engines sharing a level one write-through cache. The level one caches are connected to a level two cache via a crossbar switch. The computer system further implements a non-coherent store instruction that updates a data value in the level one cache prior to updating the corresponding data value in the level two cache.
US09047196B2
Processes may be assigned to specific processors when memory objects consumed by the processes are located in memory banks closely associated with the processors. When assigning processes to threads operating in a multiple processor NUMA architecture system, an analysis of the memory objects accessed by a process may identify processor or group of processors that may minimize the memory access time of the process. The selection may take into account the connections between memory banks and processors to identify the shortest communication path between the memory objects and the process. The processes may be pre-identified as functional processes that make little or no changes to memory objects other than information passed to or from the processes.
US09047194B2
Technologies generally described herein relate to cache directories in multi-core processors. Various examples may include, methods, systems, and devices. A first tile may receive a request to transfer a thread from the first tile to a second tile. An instruction may be sent from the first tile to map a virtual cache identifier to identifiers of caches of the first and second tiles. The thread may be transferred from the first tile to the second tile. Thereafter, a request may be generated for a data block. After a determination that the data block is not stored in the second tile's cache, and that the virtual cache identifier is mapped to the first and second cache identifiers, a request may be sent for the data block to the first tile.
US09047193B2
A digital system is provided. The digital system includes an execution unit, a level-zero (L0) memory, and an address generation unit. The execution unit is coupled to a data memory containing data to be used in operations of the execution unit. The L0 memory is coupled between the execution unit and the data memory and configured to receive a part of the data in the data memory. The address generation unit is configured to generate address information for addressing the L0 memory. Further, the L0 memory provides at least two operands of a single instruction from the part of the data to the execution unit directly, without loading the at least two operands into one or more registers, using the address information from the address generation unit.
US09047185B2
An abnormal termination recovery is performed where storage is referenced shortly after the storage has been freed. More specifically, when storage is freed, and that storage is accessed, an abnormal termination error (e.g., a page translation exception event) occurs due to referencing storage that has not been obtained. When the abnormal termination error occurs, an abnormal termination recovery operation is accessed. The abnormal termination recovery operation scans a history of storage freeing operations (e.g., FREEMAIN operations) to determine whether the storage location accessed by the storage access that caused the abnormal termination error was recently freed from within the same address space. If the storage location was recently freed, then the abnormal termination recovery operation reverses the storage freeing operation by issuing a storage obtaining operation (e.g., a GETMAIN operation) to re-obtain the storage.
US09047178B2
Apparatuses, systems, methods and computer program products are disclosed for auto-commit memory management. A method includes receiving a memory request from a client, such as a barrier request or a checkpoint request. The memory request is associated with a volatile memory buffer of a non-volatile recording device. The memory buffer may be configured to preserve data in the non-volatile recording device in response to a trigger. A method includes issuing a serializing instruction that flushes data from a processor complex to the memory buffer. A method includes determining completion of the serializing instruction flushing the data to the memory buffer.
US09047161B1
A server software repair method. The method comprises copying a software license file associated with a software deployment, saving the software license file to a discrete directory, repeating these steps at predetermined intervals to form an archive. The method further comprises retrieving the software license file from the archive and redeploying the software license file with a software deployment.
US09047158B2
Illustrative embodiments include a system, and computer program product for creating a virtual machine using a preprovisioned mutated template. A template to use for creating the virtual machine is identified, a template including data usable to create the virtual machine on a data processing system. A block of data is selected in the mutated template for reconstructing the template from the mutated template. The block of data is included in the mutated template at a location specified in a manifest associated with the mutated template. A data structure of the template is populated with the block of data such that the block of data occupies a predetermined position in the template, thereby reconstructing the template from the mutated template. The virtual machine is created on the data processing system using the template.
US09047149B2
A method for a messaging engine to control messaging within a virtual machine having a heap includes creating a list of destinations associated with a messaging engine and receiving parameters associated with the heap. The message production rates are controlled using the parameters and heap usage. For example, the parameters may include a lower limit that indicates that message production should be decreased (i.e., throttled back) and a step-down value. Using the lower limit and the step-down value, intermediate throttle-back thresholds are created, and when the heap usage transitions from below one of the intermediate throttle-back thresholds to above the intermediate throttle-back threshold, the message production rate is decreased. Further, other parameters may include an upper limit and a step-up value, which are used to determine intermediate throttle-up thresholds that indicate when the message production rate may be increased (i.e., throttled up).
US09047146B2
A system and method for processing an input data stream in a first data format of a plurality of first data formats to an output data stream in a second data format of a plurality of second data formats. A plurality of input connector modules receive respective input data streams and at least one input queue stores the received input data streams. A plurality of job threads is operatively connected to the at least one input queue, each job thread formatting a stored input data stream to produce an output data stream. At least one output queue stores the output data streams from the plurality of job threads. A plurality of output connector modules is operatively connected to the at least one output queue, the output connector modules supplying respective output data streams.
US09047144B2
A system and method for providing Quality-of-Service (QoS) functions to concurrent event-processing applications in a multi-processing database environment are described. The system includes an Event-Listener interface for determining the QoS functions applicable to the events being processed and an Event-Service interface for invoking the determined QoS functions. The Event-Service interface loads, initializes and activates the QoS functions. The QoS functions are based on service definitions. The Event-Service interface further initializes the service providers and sends the events that need QoS support to the respective service providers for processing. The QoS functions include the services commonly needed in a clustered event-processing database system like Event-Sequencing, Event-Isolation, High-Availability, Event-Filtering and Flow-Control. Other QoS functions might be added to the database system using the same interfaces provided by the invention.
US09047138B2
Provided is a method and apparatus for ensuring a deterministic execution characteristic of an application program to perform data processing and execute particular functions in a computing environment using a micro architecture. A lock controlling apparatus based on a deterministic progress index (DPI) may include a loading unit to load a DPI of a first core and a DPI of a second core among DPIs of a plurality of cores at a lock acquisition point in time of each thread, a comparison unit to compare the DPI of the first core and the DPI of the second core, and a controller to assign a lock to a thread of the first core when the DPI of the first core is less than the DPI of the second core and when the second core corresponds to a last core to be compared among the plurality of cores.
US09047136B2
The administrative work needed to configure a virtual cluster is a major obstacle that limits its adoption by customers. Moreover, an organization can spend much time and effort testing a cluster configuration and would like to deploy this cluster configuration at many sites. To address these problems, the disclosed embodiments provide a mechanism that facilitates migrating a virtual cluster from a first computer system to a second computer system. During operation, the system captures the virtual cluster configuration state, including application configuration state and executables. The system then instantiates this captured state on a second computer system, thus re-creating the virtual cluster state of the first computer system on the second computer system.
US09047128B1
A method, article of manufacture, and apparatus for managing interfaces. In some embodiments, this includes detecting a new interface, adding a job to the new interface, and incrementing a counter associated with the new interface. In some embodiments, the new interface may be an additional physical interface. In some embodiments, the new interface may be a no longer reserved interface.
US09047125B2
Methods, apparatus, and products for deterministic real time business application processing in a service-oriented architecture (‘SOA’), the SOA including SOA services, each SOA service carrying out a processing step of the business application where each SOA service is a real time process executable on a real time operating system of a generally programmable computer and deterministic real time business application processing according to embodiments of the present invention includes configuring the business application with real time processing information and executing the business application in the SOA in accordance with the real time processing information.
US09047121B2
A multi-core processor, comprising a plurality of processor cores to process jobs, a multicore navigator coupled to the plurality of processor cores to evaluate a job for atomicity and, based on determining the job to have atomicity, to determine whether there is an atomic wait queue associated with the job's atomicity. Based on there being an atomic wait queue associated with the job's atomicity, the multicore navigator is to push the job to the atomic wait queue.
US09047110B2
A memory retaining unit (106) of a virtual machine handling system (10) retains a memory image (IMG) of a first computer (100). An update recording unit (203) records update information (UD) indicating a partial region of a memory image (IMG1) which is updated by the execution of a transferred virtual machine (VM) by a virtual machine execution unit (202) of a second computer (200). When receiving an undo request, a return unit (160) transmits partial data (PD) indicated by the update information (UD) from the second computer (200) to the first computer (100). A virtual machine execution unit (102) of the first computer (100) executes a continuing process of the virtual machine (VM) using the memory image (IMG) retained in the memory retaining unit (106) and the partial data (PD) received from the second computer (200).
US09047108B1
A computer-implemented method for migrating replicated virtual machine disks may include 1) replicating a virtual machine disk from an initial data store at a primary site to an initial data store at a secondary site to create a replicated virtual machine disk, 2) identifying a request to migrate the virtual machine disk within the primary site, 3) pausing replication of the virtual machine disk and mirroring the virtual machine disk from the initial data store a subsequent data store at the primary site, mirroring the replicated virtual machine disk from the initial data store to a subsequent data store at the secondary site, and 4) upon mirroring, resuming replication of the virtual machine disk by replicating the virtual machine disk from the subsequent data store at the primary site to the subsequent data store at the secondary site. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09047102B2
Cross-environment rendering and user interaction support provide a seamless computing experience in a multi-operating system computing environment. The multi-operating system computing environment may include a mobile operating system and a desktop operating system running concurrently and independently on a mobile computing device. Real-time or instant display of an application running in the mobile operating system within an environment of the desktop operating system is provided by rendering application graphics for the application within the desktop operating system. A console application of the desktop operating system may access surface information for the application from shared memory and render the application within a console window of the computing environment associated with the desktop operating system. The mobile computing device may be a smartphone running the Android mobile operating system and a full desktop Linux distribution on a modified Android kernel.
US09047090B2
In the various aspects, virtualization techniques may be used to improve performance and reduce the amount of power consumed by translating virtual memory addresses into physical addresses on a computing system having hybrid memory. In a first stage of memory translation, an operating system translates virtual addresses to intermediate physical addresses. In a second stage of memory translation, a chip or virtualization software translates the intermediate physical address to physical addresses based on the characteristics of the physical memory and the characteristics of the processes associated with the physical memory.
US09047084B2
A user interface for power management of a mobile communications device is described. In an implementation, power consumption used in performance of a plurality of tasks is monitored by a mobile communications device. A determination is made as to an amount of power that remains in a battery of the mobile communications device. A user interface is displayed on a display device of the mobile communications device that describes an amount of time each of the plurality of tasks may be performed based on the determined amount of power that remains in the battery.
US09047068B2
Management information for managing thermal conditions within an information handling system is retrieved from a storage device drive information area by request to a logical block address associated with the management information. The controller of the storage device maps the logical block address to the drive information area to respond to the request to the logical block address with the management information. For example, storage device temperature information measured with a temperature sensor of the storage device and stored to a log page or diagnostics page of the storage device maps from the drive information area to the logical block address so that a controller of the storage device responds with the log page or diagnostics page when a request is made to the logical block address.
US09047067B2
A method and system for thermal mitigation in a personal computing device is disclosed. A signal associated with an electronic element in the portable computing device is monitored. A thermal condition indicating excessive heat production is determined in response to the monitored signal. An action to mitigate heat production in the portable computing device may be performed in response to the thermal condition.
US09047063B2
A mounting assembly includes a chassis, and a plurality of partition panels configured to divide a space in the chassis into a plurality of sub-spaces. A motherboard is attached to the chassis and located below the plurality of partition panels. A plurality of data storage devices is mounted in each of the plurality of sub-spaces. Each of the plurality of data storage devices comprising a casing, at least one drive bracket mounted in the casing, at least one data storage unit mounted in the at least one drive bracket, and a handle pivotably attached to the at least one drive bracket. The handle is rotatable between a locked position, where the at least one drive bracket is immovable from the casing, and a released position, where the at least one drive bracket is released from the casing.
US09047061B2
The present invention relates to improved protective cases for hand-held electronic devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to cases that protect and modify the functionality of an electronic device.
US09047057B2
An apparatus and method is provided for coupling additional memory to a plurality of processors. The method may include determining the memory requirements of the plurality of processors in a system, comparing the memory requirements of the plurality of processors to an available memory assigned to each of the plurality of processors, and selecting a processor from the plurality of processors that requires additional memory capacity. The apparatus may include a plurality of processors, where the plurality of processors is coupled to a logic element. In addition, the apparatus may include an additional memory coupled to the logic element, where the logic element is adapted to select a processor from the plurality of processors to couple with the additional memory.
US09047052B2
A method and system for operating a mobile device includes interpreting a user-defined pattern detected by at least one of a touch interface and a motion sensor included with the mobile device. The user-defined pattern may be interpreted as at least one of: a polygon, an ellipse, a curve, a line segment, an alphanumeric character, and a movement of the mobile device. The user-defined pattern may be a two-dimensional pattern traced by the user on the touch interface. When the user-defined pattern is recognized, a wireless communication command may be executed by the mobile device. The wireless communication command may be a telephone command or a remote control command for a remote-controlled device.
US09047045B2
An apparatus for a multi-directional display comprising, a first surface situated in an electronic equipment cabinet, wherein the first surface is capable of retracting out of a plurality of sides of the electronic equipment cabinet. A first electronic display mechanically coupled to a first hinge. A first mount mechanically coupled to the first hinge, such that the first electronic display is capable of rotating independently from the first mount. The first mount coupled to the first surface, such that the first electronic display is viewable from the plurality of sides of the electronic equipment cabinet.
US09047041B2
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for automatically combining multiple displays on multiple portable electronic computer devices to form a larger display matrix. For each device, a first display configured to combine with additional displays of additional electronic devices to form a larger display from a matrix of the first display and the additional displays. A display orientation module automatically determines an orientation of the first display with respect to the one or more additional displays that form the larger display matrix. The display orientation module determines a location of the first display in the larger display matrix.
US09047037B2
A medium stores computer-executable instructions. In a case that a display instruction of a print setting screen is outputted by a first application program executed by an information processing apparatus, the instructions cause the information processing apparatus to perform: a display process for displaying the print setting screen on a display section; and a storage judgment process for judging whether a shared printing condition shared by different application programs is stored in a predetermined storage section. In a case that it is judged that the shared printing condition is not stored in the predetermined storage section, the instructions cause the information processing apparatus to perform: a shared printing condition accepting process for accepting setting of a new shared printing condition; and a storage process for storing the new shared printing condition and identification information of the first application program in the predetermined storage section being correlated with each other.
US09047036B2
A display apparatus displays an identification information element corresponding to an image currently displayed on a display unit in accordance with a first instruction from a user. In accordance with a second instruction from the user, the display apparatus causes a printing apparatus to perform printing based on an image data element corresponding to an identification information element selected by the user from among one or more identification information elements being displayed.
US09047035B2
A printing device includes a printing device side wireless communication unit configured to execute wireless communication with a mobile terminal, an operation acquisition unit configured to acquire user operation thereof, and a processor. The processor is configured to acquire operation data which is generated as the operation acquisition unit acquires a user operation, acquire establishment data which is generated as the printing device side wireless communication unit establishes a wireless communication with the mobile terminal, and issue a request control to control the printing device side wireless communication unit to transmit request data requesting the mobile terminal to transmit print data necessary for printing, via the wireless communication, when the establishment data is acquired, the request control being issued in accordance with the operation data as acquired.
US09047031B2
An image forming device is capable of executing an application. In the image forming device, a determining unit is configured to determine, in response to a request of execution of a communication process from the application, whether the communication process is an encrypted communication based on contents of a call stack which stores the request. A log recording unit is configured to record log information of the communication process in a storage device when the communication process is determined as being an encrypted communication.
US09047026B2
Systems and methods are provided for labeling inserted pages within a print preview of a print job. The system receives print data comprising logical pages, and receives instructions for inserting pages among the logical pages of the print data. The system further receives a request for a print preview for the print data, identifies inserts for the print data based on the instructions, rasterizes the logical pages of the print data and the inserts to generate sheet images for the print preview, and includes non-printing marks in the sheet images for the inserts that distinguish the inserts from rasterized logical pages of the print data. The system further transmits the sheet images of the print preview.
US09047023B2
A host device includes a user interface to receive user information to log in a managing server, a communication interface to transmit the user information to the managing server, a display unit, and a controller that, if login to the managing server is performed, controls the display unit to display information corresponding to an image forming apparatus connected to the host device.
US09047018B1
Data is transferred between a requesting application and a storage device by passing the application IO buffer to the disk driver. Techniques are provided to avoid data copying to an intermediate sector aligned buffer and passing the intermediate buffer to the disk driver. The techniques allow the use of layered block device drivers such as a Logical Volume Manager (LVM), Distributed Replicated Block Device (DRBD), or both. A look-ahead can determine the IO constraints imposed by the layered block device drivers. Based on the constraints, an entire portion of the buffer may be added to an IO request, or the buffer may be split into a first portion and a second portion. The first portion may be added to a first IO request. The second portion may be added to a second IO request, different from the first IO request.
US09047015B2
A method for migrating volumes in a storage system includes identifying an extent of data (belonging to a volume) requiring migration from a source extent to a target extent. The method allocates a selected number of copiers to the extent of data to migrate the extent of data from the source extent to the target extent. Each copier is configured to copy a unit of data, which is a smaller division of the extent of data. The method monitors destages (i.e., writes) that occur to the source extent as the copiers migrate the extent of data from the source extent to the target extent. In the event the destages occur faster than the copiers can copy units to the target extent, the method allocates additional copiers to the extent of data to assist in migrating the extent of data. A corresponding apparatus and computer program product are also disclosed.
US09047010B2
A method of distinguishing at least one key of a key array. The method can include, via a processor, detecting initial startup of a processing system. The method further can include, during the initial startup, distinguishing at least a first key of the key array from other keys of the key array, wherein the first key is selectable to access a system startup menu or system function.
US09046998B2
Technologies are generally described for a cloud-based trash-can. In some examples, a method performed under control of a user device may include displaying a remote trash-can icon on a display of the user device, receiving a first user input that includes moving an icon representing a locally stored file to be discarded onto the remote trash-can icon, displaying on the display a request for a reason for discarding the locally stored file, and moving the discarded file to a server.
US09046995B2
A set of methods and tools are described that permit a user to interact with a two dimensional (2D) photograph or image as if photograph or image is a three dimensional (3D) image of photograph.
US09046991B2
A system and method for dynamically displaying structurally dissimilar thumbnail images generated from multiple pages of an electronic document based on a display size of a display device is disclosed. In one embodiment, one or more candidate images are selected based on a generated metric for dissimilarity for each one of multiple images associated with multiple pages of an electronic document, where the metric for dissimilarity for each one of the multiple images is generated by comparing each image of the multiple images with substantially previous images of the multiple images. Then, the selected one or more candidate images are dynamically displayed as structurally dissimilar thumbnail images based on a display size of a display device.
US09046978B2
A position detecting device is provided, which is capable of stably detecting an indicator with less susceptibility to the influence of noise by using a differential amplifier circuit and multi-touch. The device includes a sensor having an electrode pattern formed of plural first electrodes arranged in a first direction and plural second electrodes arranged in a second direction. The device selects two sets of the first electrodes separate from each other by a distance equivalent to a predetermined number of electrodes and supplies two drive signals having phases inverted from each other. The device selects two sets of the second electrodes separate from each other by a distance equivalent to a predetermined number of electrodes and connects the selected second electrodes to two differential inputs of a differential amplifier circuit. The device controls selection of two sets of the first electrodes and two sets of the second electrodes.
US09046974B2
A touch-screen device includes a transparent dielectric layer. An anisotropically conductive first electrode extends in a first length direction over the substrate and an anisotropically conductive second electrode having a second length direction is formed under the substrate. The anisotropically conductive first and second electrodes each include a plurality of electrically connected micro-wires, including parallel straight micro-wires extending in the corresponding first and second length directions and angled micro-wires formed at a non-orthogonal angle to the straight micro-wires. The angled micro-wires electrically connect the straight micro-wires so that the anisotropically conductive first and second electrodes each have a greater electrical conductivity in the corresponding first and second length directions than in another anisotropically conductive electrode direction.
US09046972B2
In accordance with the exemplary embodiments there is at least an apparatus including a multi-layer graphical user interface stack, a piezoelectric material disposed on a suspending member and attached to the multi-layer graphical user interface stack by a first bonding member, in which the suspending member includes a lateral section substantially perpendicular to a direction of actuation of the piezoelectric material, and vertical sections outboard of the lateral section extending substantially parallel to the direction of actuation and configured for mounting to a frame of a host device.
US09046963B2
A reflective minor includes a reflective film, a light-transmitting base and a light-transmitting adhesive layer. The reflective film includes a first connection surface and a plurality of reflection structures opposite to the first connection surface. Each reflection structure protrudes away from the first connection surface. The light-transmitting base includes a light penetration surface and a second connection surface opposite to the light penetration surface. The light-transmitting adhesive layer is disposed between the reflective film and the light-transmitting base and connected to the first connection surface and the second connection surface. An optical touch device is also provided in the present invention. Thus, the reflective minor as well as the optical touch device are easy to be manufactured and accordingly have a lower production cost.
US09046962B2
The present invention includes methods, systems, apparatuses, circuits and associated computer executable code for detecting motion, position and/or orientation of objects within a defined spatial region. According to some embodiments, a defined spatial region (hereinafter also referred to as the: “Active Space”) may be monitored, by any type of appropriate sensor or sensors, and position, orientation and movement of objects within the active space may be determined. Determined position, orientation and movement of objects within the active space may be translated to control signals or other forms of input for an associated computational device.
US09046961B2
An optical touch screen that utilizes a planar transparent sheet and that is configured to determine the position of a touch event on the transparent sheet is disclosed. Light-source elements and light-sensing elements are operably disposed at the transparent sheet perimeter. Light is detected over lines-of-sight between the light-source elements and the light-sensing elements. Attenuated lines-of-sight due to a touch event are determined. Polygons are established by overlapping triangles defined by the limiting lines of sight for each light-sensing element. Polygons with attenuations below the attenuation threshold are eliminated. The centers of the remaining polygons are then determined to establish the locations of the touch events. The systems and methods provide robust detection of multiple touch events.
US09046953B2
A control system for a touch screen is provided. The control system includes a voltage-level shifter between a screen controller and a touch controller. The voltage-level shifter level-shifts a common voltage for driving the screen to a corresponding timing signal with an input signal range acceptable by the touch controller.
US09046938B2
Substantially elevated movement sensitivity of a mouse enables improved control and finer manipulation of an object, for example a pointer, displayed on a display device. However, the elevated movement sensitivity also results in unintended movement of the mouse, generated when a button of the mouse is operated, being translated into displacement of the pointer on the display device. An embodiment of the invention describes a method for transducing movement occurring during an interval into signals in response to the button being operated. The signals are for use in manipulating the object. The method is further for comparing properties of the displacement with pre-defined reference properties to determined whether the movement is intended or unintended. The signals are subsequently terminated to impede manipulation of the object when the movement is determined to be unintended to thereby correct the unintended movement.
US09046931B2
Provided are an apparatus and method for adapting an input/output interface. According to the exemplary method, a host system adapts an input/output interface of the guestsystem a to an input/output unit capability of a host system so as to support a service supported by an input/output unit supporting the input/output unit capability of the guest system using the at least one input/output unit of the host system.
US09046929B2
A system for inputting operation system (OS) commands to a data processing device. The system comprises a video camera that captures images of a viewing space. A processor detects a predetermined object in the images using an object recognition algorithm not involving background information in an image. One or more image analysis parameters of the object are extracted from the images and one or more motion detection tests are applied. Each motion detection test has an associated OS command, and when a test succeeds, the OS command associated with the test is executed. By not relying on background information in an image, the system of the invention may be used in devices that are moved in use, such as a palm plot, personal digital assistant (PDA), a mobile telephone, a digital camera, and a mobile game machine.
US09046920B1
An initial face of an object having N faces along an axis of rotation is detected. A data set of ordered content items is assessed. An initial one of the ordered content items is visually presented within a field of a user interface shown on a display. The field of the user interface is a displayed graphical element of the user interface distinct from the object. The object being rotated along the axis of rotation is detected so that X number of faces are cycled as the object is rotated from the initial face to a post-rotation face of the N faces. The data set is sequentially advanced by X number of items from the initial one of the content items to a current item of the content items. The field of the user interface is updated to visually present the current content item.
US09046918B2
A method for controlling a portable device is provided. The method includes detecting bending of the portable device and determining whether to perform motion sensing correction due to the bending; acquiring a motion sensing correction factor for performing the motion sensing correction due to the bending; performing motion sensing correction of at least one motion sensor using the motion sensing correction factor; and controlling the portable device according to the corrected motion sensing.
US09046912B1
A system and method for prolonging and equalizing the effective life of a plurality of transistors operating in parallel. The temperature of each transistor is measured and compared with the average temperature of the transistor system. A temperature difference is determined between the average temperature of the transistors and the measured temperature of each of the transistors. The gate resistance and the gate emitter resistance of each transistor is varied based on the temperature differences to control the measured temperature of each transistors by controlling current through each transistor thereby thermally balancing the transistors.
US09046908B2
A calibration method and apparatus for current and resistance are provided, where the current calibration method includes: injecting at least one portion of a set of predetermined compensation currents into at least one of an output current of a first current source and an output current of a second current source, and dynamically adjusting a distribution of the at least one portion of the set of predetermined compensation currents until two monitored voltage drops are equal to each other, and recording a first compensation current configuration; exchanging the first and second current sources, and dynamically adjusting the distribution of the at least one portion of the set of predetermined compensation currents until the two monitored voltage drops are equal to each other, and recording a second compensation current configuration; and according to the first and second compensation current configurations, generating a resultant compensation current, for use of current compensation.
US09046876B2
Protective device (1) for the protection of a structural component, notably a main plate (2), of a timepiece movement (3) on a receiving surface comprised in this structural component (2) for receiving in abutment a complementary bearing surface (51) of a wheel set (5).This protective device (1) includes at least one insert (6) including a slide surface (7) having a higher surface hardness than that of this structural component (2), this insert (6) being assembled on or in this structural component (2) so that this slide surface (7) thereof coincides with this receiving surface.
US09046872B2
A cooling device includes a cooling member to cool a recording material. The cooling member includes a cooling surface member, a heat exchanging member, and a fastening member. The cooling surface member has a cooling surface to directly or indirectly contact the recording material and absorb heat of the recording material to cool the recording material. The heat exchanging member is directly or indirectly joined to the cooling surface member to radiate heat absorbed by the cooling surface member directly or indirectly via a radiation member. The fastening member fastens the cooling surface member and the heat exchanging member to retain a joined state in which the cooling surface member and the heat exchanging member are directly or indirectly joined to each other. The cooling surface member and the heat exchanging member are separable from the joined state to a separated state without damaging the fastening member.
US09046866B2
A cleaning device includes first and second cleaning members and a moving member. The first cleaning member contacts a surface of a rotating member, which is in contact with an image carrier, to clean the rotating member by removing substances attached thereto. The moving member supports the first cleaning member in a movable manner. The second cleaning member is disposed downstream of the first cleaning member in a rotation direction in which the rotating member rotates and contacts the surface of the rotating member to clean the rotating member by removing the substances. The second cleaning member removes the substances that remain on the surface of the rotating member after the first cleaning member has been separated from the rotating member so that the substances are removed before a part of the surface of the rotating member on which the substances remain comes into contact with the image carrier.
US09046856B2
An image forming apparatus may includes: an apparatus body; a fixing device removably mounted to the apparatus body and including a first fixing member, a heat generation member which heats the first fixing member, a second fixing member forming a fixing nip between the first fixing member and the second fixing member, and a housing accommodating at least the heat generation member and the first fixing member and provided with a communication part communicating between inner and outer sides of the housing; a transfer member arranged upstream of the fixing device in a conveyance direction of a recording sheet, and to which developer is configured to be transferred; a sensor configured to detect the developer transferred to the transfer member; and a film arranged to cover the sensor between the communication part and the sensor.
US09046851B2
Methods for operating a toner printer are provided. In one method a toner image is printed according to first printing instructions. An amount of toner in a target area of the toner image is determined and second printing instructions are generated causing the toner printer to print at least one subsequent toner image based upon the determined amount of first toner.
US09046850B2
In an image forming apparatus, a first controller forms a first image pattern on an image bearer and determines a first image formation condition based on a detection result of density of a toner image. The first controller then controls a toner image forming device based on the first image formation condition. A second controller forms a second image pattern different from the first image pattern on an image bearer and determines a second image formation condition based on a detection result of density of a toner image. The second controller then controls a toner image forming device based on the second image formation condition.
US09046842B2
A fixing device includes a heat source, a fixing roller, a pressure roller, an elastic layer, a pressing portion, a restricting portion and a driving unit. The fixing roller is heated by the heat source. The pressure roller is held in contact with the fixing roller and forms a fixing nip portion through which a sheet is to be passed. The elastic layer is formed on an inner layer of the fixing roller. The pressing portion presses one roller of the fixing roller and the pressure roller against the other roller while compressing the elastic layer. The restricting portion restricts a compression amount of the elastic layer lest the compression amount should exceed a preset compression amount when the pressing portion presses the roller. The driving unit drives and rotates one of the fixing roller and the pressure roller in a state where the compression amount is restricted.
US09046841B2
A gloss applicator includes a heater member to be heated by a heat source; an endless belt to rotate while being heated by the heater member; a pressure member that presses against the heater member via the endless belt, thereby forming a nip; a cooling unit to cool the endless belt, wherein a recording medium on which a toner image is formed is conveyed into the nip, the recording medium is further conveyed from the nip while being in contact with the endless belt to be cooled by the cooling unit and separated from the endless belt; a temperature sensor configured to detect a surface temperature of the endless belt, disposed between the separating position of the recording medium and a heating position by the heater member; and a cooling controller to control the cooling unit to vary a cooling amount based on a temperature detected by the temperature sensor.
US09046834B2
A fixing device includes a fixing belt, a pressuring rotator, a pressing member, a holding member, and an end cap. The fixing belt is rotatably provided. The pressuring rotator is rotatably provided, and comes into pressure contact with the fixing belt to form a fixing nip between the fixing belt and the pressuring rotator. The pressing member presses the fixing belt from inside toward the pressuring rotator. The holding member holds the pressing member. The end cap is mounted to an end part in a direction of a rotation axis of the fixing belt, and is movable in a radial direction of the fixing belt with respect to the holding member.
US09046827B2
A belt driving apparatus is configured so as to satisfy a relationship μ1(2T sin(θ1/2)+f1)<μ2(2T sin(θ2/2)+f2), wherein μ1 is a dynamic friction coefficient between the supporting roller and the endless belt, μ2 is a dynamic friction coefficient between the steering roller and the endless belt, θ1 is a winding angle of the endless belt with respect to the supporting roller, θ2 is a winding angle of the endless belt with respect to the steering roller, f1 is the first external force applied to the supporting roller through the endless belt, f2 is the second external force applied to the steering roller through the endless, and T is a tension force applied to the endless belt by the tension roller.
US09046815B2
A developing device of the present disclosure includes a developing roller, a toner feeding roller, a regulating blade, a blade holding member, a toner receiving member, and a casing. The regulating blade regulates a thickness of toner carried on the toner feeding roller. An air flow path is formed inside the blade holding member. The toner receiving member, the regulating blade, and the blade holding member each include a slit hole that leads to the air flow path.
US09046809B2
An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member, a charging unit, an image exposure unit configured to form image portion potential by exposing the photosensitive member to light, a weak exposure unit configured to form non-image portion potential by exposing the photosensitive member to weak light having a lower exposure amount than the light for forming the image portion potential, and a developer bearing member configured to carry developer, wherein a relationship of Ldev
US09046803B2
A charging roll includes a cylindrical base member that has a metal-containing surface, a conductive adhesive layer that includes a halogen atom-containing resin and has surface roughness Rz in a range of 0.5 μm to 8 μm on an outer peripheral surface side on the base member, and a conductive elastic layer that is disposed to be brought into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the conductive adhesive layer and includes a halogen atom-containing rubber.
US09046802B2
A novel liquid toner development system is disclosed. The liquid development system includes conductive core-shell particles comprising silver-copper or copper-silver. A novel apparatus and method relying on the novel liquid toner development system results in electro-conductive patterning capable of high conductivity with low background fogging, reduced processing time and reduced environmental impact.
US09046796B2
An optical element is used for an exposure apparatus which is configured to illuminate a mask with an exposure light beam for transferring a pattern on the mask onto a substrate through a projection optical system and to interpose a given liquid in a space between a surface of the substrate and the projection optical system. The optical element includes a first anti-dissolution member provided on a surface of a transmissive optical element on the substrate's side of the projection optical system.
US09046795B2
An optical element unit includes a first optical element module and a sealing arrangement. The first optical element module occupies a first module space and includes a first module component of a first component type and an associated second module component of a second component type. The first component type is optical elements and the second component type being different from the first component type. The sealing arrangement separates the first module space into a first space and a second space and substantially pre-vents, at least in a first direction, the intrusion of substances from one of the first space and the second space into the other one of the first space and the second space. The first module component at least partially contacts the first space and, at least in its area optically used, not contacting the second space. The second module component at least partially contacts the second space.
US09046793B2
A light transmissive mold used for imprinting a pattern onto a material applied on a semiconductor workpiece. The mold includes a first surface having an area of a pattern to be imprinted onto the material, a second surface located opposite from the first surface, and a third surface disposed between the first surface and the second surface, at a position inwardly away from the first surface. The third surface is arranged opposite to an area of the workpiece subjected to dicing. An alignment structure, provided for alignment between the mold and the workpiece, is formed in the third surface.
US09046790B2
An exposure apparatus is provided which can supply and collect a liquid in a prescribed state, and that can suppress degradation of a pattern image projected onto a substrate. The exposure apparatus is provided with a nozzle member having a supply outlet that supplies a liquid and a collection inlet that collects a liquid, and a vibration isolating mechanism that supports the nozzle member and vibrationally isolates the nozzle member from a lower side step part of a main column.
US09046788B2
A method and apparatus are provided for improving the focusing of a substrate such as a wafer during the photolithography imaging procedure of a semiconductor manufacturing process. The invention is particularly useful for step-and-scan system and the CD of two features in each exposure field are measured in fields exposed at varying focus to form at least two Bossung curves. Exposure focus instructions are calculated based on the intersection point of the curves and the wafer is then scanned and imaged based on the calculated exposure focus instructions. In another aspect of the invention, when multiple wafers are being processed operational variances may cause a drift in the focus. The focus drift can be easily corrected by measuring the critical dimension of each of the features and comparing the difference to determine if any focus offset is needed to return the focus to the original calculated focus value.
US09046782B2
For stably forming a high-precision fine pattern and thereby producing a highly integrated electronic device with high precision, a resist composition for negative tone development, which can reduce the line edge roughness and enhance the in-plane uniformity of the pattern dimension and furthermore, can ensure excellent bridge margin, and a pattern forming method using the same are provided.A resist composition for negative tone development, comprising (A) a resin capable of increasing the polarity by the action of an acid to increase the solubility in a positive tone developer and decrease the solubility in a negative tone developer, (B) a compound capable of generating an acid upon irradiation with an actinic ray or radiation, and (C) a solvent, wherein the log P value of the acid generated from the (B) compound capable of generating an acid upon irradiation with an actinic ray or radiation is from 1.5 to 12.0; and a pattern forming method using the same.
US09046774B2
A positive-working lithographic printing plate precursor for infrared laser is provided that includes, layered sequentially above a support, a lower layer and an upper layer, the lower layer and/or the upper layer including an infrared absorbing agent, either the lower layer comprising an alkali-soluble group-containing graft copolymer or the upper layer comprising a sulfonamide group-, active imide group-, and/or amide group-containing graft copolymer, and the graft copolymer being a polyurethane resin having as a graft chain an ethylenically unsaturated monomer-derived constitutional unit. There is also provided a process for making a lithographic printing plate, the process including in sequence an exposure step of imagewise exposing by means of an infrared laser the positive-working lithographic printing plate precursor for infrared laser and a development step of developing using an aqueous alkali solution with a pH of 8.5 to 10.8.
US09046773B2
An actinic ray-sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition and a pattern forming method using the composition are provided, the composition including (A) a resin containing a repeating unit having a group represented by formula (1) as defined in the specification, the resin being capable of increasing a solubility of the resin in an alkali developer by an action of an acid, and (B) a compound capable of generating an acid upon irradiation with an actinic ray or radiation; and a polymerizable compound represented by formula (M-1) as defined in the specification and a polymer compound obtained by polymerizing the polymerizable compound are provided.
US09046764B2
A resist underlayer film composition, wherein the composition contains a polymer obtained by condensation of a condensed body, the body being obtained by condensation of one or more kinds of a compound shown by the following general formula (1-1) with one or more kinds of a compound shown by the following general formula (2-3) and an equivalent body thereof, with one or more kinds of a compound shown by the following general formula (2-1), a compound shown by the following general formula (2-2), and an equivalent body thereof; a method for producing a polymer for a resist underlayer film; and a patterning process using the same.
US09046755B2
A stiffening strip at selected edges of a screen may enable the use and mounting of a high-elastic modulus substrate screen material. Such screen materials may be engineered to provide polarization-preserving characteristics, and be applied to or part of the high-elastic modulus substrate. Furthermore, the stiffening strip may enable the use of screen vibration techniques to reduce speckle in display applications that use projection screens, particularly those display applications using illumination sources prone to speckle such as laser-based projection. The screen vibration may be provided by a vibrating device attached to the stiffening strip.
US09046748B2
The invention describes a method of cooling a lamp (1) in a projector (2, 2′) independently of an orientation (Pdesk, Pceiling) of the projector (2, 2′), which method comprises directing a cooling airflow (4) symmetrically at a burner (10) of the lamp (1) during operation of the lamp (1); and controlling the cooling airflow (4) alternately between at least a first cooling level (C-I) and a second cooling level (C-II) such that, during cooling at the first cooling level (C-I), the temperature (Tbase) in a base region of the burner (10) drops below a predefined minimum operating temperature (Tmin) to allow a blackening of an inside wall (100) of the burner (10), and during cooling at the second cooling level (C-II), the temperature (Ttop) in an upper region of the burner (10) increases above a predefined maximum operating temperature (Tmax) and the temperature (Tbase) in the base region of the burner (10) increases above the predefined minimum operating temperature (Tmin) to facilitate a cleaning of the burner wall (100). The invention further describes a cooling module controller (31) for use in an orientation-independent cooling arrangement (30) of a projector (2, 2′); an orientation-independent cooling arrangement (30) for cooling a lamp (1) in a projector (2, 2′) independently of an orientation (Pdesk, Pceiling) of the projector (2, 2′); and a projector (2, 2′).
US09046740B1
A photography studio includes a stationary circular track surrounding a product setup location, such as a stationary circular platform, an upright curved wall defining a studio backdrop and at least partially surround the platform, a front curved overhead member mounted across a side opening in the wall, and a plurality of spaced apart rollers rotatably mounted on a lower end portion of the wall and engaged with the track so as to mount the wall upon the track for undergoing revolvable movement along the track and about the platform to relocate the side opening of the wall at any selected angular position in relation to the platform. The upright curved wall includes a plurality of curved panels assembled to one another side-to-side and top-to-bottom so as to provide the studio backdrop.
US09046729B2
A liquid crystal optical device that includes a first substrate layer that is substantially flat and a second substrate layer that is substantially flat and parallel to the first substrate layer. The liquid crystal optical device further includes a layer of cholesteric liquid crystal disposed between the first substrate layer and the second substrate layer, where the layer of cholesteric liquid crystal is arranged in domains, each domain having a helical axis, wherein the helical axes of the domains have a plurality of orientations relative to an orientation of the first and second substrate layers, and where a wavefront of a light wave having a wavelength within a range of wavelengths changes after reflecting from the layer of cholesteric liquid crystal.
US09046721B2
A display device includes a first base substrate, a second base substrate, a liquid crystal layer, a conductive protrusion structure and an electrode structure. The second base substrate is disposed opposite to the first base substrate. The liquid crystal layer is disposed between the first and second base substrates. The conductive protrusion structure is disposed on one of the first and second base substrates. The electrode structure is at least disposed on the first or second base substrate having the conductive protrusion structure.
US09046714B2
The present invention relates to a thin film transistor substrate and a method for fabricating the same, which can shorten a process time, prevent a scratch from taking place at an alignment film, and increase black luminance. The thin film transistor substrate includes a thin film transistor formed on a substrate, a protective film formed to flatten a step of the thin film transistor and have an uneven surface with repetitive projected patterns and recessed patterns, a pixel electrode formed on the protective film to maintain an uneven shape of the protective film, and an alignment film formed both on the protective film and the pixel electrode to maintain the uneven shapes of the protective film and the pixel electrode.
US09046706B2
Disclosed is a display device and a method for manufacturing the same, the display device comprising a display panel including an upper substrate, a lower substrate confronting the upper substrate, and a film member attached to a front surface of the upper substrate; a cover member receiving the display panel, and covering a lateral side of the display panel; and a bumper between the lateral side of the display panel and the cover member, wherein the film member is provided with an extending part which extends more than the end of the upper substrate by a predetermined range in a longitudinal direction.
US09046705B2
A method for preparing a flexible display device comprises: forming a release layer (2) on a transparent hard substrate (1), the release layer (2) being made of an ultraviolet light decomposition material to which an inert substance is added; integrating a flexible substrate (4) onto the transparent hard substrate (1) having the release layer (2), the flexible substrate (4) being opposite to a side having the release layer (2) of the transparent hard substrate (1); forming a display component (5) on the flexible substrate (4); and exposing a side far away from the release layer (2) of the transparent hard substrate (1) to ultraviolet rays (7), so as to trigger the release layer (2) to undergo a photochemical reaction with gas releasing, so that the transparent hard substrate (1) is separated from the flexible substrate (4). The method for preparing a flexible display device can simplify a process of producing a flexible display device.
US09046704B2
Provided is a concept for variably guiding optical waves by using a layer-stack having an electro-optic core layer of electro-optic material for guiding light and an electrode arrangement with at least a first electrode layer in proximity to the electro-optic core layer, wherein the electrode arrangement is configured to activate an electro-optic effect in a region of the electro-optic core layer by an electric field generated by means of the electrode arrangement, such that a propagation of the light is manipulated in the region of the activated electro-optic effect.
US09046699B2
A contact lens incorporating one or more dynamic fluid zones fabricated from a material that is readily deformable under eyelid pressure during blinking allows for the delivery of one or more agents to the eye, dynamic cosmetic eye enhancement, and/or dynamic rotational misalignment correction. The one or more agents may include therapeutic agents, nutritional agents and pharmacological agents.
US09046697B2
An apparatus comprising a laser and/or LED light source(s), multimode optical fiber(s), light coupler(s), an optional spatial light modulator(s), and an optional projection lens(es). The light source has a 1/e half-width emission bandwidth. The light coupler couples the light source to the multimode optical fiber(s) such that objective speckle contrast is reduced. The multimode optical fiber(s) may pass light from the coupler to an optional spatial light modulator. The spatial light modulator may modulate the light to form an image. The projection lens may transfer light onto an image plane or to illuminate objects. The objective speckle contrast at the end of the multimode fiber in combination with the projection lens diameter (if employed) and wavelength diversity may result in viewed images at the viewer's eye, or other detector, exhibiting speckle contrast that may be 1% or less.
US09046688B2
A surgical microscope 1 comprises an imaging system 2 providing a magnified multidimensional image of an object 3 disposable in a focal plane 4 of the imaging system 2 along at least one optical imaging path 2a, 2b. The imaging system 2 comprises an objective 5 having at least two lens groups 6, 7, through which the at least one optical imaging path 2a, 2b passes consecutively, and which define the focal plane 4 of the imaging system 2. At least one lens group 6 of the objective is moveable along its optical axis relative to the at least one other lens group 7 of the objective. The objective's first lens group 6 located directly adjacent to the focal plane 4 along the at least one optical imaging path 2a, 2b consists of at least three optical lenses 61, 62, 63 and has altogether a negative optical power.
US09046676B2
A zoom lens includes N lens units, in which a lens unit having a positive refractive power is disposed closest to an object side. Each lens unit is moved to effect zooming. An (N−1)th lens unit and an N-th lens unit, counted from the object side, have positive refractive powers. The (N−1)th lens unit includes a first lens subunit having a positive refractive power and a second lens subunit having a negative refractive power in order from the object side to an image side. The second lens subunit is moved to have a component in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis to move an image position. A focal length fN of the N-th lens unit, a back focus bkt at the telephoto end, and an amount of movement mN of the N-th lens unit during zooming from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end are appropriately set.
US09046671B2
A composite optical fiber cable has coated optical fibers and electric wires disposed inside a sheath. The optical fibers are enclosed within a first protective tube that is situated at the cross-sectional center, while the electric wires are disposed between the first protective tube and the sheath, and are capable of moving in the circumferential direction of the first protective tube. A composite optical fiber cable assembly includes a composite optical fiber cable and a connector attached to the cable. Inside the connector, a wiring portion for wiring the optical fiber to a ferrule and a wiring portion for wiring the electric wire to an electric terminal are disposed within a common space S inside a housing, and at least the wiring portion of the optical fiber which lies inside the space S is covered by a second protective tube.
US09046669B2
A fiber optic network has alarmed fiber optic lines in the cables connecting a secured junction box to plural user lock boxes. An outgoing alarm line and return alarm line in each cable connect the junction box to each user box. The outgoing alarm line is looped to the return alarm line inside the user lock box. The return alarm line is looped to the outgoing alarm line of a different cable inside the junction box to interconnect a plurality of alarm lines passing through a plurality of user boxes. A detector detects an alarm signal in the connected alarm lines to trigger an intrusion alarm. Power to the components in the box is disconnected when the box is opened and ventilation openings to the box are closed when the box is closed.
US09046663B2
An optical communication device includes a planar optical waveguide, a circuit board, a light emitting element, and a light receiving element. The circuit board includes a mounting surface. Both the light emitting element and the light receiving element are supported on the mounting surface. The planar optical waveguide is buried in the circuit board. The planar optical waveguide includes a first sloped surface and a second sloped surface respectively on two opposite ends of the planar optical waveguide. The mounting surface defines a first light guide hole aligning with the first sloped surface and a second light guide hole aligning with the second sloped surface. The light emitting element is aligned with the first sloped surface through the first light guide hole. The light receiving element is aligned with the second sloped surface through the second light guide hole.
US09046658B2
A fiber optic cable assembly includes a fiber optic cable and a connector assembly. The fiber optic cable includes an optical fiber, having a core surrounded by a cladding, and a jacket, which surrounds the optical fiber. The jacket includes a plurality of reinforcement members integrated into a matrix material of the jacket. The connector assembly includes a rear housing having a connector end that is directly engaged with an end portion of the jacket. A fiber optic cable includes an optical fiber with a core surrounded by a cladding. The fiber optic cable also includes a jacket that surrounds the optical fiber. The jacket includes about 40% to about 70% by weight of a plurality of reinforcement members integrated into a matrix material of the jacket.
US09046654B2
A fiber optic mode scrambler includes a multi-mode optical fiber formed with a core and a cladding around the core and a non-adiabatic cross-sectional shape change zone in the optical fiber. The fiber further has a bending region extending over a length of the optical fiber. The optical fiber has a non-zero curvature at the bending region and a device for maintaining the curvature of the optical fiber at the bending region. Mode scramblers can be provided that are accurately adjusted to match with different desired optical characteristics. A well-controlled manufacturing method for the mode scrambler is also described.
US09046651B2
A mirror device may include: a mirror including a base plate, a reflective film on a first surface of the base plate, and a plurality of first protrusions on a second surface of the base plate; a plurality of support parts for respectively supporting the plurality of the first protrusions, each support part having a groove formed therein for guiding the first protrusion; and a plurality of clamps for respectively pressing the plurality of the first protrusions against the respective grooves in the plurality of the support parts.
US09046649B2
Some embodiments include communication methods, methods of forming an interconnect, signal interconnects, integrated circuit structures, circuits, and data apparatuses. In one embodiment, a communication method includes accessing an optical signal comprising photons to communicate information, accessing an electrical signal comprising electrical data carriers to communicate information, and using a single interconnect, communicating the optical and electrical signals between a first spatial location and a second spatial location spaced from the first spatial location.
US09046647B2
The dielectric, three-dimensional photonic materials disclosed herein feature Dirac-like dispersion in quasi-two-dimensional systems. Embodiments include a face-centered cubic (fcc) structure formed by alternating layers of dielectric rods and dielectric slabs patterned with holes on respective triangular lattices. This fcc structure also includes a defect layer, which may comprise either dielectric rods or a dielectric slab with patterned with holes. This defect layer introduces Dirac cone dispersion into the fcc structure's photonic band structure. Examples of these fcc structures enable enhancement of the spontaneous emission coupling efficiency (the β-factor) over large areas, contrary to the conventional wisdom that the β-factor degrades as the system's size increases. These results enable large-area, low-threshold lasers; single-photon sources; quantum information processing devices; and energy harvesting systems.
US09046642B2
A lens holder driving device includes an auto-focusing lens holder driving portion moving a lens holder holding a lens barrel along an optical axis, and an image stabilizer portion stabilizing image blurred by moving the auto-focusing lens holder driving portion in first and second directions which are orthogonal to the optical axis and which are perpendicular to each other. The image stabilizer portion includes: a fixed portion disposed apart from the auto-focusing lens holder driving portion in the direction of the optical axis; a plurality of suspension wires having first end portions fixed to the fixed portion at outer regions thereof, extending along the optical axis, having second end portions fixed to the auto-focusing lens holder driving portion, and swingably supporting the auto-focusing lens holder driving portion in the first direction and the second direction; and a fracture preventing member preventing the suspension wires from fracturing.
US09046638B2
A white reflection film includes a coating layer including spherical particles on at least one surface of a white film, wherein, when particle diameters of the spherical particles are R and a thickness of the coating layer is H, an average number of the particles satisfying R>H in 100H square in a surface area of the coating layer is at least 10. The white film, which is capable of contributing to the improvement of luminance of a backlight being used in the backlight, can be provided.
US09046633B2
A transparent optical element (100), includes a plurality of stacked layers (1, 2), each of which consist of cells in which optical phase-shift values are provided. The layers are arranged such that boundaries between certain contiguous cells of one of the layers cut into cells of another layer. In this way, a useful apparent cell size can be reduced so as to reproduce a target optical phase-shift distribution with greater precision. Additionally, the maximum amplitude of optical phase shift variations that are produced by the element increases with the number of stacked layers. The chromatism of the diopter function of the element can also be reduced.
US09046630B2
An optical sheet includes a base film, a prism pattern formed in a first area of the base film, and a diffusion member formed in a second area of the base film. The prism pattern has a plurality of parallel prisms on a light-exiting surface. The diffusion member includes a plurality of scatter members in the base film to scatter light, or a plurality of irregularly arranged lenses on one or more of the light-incident surface and the light-exiting surface.
US09046623B2
Gamma pulse telemetry. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods including: reading data associated with a borehole penetrating an earth formation; encoding the data in a first plurality of gamma bursts, the encoding by an encoding system coupled within the drill string, and where the each gamma burst travels a first distance along the borehole; receiving the first plurality of gamma bursts by a receiver system coupled within the drill string; and decoding the first plurality of gamma bursts and thereby recovering the data.
US09046620B2
A system and a method for generating a three-dimensional image of a rock formation, compressional velocity VP, shear velocity VS and velocity ratio VP/VS of a rock formation are provided. A first acoustic signal includes a first plurality of pulses. A second acoustic signal from a second source includes a second plurality of pulses. A detected signal returning to the borehole includes a signal generated by a non-linear mixing process from the first and second acoustic signals in a non-linear mixing zone within an intersection volume. The received signal is processed to extract the signal over noise and/or signals resulting from linear interaction and the three dimensional image of is generated.
US09046617B2
A radiation imaging apparatus includes a radiation flat panel detector configured to detect radiation incident thereupon and to generate a radiation image, a control unit configured to control a drive of the radiation flat panel detector, a heat insulation member arranged between the radiation flat panel detector and the control unit, an external housing configured to accommodate therein the flat panel detector and the control unit, a first heat transfer member configured to transfer heat from the radiation flat panel detector to a first surface of the external housing, and a second heat transfer member configured to transfer heat from the control unit to a second surface of the external housing different from the first surface.
US09046616B2
A detector of a high-energy photon, the detector including a photodetector and a detection medium that is intended to absorb a high-energy photon while generating ionization electrons and photons along a luminous phenomenon, the electrons and photons being detected by the photodetector. The detection medium is formed of molecules, having a heavy atom with an atomic number greater than or equal to 72, such that the detection medium is liquid under the operating conditions of the detector. The detector also includes a device for diverting the ionization electrons that are generated by the absorbed photon and moreover includes a collector that collects charges in order to determine the time for diverting the electrons to the charge-collector on the basis of a triggering time that corresponds to the detection of the luminous phenomenon by the photodetector.
US09046610B2
A mechanical device for supporting and attaching at least one ionizing radiation detection probe. For each detection probe it includes one probe-holder ending in a collimator-holder able to support a collimator intended to delimit a field of observation of the detection probe, and an attachment device intended to be attached to a glove port of a glove box, where the probe-holder, or each probe-holder, cooperates with the said attachment device.
US09046608B2
Systems and methods are provided that involve obtaining emissivity and reflectivity by the ratio of the radiance temperature versus the sea level temperature as observed by a satellite, and may further calculate two reflectivity values observed or simulated by the vertical or horizontal polarized channels of microwave, and then estimate a surface roughness. Further, illustrative implementations may involve obtaining the regression relation expression between the surface roughness and the wind strength and then detecting the sea-surface wind, using the information observed by the satellite again. As such, the sea-surface wind information can be obtained through satellite observation, and the information can be utilized for preventive activities against disaster including typhoon, the energy industry including wind power and the fishery in quasi-real time.
US09046607B2
A radar system includes an arithmetic processing unit, which sends a warning command to a warning device when a local minimum point of the intensity of the reflected wave from a target within a predetermined detection range is detected. By determining whether it is necessary to send a warning command based on whether there is a local minimum point of the intensity within the detection range, it is made possible to determine whether it is necessary to send a warning command more quickly as compared to the conventional system.
US09046604B2
A method of surveying movements of a terrain. The method may include the steps of providing the raw variations of the coordinates of a plurality of survey points situated on the terrain, and the raw variations of the coordinates of at least one reference point situated on the terrain; determining the real variations of the coordinates of said at least one reference point; and/or calculating corrected variations of the coordinates of the survey points. The method is performed on the basis of the raw variations of the coordinates of the survey points, of the raw variations of the coordinates of said reference point, and of the real variations of the coordinates of said reference point.
US09046602B2
The location of a transmitter can be determined by accurately measuring the elapsed time that it takes for a signal to propagate from a transmission source to a plurality of disparate receivers of a known location. By comparing the received transmitted signal to reference signal a range between each receiver and the transmitter can be determined. By intersecting the spheres defined by each range an accurate location of the transmitter can be obtained.
US09046601B2
An antenna attitude measuring system includes internal and external electrical components providing data for recording and displaying on a handheld device. The data can be transmitted to a database for access by a network operator. The antenna attitude can be adjusted for maximizing telecommunications network performance. The system includes an AISG compliant tilt sensor system mounted in-line between a telecommunications antenna enclosure and a communications cable, and positioned to measure the elevation tilt and slant of a telecommunications antenna enclosure relative to a reference axis. The system includes the ability to connect to and remotely control a plurality of remote electrical tilt control units through only a single connection.
US09046598B2
This technology relates to a signal processing device, a signal processing method, a recording medium, and a program capable of enabling appropriate beam forming with a simple configuration even when a positional relationship between a plurality of transducers included in a probe of an ultrasonic diagnostic device is not fixed.A reception BF unit calculates a phase difference indicating a relative positional shift between a plurality of transducers based on a difference between each phase difference of a signal of a reflective wave in each of a plurality of transducers of an ultrasonic wave transmitted from a transducer being a transmission target out of a plurality of transducers, relative positions of which are not fixed, and each known phase difference of the signal of the reflective wave in a plurality of transducers in a case in which an arrangement of a plurality of transducers is a reference arrangement. A delay calculating unit calculates a delay amount of each of a plurality of transducers used in the beam forming based on the phase difference calculated by a phase difference calculating unit. This technology may be applied to an ultrasonic diagnostic device.
US09046596B1
A first device including a timing module and a control module. The timing module is configured to calculate a first delay period between a first time a data frame is transmitted to a second device and a second time an acknowledgement frame is received from the second device. The timing module is further configured to calculate a second delay period between a third time the data frame is transmitted to the second device and a fourth time the acknowledgement frame is received from the second device. The control module is configured to calculate a total delay period corresponding to a sum of the first delay period and the second delay period and determine a distance between the first device and the second device based on the total delay and a number of times for the data frame to be transmitted to the second device.
US09046594B1
A GPS enabled radar detector incorporated in a general purpose navigation device dynamically handles radar sources based upon previously-stored geographically-referenced information on such sources and data from the GPS receiver. The detector may ignore detections received in an area known to contain a stationary source, or may only ignore specific frequencies or may handle frequencies differently based upon historic trends of spurious police radar signals at each frequency. Notification of the driver may take a variety of forms depending on the stored information, current operating modes, and vehicle speed. The device includes navigational functions as well. In one embodiment, the detector uses a transparent touch screen and a readily aligned mounting.
US09046592B2
Systems and techniques for determining the location of user equipment (UE) in a wireless network are disclosed. These techniques leverage geometric calculations for an overlaid local bin grid framework mapping an area of a wireless network to stored differential values for each frame of the local bin grid framework for pairs of relevant NodeB radios. A timing offset can be determined, such that when a time value from the UE is accessed, the location can be quickly determined with minimal real time computation. In an aspect, the UE time value can be searched for in the pre-computed differential value data set indexed by a relevant NodeB radio pair to return a set of frames that can be intersected with a second set of frames for a second NodeB radio pair for the UE. The intersecting frames can represent the location of the UE in the wireless network.
US09046591B1
A system and associated methods for coordinate-free measurement-domain navigation and guidance utilizing a plurality of radio signals of opportunity, without knowing the coordinates of transmitters of said radio signals in a reference system that steers a user from an initial location to a destination without calculating coordinates in said reference system. In one embodiment, radio signal parameters comprise received signal strength indications, differential times of arrival, and sector angles from a user to at least a pair of radio sources and a combination thereof that are used for coarse navigation and guidance toward the vicinity of said destination. In another embodiment, radio signal parameters comprise temporal characteristics of radio signals, propagation channel impulse responses, radio signal power spectra, propagation channel transfer functions, and a combination thereof that are used for vernier navigation and guidance within the vicinity of said destination.
US09046588B2
A method for detecting an arc fault in a photovoltaic power circuit includes operating a photovoltaic generator at a first working point. A first signal related to a DC-current and/or a DC-voltage in the power circuit is determined. The first signal is analyzed and it is determined whether the signal indicates the presence of an electric arc in the power circuit. If so, the photovoltaic generator is operated at a second working point and a second signal related to the DC-current and/or the DC-voltage is determined. The first and second signals are then compared; and the occurrence of an arc fault in the power circuit is selectively signaled based on the comparison.
US09046586B2
During charging of a secondary battery, a rate of voltage change dV/dt is obtained when a voltage V of the secondary battery reaches a predetermined voltage Vpre, a charge current I for charging the secondary battery is detected, and a rate of change dQ/dt in a quantity of charged electricity Q of the secondary battery is calculated on the basis of the result of the detection. Here, the predetermined voltage Vpre is a voltage higher than a discharge cutoff voltage and lower than a charge cutoff voltage. Thereafter, a ratio X: dQ/dV, of the rate of change dQ/dt in the quantity of charged electricity to the rate of voltage change dV/dt is calculated. The calculated ratio X is compared with a reference value Xref, and degradation of the secondary battery is determined on the basis of the result of the comparison.
US09046584B2
A battery voltage detector includes, but is not limited to: a voltage detection circuit; and a voltage processor. The voltage detection circuit includes, but is not limited to: a capacitor configured to be charged by a battery cell; a pair of output terminals; an output switch; and a voltage processor. While the capacitor is charged, the output switch is configured to be off-state and insulate the capacitor from the pair of the output terminals. After the capacitor is charged, the output switch is configured to be on-state and connect the capacitor to the pair of the output terminals. The voltage processor is configured to obtain, as a cell voltage, a voltage between the output terminals of the voltage detection circuit while the output switch is on-state. A high-potential output terminal of the pair of the output terminals is connected to a power line via a pull-up resistor.
US09046578B2
A local coil for a magnetic resonance tomography system includes a plurality of coil elements. Each coil element of the plurality of coil elements has a point of application for another coil element of the plurality of coil elements. The coil element is connected to the other coil element at the point of application in a pivoting manner with respect to the coil element.
US09046577B2
A method for diagnosing a fault in an electrical component using a diagnostic system having a plurality of sensors. The method includes positioning the electrical component in a predetermined position adjacent the diagnostic system and at a predetermined orientation with respect to the diagnostic system. The method also includes causing a predetermined level of electrical current to flow to the electrical component, the stationary sensors sensing electrical discharge emitted by the electrical component at an area of the fault, and the tangible computerized controller receiving sensor data from the sensors. The method further includes the tangible computerized controller executing the computer-readable instructions to process the sensor data to generate test information including a location of the electrical component at which the fault is occurring in at least two dimensions.
US09046571B2
The disclosure describes novel methods and apparatuses for controlling a device's TCA circuit when the device exists in a JTAG daisy-chain arrangement with other devices. The methods and apparatuses allow the TCA test pattern set used during device manufacturing to be reused when the device is placed in a JTAG daisy-chain arrangement with other devices, such as in a customers system using the device. Additional embodiments are also provided and described in the disclosure.
US09046570B2
A method and apparatus for limiting access to an integrated circuit (IC) upon detection of abnormal conditions is provided. At least one of abnormal voltage detection, abnormal temperature detection, and abnormal clock detection are provided with low power consumption. Both abnormally low and abnormally high parameter values (e.g. abnormally low or high voltage, temperature, or clock frequency) may be detected. Abnormal clock detection may also detect a stopped clock signal, including a clock signal stopped at a low logic level or at a high logic level. Furthermore, abnormal clock detection may detect an abnormal duty cycle of a clock signal. A sampled bandgap reference may be used to provide accurate voltage and current references while consuming a minimal amount of power. Upon detection of an abnormal parameter value, one or more tamper indications may be provided to initiate tampering countermeasures, such as limiting access to the IC.
US09046567B2
An equipment burn-in method, which includes the equipment undergoing treatment in an oven, the oven undergoing cycles including at least one temperature-rise and/or temperature-fall transition, for which ventilation of the equipment is cut off during at least part of a temperature transition of the oven.
US09046564B1
A circuit testing device for providing a number of features to assist in testing electrical circuits in a vehicle. The circuit testing device generally includes a housing having a plurality of testing components positioned thereon and therein. The housing generally includes a light source such as an LED for assisting in illuminating dark spaces. The housing also includes a probe for closing connections and an incandescent bulb for testing purposes. A polarity switch is provided to quickly and easily reverse polarity of the probe. A circuit breaker and circuit activation switch are also provided. By utilizing the present invention, circuit integrity as well as electrical testing of various components (both high voltage and low voltage) of a vehicle may be efficiently performed.
US09046563B2
A system for detecting electrical arcing on an electrical power system includes: a) a data acquisition unit that is electrically connected to an electrical power system, wherein the data acquisition unit is configured to monitor signals indicative of a first periodic property of the electrical power system, wherein the signal includes a normal load component; and b) a computing device operably connected to the data acquisition unit. The computing device is programmed to: i) obtain first data from the data acquisition unit indicative of the temporal behavior of the first signal; ii) remove the normal load component from the first data; and iii) determine that an arcing event is present on the electrical power system when the at least one burst within the first data presents a generally sinusoidal shape which includes generally flat regions which are present where the generally sinusoidal shape crosses over a zero-magnitude line.
US09046545B2
A semiconductor device comprising: a support part; a flexible part, one end of which is supported by the support part; a spindle part supported by the other end of the flexible part; a displacement detection means which detects displacement of the spindle part; and an aperture part arranged adjacent to the spindle part; wherein a plurality of patterns comprised from the aperture part is formed on a silicon wafer parallel to a first direction and a second direction which intersects the first direction, the plurality of patterns include one or more patterns arranged in a straight line in the first direction and the second direction, the plurality of patterns is arranged so that an axis in which a cleavage plane of the silicon wafer and a surface arranged with the pattern on the silicon wafer intersect, and the first direction are different.
US09046536B2
Aspects of the invention include methods for enhancing blood coagulation in a subject. In practicing methods according to certain embodiments, an amount of a non-anticoagulant sulfated polysaccharide (NASP) is administered to a subject to enhance blood coagulation in the subject. Also provided are methods for preparing a NASP composition having blood coagulation enhancing activity. Compositions and kits for practicing methods of the invention are also described.
US09046532B2
A diagnostic method for the identification of a subject suffering from a primary non-infectious disease having an increased risk of an adverse outcome potentially being induced by the administration of an antibiotic to said subject comprising the determination of the level of Procalcitonin (PCT) or a fragment thereof or a precursor or fragment thereof having a length of at least 12 amino acid residues in a sample of a bodily fluid from said subject and the correlation of the determined level to a potential risk induced by the administration of an antibiotic, as well as a kit for performing the method and methods of treatment based thereon.
US09046531B2
Provided are methods for determining the amount of thyroglobulin in a sample using various purification steps followed by mass spectrometry. The methods generally involve purifying thyroglobulin in a test sample, digesting thyroglobulin to form peptide T129, purifying peptide T129, ionizing peptide T129, detecting the amount of peptide T129 ion generated, and relating the amount of peptide T129 ion to the amount of thyroglobulin originally present in the sample.
US09046526B2
The present invention refers to a method of determining protein-nucleic acid interaction. The method comprises mixing a protein with a sample comprising a nucleic acid which is suspected to interact with the protein to form a first mixture. The first mixture can be incubated to allow interaction between the protein and nucleic acid. Metallic nanoparticles are added to the first mixture to obtain a second mixture. An electrolyte is added to the first or second mixture to determine the protein-nucleic acid interaction. The present invention also refers to a kit for determining protein-nucleic acid interaction. The kit comprises a protein capable of interacting with a nucleic acid or a nucleic acid capable of interacting with a protein, and at least one type of metallic nanoparticle.
US09046524B1
A method for determining the amount of colipase in a pancreatin active pharmaceutical ingredient sample is provided, the method being a titrimetric method with a constant pH and temperature.
US09046520B2
Regions of Bacillus anthracis protective antigen are provided representing epitopes recognized by antibodies in subjects that have acquired immunity to Bacillus anthracis infection. The recognition of these epitopes correlates with autoimmunity in a subject. Also provided are vaccines that include at least one of these epitopes that when administered to a subject provide improved acquired immunity.
US09046511B2
A mechanism is provided for forming a nanodevice. A reservoir is filled with a conductive fluid, and a membrane is formed to separate the reservoir in the nanodevice. The membrane includes an electrode layer having a tunneling junction formed therein. The membrane is formed to have a nanopore formed through one or more other layers of the membrane such that the nanopore is aligned with the tunneling junction of the electrode layer. The tunneling junction of the electrode layer is narrowed to a narrowed size by electroplating or electroless deposition. When a voltage is applied to the electrode layer, a tunneling current is generated by a base in the tunneling junction to be measured as a current signature for distinguishing the base. When an organic coating is formed on an inside surface of the tunneling junction, transient bonds are formed between the electrode layer and the base.
US09046509B2
A method is provided for efficiently characterizing rock traversed while drilling a borehole for hydrocarbon reservoir development. A rock sample can be obtained having a provenance of collection linked to a specific region of the borehole, which is scanned to obtain a 2D digital image that is segmented to pixels characterized as pore space and as mineral matrix and defining a boundary between them. A transform relationship, for example, a form of the Kozeny-Carman equation adapted for application to a 2D segmented image environment, can be applied to calculate the estimated value for a target rock property, which can be absolute permeability, relative permeability, formation factor, elasticity, bulk modulus, shear modulus, compressional velocity, shear velocity, electrical resistivity, or capillary pressure, and the estimated value is used to characterize the rock at that region of the borehole. This affords an opportunity to quickly and efficiently develop massive data directly characterizing extended regions of rock, whether traversed by the borehole in this or a related well. Computerized systems, computer readable media, and programs for performing the methods are also provided.
US09046507B2
A fluid transfer apparatus includes a fluid transfer probe, a fluid level detection system, and a tip detection system. The fluid level detection system is configured to detect contact by the fluid transfer probe with a fluid surface within a receptacle from a signal based on the capacitance of the fluid transfer probe. The tip detection system is configured to detect the presence or absence of a tip at a distal end of the fluid transfer probe from a signal based on the capacitance of the fluid transfer probe.
US09046505B2
A sample preparation apparatus, comprising: an ultrasonic vibrating unit which applies ultrasonic vibration to a sample including an analyte held in a measurement sample container; a sample preparation unit which prepares a measurement sample by mixing the sample including the analyte to which the ultrasonic vibration is applied and a predetermined reagent; and a container transporting unit which transports the measurement sample container holding the sample including the analyte from the ultrasonic vibrating unit to the sample preparation unit.
US09046504B2
An automatic analysis apparatus that can suction a target sample through an sample dispensing probe at a single sample dispensing position by transferring a sample rack holder having one or more sample containers from a first sampler unit to a second sampler unit and by moving the transferred sample rack in a horizontal direction and up-and-down directions at the fixed single sample dispensing position. By fixing a fluid sampling position of a sample container held by a sample rack at the single position, a sample dispensing accuracy of an automatic analysis apparatus can be increased.
US09046494B2
According to embodiments of the present invention, an optical sensing system is provided. The optical sensing system includes a resonator arrangement including a first resonator, wherein an effective refractive index of the first resonator is changeable in response to a change in a refractive index of a cladding of the first resonator, and a second resonator to which a current or voltage being adjustable in response to a change in the effective refractive index of the first resonator is applied, wherein the optical sensing system is configured to determine the change in the effective refractive index of the first resonator based on a change in the current or voltage applied to the second resonator. Further embodiments provide a method of determining a change in an effective refractive index of a resonator of an optical sensing system.
US09046491B1
A method and system for detecting a chemical using SERS includes shifting the absorption wavelength signature of the precursor chemical toward a higher wavelength. SERS is performed on the wavelength shifted chemical in order to determine the concentration of the precursor chemical.
US09046490B2
To provide a fluorescence detection device that can effectively remove autofluorescence using a simple configuration. A fluorescence detection device comprises: semiconductor laser for emitting excitation light; an objective lens for converging excitation light onto a sample on a biosensor substrate; an anamorphic lens which introduces astigmatism to fluorescence that is from the biosensor substrate and incident on the objective lens and that passed through the objective lens; a spectral element for separating the fluorescence into a plurality of light rays; and a fluorescence detector for receiving the light rays separated by the spectral element. On the light receiving surface of the fluorescence detector, the spectral element splits the fluorescence so that the fluorescence generated at the sample is separated from the fluorescence generated at a specific depth position other than the sample position.
US09046485B2
This disclosure relates generally to a sampling device, and more particularly, a sampling device that facilitates spectroscopic measurements with a variable path length and the necessary software controlled algorithms and methods for such a device.
US09046483B2
The invention relates to a method for characterizing a target polynucleic acid by providing a surface containing a channel of a dimension sufficient to allow sequential monomer-by-monomer passage of a single-stranded polynucleic acid, but not of a double-stranded polynucleic acid; providing a source of hybridized target polynucleic acid at the surface; inducing passage of the target polynucleic acid through the channel, whereby the target polynucleic acid undergoes base pair separation (melts) prior to its passage; and making one or more measurements over time as the target polynucleic acid moves relative to the channel yielding data suitable to determine a monomer-dependent characteristic of the target polynucleic acid.
US09046480B2
The method includes: providing a test strip comprising a reference electrode and a working electrode coated with a reagent layer; applying a fluid sample to the test strip for a reaction period; applying a test voltage between the reference electrode and the working electrode; measuring a test current as a function of time; measuring a steady state current value when the test current has reached an equilibrium; calculating a ratio of the test current to the steady state current value; plotting the ratio of the test current to the steady state current value as a function of the inverse square root of time; calculating an effective diffusion coefficient from the slope of the linearly regressed plot of the ratio of the test current to the steady state current value as a function of the inverse square root of time; and calculating a hematocrit-corrected concentration of analyte.
US09046469B2
An ultrasonic testing method is provided to measure a thickness of an object in a simple and highly accurate manner when crystal grains that form a metal solidification structure of a directionally-solidified material cast or the like have a statistical variation.An ultrasonic probe 102 causes a longitudinal ultrasonic wave to be incident on a test object 101 in a direction perpendicular to a surface 101A of the test object 101. As a velocity of the longitudinal ultrasonic wave, the average of velocities of longitudinal ultrasonic waves propagating in directions of crystal orientations <100>, <110>, and <210> is used. The thickness of the test object 101 is measured on the basis of the velocity of the ultrasonic wave and a time period for the propagation of the ultrasonic wave.
US09046464B2
A device for detecting at least one substance of a fluid, has a piezoacoustic thin film resonator with a piezoelectric layer on which electrode layers are arranged, and an adsorption surface for adsorbing the fluid substance, wherein the piezoelectric and electrode layers and the adsorption surface are designed and arranged on each other such that by electrically activating the electrode layers, an excitation alternating field can be coupled into the piezoelectric layer. The thin film resonator can be excited to a resonance oscillation frequency fR which depends on an amount of the substance adsorbed on the adsorption surface because of an excitation alternating field coupled into the piezoelectric layer. An electrical insulating layer is arranged directly on a side of one of the electrode layers facing away from the piezoelectric layer. Particularly advantageous is the combination of an aluminum electrode layer and a silicon dioxide insulating layer.
US09046455B2
Systems and methods for processing and analyzing samples are disclosed. The system may process samples, such as biological fluids, using assay cartridges which can be processed at different processing locations. In some cases, the system can be used for PCR processing. The different processing locations may include a preparation location where samples can be prepared and an analysis location where samples can be analyzed. To assist with the preparation of samples, the system may also include a number of processing stations which may include processing lanes. During the analysis of samples, in some cases, thermal cycler modules and an appropriate optical detection system can be used to detect the presence or absence of certain nucleic acid sequences in the samples. The system can be used to accurately and rapidly process samples.
US09046454B2
Analyte supports such as Western blots, gels, and the like is processed for purposes of detection and analysis, by placing the blot or gel on a plate and causing process fluids to oscillate across the blot or gel by intermittently rotating the plate. The plate can be inclined or flat, divided into sectors to accommodate multiple sheets, and multiple plates can be mounted to a single rotating shaft to process a large number of blots or gels simultaneously under the same protocol.
US09046450B2
A coupon geometry that reliably fails in the gauge area of the coupon during fatigue testing. The propensity to fail at the gauge area is imparted by using a bow-tie-shaped coupon coupled with similarly shaped tabs. The test coupons have a bow-tie-shaped profile with tapered sides that converge as they extend from the opposing ends of the coupon to the gauge area, forming a pair of trapezoidal portions (one the mirror image of the other) connected by the gauge area. These trapezoidal portions of the test coupon include the regions where similarly trapezoidal tabs will be adhered to the front and back of the coupon. The test coupon has a minimum width in the gauge area and a constant thickness, and a height of the gauge area is no greater than 3% of a height of the test coupon.
US09046449B2
A measurement device for measurement of forces in structural components, having a measurement sensor, which is embodied such that it is connected with the structural component in a force-fit and/or form-fit manner, and generates measurement signals as a function of force transfers in the structural component, the measurement device having a measurement casing upon the measurement sensor. Processing of received measurement signals can occur, and the measurement casing has connecting means, for placing in position and releasable attachment of the measurement casing on the structural component, and the contacting means of the measurement casing can establish contact with the measurement sensor for the reception of the measurement signals.
US09046444B2
To effectively suppress a shift of a rotating axis of an upper chuck with respect to a rotating axis of a lower chuck due to a separating force. A tire testing device (1) includes: vertical frames (30a, 30b) which are supported by a lower frame (20); a beam (40) which bridges between the vertical frames (30a, 30b) and is movable in the vertical direction; an upper chuck (45) which is attached to the center of the beam (40), the center corresponding to the center of the beam in the longitudinal direction; and a lower chuck (25) which is attached to the lower frame. When viewed from the vertical direction, a rotating axis of an upper rotating member (47) is positioned at the center of a straight line formed by connecting supporting points where each of the vertical frames (30a, 30b) support the beam (40).
US09046443B2
A sideslip test for a vehicle that can make a database of sideslip and objectively measure the sideslip. A sideslip test system may include: a driving road provided to drive a vehicle; a support beam disposed to be supported on the driving road; a distance sensor mounted on the support beam to measure a distance from the vehicle; and a display device connected with the distance sensor and visualizing a measurement value of the distance sensor. A sideslip test method may include: entering, by the vehicle, the driving road; sensing a distance between the distance sensor and the vehicle; converting data to express the distance sensed by the distance sensor as a coordinate; collecting a closest Y-axis distance between the distance sensor and the vehicle as a representative value; and expressing a distribution of the representative value as a graph through the display device.
US09046441B2
A collision test apparatus includes actuators that move a vehicle structural member toward the side of a carrying unit on which a dummy is carried. The actuators can be driven independently of each other. Therefore, the actuators move the vehicle structural member at respectively different driving speeds. In other words, the collision test apparatus does not simply move the vehicle structural member such that the vehicle structural member collides with the dummy, but also causes the vehicle structural member to collide with the dummy while moving the vehicle structural member at different speeds in different positions.
US09046440B2
A dummy device for testing a driver assistance system of a vehicle traveling on a roadway. The dummy device travels above the roadway, and includes a transceiver and a processor to test the driver assistance system of the vehicle by simulating a driver assistance system of another vehicle.
US09046437B2
Air leaks in a seal beneath a vacuum bag are detected using a leak detection film inside the vacuum bag. The film includes a gas permeable binder and a gas sensitive material held in the binder. The gas sensitive material has at least one visual characteristic that changes in the presence of gas entering the vacuum bag through a leak in the seal.
US09046434B2
A load cell includes a horizontal upper beam; a lower beam extending parallel with the upper beam; a fastening section connecting one end of the upper beam to the lower beam and is fastened to a stationary object; a movable section which connects the upper beam and the lower beam and is displaced vertically by a load applied to the movable section 5; and a cylindrical stopper having a circular cross-section. The fastening section has a first circular hole. The movable section has a second circular hole concentric with the first circular hole. A base end portion of the stopper is fastened to the first circular hole and a tip of the stopper member 7 is located at an inner side of the second circular hole such that there is a space of a specified width between the tip and an inner surface of the second hole.
US09046413B2
Systems, methods, and apparatus for performing surface type detection in connection with locate and marking operations. In some embodiments, one or more sensors may be employed to collect information regarding a ground surface on which marking material is to be dispensed which is then analyzed to provide an estimate of a type of the surface. For example, a still-image or video camera may be used as a sensor that detects visible light reflecting from a surface. One or more images captured by the camera may be analyzed using analysis software to identify one or more characteristics indicative of a surface type. As another example, one or more radiation sensors may be employed to measure an amount of electromagnetic radiation reflected by the sensed surface one or more selected wavelengths or ranges of wavelengths to identify a spectral signature that may also be indicative of a surface type.
US09046409B2
A weighing scale for forklift and the like (10) for measuring weight of loads at the time they are lifted. The weighing scale comprises a stationary first member (12) and a movable second member (48) interconnected in a vertical parallel spaced apart relationship. The first member is mountable on fork carriage and the second member is connectable to fork thereto. There is a load cell (28) in the first member that works cooperatively with a means (60) in the second member to register any vertical displacements thereof and translate the registered data into weight lifted by the fork.
US09046387B2
A transmissive optical encoder is disclosed. The transmissive optical encoder includes a detector, a code wheel, and an emitter. The detector includes an aperture through the detector. The aperture is configured to receive a rotary shaft of a motor. The code wheel is coupled to the rotary shaft of the motor. Rotation of the rotary shaft results in corresponding rotation of the code wheel. The emitter is configured to emit a light signal through the code wheel toward the detector. Rotation of the code wheel results in modulation of the light signal at the detector. Embodiments of the transmissive optical encoder consume relatively little space and facilitate alignment of the emitter and detector.
US09046386B2
A structural unit for a rotary encoder. The structural unit including a graduation carrier fastened to a mount that includes a recess and a positioning element fastened to the graduation carrier by a first material connection. The positioning element is disposed in the recess, and the recess is dimensioned such that the recess positions the positioning element in a radial direction without play. The structural unit further including a second material connection is provided between the graduation carrier and the mount.
US09046375B1
In some embodiments, techniques comprise receiving route data that includes information relating to a stop, at a portable device that is personal to a passenger on a public conveyance; determining a destination, wherein the destination is related to the stop; determining a current location of the portable device; determining, based at least in part on the current location, that the portable device has nearly reached the destination, wherein determining that the portable device has nearly reached the destination includes determining that the stop is the next stop relative to the current location; and responsive to determining that the portable device has nearly reached the destination, providing an alert at the portable device.
US09046371B2
A system and method for navigating a vehicle through a mining environment to a target destination is presented. The system and method may be utilized to avoid contention in the mining environment. A route through the mining environment to the target destination for the vehicle is identified and a first speed profile for at least a portion of the route is determined. A potential contention condition associated with the route is identified and the potential contention condition along the route is used to determine a second speed profile for at least a portion of the route. An optimized speed profile is determined using the first speed profile and the second speed profile, and at least a portion of the optimized speed profile is communicated to the vehicle.
US09046363B2
Satellite data is used to determine water depth by accounting for the changing turbidity of the water over time and without requiring calibration using SONAR measurements. Radiance values at multiple wavelengths sensed at both a first time and a second time are stored in a database. Modeled reflectance values are calculated for a defined surface area on the water based on an assumed depth, assumed water constituents and assumed bottom cover. A plurality of differences between the modeled reflectance values and the reflectances sensed at the two times are calculated. A bathymetry application module minimizes the sum of the differences between the modeled and sensed subsurface reflectances by varying the assumed depth, bottom cover and water constituents. The differences are weighted based on wavelength before being summed. The depth that results in the minimized sum of the differences is the estimated depth, which is displayed on a graphical user interface.
US09046362B2
A method for a measuring instrument is disclosed, for separating the angular deviation of a rotational axis of an instrument body from a corresponding true rotational axis due to imperfections in at least one rolling-element bearing effectuating the rotational mounting of the instrument body into different parts corresponding to type of imperfection. The method comprises detecting rotary position of the at least one rolling-element bearing, and determining angular deviation of the rotational axis from the corresponding true rotational axis in a plurality of rotational positions of the instrument body, wherein the instrument body is rotated a plurality of successive full or partial revolutions about the rotational axis. There is also disclosed a measuring system and a measuring instrument to be used in such a measuring system.
US09046361B2
Target point recognition method including emitting electromagnetic radiation to illuminate targets, moving the scanning beam within a predetermined angular range in order to scan the surveying environment, detecting reflections of the electromagnetic radiation on the targets, wherein the targets are defining the target points, and determining the angle to the target points. The method further including a capturing procedure with capturing an overall image of the surveying environment, wherein the overall image comprises at least one single image taken by the camera, and determining target points and their angle on the overall image by image processing by matching targets with one or more predetermined search criteria, storing the target points together with their angle a data base, and displaying the overall image together with marks for indicating a position of the target points detected within the scanning procedure and the capturing procedure in the overall image.
US09046360B2
A method is provided for determining the three dimensional coordinates of points on the surface of an object. The method includes providing a structured light scanner and a coordinate measurement device. The coordinate measurement device tracks the location and orientation of the structured light scanner during operation. The location and orientation data is combined with image frames captured by the scanner to allow registration of the image frames relative to each other. The three-dimensional coordinates of points on the surface of the object may then be determined in the frame of reference of the coordinate measurement device.
US09046358B2
A method includes providing packets to demodulate a modulated photon signal output from a light source, wherein each packet includes a first interval and a second interval, and providing oscillation signals respectively having different phases from one another to photogates during the first interval of each of the packets. The light source is disabled and a direct current (DC) voltage is provided to the photogates during the second interval of each of the packets.
US09046341B2
A device for measuring the length of a fish that includes fastener and a measuring tape, the fastener including a distal end and a proximal end, opposite to the distal end, and that is attached to a proximal end of the fish, the measuring tape being coupled to the fastener and having a proximal end, a distal end, and a length separating the proximal and distal ends, with the distal end of the measuring tape being located at least at a distal end of the fish to expose a fish length, the measuring tape also having distance indicators along the measuring tape length and extends downward and away from the distal end of the fastener.
US09046330B2
A molded aerodynamically crosswind resistant fletching includes pairs of spaced apart fletchings having distal edges bowed inwardly towards each other thus to deflect crosswinds over the tops of the fletchings.
US09046329B2
A disclosed archery fletching sleeve system and method of application and manufacture includes a fletching sleeve configured to frictionally fit onto an arrow shaft. The fletching sleeve defines glue application holes, slots, slits and channels or cavities on an inner surface thereof adjacent the glue holes to draw an applied glue therein via a capillary effect and/or an accordion bellows pumping effect. Additional slots and/or slits allow the sleeve to elastically stretch like an accordion to fit a wide range of arrow shaft diameters. The fletching sleeve also comprises a stretchable corrugated sleeve body having an outer diameter to tangential to an outer surface of a plurality of alternating longitudinal ridges thereon and an inner diameter tangential to an inner surface of a plurality of alternating longitudinal grooves thereon, the inner diameter configured to stretchably fit the arrow shaft having a diameter greater than and/or equal to the sleeve inner diameter.
US09046312B2
A gas operating system for a firearm has an energy transmission facility and a gun barrel having a lateral aperture. The energy transmission facility and the lateral aperture have gas communication between them. The gun barrel and the energy transmission facility are mechanically decoupled such that the energy transmission facility does not impede flexing of the gun barrel. All forward forces generated by the energy transmission facility may be transferred from the energy transmission facility to a self-loading facility. The energy transmission facility may include a gas block having a sleeve that is slidably disposed on the gun barrel. The energy transmission facility may include a gas block and a tubular body extending from a receiver to the gas block, one end of the tubular body being slidably received in the gas block. The energy transmission facility may also include the tubular body receiving a gas piston.
US09046310B2
The invention relates to a plate heat exchanger for treatment of a medium, comprising a number of compression-molded heat exchanger plates, which are successively provided in a plate package and which form first plate interspaces and second plate interspaces, wherein the first plate interspaces and the second plate interspaces are provided in an alternating order in the plate package, where the inlet and outlets of the heat exchanger plate located in a center portion of the plate heat exchanger, and where the plate package is arranged between end plates on each side of the plate package, where at least one of the end plates are provided with connections in a center portion of the at least one end plate and that the location of the connections on the at least one end plate correspond to the location of the inlet and outlets of the heat exchanger plate.
US09046309B2
A membrane cartridge is manufactured by repeatedly folding and joining two strips of membrane to form a cross-pleated cartridge with a stack of openings or fluid passageways configured in an alternating cross-flow arrangement. The cartridge can be modified for other flow configurations including co-flow and counter-flow arrangements. Methods for manufacturing such cross-pleated membrane cartridges, as well as apparatus used in the manufacturing process are described. Cross-pleated membrane cartridges comprising water-permeable membranes can be used in a variety of applications, including in heat and water vapor exchangers. In particular they can be incorporated into energy recovery ventilators (ERVs) for exchanging heat and water vapor between air streams being directed into and out of buildings.
US09046301B2
Provided is a refrigerator, which includes a drain pan, a drain pipe, and a drain cap. The drain pan is disposed under an evaporator, and includes a drain port through which defrosted water is discharged. The drain pipe is coupled to the drain port. The drain cap is installed inside of the drain pipe. A flip member disposed inside of the drain cap is integrally formed with the drain cap and is bendable.
US09046299B2
A water filter device including a filter unit to receive water from an external water supply source and to purify the received water, a storage tank unit to store the water purified through the filter unit, and a case to receive the filter unit and the storage tank unit.
US09046295B2
A refrigerator includes a fixed frame in which an electric wire cable drawn from one sidewall of a storage chamber is disposed to form a loop, a sliding frame slidably coupled to the fixed frame, and an electric wire cable housing fixed to the sliding frame to surround a portion of the electric wire cable. The electric wire cable is prevented from being damaged upon insertion and drawing of a drawer type door.
US09046286B2
In a heat pump pool heater, undesirable compressor-created pressure spikes resulting from start-up of the heater after extended idle periods thereof are substantially eliminated by the incorporation in the heat pump refrigerant circuit of a specially designed pressure spike eliminator structure. The spike eliminator structure includes an enclosed hollow wall structure extending around a first refrigerant tubing portion disposed between the heat pump circuit compressor and condenser and forming a cavity around the first refrigerant tubing portion, and a transfer tube directly connected to a second refrigerant tubing portion disposed between the condenser and expansion valve and intercommunicating the interiors of the cavity and the second refrigerant tubing portion.
US09046280B2
A solar energy collector with comprehensive effects. The collector is mounted on a mounting surface (5) of a building or the ground. The collector includes an external controller (4) and a support frame (13) disposed on the mounting surface. Windshields (21) with air openings (22) are disposed around the support frame (13). An energy collecting unit comprises a pipeline system disposed on underside of the support frame (13) and modularized energy collecting boards disposed on upper-side of the support frame. A water collecting unit comprises a modularized water collecting slot (31), a water collecting pipe (32) and a water collecting tank (33) that are disposed under or beside the support frame (13). An energy store unit comprises an insulation water tank and an electrical energy store system. The functions of solar power photovoltaic generation, water heating by solar energy, buildings insulation and rainwater collection can be achieved.
US09046274B2
A method of setting a temperature control system, in particular a hot water heating system, having a plurality of heat transfer devices through which a heating or cooling agent flows, includes the following steps: establishing a heating or cooling agent volume flow value for each heat transfer device with the specification that each object to be temperature-controlled is to experience the same specific energy supply; and adjusting the volume flows to the established values. A device for carrying out this method is also included herein.
US09046271B2
A fuel injector device for an annular combustion chamber including a pilot circuit feeding an injector and a multipoint circuit feeding injection orifices formed in a front face of an annular chamber, an annular ring being mounted in the annular chamber to define therein a fuel feed circuit for the injection orifices and a cooling circuit operating by passing the fuel feeding the injector and extending over the front face of the chamber in immediate vicinity of the injection orifices.
US09046269B2
An impingement cooling sleeve includes a sleeve body having an inner surface to face a transition duct and an outer surface facing opposite the inner surface. At least one cooling hole is formed within the sleeve body and is used to direct cooling air toward the transition duct. At least one conduit member is attached to the sleeve body and is associated with the at least one cooling hole. The conduit member has a first opening to define an air inlet and a second opening to define an air outlet. In one example, the first opening is spaced apart from the outer surface of the sleeve body by a distance. In one example, the first opening comprises an annular end face surface that defines a plane that is obliquely orientated relative to the outer surface of the sleeve body.
US09046261B2
An LCD shower includes a body part with waterway, an information acquisition module, a transparent or semitransparent display module, a CPU connected to the information acquisition module and the display module and a power module to supply power to the information acquisition module, the display module and the CPU; the body part is disposed with a through hole, the display module is assembled in the through hole, wherein the display module includes a LCD screen, a first light guiding panel and a second light guiding panel, the LCD screen is sealed and disposed between the first light guiding panel and the second light guiding panel. User can see the display information of the LCD screen from one side of the first light guiding panel or the second light guiding panel; at the same time, as the display module is transparent or semi-transparent.
US09046258B2
In at least one embodiment, an optoelectronic lighting module includes a circuit board, which an opening passes right through. The circuit board includes fastening devices for mechanically fastening the lighting module to an external heat sink. A carrier of the lighting module is mounted in the opening. At least one optoelectronic semiconductor chip is located on a carrier top and is connected electrically to the circuit board via the carrier. The circuit board is moreover connected firmly mechanically with the carrier. The circuit board is additionally designed to exert a mechanical force on the carrier and to press the carrier against the external heat sink. The carrier is designed to rest with a carrier bottom flat against the external heat sink.
US09046254B2
A method of decorating a lamp extending from a vertical wall includes providing a light fixture, the light fixture having a surface comprising a first edge and a second edge and a bracket connected to the surface, the bracket having a notch. The lamp has an arm portion and a light portion, the light portion having a larger cross section than the arm portion. The method includes placing the light fixture over the lamp and mating the bracket with the arm portion so that the arm portion fits within the notch, where the light fixture is supported at least by contact between the notch and the arm portion, contact between the first edge and the wall, and contact between the second edge and the wall.
US09046252B2
The present invention relates to a light emitting diode (LED) lamp, and an object of the present invention is to provide an LED lamp in which an LED can be easily exchanged and external vibration can be absorbed to prevent the play thereof. To this end, an LED lamp according to the present invention comprises an LED package having a lead frame; a printed circuit board separated from the LED package and having a conductive pattern formed on a surface thereof facing the lead frame; and a pressing means for pressing the LED package toward the PCB so that the lead frame is in contact with the conductive pattern.
US09046250B2
Methods and apparatus related to a circuit board having a dielectric layer (140A/B, 240A/B, 340, 440, 340B, 440B) on the top and/or bottom thereof. A circuit board is provided having a core layer (110, 210, 310, 410) and at least one conductive layer (130A/B,132A/B, 230A/B, 232A/B, 330, 430) positioned on a first side of the core layer (110, 210, 310, 410). An outer dielectric layer (140A/B, 240A/B, 340, 440, 340B, 440B) is provided atop an outermost of the at least one conductive layer (130A/B, 132A/B, 230A/B, 232A/B, 330, 430). The dielectric layer (140A/B, 240A/B, 340, 440, 340B, 440B) includes a plurality of openings (334A, 336A, 445A) that provide access to at least one of connection pads and vias that are in electrical contact with one or more of the conductive layer(s) (130A/B, 132A/B, 230A/B, 232A/B, 330, 430).
US09046248B2
A semiconductor light emitting apparatus includes an elongated hollow wavelength conversion tube that includes an elongated wavelength conversion tube wall having wavelength conversion material, such as phosphor, dispersed therein. A semiconductor light emitting device is oriented to emit light inside the elongated hollow wavelength conversion tube to impinge upon the elongated wavelength conversion tube wall and the wavelength conversion material dispersed therein. The elongated hollow wavelength conversion tube may have an open end, a crimped end, a reflective end, and/or other configurations. Multiples tubes and/or multiple semiconductor light emitting devices may also be used in various configurations. Related assembling methods are also described.
US09046233B2
A lighting module has an OLED panel with two or more pairs of electrodes and a casing for mounting the OLED panel on the casing front side. The backside of the casing has two openings for providing access to one pair of electrodes (anode and cathode), each opening located near one of the opposing side edges to provide access to one of the electrodes. A connection component made of an electrically conductive material has two bent portions dimensioned for inserting into the openings of two adjacent lighting modules for providing mechanical and electrical connection between two adjacent modules. The length of the connection component is dimensioned for achieving a snug fit between two adjacent modules. One lighting module can be connected to one or two adjacent lighting modules in a one-dimensional array, or two to fourth adjacent lighting modules in a two-dimensional array.
US09046219B2
The invention relates to a method for controlling a homogeneous batch (1) of pressurized fluid cylinders (2) during at least part of the use cycle of said cylinders. According to the invention, each of the cylinders (2) is provided with a valve (3) having an electronic device (4) including at least one sensor (14) for measuring the pressure (P) inside the cylinder (2), a system (44) for storing/acquiring and processing data and an electromagnetic wave transmitter (34), for example using radio frequency, designed for the remote transmission of at least one of the following items of information: the identity of the cylinder (2) and the pressure (P) measured inside said cylinder. The method includes a transmission step in which all of the cylinders (2) in the batch (1) transmit at least one item of information of the same type when they are in the same phase of the use cycle at the same time and a step in which the same-type items of information transmitted by the cylinders are compared for the automatic detection of an anomaly in the batch (1).
US09046202B2
A tether for connecting tubes includes two mutually spaced pads, each pad located on an opposite side of a lateral axis and releasably connectable to one of the tubes, an elastic stretchable connector that provides structural continuity between the pads, and handles, each handle located at an opposite axial end of the tether, suited to be gripped manually for the application of tensile force to the tether.
US09046201B1
The invention is an improved high pressure hose used for hydraulic actuation and fluid conveyance of various liquid media under relatively high pressure. The hose has an inner tube of an elastomeric material that provides a fluid-carrying passageway. The inner tube is covered with a layer of braided yarn and a layer of textile yarn extending parallel to the axis of the fluid-carrying passageway, with an outer sheath of a thermoplastic material completing the hose.
US09046199B2
A process for manufacturing a heat-insulated uncoupling element as well as an uncoupling element itself are proposed, wherein the heat insulation is provided along the corrugated area of bellows. The heat insulation consists of a coating, which contains heat-insulating granular material. The mobility of the bellows is also ensured here after application of the heat insulation.
US09046194B2
A poke-through pathway device positionable extending through an opening in building panel, such as a wall, ceiling or floor, which defines a duct through which penetrating members, such as cables or wiring may be placed to extend through a building panel wherein the pathway device provides a limited level of protection against fire, heat, smoke or sound being transmitted or traveling therethrough. The present invention provides a limited low level of fire resistance along with some resistance to the transmission of smoke, heat or sound through the duct in those applications where a fully fire-rated device is not required. The present invention includes a two-piece outer housing assembly and with a two-piece inner housing assembly that are telescopically movable with respect to one another for adjustable positioning thereof through building panels of various thicknesses. A two-piece elastomeric wedge seal is positionable on each side of the interior of the inner housing to facilitating sealing.
US09046190B1
A valve assembly having a body, a float assembly, a switch magnet, and a sealing surface that opens or closes a block and bleed valve in response to movement of the float assembly. The float assembly may be pivotally attached to the body at a pivot axis. The float assembly may have a first end and a second end opposite the first end, where the pivot axis is located between the first end and the second end. The float assembly may further comprise a float attached to the first end and a float magnet attached to the second end, such that raising the float causes the float magnet to lower and lowering the float causes the float magnet to rise. The switch magnet may be responsive to movement of the float magnet, and the sealing surface may be responsive to movement of the switch magnet.
US09046182B2
A check valve includes connected first and second bodies respectively disposed on upstream and downstream sides. A valve plug is disposed displaceably in a communication chamber formed in the interior of the first body. A skirt urges a main body portion of the valve plug in a direction for seating the main body portion on a valve seat surface, and is provided on the valve plug such that the main body portion is seated on the valve seat surface by an elastic force of the skirt. By supplying a pressure fluid to the first body, the valve plug is displaced in opposition to the elastic force of the skirt, whereby the interior of the first body and the interior of the second body are placed in communication and the pressure fluid is allowed to flow therethrough.
US09046178B2
A gasket including a main body, a first retention tab, a second retention tab, and a third retention tab. The main body defines a first aperture. The first, second, and third retention tabs extend from the main body at the first aperture.
US09046177B2
A bellows insert (25) is shown, mountable inside a bellows for a vacuum powered tool and, in the mounted position, effective to locally limit the capacity of the bellows of compression in its longitudinal direction caused by a negative pressure introduced into the bellows. The bellows insert includes an engagement part (26) that has a shape complementary to the inside of the bellows and that, in the mounted position of the bellows insert, fills up some or all of the pleats of the bellows, within a limited area of the circumference of the bellows.
US09046173B2
A transmission driving device that is capable of preventing displacement of a shift operation member or a select operation member in a case where there is reverse input in the shift operation member or the select operation member by inhibiting rotation of a rotation member which is released from an input shaft. When an input shaft and a first rotor are connected, the first electromagnetic coil is an excitation state and a second electromagnetic coil is in a non-excitation state. In this state, a second magnetic ring is not attracted to the side of the second electromagnetic coil, a seventh facing, which is fixed to the second magnetic ring, and an eighth facing are engaged with each other, and a second rotor and a casing are connected to each other. In a connection state of the second rotor and the casing, the second rotor cannot be rotated.
US09046161B2
A starting apparatus including an input member coupled to a motor; a damper mechanism having an input element, an elastic body and an output element; a lock-up clutch mechanism for performing lockup where the input member is coupled to an input shaft of a transmission via the damper mechanism and for canceling lockup, and a dynamic damper including an elastic body and a mass body engaged with the elastic body. The mass body of the dynamic damper is an elastic body support member that is supported rotatably around an axis of the starting apparatus and that supports the elastic body of the damper mechanism. With this arrangement, the dynamic damper is easily adjustable while reducing the overall size of the starting apparatus.
US09046159B2
An actuating drive for a rail guide of a longitudinal adjustment of a motor vehicle seat has a rotational drive, which has an output shaft (70), and a transmission, which has a spindle nut (54), which is rotationally connected to the output shaft (70) and which has a spindle (52). The spindle (52) has a spindle thread, with which the spindle nut (54) is engaged. The spindle (52) is curved in a circular radius of curvature (42). The radius of curvature (42) is between 1,500 and 3,000 mm. The spindle nut (54) is a straight nut.
US09046154B2
A wheel drive unit includes a planetary gear mechanism including a planetary gear and an internally-toothed gear. A casing is integrated with the internally-toothed gear, a wheel is attached to the casing, and the casing transmits rotation of the internally-toothed gear to the wheel. A bearing is fitted to an inner circumferential surface of the casing at a position more toward an interior of a vehicle than the planetary gear and rotatably supports the casing. An inner diameter of an outer race of the bearing is larger than an outer diameter of the planetary gear.
US09046139B2
A transmission clutch cooling system includes a clutch housing defined between a drive hub of a drive member and a clutch hub of a driven member and a clutch assembly housed in the clutch housing. The clutch hub includes a hub deck having a plurality of bores therethrough, an inner annulus extending axially from the hub deck, and an outer annulus extending axially from the hub deck, the outer annulus including a plurality of radial orifices therethrough and a lip flange extending from a distal end towards the inner annulus. The clutch assembly includes a plurality of clutch plates secured to the drive hub and a plurality of friction plates secured to the driven member. A piston assembly is provided for engaging or disengaging the plurality of friction plates against the plurality of clutch plates to cause or release integrated rotation of the drive member and the driven member.
US09046138B2
A cylindrical ring-shaped friction disc contains a support body, at least one friction layer, and in each case an intermediate layer arranged between the support body and the friction layer. The intermediate layer has mutually adjoining flat regions with different coefficients of thermal expansion. A method teaches how to produce such a friction disc, and to the use the friction disc as parts of brake and clutch systems, in particular for motor vehicles.
US09046136B2
A method and a device stretches and forms a foil blank and a product is produced by this method. The foil blank is stretched in at least one direction and slides along in at least one direction during the deformation. The sliding along may be controlled, and the clamping force and the clamping speed may be regulated.
US09046135B2
A torsionally flexible coupling comprises an inner part having a rotating shaft, an outer part extending around the inner part and arranged coaxially thereto, and spring elements or spring packs arranged between the inner part and the outer part and spaced in circumferential direction, wherein each spring element or spring pack is clamped at a radially outer end in a clamping support on the outer part, and a radially inner end is flexibly engaged with a corresponding groove on the inner part. In position of rest the spring elements or spring packs are angled relative to a radial direction passing through the respective clamping support and are inclined against the main direction of rotation of the coupling. Such an inclined position of the spring elements or spring packs allows a reduction of the portion of damping caused by friction so that damping can become predominantly hydraulic.
US09046132B2
The present invention provides a grease composition having an excellent fretting wear resistance in a wide temperature region from low to high temperatures and particularly even at low temperatures and a rolling bearing in which the grease composition is packed. A grease composition (7) is packed inside a grease-packed bearing (1). The grease composition (7) contains base oil, a thickener, and an additive. The additive contains at least, one kind selected from among a phosphite ester of formula (1) or a phosphite ester of formula (2):
US09046128B2
A self aligning bearing assembly comprising an inner ring and an outer ring, and two rows of rolling elements of equal length arranged at different contact angles, for supporting a main shaft of a wind turbine.
US09046125B2
When temperature of lubricating oil is raised at a time of low-temperature, of an outer peripheral side of a radial plain bearing in a bearing retaining unit, heat is not supplied from a heating medium in a thermal medium flow path on the outer peripheral side of a halved bearing metal in a bearing retaining unit body, which has a large thermal capacity, and instead, heat is supplied from the heating medium in the thermal medium flow path on the outer peripheral side of a halved bearing metal in the cap, which has a small thermal capacity.
US09046124B2
A bearing arrangement comprising a bearing shell, and a bearing shell receiving element, wherein the bearing shell is cylindrical or part-cylindrical and has a circumferential oil supply slot, and the bearing shell receiving element has an oil supply channel located in correspondence with the oil supply slot.
US09046114B1
A transaxle includes an expansion bladder disposed in a sump for a hydraulic transmission, where the expansion bladder forms an air chamber separate from the sump and open to atmospheric pressure. The expansion bladder includes a set of ribs formed on an internal surface of a wall structure and extending into the air chamber to prevent unwanted collapse of the expansion chamber and improve its ability to collapse in a controlled manner as oil in the sump expands.
US09046112B2
A mechanical coolant pump for an internal combustion engine includes a pump rotor wheel comprising a blocking ring and rotor blades. The rotor blades are configured to pump a coolant radially outwardly. Variable pump stator blades are pivotably supported by a static blade holding ring at a first axial blade end. The variable pump stator blades are arranged radially outwardly of the pump rotor wheel. The blocking ring is arranged to partially overlap a second axial blade end.
US09046111B2
An aerofoil for a compressor comprising a suction surface and a pressure surface with a thickness distribution defined therebetween, the aerofoil further comprising a first local maximum in the thickness distribution and a second local maximum in the thickness distribution, the second local maximum being downstream of the first local maximum and the second local maxima being formed by a first region of concave curvature in the suction surface between the first and second local maxima, wherein the second local maximum is disposed such that in use a boundary layer upstream of the second local maximum on the suction surface is thinned by the second local maximum, and in addition the boundary layer may be sufficiently thinned so that an interaction of an upstream flow feature with the thinned boundary layer is capable of generating a turbulent spot with a calmed region downstream of the turbulent spot.
US09046110B2
A crossflow fan includes a rotary impeller formed by curved blades 42. Each of the blades 42 has an outer peripheral edge 43 close to the centrifugal side of the impeller and an inner peripheral edge 44 close to the rotation axis side of the impeller. A plurality of cutouts 45 are formed in the outer peripheral edge 43 and spaced apart at predetermined intervals. Dimples 48 for changing a boundary layer from a laminar flow to a turbulent flow are formed in a negative pressure surface 4q of each blade 42 in the vicinity of the outer peripheral edge 43 to prevent the gas flowing around the blade 42 from separating from the blade 42.
US09046106B2
A fan includes a fan frame and a fan wheel. The fan frame includes a frame body and a first waved structure. The frame body has a wind enter side and a wind exhaust side, wherein the wind enter side is opposite to the wind exhaust side. The first waved structure is formed on the wind enter side of the frame body. The first waved structure has a plurality of first peaks and a plurality of first valleys, wherein the first peaks and the first valleys are arranged separately. The fan wheel is rotatably disposed in the fan frame.
US09046099B2
A delivery unit is already known, which comprises a drive shaft and a rotor driven by the drive shaft. The rotor is rotatably arranged in a stator housing, wherein the rotor has a toothing on the end face of said rotor that is remote from the drive shaft, wherein said toothing meshes with a toothing constructed on the stator housing. The drive shaft comprises an oblique sliding plane interacting with the rotor and which is constructed on a shoulder of the drive shaft and allows the rotor to gyrate with the rotor axis thereof about the drive axis of the drive shaft. Work spaces are formed between the toothing of the rotor and the toothing of the stator housing, wherein said work spaces can be filled via an inlet and emptied via an outlet. In one embodiment the fluid is admitted axially and discharged radially, and in the other embodiment the fluid is admitted and discharged axially. For that purpose, control valves in the form of non-return valves are required. The non-return valves cause additional internal leakages, resulting in a reduction in the volumetric efficiency of the pump. The valves are additional parts, which are associated with additional costs and an increased risk of failure. In the delivery unit according to the invention the control valves can be dispensed with. According to the invention the inlet (15) is provided in a channel (20) of the drive shaft (2) and the outlet (16) is provided at the shoulder (6) of the drive shaft (2).
US09046093B2
A fluid control device includes a vibrating plate including a first main surface and a second main surface, a driver that is provided on the first main surface of the vibrating plate and vibrates the vibrating plate, and a plate that is provided on the second main surface of the vibrating plate and has a hole provided thereon. At least one of either the vibrating plate or the plate is positioned between the hole and a region of the vibrating plate facing the hole, and includes a projection projecting in a direction intermediate between the hole and the region of the vibrating plate facing the hole.
US09046092B2
The compressor includes two compression spaces (1, 5) separate from one another, one of which serves to generate the continuous pressure medium flow for the generation of a basic aerosol flow, whereas the other is used to generate the pressure variations. The shared compression device (4), for example a piston, is moved in a pendulum motion by a drive (7) so that a gas is conveyed through the first compression space and pressure variations are imposed upon a gas volume via the second compression space. The drive is disposed in a compression space, use advantageously being made of the space volume available that may if necessary be made use of by the compressor. In a preferred embodiment the drive (7) is located in the compression space (5) that is used to generate the pressure variations.
US09046089B2
Disclosed is a wobble plate type variable displacement compressor that uses a constant velocity universal joint mechanism, which comprises an inner ring and an outer ring, balls that are held between guide grooves of the inner ring and the outer ring to transmit power, wherein a wobble plate is connected and fixed to the outer ring. In the compressor, the connecting structure for the outer ring and the wobble plate is formed by providing a plurality of concave portions arranged in a circumferential direction on one member, by plastically deforming the other member partially at locations corresponding to the concave portions such that it fits into the concave portions, and by fixing both members to each other in the axial direction and in the rotational direction by means of the plastic deformation. With this wobble plate type variable displacement compressor using the specified constant velocity universal joint mechanism, the structure for connecting the wobble plate and the outer ring in the wobble plate rotation preventing mechanism can be improved, thereby improving the productivity and reducing the cost and the weight.
US09046085B2
Miniature pumps for dispensing a volume a flowable substance are described. One pump embodiment includes an environmentally-responsive plug layer that can contract in size, e.g., when exposed to an environmental change such as temperature, to allow an activation solution to flow to a layer of expandable material, such as a superporous hydrogel. Expansion of the expandable material urges a diaphragm into a chamber that holds the dispensable fluid, gas, or gel, forcing the fluid, gas or gel out of the pump.
US09046079B2
A use of a core block for an impregnation process as well as a composite structure comprising such a core block is described. The core block has a first surface and a second surface, and a number of first grooves is formed in the first surface of the core. Furthermore, a number of second grooves is formed in the second surface of the core. The first grooves have a first height (h1) and a bottom, and the first grooves and the second grooves are part of a resin distribution network formed in the core block. The distance (t) between the bottom of the first grooves and the second surface of the core block is of such a size that the core block is flexible along the first grooves. Additionally, the sum of the first height and the second height is larger than the thickness of the core block, and at least one of the first grooves in the first surface of the core block crosses at least one of the second grooves in the second surface of the core block.
US09046076B1
A rail mounted wind turbine includes a pivotable housing placed between rails of a rail track. The pivotable housing can move into at least one upward position and at least one downward position and includes a wind turbine. The wind turbine has a blade that moves when a force, such as a wind force, is applied to provide mechanical energy to generate electrical power. An electrical generator communicates with the wind turbine to generate electrical power from the mechanical energy. A controller controls the movement of the pivotable housing into the at least one upward position and the at least one downward position. At least one sensor associated with the rail mounted wind turbine communicates with the controller to provide at least one signal to the controller to indicate a position of a vehicle operating on the rail track in relation to the pivotable housing.
US09046065B2
A vehicle air intake mechanism comprises an air intake duct having an inlet end opening which opens in an axial direction, and a flow-guiding member having an outer surrounding wall that defines a flow channel in fluid communication with the inlet end opening. The outer surrounding wall has first and second end portions that extend in the axial direction. The first end portion of the outer surrounding wall surrounds an inlet end portion of the air intake duct. The first axial end of the outer surrounding wall defines a first end opening that is in fluid communication with the flow channel and that opens in the axial direction. The inlet end opening is disposed between and is spaced apart from first and second axial ends of the outer surrounding wall in the axial direction.
US09046060B2
An operation of a change valve is changeable between a valve closing state, in which the change valve is closed to close connection between a pump passage and a canister passage and to open connection between an atmosphere passage and the canister passage, and a valve opening state, in which the change valve is opened to open the connection between the pump passage and the canister passage and to close the connection between the atmosphere passage and the canister passage. An ECU determines that the change valve is abnormal when a value, which is obtained by subtracting a second reference pressure measured in an (n−1)th execution of a fuel vapor leakage sensing process from a first reference pressure measured in an nth execution of the fuel vapor leakage sensing process, is equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold value.
US09046059B2
An electric vehicle includes engine in which the amount of fuel supply is controlled by a throttle, a generator that produces electricity using the power of the engine, a motor outputs power to a drive shaft, an EGR system that supplies gas, exhausted from the engine, to a manifold of the engine, a clutch that switches between the transmission and the non-transmission of power from the engine to the drive shaft, a sensor that measures the change of a pressure of the manifold before and after the EGR system supplies the gas to the manifold, and ECU that performs fault detection of the EGR system using the sensor when conditions, where a series mode is selected, the degree of opening of the throttle is constant, are satisfied.
US09046049B2
A method of controlling fuel injection of a bi-fuel vehicle running on gasoline and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and more particularly, a method of controlling fuel injection of a bi-fuel vehicle having an engine running on gasoline and LPG, capable of simultaneously controlling supply systems and injectors of fuels and switching the fuels in response to a fuel switch request based on an injection ratio and an injection time of each fuel is provided. Thus, fuels may be switched stably and efficiently, output reduction and exhaust gas increase due to deviation of an air-fuel ratio while switching fuels may be prevented, and fuels may be appropriately switched. Furthermore, mechanical stress generated while switching fuels may be minimized and stable driving may be provided. Accordingly, the reliability of a bi-fuel vehicle simultaneously using gasoline and LPG may be improved and the competitiveness of bi-fuel vehicle products may also be improved.
US09046040B2
A detection method for detecting ingestion of water or hail in a gas turbine engine, the engine including at least a compressor, a combustion chamber, and a turbine, the method including: estimating a value of a first indicator representative of water or hail being ingested; estimating a value of a second indicator representative of water or hail being ingested, the second indicator being different from the first indicator; and calculating a value of a global indicator by summing at least the first indicator and the second indicator.
US09046038B2
A combustor includes a breech end, a plurality of fuel nozzles connected to the breech end and extending downstream from the breech end, and a shroud that circumferentially surrounds the plurality of fuel nozzles inside the combustor. A support extends radially inside at least a portion of the shroud. A leaf spring is between the support and one or more of the plurality of fuel nozzles, wherein each leaf spring includes at least three leaves.
US09046032B2
In an embodiment, a method for turbocharging a stratified charge engine includes flowing, in a turbocharged mode, exhaust gas from the engine into a turbocharger based on the engine having a load greater than a threshold load and the engine operating in a first range of engine speeds, the threshold load comprising a peak load for engine operation in a naturally-aspirated mode using a lean air-fuel mixture and providing, by the turbocharger while in the turbocharged mode, an increased amount of air to a combustion chamber in the engine based on the turbocharger receiving the exhaust gas. The method also includes restricting flow, in the naturally-aspirated mode, of the exhaust gas into the turbocharger based on at least one of: the engine having a load less than the threshold load or the engine operating in a second range of engine speeds, the second range being greater than the first range.
US09046029B2
A heat-resistant, ferritic cast steel having excellent melt flowability, gas defect resistance, toughness and machinability, which has a composition comprising by mass, C: 0.32-0.45%, Si: 0.85% or less, Mn: 0.15-2%, Ni: 1.5% or less, Cr: 16-23%, Nb: 3.2-4.5%, Nb/C: 9-11.5, N: 0.15% or less, S: (Nb/20−0.1) to 0.2%, W and/or Mo: 3.2% or less in total (W+Mo), the balance being Fe and inevitable impurities, and a structure in which the area ratio of a eutectic (δ+NbC) phase of δ ferrite and Nb carbide (NbC) is 60-80%, and the area ratio of manganese chromium sulfide (MnCr)S is 0.2-1.2%, and an exhaust member made thereof.
US09046022B2
A catalysed substrate monolith 12 for use in treating exhaust gas emitted from a lean-burn internal combustion engine, which catalysed substrate monolith 12 comprising a first washcoat coating 16 and a second washcoat coating 18, wherein the first washcoat coating comprises a catalyst composition comprising at least one platinum group metal (PGM) and at least one support material for the at least one PGM, wherein at least one PGM in the first washcoat coating is liable to volatilise when the first washcoat coating is exposed to relatively extreme conditions including relatively high temperatures, wherein the second washcoat coating comprises at least one metal oxide for trapping volatilised PGM and wherein the second washcoat coating is oriented to contact exhaust gas that has contacted the first washcoat coating.
US09046021B2
A system and method for controlling the regeneration of an exhaust gas particulate filter. When regeneration is initiated, an outlet temperature of an exhaust gas oxidation catalyst and an outlet temperature of the exhaust gas particulate filter are detected. As part of a closed loop non-linear temperature targeting regime, the maximum of the outlet temperature of the exhaust gas oxidation catalyst and the outlet temperature of the exhaust gas particulate filter is set as a reference temperature. A regeneration temperature target is initialized and indexed based on a profile time and the reference temperature. As part of a closed loop fuel control regime at least one hydrocarbon dosing value is determined based on an exhaust mass flow, the reference temperature, and the regeneration temperature target.
US09046017B2
A regeneration control device of a diesel particulate filter, includes: a regeneration control unit configured to combust particulate matter accumulated in a diesel particulate filter that removes the particulate matter from exhaust gas of an engine and regenerate the diesel particulate filter when an accumulation amount of the particulate matter accumulated in the diesel particulate filter exceeds a predetermined value, wherein the regeneration control unit is configured to perform lower limit control in which a lower limit of an engine speed is set to a value greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold value during the regeneration.
US09046010B2
A control unit for a variable valve timing mechanism for changing a cam phase by an electric actuator determines an influence on the operation of the variable valve timing mechanism based on the engine operating conditions. Then, based on the determination result, the control unit reduces the operation amount of the electric actuator in a predetermined range of the rotation angle of a camshaft.
US09046007B2
A camless engine operating system that includes an inlet valve switch configured to detect rotational movement of an inlet valve power disc and to output an inlet actuator voltage. A voltage level of the inlet actuator voltage is synchronous with the rotational movement of the inlet valve power disc. An inlet valve is movable to open and close an intake port of a combustion chamber. An inlet valve mechanical force moves the inlet valve to open the intake port. An inlet actuator is configured to exert the inlet valve mechanical force onto the inlet valve. The inlet actuator voltage received by the inlet actuator controls the inlet actuator to exert the inlet valve mechanical force onto the inlet valve.
US09046000B2
The present invention relates to systems and methods for real-time health monitoring of engines to monitor turbomachinery blades during engine operation and report anomalous behavior and shape of the blades if it occurs, such as damage by FOD. The system includes sensor(s) for obtaining a blade reflection profile from a blade passing by the sensor(s) during a revolution of the rotor in combination with a processor for performing timing calculations and/or fingerprint comparisons with reference data to identify a change in blade fingerprint relative to the reference data, which may indicate blade damage. Such systems can reduce operational costs, enhance safety and improve operational readiness by facilitating condition-based maintenance of engine rotors as opposed to schedule-based solutions. The invention can prevent the needless loss of life and assets caused by undetected minor levels of blade damage that may lead to unexpected catastrophic failure of an engine.
US09045991B2
A composite aerofoil, the aerofoil having a leading edge, a trailing edge a pressure side and a suction side and comprising an outer erosion protection layer along one or both of the pressure side or suction side, a structural core having a plurality of resin impregnated plies of unidirectional fibers, and between the outer erosion protection layer and the structural core a woven composite impregnated with a resin having a modulus of elasticity greater than that of the resin impregnating the plies in the structural core.
US09045971B2
A subsea system for intervention or deployment comprising a spool (9, 109) adapted for mounting subsea, a carrier (4, 4, 5′, 34, 104) adapted for suspension from a surface vessel or platform, a guide line (8, 108) wound on the spool, the free end of the guide line connected to the carrier and means (11) for driving the spool in one direction to pay out a length of guide line as the distance between the spool and the carrier is increased and in the other direction to reel in the length of guide line as the distance between the spool and the carrier decreases.
US09045963B2
An isolation device for a frac plug, the isolation device including a ball seat having a seating surface and a ball configured to contact the seating surface, wherein a profile of the seating surface corresponds to a profile of the ball. A frac plug including a mandrel having an upper end and a lower end, a sealing element disposed around the mandrel, and a ball seat disposed within a central bore of the mandrel, wherein the ball seat includes a seating surface having a non-linear profile. A method of isolating zones of a production formation, the method including setting a frac plug between a first zone and a second zone, disposing a ball within the frac plug, and seating a ball in a ball seat of the frac plug, the ball seat including a seating surface having a profile that substantially corresponds to the profile of the ball.
US09045950B2
A laser alignment device for a drill rig having an elongate drill rod, the laser alignment device including a head unit having at least a pair of laser emitting devices mounted independently to one another thereon, each of the laser devices movable in one plane only and oriented in substantially opposite directions to one another, an attachment means to attach the head unit to a drill rig and a length adjustable assembly to adjust the separation distance between the head unit and the drill rod, wherein the alignment device is used to align at least the azimuth of the drill rod relative to survey marks.
US09045948B2
A drilling installation for drilling a well, for example an oil, a gas, or a thermal well, includes a tower structure, a first hoisting device adapted to manipulate a first object in a first firing line in the longitudinal direction of the tower structure, a second hoisting device adapted to manipulate a second object in a second firing line in the longitudinal direction of the tower structure, a storage device for vertically storing tubular elements, such as joined tubulars, and a first pipe racker for moving tubular elements between the storage device and the first firing line. The first and second firing line are located outside the tower structure.
US09045940B2
A paint can shelf attaches to a sliding extension ladder fly section. The shelf includes two parallel arms which reach through hollow rungs of the sliding extension ladder fly section, whereby the shelf is raised and lowered with the sliding extension ladder fly section. Slides are attached to the arms on each side of the sliding extension ladder fly section and include low friction surfaces facing the fixed extension ladder section. The slides allow somewhat loose tolerances in the engagement of the arms with the ladder preventing the ladder sections from binding when the ladder is extended or lowered.
US09045938B2
A system for assembly between a connecting element and at least one cavity positioned on a surface portion situated on an edge face of a substrate, particularly made of a fragile material of glass type. The connecting element is configured to be accommodated in the cavity that has curved and retaining walls, the cavity being made at the edge face of the substrate.
US09045936B2
Disclosed is a safety window for hurricane protection and crime prevention. According to an embodiment of the inventive concept, the safety window for hurricane protection and crime prevention includes: an external frame which has a window shape and is installed in a window frame of a wall of a building; an internal frame which is coupled to the external frame; and a protection screen which comprises a plurality of holes to prevent an outsider from trespassing but allow air to pass therethrough, couples with the external and internal frames, and protects a window.
US09045932B2
A hole seal is disclosed including a cover having a body with an inner surface and an outer surface and an end portion attached to a first end of the body. The inner surface of the body includes a threaded portion, and the outer surface of the body includes an annular array of ribs disposed thereon. Each of the ribs has a predefined collapsible direction. The end portion includes a seal disposed on a peripheral edge of the end portion. The hole seal further includes a cap having an inner member and an outer portion. The inner member includes a threaded portion that is configured to cooperate with the threaded portion of the inner surface of the body.
US09045930B2
An electric circuit with speed control and diode separation for use with an electrically actuatable mechanism. An operator input provides a signal to a controller of the electric circuit. The controller causes a MOSFET relay to provide a voltage to the electrically actuatable mechanism. The relay is adapted to vary the voltage in response to pulse width modified signals from the controller.
US09045929B2
An open-close member control apparatus is to prevent a foreign matter from being trapped to a window glass serving as an open-close member that is driven to open by manipulation of a manipulation switch. When a trapping detection section determines that the foreign matter is trapped to the window glass, power supply to a driving device is stopped to stop opening of the window glass. Then, it is determined whether a predetermined condition is satisfied for approving re-open of the window glass. When the predetermined condition is satisfied, the power supply to the driving device is re-started. Opening of the window glass is thereby enabled again.
US09045925B2
In the device structure with adaptor for fixing of the same to a base for fixing a hinge to a piece of furniture, the adaptor comprises a longitudinal box-shaped element to accommodate the device and means projecting laterally from the box-shaped element for fixing the box-shaped element laterally to the base.
US09045923B2
A storage product carrier for a storage rack includes a plurality of carrier supports spaced one above the other, arranged in pairs on opposite side walls of the storage rack and able to support the storage product carrier which is conveyable by an automatic storage/retrieval device and an access opening for accessing the storage product carriers has a plurality of compartments having openings. A closure is provided to cover at least one of the openings, wherein a locking mechanism is provided to lock the closure of the associated openings and wherein the locking mechanism can be controlled to lock the closure in a closed position or an open position such that the compartment becomes accessible.
US09045921B2
Described herein is a method for operating a hatch arrangement of a motor vehicle wherein a motor vehicle lock is controlled by means of a control arrangement in a relatch routine in such a way that a renewed latch state (a relatch state) is avoided or cancelled within a predetermined relatch time interval after the releasing process, and wherein in a relatch monitoring process the control arrangement monitors whether a relatch indication, in particular a relatch state, occurs within the predetermined relatch time interval after the releasing process and only then is the relatch routine triggered.
US09045919B2
A pneumatic door system and a method of using the same are disclosed herein. According to one embodiment, a trailer may include a seamless main door and at least one side door. The doors may be configured to be locked shut with a system of pneumatic locks. The main door may be configured to open and close as controlled by pneumatic pressure applied to a door cylinder. The pneumatic system may be configured to be controlled by an interior control box. The pneumatic system may be configured to operate off of pneumatic pressure in an auxiliary air tank, the pressure being protected by a series of one-way check valves. The pneumatic system may also be configured to operate wirelessly using RFID or Bluetooth technology, among other things, to secure the cargo and facilitate ingress and egress to the trailer.
US09045914B2
A net for use with a pool cleaning system includes a net material portion and a frame body. The frame body has a flexible inner frame portion providing structural support but deformable when pressed against a surface, and an outer, flexible rim portion that is more malleable than the flexible inner frame portion and configured to provide a flexible rim edge for scooping.
US09045912B2
A waler and strongback bracket used clamp a waler and strongback to the face of a concrete wall form. The bracket consists of a metal body with a vertical surface for attachment to the wall form, a horizontal surface for supporting the waler, a vertical surface for the strongback and a cam that when rotated locks both the waler and strongback against the concrete wall form.
US09045900B2
Structurally-glazed curtain wall or store front wall systems can include fire-rated glazing units coupled together by a framing system. The framing system include a plurality of uninsulated vertical mullions with a roll-formed steel profile. The roll-formed steel profile can form a first wall portion and two projecting wall portions that extend from the first wall portion in a generally perpendicular manner.
US09045885B2
A combination swivel spray aerator includes a stem that defines an inlet port for supplying water. The stem includes a neck and a swivel connector that is provided at one end of the stem. A spray head is coupled to the swivel connector in a swiveling manner. The spray head includes a housing and a swivel seal that seals between the housing and the swivel connector. A shroud is coupled to the stem for hiding at least the neck of the stem from view in order to provide a clean appearance. The swivel spray aerator further includes a diverter that switches between spray and aeration modes regardless which direction the spray head is rotated. A gimbal mechanism in the spray head allows the spray head to twist without requiring excessive swiveling friction.
US09045882B2
A working machine (10) includes a body (11) having a front end (12) and a rear end (13), and a ground engaging propulsion structure (15) whereby the machine (10) may be driven over the ground, a loading arm assembly (25) which includes a loading arm (26) which is mounted at one end (26a) relative to the body (11) and which extends forwardly at or towards one side of the body (11), beyond the front end (12) of the body (11), to a second end (26b) where there is amounting for a working implement (35), the loading arm assembly (25) including a first link (28) which is pivotally connected at or adjacent the one end (26a) of the loading arm (26) and also to the body (11) at a first mounting position (27), and a second link (32) which is pivotally connected to the arm (26) between the first and second ends (26a, 26b) of the arm (26), and to the body at a second mounting position (36) which is forwards of the first mounting position (27), and the machine (10) including an actuator (40) which acts between the loading arm (26) and the body (11) to raise and lower the loading arm (26) relative to the body (11).
US09045880B2
There is provided a split-flow hydraulic pump-equipped operating machine. The travel independent valve is designed to be switched to the merging position in the case of driving the front working device without actuation of the travel device or in the case of driving the travel device and the front working device concurrently, and switched to the independently feeding position in the case of driving the travel device without actuation of the front working device. The load sensing system controls the discharge flow rate of the hydraulic pump on the basis of a pressure difference between the discharge pressure of the hydraulic pump and the maximum load pressure of the hydraulic actuator in any of the case of driving the travel device, the case of driving the front working device, and the case of driving both the travel device and the front working device.
US09045878B2
A post-tensioned concrete cap foundation has helical anchors with pipes having several helical discs welded around the pipe perimeter to spin drill deep into subsurface soils or other soft materials with holes in the pipe for high pressure-grouting in place. The helical anchor pipes include a tensioning element for pulling and post-tensioning the helical anchor. The helical anchors are tension anchors which can be converted to compression anchors. The helical anchors in tension serve to pull the foundation cap down to compress the underlying soil while the compression anchors limit the maximum settlement of the concrete foundation cap. The foundation also includes perimeter-forming and interior corrugated metal pipes with upper and lower sleeved horizontally extending radial bolts that are secured to the pipes and post-tensioned to provide lateral foundation compression.
US09045872B2
An exchangeable sweeping brush device for a carrier vehicle is provided. The device has at least one sweeping brush which is rotationally drivable about an almost vertically oriented axis of rotation of the brush and is held on a supporting frame, the supporting frame being detachably connectable to a supporting fork of the carrier vehicle, which is pivotable about a first horizontal pivot axis oriented transversely to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The supporting frame comprises a first supporting assembly on which the at least one sweeping brush is rotatably mounted, and a second supporting assembly which is detachably connectable to the supporting fork, the first supporting assembly being connected to the second supporting assembly for pivotal movement about a second horizontal pivot axis and being detachably connectable to the carrier vehicle by at least one tension member. A sweeper having such a sweeping brush device is also proposed.
US09045868B2
A molded flexible tool for use in stamping a pattern into a base material, such as concrete, that has integrally formed segments defining openings to form grout lines in the base material. The flexible tool can be folded or rolled for storage and easily and quickly unrolled for deployment, use, and then cleaned and refolded or rolled for storage.
US09045865B2
A polymer grouting method for uplifting a ballastless track of a high-speed rail includes following steps of: (1) drilling grouting holes; (2) manufacturing geo-textile bags and binding the grouting pipes up with the geo-textile bags; (3) tying up the geo-textile bags; (4) displacing the geo-textile bags; (5) grouting two-component expansive polymer materials into the geo-textile bags; (6) uplifting the track; (7) grouting two-component expansive polymer materials for filling; and (8) monitoring amount of the uplifting, wherein a vertically uplifting height is monitored in real time by a laser level, and the grouting is quit if the vertically uplifting height meets uplifting requirements.
US09045861B2
A precipitated carbonate polysaccharide structure which, when used as a filler, improves the structural strength of paper or board, or gypsum boards, plastics or gums, among others, as well as the stiffness level and optical properties (brightness and opacity) of the paper or board, together or separately with other fillers; carbonates, in particular. The invention further improves the setting of printing ink on the surface of the paper or board. The invention also includes the manufacturing method of the precipitated carbonate polysaccharide structure.
US09045860B2
A sheet manufacturing apparatus includes a defibrating unit configured to defibrate stock material in a dry process, a transferring tube configured to transfer the stock material to the defibrating unit, and a magnet unit arranged such that a magnetic surface is exposed an inside of the transferring tube without being protruded inner than an inner surface of the transferring tube.
US09045852B2
A washing machine and a washing control method of the same capable of controlling a degree of application of the machine force at every temperature step according to the selected washing course based on information, such as the amount of load detected in the beginning of washing and the amount of wash water detected by the rise change of the wash water temperature during washing, thereby reducing damage to laundry during washing and accomplishing optimal washing efficiency. The washing control method includes detecting wash water temperature and controlling a motor operation rate or a washing time based on the detected wash water temperature.
US09045851B2
A method of operating a laundry treating appliance by capturing and reusing at least a portion of the liquid supplied during a cycle of operation.
US09045845B2
A composite yarn for technical or industrial use, particularly suitable for textile webs, is uniformly coated with a polymer and exhibits improved fir behavior and improved resistance to sheath stripping. The yarn may be obtained by a process where a continuous yarn, obtained by spinning a large number of fibers, such as about 100 to 600 fibers made of an organic or inorganic material, of a suitable yarn diameter, such as between about 1 to 10 micrometers, is subjected to a process for mechanically opening the yarn by splaying, to uniformly spread out and separate the fibers, including inner layers of the fibers, without impairing functional properties of the yarn, simultaneously with or prior to coating of the fibers by a polymer material having a viscosity between 1000 and 10,000 mPa·s, and formed to have a circular cross-section and uniformly distributed fibers throughout the cross-section of the polymer material to limit desheathing of the yarn.
US09045831B2
A dry etching method for forming tungsten wiring having a tapered shape and having a large specific selectivity with respect to a base film is provided. If the bias power density is suitably regulated, and if desired portions of a tungsten thin film are removed using an etching gas having fluorine as its main constituent, then the tungsten wiring having a desired taper angle can be formed.
US09045826B2
In a thin film deposition apparatus and a thin film deposition method using the same, a first spraying unit and a second spraying unit which are separately driven are prepared, the first spraying unit is driven to sequentially spray a first deposition source and an inert gas onto a substrate, a chamber is exhausted to remove, from the chamber, excess first deposition sources that are not adsorbed onto the substrate from the chamber, a second spraying unit is driven to sequentially spray a second deposition source and an inert gas onto the substrate, and the chamber is exhausted to remove, from the chamber, excess second deposition sources that are not adsorbed onto the substrate. When the thin film deposition method is used, the unintended generation of microparticles during deposition is sufficiently suppressed.
US09045825B2
Provided are a semiconductor device manufacturing method and a substrate processing apparatus that are capable of increasing a work function of a film to be formed, in comparison with a related art. A cycle including (a) supplying a metal-containing gas into a processing chamber where a substrate is accommodated (b) supplying a nitrogen-containing gas into the processing chamber; and (c) supplying one of an oxygen-containing gas, a halogen-containing gas and a combination thereof into the processing chamber, is performed a plurality of times to form a metal-containing film on the substrate.
US09045823B2
Provided is a sintered oxide compact target for sputtering comprising indium (In), gallium (Ga), zinc (Zn), oxygen (O) and unavoidable impurities, wherein the composition ratio of the respective elements satisfies the Formula of InxGayZnzOa {wherein 0.2≦x/(x+y)≦0.8, 0.1≦z/(x+y+z)≦0.5, a=(3/2)x+(3/2)y+z}, and the number of ZnGa2O4 spinel phases having a grain size of 3 μm or larger existing in a 90 μm×90 μm area range of the sintered oxide compact target is 10 or less. With this sintered oxide compact target for sputtering comprising In, Ga, Zn, O and unavoidable impurities, the structure of the sintered compact target is improved, the formation of a phase to become the source of nodules is minimized, and the bulk resistance value is reduced. Whereby provided is a high density IGZO target capable of inhibiting abnormal discharge and which can be used in DC sputtering.
US09045820B2
A deposition mask comprises: a mask frame having an open window defined in a center thereof, and including a first aperture and a second aperture formed in outer surfaces thereof, and a first connecting passage formed therein for spatially connecting the first aperture to the second aperture; and a mask sheet placed on the mask frame; wherein a surface of the mask frame faces the mask sheet and includes a fixing region fixed to the mask sheet; and wherein the first aperture is located in a region of the surface on a side of the fixing region which is close to the open window.
US09045803B2
The present invention provides methods, kits, and oligonucleotides for detecting and analyzing the nucleotide sequence of a reverse transcriptase (RT) region of the polymerase (Pol) gene of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV). In certain embodiments, a target RT region is amplified and subjected to DNA sequencing. The sequence obtained is compared to one or more DNA sequences characteristic of an HBV genotype or serotype, and/or one or more DNA sequences characteristic of an HBV mutation that confers resistance to a drug or vaccine, to determine the HBV genotype or serotype of the amplified product and/or the presence or absence of one or more DNA sequences characteristic of an HBV mutation that confers resistance to a drug or vaccine.
US09045802B2
Methods for detecting cancer that include hybridizing a set of chromosomal probes to a biological sample obtained from a patient, and identifying if aneusomic cells are present in a selected subset of cells obtained from the biological sample are described. A set of chromosomal probes and kits for detecting cancer that include sets of chromosomal probes, are also described.
US09045797B2
Disclosed is a method of amplifying a polynucleotide, comprising: (a) mixing primers for amplifying the polynucleotide, a polymerase, nucleotide substrates and a template polynucleotide, and (b) amplifying the polynucleotide by polymerase reaction, wherein the polymerase has an amino acid sequence consisting of SEQ ID NO:1 or an amino acid sequence with at least 85% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:1, and an amino acid residue corresponding to, or at position 651 of the amino acid sequence has been replaced with glutamic acid.
US09045790B2
An analysis device is disclosed which includes an electron detection medium to obtain information needed for analyzing an analyte in correlation with an electron transfer level, and a reagent part which is disposed on the electron detection medium and includes an electron transporting substance to transport electrons between the analyte and the electron detection medium, the electron transporting substance including a water-soluble aromatic heterocycle compound, and being free of a metal complex. An analysis method using the analysis device is also disclosed.
US09045777B2
The present invention relates to a pol I promoter derived from Vero cells and a recombinant vector containing the same. When the pol I promoter derived from Vero cells according to the present invention is utilized, viruses can be manufactured efficiently, and consequently, the manufacture of both seasonal influenza vaccine and pandemic vaccine can be prepared more quickly to usefully address either situation.
US09045771B1
A novel sorghum variety designated PHBKSCBJIT and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a plant that comprise crossing sorghum variety PHBKSCBJIT with another plant. Methods for producing a plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PHBKSCBJIT through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the sorghum seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. Hybrid sorghum seed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the sorghum variety PHBKSCBJIT or a locus conversion of PHBKSCBJIT with another sorghum variety.
US09045770B1
A novel sorghum variety designated PHNOOQFKE and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a plant that comprise crossing sorghum variety PHNOOQFKE with another plant. Methods for producing a plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PHNOOQFKE through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the sorghum seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. Hybrid sorghum seed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the sorghum variety PHNOOQFKE or a locus conversion of PHNOOQFKE with another sorghum variety.
US09045769B1
A novel sorghum variety designated PHO17QMIT and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a plant that comprise crossing sorghum variety PHO17QMIT with another plant. Methods for producing a plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PHO17QMIT through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the sorghum seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. Hybrid sorghum seed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the sorghum variety PHO17QMIT or a locus conversion of PHO17QMIT with another sorghum variety.
US09045760B2
Gene sequences of key acetogenic clostridial species were sequenced and isolated. Genes of interest were identified, and functionality was established. Key genes of interest for metabolic catalyzing activity in clostridial species include a three-gene operon coding for CODH activity, a two-gene operon coding for PTA-ACK, and a novel acetyl coenzyme A reductase. The promoter regions of the two operons and the acetyl coA reductase are manipulated to increase ethanol production.
US09045756B2
Aptamers and improved aptamers are provided with enhanced efficacy for binding to target molecules in vivo or for treating cancer or other diseases. Such improvements in aptamers are provided that enhance in vivo efficacy such as binding to the target molecule or enhancing anti-cancer activity. Such improvements also include stability to serum nucleases, reduced binding to a soluble form of the target molecule, increased avidity, affinity or specificity to the target molecule on a cell surface, increased lifetime in circulation, or any combination of the foregoing. Improvements are provided by truncation, multimerization, including at least one non-natural nucleic acid, adding a 3′ or 5′ polyethylene glycol, or any combination thereof. Aptamers for treatment of autoimmune diseases are also provided.
US09045743B2
The present invention deals with the proteolytic enzyme thermolysin which tends to be unstable in aqueous solution. The invention provides methods and compositions to enhance the stability of dissolved thermolysin in aqueous solution. Thermolysin, crude thermolysin or a lyophilizate containing thermolysin and one or more salts, is contacted with an aqueous buffer with a low salt concentration and a first solution is formed. Subsequently, a further salt in solid form is added and dissociated, thereby forming a second solution comprising thermolysin in a stabilized form.
US09045742B2
The present invention encompasses a recombinant Edwardsiella bacterium, and compositions and methods of use thereof.
US09045736B2
The present disclosure relates to compositions and methods comprising cell surface markers for hES-derived cells, in particular, endoderm lineage cells including pancreatic endoderm-type cells, derived from hES cells.
US09045733B2
A method of increasing the rate of growth, useful product production, or protein expression of a microorganism includes the step of exposing the microorganism to ultrasound having a frequency greater than about 1 MHz.
US09045732B2
This invention relates to methods for improved cell-based therapies for retinal degeneration and for differentiating human embryonic stem cells and human embryo-derived into retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells and other retinal progenitor cells.
US09045729B2
Embodiments of the invention include compositions and methods related to Maraba virus and their use as anti-cancer therapeutics. Such rhabdoviruses possess tumor cell killing properties in vitro and in vivo.
US09045728B2
Provided herein are liquid viral formulations useful for the stabilization and storage of viruses and methods of preparing these formulations. The liquid viral formulations described herein include a virus (e.g., a purified virus) and a non-viral composition including excipients and a liquid carrier. The formulations can be used, for example, to retain the infectivity or immunogenicity of viruses during periods of storage.
US09045726B2
After culturing blood, a culture liquid determined as positive is transplanted into a plate medium and a bacterial cell suspension that is directly usable for identifying and testing antibiotics-sensitivity is prepared without forming colonies. Provided are a device for automatically analyzing microorganisms and a method therefor whereby blood culture and an identification and antibiotics-sensitivity test can be continuously operated. A device for automatically analyzing microorganisms which is configured so that a blood culture test and an identification and antibiotics-sensitivity test can be automatically and continuously conducted, wherein means for pretreating a cultured blood sample comprises a mechanism for removing culture liquid components in the course of the blood culture and a mechanism for controlling the microbial concentration (bacterial cell count) to a constant level after the blood culture.
US09045725B2
The present invention relates to a process and apparatus for purifying a molecule of interest from a heterogeneous clarified fluid mixture. The apparatus of the invention generally comprises a continuous perfusion fermentation system, a continuous particle removal system integrated with the perfusion fermentation system; and a continuous purification system integrated with the particle removal system, which is maintained under sterile conditions. The process comprises filtering a heterogeneous clarified fluid mixture by continuous ultrafiltration at a specific flow rate below the transition point of the molecule of interest in the pressure-dependent region of the flux versus TMP curve, wherein the specific flow rate is maintained substantially constant throughout the continuous ultrafiltration.
US09045722B2
A mixing system has a container with flexible walls (1), a fluid-tight drive space (6) and a mixing device. The container with flexible walls (1) has at least one head plate (5). The fluid-tight drive space (6) is outside of the container interior (2), and is enclosed by the head plate (5) and a cap (7) attached to the head plate (5). The mixing device has a stirrer shaft (3), onto which stirrer elements (4, 4′) are attached. The stirrer shaft (3) is guided from the container interior (2) through an opening in the head plate (5) and the section of the stirrer shaft (3) in the drive space (6) is guided by bearings (9, 10). A seal (8) is fit into the opening of the head plate, and encloses the stirrer shaft (3) and seals the container interior (2) from the drive space (6).
