US09754623B2

A system and method for interactive printed media are disclosed in which a mobile or wearable computing device has an application that captures an image of a piece of printed media and associates a link to the piece of printed media using a backend component to make the piece of printed media interactive. The system and method may be used to generate a piece of printed media that is interactive that may be sent to third parties or to make an existing piece of printed media interactive.
US09754614B1

A plasmon generator includes: a first portion formed of a first metal material and including a front end face configured to generate near-field light; a second portion formed of a second metal material and located at a distance from the front end face; and a heat sink layer formed of a third metal material, located at a distance from the front end face and interposed between the first portion and the second portion. The second metal material is lower in Vickers hardness and higher in thermal conductivity than the first metal material. The third metal material has a thermal conductivity higher than that of each of the first and second metal materials, and has a Vickers hardness lower than that of the first metal material and higher than that of the second metal material.
US09754613B2

A method and system provide a magnetic transducer having an air-bearing surface (ABS). The method includes providing a first shield, a first read sensor, an antiferromagnetically coupled (AFC) shield that includes an antiferromagnet, a second read sensor and a second shield. The read sensors are between the first and second shields. The AFC shield is between the read sensors. An optional anneal for the first shield is in a magnetic field at a first angle from the ABS. Anneals for the first and second read sensors are in magnetic fields in desired first and second read sensor bias directions. The AFC shield anneal is in a magnetic field at a third angle from the ABS. The second shield anneal is in a magnetic field at a fifth angle from the ABS. The fifth angle is selected based on a thickness and a desired AFC shield bias direction for the antiferromagnet.
US09754607B2

An acoustic-scene interpretation apparatus can have a transducer configured to convert an acoustic signal to a corresponding electrical signal. A feature extractor can receive a sequence of frames representing the electrical signal and extract a plurality of acoustic features corresponding to each frame. An acoustic-scene classifier can be configured to determine a most-likely acoustic state for each frame in the sequence of frames in correspondence with the respective plurality of acoustic features corresponding to the frame and a selected probability distribution of duration of an acoustic state for each of one or more classes of acoustic scenes. Each respective probability distribution of duration can correspond to a selected class of acoustic scenes. The correspondence between acoustic state and probability distribution of duration can be learned from training data corresponding to each of a plurality of classes of acoustic scenes. Related methods also are disclosed.
US09754601B2

A very coarse quantization exceeding the measure determined by the masking threshold without or only very little quality losses is enabled by quantizing not immediately the prefiltered signal, but a prediction error obtained by forward-adaptive prediction of the prefiltered signal. Due to the forward adaptivity, the quantizing error has no negative effect on the prediction on the decoder side.
US09754599B2

The present technology relates to an encoder and an encoding method, a decoder and a decoding method, and a program by which encoding efficiency is able to be improved by constraining an appearance probability of a predetermined quantization value of an encoding target to 0 when encoding with a combination of Huffman encoding and multidimensional encoding is performed.
US09754577B2

The invention relates to an acoustic device capable of producing active noise reduction, which may be positioned on the head of a user, comprising at least one microphone capable of sensing a sound signal representative of ambient noise, including at least one active noise reduction acoustic module comprising an osteophonic transducer, capable of being positioned on a side flank of the head of the user and of transmitting a vibratory signal transformed by bone conduction into an acoustic signal which may be perceived by the user, connected to said microphone, while said at least one acoustic module includes an electronic circuit capable of generating a vibratory signal giving the possibility of attenuating perception of said ambient noise by the user.
US09754575B2

An area-sound reproduction system includes a speaker array in which a plurality of speakers are linearly arranged side by side, a sound collector that collects an environment sound in an environment where the area-sound reproduction system is installed, and a processor that adjusts reproduced sounds that the plurality of speakers are caused to output, based on a control line, and causes the area-sound reproduction system to output the reproduced sounds, the control line being set at a position substantially in parallel with the speaker array and apart from the speaker array by a predetermined distance, and including a reproduction line in which sound waves emitted from the speaker array constructively interfere with each other and a non-reproduction line in which the sound waves destructively interfere with each other, in which the processor measures a noise level from the collected environment sound, and adjusts the reproduced sounds, at each frequency, such that a sound pressure of the reproduced sound reaching the reproduction line on the control line exceeds the noise level, and a sound pressure of the reproduced sound reaching the non-reproduction line on the control line does not exceed the noise level.
US09754570B2

A music composition, editing, and playback system and method provides a user interface design based on geometric interpretation of music theory replacing traditional modern music notation with geometric shapes including chords represented by polygons that are colored with colors or hues.
US09754566B2

An apparatus for connecting drum pedals for a musical drum set is provided. The apparatus may include an outer tube having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the outer rod having a polygon-shaped channel extending therethrough, the distal end of the outer tube being coupled with a first drum pedal; an inner rod having a polygonal cross-section, a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the inner rod being slidably received through the polygon-shaped channel at the proximal end of the outer tube, the distal end of the inner rod being coupled with a first drum beater; and a quick-release mechanism coupled to the proximal end of the outer tube configured to releasably engage the outer tube with the inner rod.
US09754565B2

A saxophone neck system uses interchangeable component parts to modify and optimize sound and resistance. The saxophone neck system may allow a saxophone player the ability to change components to achieve variations in sound and to use the components with various manufacturers' instruments and mouthpieces. With the use of various internal shapes and dimensions placed in a specific combination, the player can create a desired sound. Additionally, the saxophone neck system may eliminate neck cork compression discrepancies from different manufacturers by offering different diameters of the body of the initiator portion of the saxophone neck system to fit any saxophone mouthpiece.
US09754564B2

An improved stringed instrument pick having a two-piece configuration including a holding device having a finger hole associated therewith and a pick member selectively engageable with the holding device, the pick member having a first playing surface and a second playing surface joined together at a joinder edge so as to form a V-shaped configuration. The first and second playing surfaces include first and second prong members respectively for engaging corresponding slots associated with the holding device. The pick member is selectively engageable with the holding device such that a user can use a differently angled or sized pick member with the same holding device depending upon the particular stringed instrument being played and/or to achieve a particular style or sound. As such, the present pick provides multiple playing surfaces which can be utilized in a wide variety of different ways to play a particular stringed instrument.
US09754561B2

One embodiment of the present invention includes a memory management unit (MMU) that is configured to manage sparse mappings. The MMU processes requests to translate virtual addresses to physical addresses based on page table entries (PTEs) that indicate a sparse status. If the MMU determines that the PTE does not include a mapping from a virtual address to a physical address, then the MMU responds to the request based on the sparse status. If the sparse status is active, then the MMU determines the physical address based on whether the type of the request is a write operation and, subsequently, generates an acknowledgement of the request. By contrast, if the sparse status is not active, then the MMU generates a page fault. Advantageously, the disclosed embodiments enable the computer system to manage sparse mappings without incurring the performance degradation associated with both page faults and conventional software-based sparse mapping management.
US09754560B2

The instant application discloses receiving a command via a processor to initiate a window creation operation on a client computing device, retrieving at least one image tile pre-allocated in a memory of the client computing device, performing a draw operation that places at least one image overplayed onto the at least one image tile and displaying the image overplayed onto the at least one image tile on a display of the client computing device.
US09754551B2

A display panel and a method of driving the same are disclosed. The display panel includes a shift register with a plurality of stages configured to shift and to output a scan pulse for a plurality of scan lines. Each stage includes a pull-up transistor and a pull-down transistor coupled in series and defining an output node therebetween, a driver with a first node coupled to a gate electrode of the pull-up transistor and a second node coupled to a gate electrode of the pull-down transistor; and a node controller coupled to the first node, the second node, and the output node. In each stage, the node controller is configured to selectively apply a reference voltage at the first node and the second node in response to a control signal.
US09754550B1

One or more resistors or resistances are integrated in a 7-bit DVR or PVCOM integrated circuit. A 7-bit DVR or PVCOM integrated circuit includes a 7-bit DAC. The integrated resistors or resistances (R1, R2, or RSET, or any combination) reduces the number of external components, reduces the number of pins, and increases the accuracy of the DVR or PVCOM circuit. The least significant bit (LSB) of the DAC depends only on ratios of internal resistors, which can be made very accurate and independent of temperature.
US09754546B2

A display panel driving apparatus includes a load controlling circuit, a data driver and a gate driver. The load controlling circuit is connected to a control line transferring a recovery timing control signal for controlling recovery of a clock signal from a display signal including image data and the clock signal, and is configured to control a load of the control line according to a glitch level of the recovery timing control signal. The data driver is configured to receive the display signal, receive the recovery timing control signal through a connection to the control line, recover the clock signal from the display signal according to the recovery timing control signal, and output a data signal based on the image data to a data line of a display panel.
US09754533B2

An organic light-emitting display apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes an organic light-emitting diode emitting visible light, a driving thin film transistor driving the organic light-emitting diode, and a compensation thin film transistor. The compensation thin film transistor includes a compensation gate electrode, a compensation semiconductor layer, a compensation source electrode, and a compensation drain electrode. The compensation gate electrode includes a first gate electrode, and a second gate electrode electrically connected to the first gate electrode. The compensation drain electrode is electrically connected to the driving gate electrode of the driving thin film transistor. The compensation semiconductor layer includes a first semiconductor region overlapping the first gate electrode and a second semiconductor region overlapping the second gate electrode and disposed further from the compensation drain electrode than the first semiconductor region, and an area of the first semiconductor region is less than that of the second semiconductor region.
US09754530B2

A display device includes a display panel, a power supply, and a driving circuit. The display panel includes a plurality of pixels. The power supply is configured to supply a first power voltage and a second power voltage to the display panel. The driving circuit is configured to determine, based on a viewing angle information signal, whether to operate the display device in a general mode or a low power mode. If the display device is operated in the low power mode, the driving circuit is further configured to deactivate the power supply, and supply a first subsidiary power voltage and a second subsidiary power voltage to the display panel.
US09754525B2

A display panel and a driving method thereof and a display device are disclosed, and the display panel includes two sets of pixel driving circuits; and, for every two adjacent pixel columns for each primary color, an operating voltage line for one pixel column is connected to a first set of pixel driving circuits via a connection point located at a side of a pixel array where the pixels in the first row of a pixel array are located, and an operating voltage line for the other pixel column which is connected to the second set of pixel driving circuits via a connection point located at a side of the pixel array where the pixels in the last row of the pixel array are located. The display panel can ensure the uniformity of the display luminance of the whole display panel.
US09754522B2

A display device includes a curvature-variable display panel including a plurality of pixels; a controller configured to correct and output an image signal supplied from the outside according to a radius of curvature of the display panel; a data driver configured to supply a data signal corresponding to the corrected image signal to a data line connected to the pixel; and a scan driver configured to supply a scan signal synchronized with the data signal to a scan line connected to the pixel. The controller may include a curvature detector configured to detect the radius of curvature of the display panel and a lookup table generator configured to generate a correction lookup table according to the radius of curvature of the display panel.
US09754519B2

A street sign assembly is fabricated from a composite material having at least one panel for displaying indicia such as street names. Electrical conductors are embedded into the panel to permit attachment and electrical coupling of an integrated power supply module, lights and other electrical devices thereto. The integrated power supply module includes a solar panel and battery in a single weatherproof enclosure that is attachable to the panel. The battery is recharged by the solar panel and power is provided from the module through electrical leads that contact the embedded electrical conductors in the panel.
US09754518B2

Display module mounting apparatus and methods provide mounting features enabling ease of installation and service. The apparatus may have one or more releasable frame couplers and pivoting releasable frame couplers coupled to a display module having a display plane defined in relation to a substrate. One or more adjustable linkages may adjustably define a standoff distance between the display plane and a support frame to which the module may be mounted by the mounting apparatus. Concave and convex adjustments to the display plane may be made. Operation of pivoting action to tilt the display plane enables installation, removal, and serviceability of large displays constructed with a tiled plurality of display modules.
US09754514B2

An adjustable friction joint assembly for a crash test dummy includes a first joint member for connection to a first member of the crash test dummy and a second joint member for connection to a second member of the crash test dummy. The adjustable friction joint assembly also includes a shaft operatively connected to the first joint member and the second joint member to allow rotation therebetween. The adjustable friction joint assembly further includes an adjustable friction assembly operatively connected to the shaft and operatively cooperating with the first joint member and the second joint member to adjust a friction tightness of the joint assembly.
US09754509B2

A real-time virtual reality welding system including a programmable processor-based subsystem, a spatial tracker operatively connected to the programmable processor-based subsystem, at least one mock welding tool capable of being spatially tracked by the spatial tracker, and at least one display device operatively connected to the programmable processor-based subsystem. The system is capable of simulating, in virtual reality space, a weld puddle having real-time molten metal fluidity and heat dissipation characteristics. The system is further capable of importing data into the virtual reality welding system and analyzing the data to characterize a student welder's progress and to provide training.
US09754508B2

The invention provides a computerized method and system for processing a food recipe. After a user utilizes an electronic device to indicate a recipe of interest, the invention identifies ingredients in the recipe, and provides a user with displayable information related to the ingredients. One or more functions are provided for a user to select from: altering the number of food servings for the recipe; toggling between metric and US measurements listed in the recipe; receiving a displayed dietary label for the food produced by said recipe.
US09754500B2

One or more embodiments of techniques or systems for curriculum assessment are provided herein. One or more assessments can be generated. For example, an assessment can be generated based on one or more forms. In this way, assessments can be created in a structured manner and distributed accordingly. One or more of the assessments may be administered. After one or more students or test takers take the assessments, one or more of the assessments can be analyzed or aggregated. Analysis can include statistical analysis related to one or more similar, related, or associated assessments. In this manner, curriculum assessment can be provided, thereby enhancing teaching efficiency and productivity, etc.
US09754498B2

A system for navigating an aircraft includes a first aircraft with a first communication unit and a second aircraft with a second communication unit. The first aircraft is adapted for determining coordinates of a position of a waypoint. The first communication unit is adapted to transmit the coordinates of the position of the waypoint to the second communication unit. The second aircraft is adapted to navigate to the position of the waypoint. Several waypoints can be provided in this manner such that a flight trajectory is established along which the second aircraft may follow the first aircraft. In addition, the second aircraft may be adapted to follow the first aircraft based on a received identification signal. In certain embodiments, the system can be used such that the second aircraft can follow the first aircraft in case of a failure of systems of the second aircraft.
US09754497B1

A method for providing air traffic controlled flight of a large number of commercial drones each carrying one or more packages in to and out of an air traffic controlled space around an airport. The method includes providing an outbound corridor from a carrier facility through and out of the air traffic controlled space, where the outbound corridor does not allow any other air traffic to fly therein, and allowing the drones to fly through the outbound corridor to leave the air traffic controlled space without requiring air traffic control. The method also includes providing an inbound corridor through the air traffic controlled space to the carrier facility that does not allow any other air traffic to fly therein, and allowing drones to return to the carrier facility through the air traffic controlled space by flying through the inbound corridor without requiring air traffic control.
US09754496B2

A system and method for management of airspace for unmanned aircraft is disclosed. The system and method comprises administration of the airspace including designation of flyways and zones with reference to features in the region. The system and method comprises administration of aircraft including registration of aircraft and mission. A monitoring system tracks conditions and aircraft traffic in the airspace. Aircraft may be configured to transact with the management system including to obtain rights/priority by license and to operate in the airspace under direction of the system. The system and aircraft may be configured for dynamic transactions (e.g. licensing/routing). The system will set rates for licenses and use/access to the airspace and aircraft will be billed/pay for use/access of the airspace at rates using data from data sources.
US09754493B2

A system and method for guiding and coordinating vehicular traffic determine tasks to be completed by vehicles in a transportation network in order to complete an objective, allocate the tasks among the vehicles, and determine sets of allowable actions for the vehicles based on the allocation of the tasks. The sets of allowable actions dictate plural different allowable actions that the vehicles are allowed to perform in order to complete the tasks allocated to the vehicles. The allowable actions are determined such that the vehicles are scheduled to complete the tasks and complete the objective without the vehicles colliding or blocking movement of each other. The allowable actions are communicated to the vehicles such that the vehicles are permitted to select one or more of the allowable actions and prohibited from performing one or more other actions during performance of the tasks allocated to the vehicles.
US09754492B2

The disclosed embodiments include methods and systems for providing a notification relating to a geographical boundary based on monitored sensor data collected by networked devices. The disclosed embodiments include, for example, a method that monitors positional sensor data received from one or more triggering devices. The method may calculate a first boundary extent delimiting the geographical area of the first boundary based on one or more boundary extent parameters. The method may also detect an occurrence of a triggering condition that impacts a movement of at least one of a client device or at least one of the triggering devices within a geographic region that includes the first location. In response to the detected triggering event, at least one of modified start time or a second location may be established for the event, which may be provided to the client and triggering devices in a notification.
US09754477B2

Methods, systems, computer-readable media, and apparatuses for processing alarm signals are presented. In some embodiments, a mobile device may be registered with a security system that is installed at a premises. Subsequently, an alarm trigger associated with the security system may be received. Based on receiving the alarm trigger, the location of the mobile device may be determined. A response to the alarm trigger then may be determined based on the location of the mobile device.
US09754471B2

An electronic switch for controlling a device 170 by switching a function of the device at least in dependence on a sleep stage of a human. The switch includes an EEG data interface configured to receive brain activity data from an EEG sensor 120 configured to monitor electrical activity of the brain of the human during a training phase, an EEG sleep classifier 125 configured to classify sleep stages of the human from the received brain activity data, and a body data interface configured to receive body activity data from an alternative sensor 130 configured to monitor a bodily function of the human both during the training phase and during a subsequent usage phase. The alternative sensor is different from the EEG sensor, and the electronic switch further includes an alternative sleep classifier 135 and a machine learning system 140, the machine learning system being configured to train the alternative sleep classifier 135 to classify a sleep stage of the human from the received body activity data, the learning system using sleep stages classified by the EEG sleep classifier 125 and concurrent body activity data received from the alternative sensor as training data, wherein in the usage phase, the device 170 is controlled in dependency on sleep stages of the human classified by the alternative sleep classifier 135. A control logic 150 is configured to at least determine that the classified sleep stage is one of a set of particular sleep stages and to switch a function of the device at least in dependency on said determination.
US09754465B2

One aspect of the present invention provides an alerting device for sending an alert message. The method includes: determining at least one cognitive needs of one or more message recipients in the area; selecting an alert message that meets the needs of one or more message recipients in the area; and sending the alert message to one or more message recipients in the area.
US09754464B1

Providing haptic communications includes attaching to skin of a user a haptic device that produces touch impulses, electronically transmitting a message to the haptic device, converting the message to touch impulses, and providing the touch impulses to the user. Messages may be converted to touch impulses using coding from the Braille system or Morse code. Messages may be converted to touch impulses using Braille coding where the touch impulses are provided by a positional matrix that is part of the device. Messages may be converted to touch impulses using Morse coding where a Morse code dot is provided by a brief touch and where a Morse code dash is provided by a longer touch. The haptic device may be a patch or a sticker attached to the user with a biocompatible adhesive. The haptic device may notify the user of receipt of a new message using special touch symbols.
US09754452B2

A method and apparatus provides a bonus event on an electronic video gaming machine having touchscreen sensitivity on a video display in communication with a processor. The method includes: a) triggering a bonus event; b) providing and displaying at least one wild card symbol in a fixed position in columns and rows used to determine a bonus outcome; c) the processor generates a first random symbol for use in the bonus game which is displayed on the video gaming machine; d) the touch screen is activated so that a final position for the first random symbol is selectable by touchscreen activity; e) the processor filling the unfilled frames with random symbols; and f) the processor resolving a bonus outcome of the bonus outcome according to paylines within the columns and rows used to determine the bonus outcome.
US09754436B1

A banknote cash unit capable of securely sealing an opening of a storage bag is disclosed. The storage bag has a first fixation tab and a second fixation tab. The opening is defined between the first fixation tab and the second fixation tab. The banknote cash unit includes a housing, a banknote inlet unit and a paper sheet storing unit. The banknote inlet unit is disposed on the housing. The paper sheet storing unit is installed in the housing and for holding the storage bag. The paper sheet storing unit includes a first sealing module and a second sealing module disposed next to the first sealing module. When the second fixation tab is closed to the first fixation, the first sealing module generates a first sealing portion and the second sealing module generates a second sealing portion, so as to combine the first fixation tab and the second fixation tab.
US09754425B1

Methods, computer-readable media, software, and apparatuses provide a system that may facilitate communications so that parents or other superiors may monitor driving behavior of a vehicle carrying children or other subordinates. The system may allow communications to be sent from a parent computing device to a particular child computing device to set conditions for notifying the parent or superior of the driving behavior of a vehicle. Child computing devices may collect drive data (e.g., vehicle telematics data) for the system to evaluate and determine whether conditions are met (e.g., whether parental restrictions, like a geo-fence, are violated). Further, the system may send notifications to child computing devices and parent computing devices indicating whether the drive data meets the conditions of an agreement between a parent and teen. The system may also provide a web portal for use in forming the agreement between parents and their teens.
US09754422B2

Systems and methods for the manipulation of captured light fields and captured light field image data in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. In one embodiment of the invention, a system for manipulating captured light field image data includes a processor, a display, a user input device, and a memory, wherein a depth map includes depth information for one or more pixels in the image data, and wherein an image manipulation application configures the processor to display a first synthesized image, receive user input data identifying a region within the first synthesized image, determine boundary data for the identified region using the depth map, receive user input data identifying at least one action, and perform the received action using the boundary data and the captured light field image data.
US09754411B2

The invention relates to a system (100) for visualizing an object of interest comprised in a volume of an image dataset, the system comprising a path unit (110) for specifying a path in the volume of the image dataset on the basis of the object of interest, a location unit (120) for determining a location on a projection ray through the volume of the image dataset on the basis of the specified path, and a value unit (130) for computing a projected gray value corresponding to the projection rayon the basis of the determined location on the projection ray. Because the locations on the projection ray are determined based on the specified path for indicating the object of interest, the actual computation of the projection gray values may be designed and constructed to show gray values describing the object of interest while hiding gray values describing other objects, in particular occluding objects. Thus, the system of the invention is arranged for visualizing the object of interest at different viewing angles without occluding the object of interest.
US09754405B1

System, computer-readable medium and method are provided for organizing and rendering 3D voxel models in a tree data structure. The system includes a display, a memory loaded with 3D voxel data arranged in a N3-tree data structure, and a processor that renders the 3D voxel data on the display. The N3-tree data structure includes a top node, one or more levels of middle nodes, and leaf nodes. Each of the top node and middle nodes includes 64 occupancy bits and 32 index bits. The 64 occupancy bits indicate an occupied (“1”) or empty (“0”) state of each of 64 subunits (subcubes or voxels) included in the node. The 32 index bits represent a pointer to a memory location where its occupied subunits are stored. Each of the leaf nodes represents an occupied voxel, and includes an index number that can be used to point to a memory location of at least one type of attribute value (color, normal, intensity, etc.) of the occupied voxel.
US09754398B1

Techniques are described by which the data associated with a 3D animation may be reduced in a manner that does not result in perceptible visual artifacts when the animation is rendered on the display of a target device. Animation curve reduction is achieved by the removal of redundant animation curve samples, and is independently guided for different object attributes or animation channels by the nature of the attribute and one or more display parameters of the target device for which the animation is intended.
US09754397B1

Methods, hardware, and software perform augmented reality created from a separate source in context with, such as synchronized and positioned in, captured media, so as to replicate a similar augmented reality at a different instance. A computer processor in a network of communications devices handles a combination of augmented reality information, anchor information that provides the context-matching, limitation information that controls if such information is transmitted or acted upon, and captured media information. The computer processor compares the anchor information with the media to identify triggering media and how augmented reality elements should appear in context with such media. If successful, the augmented reality is performed on a communications device based on the media. Augmented reality can thus be performed in strict reference to actually-captured media, in only desired or restricted conditions, and information transmission and processing to enable the same may be undertaken only at useful, resource-conserving instances.
US09754392B2

Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to data visualization. In aspects, a caller sends a request to draw a set of shapes that have a shape type common among the shapes. The request may be for a static drawing or 1 of N animation frames. If the device has a graphical processing unit (GPU) that is available, GPU code is generated for the GPU to draw the set of shapes. Otherwise, CPU code is generated to draw the set of shapes. The drawing code is tailored to the constant, data-mapped, and animated attribute values specified by the caller and omits conditional statements that test values that are computable prior to drawing the shapes.
US09754389B2

A method for improving image quality of image data includes analyzing, for each of a plurality of voxels of image data, a set of entries of a dictionary, wherein an entry represents a mapping between a lower resolution patch of voxels and a corresponding higher resolution patch of voxel or a local neighborhood around a voxel, deriving, for each of the plurality of voxels, a subspace based on the analysis, wherein the subspace is for one of the mapping or the local neighborhood, and restoring target image data based on the subspaces, wherein the target image data is image data with higher image resolution or reduced image noise.
US09754374B1

A method for detecting a position of a sheet of light is described. A second derivative filter is applied to an intensity profile of a line of pixels. An ingress pixel position associated with an ingress zero-crossing second derivative value is determined. The ingress pixel position is between a first pixel position with a first minimum intensity value of the intensity profile and a second pixel position with a first maximum intensity value of the intensity profile. An egress pixel position associated with an egress zero-crossing second derivative value is determined. The egress pixel position is between a third pixel position with a second maximum intensity value of the intensity profile and a fourth pixel position with a second minimum intensity value of the intensity profile. A midpoint pixel position between the ingress pixel position and the egress pixel position is output as the position of the sheet of light.
US09754372B2

A method includes registering a first coordinate system of a fluoroscopic imaging system and a second coordinate system of a magnetic position tracking system. A three-dimensional (3D) map of an organ of a patient, which is produced by the magnetic position tracking system, is displayed. A 3D volume that would be irradiated by the fluoroscopic imaging system is calculated using the registered first and second coordinate systems. The calculated 3D volume is marked on the 3D map.
US09754371B2

A Multimodality Brain Mapping System (MBMS), comprising one or more scopes (e.g., microscopes or endoscopes) coupled to one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors obtain training data from one or more first images and/or first data, wherein one or more abnormal regions and one or more normal regions are identified; receive a second image captured by one or more of the scopes at a later time than the one or more first images and/or first data and/or captured using a different imaging technique; and generate, using machine learning trained using the training data, one or more viewable indicators identifying one or abnormalities in the second image, wherein the one or more viewable indicators are generated in real time as the second image is formed. One or more of the scopes display the one or more viewable indicators on the second image.
US09754361B2

The image processing apparatus of the embodiment comprises a multi-resolution decomposition part configured to repeatedly perform decomposition on a first image in which pixels thereof are arrayed in two-dimensional or three dimensional directions into high-frequency components and low-frequency components until the number of pixels becomes a predetermined number in each of the directions, and generate a second image based on the low-frequency components in a result of the last decomposition, an adjustment part configured to adjust the brightness of the second image, and a restoration part configured to generate a restored image having the same number of pixels as that of the first image in each of the directions using the brightness adjusted second image.
US09754355B2

Systems and methods for generating and distributing photo filters are described. A photo filter publication application receives filter data and object criteria and generates a photo filter based on the filter data. The photo filter is associated with satisfaction of the object criteria. A photo filter engine then identifies that a client device has taken a photograph. The photo filter engine then provides the photo filter to the client device based on the photograph including an object that satisfies the object criteria. The photo filter may then be displayed as an option on a user interface of the client device. The object criteria may include associations between an object and a source of image data, for example, a brand of a merchant in which case the associated photo filter may include images associated with the brand of the merchant.
US09754353B2

A method and system for video stream personalization. A personalization policy may be accessed. The personalization policy may include an image identification and an image alteration to a video image identified by the image identification. At least one instance of the video image may be identified in a video stream. An output stream may be produced from the video stream in response to the personalization policy. The output stream may include the image alteration to the video image.
US09754351B2

Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can obtain a set of video frames at a first resolution. Process the set of video frames using a convolutional neural network to output one or more signals, the convolutional neural network including (i) a set of two-dimensional convolutional layers and (ii) a set of three-dimensional convolutional layers, wherein the processing causes the set of video frames to be reduced to a second resolution. Process the one or more signals using a set of three-dimensional de-convolutional layers of the convolutional neural network. Obtain one or more outputs corresponding to the set of video frames from the convolutional neural network.
US09754349B2

A system determines for each color channel of each portion of the image, a corresponding adjustment value to apply to the color channel to correct for a color irregularity. The system determines a corrected adjustment value based on a difference between twice the pixel value and the maximum saturation value. If the adjustment value as applied is larger than the corrected adjustment value, the system applies the adjustment value to the corresponding color channel of the image portion to produce the adjusted color channel. Otherwise, the system applies the corrected adjustment to the corresponding color channel of the image portion to produce an adjusted color channel. The system generates a modified image based on the adjusted color channel.
US09754348B2

A system for user activity and data aggregation and visualization, comprising a data aggregation server that receives data via a network, a prioritization server that ranks data, and a visualization engine that generates a visualization of ranked data using a planetary model, and a method for visualizing data using a planetary model.
US09754346B2

A mixture ratio determiner chooses a first mixture ratio set in a case where a blur evaluation value is a reference value or more, and chooses a second mixture ratio set in a case where the blur evaluation value is less than the reference value. The second mixture ratio set has a higher mixture ratio of an in-focus image and a lower mixture ratio of an out-of-focus image than the first mixture ratio set. A mixed image generator produces a plurality of mixed images having a gradually varying mixture ratio, from the in-focus image and the out-of-focus image. A display controller sequentially displays the plurality of mixed images on a monitor in the manner of a moving image.
US09754334B2

In some embodiments, scripts may be used to perform parcel data acquisition, conversion, and clean-up/repair in an automated manner and/or through graphical user interfaces. The scripts may be used, for example, to repair geometries of new parcel data, convert multi-part parcel geometries to single part parcel geometries (explode), eliminate duplicate parcel geometries, append columns, create feature classes, and append feature classes. These scripts may be executed in a predetermined manner to increase efficiency. In some embodiments, different combinations of attributes may be appended to stored parcel data. In some embodiments, a tracking application may be used to track information about sources of data. In some embodiments, a tracking application may be used to track which system users are assigned to specific tasks (e.g., in a data acquisition project).
US09754330B2

An electric power retail management apparatus according to an embodiment includes an adjustment parameter calculating unit and an adjustment parameter transmitting unit. The adjustment parameter calculating unit calculates a total electric power adjustment parameter, which balances electric power generation amounts of power generators and the electric power consumption amounts of electric power customers, for each of the electric power generators on the basis of conditions of the electric power generation amounts of the electric power generators and the electric power consumption amounts of the electric power customers existing in a single region. The adjustment parameter transmitting unit transmits the total electric power adjustment parameters to the electric power generators.
US09754305B2

A system, method, and computer-readable medium are disclosed for managing the display of product module descriptors within a user interface. Product module data, along with historical visit and product module purchase data, is processed to generate a Config Score numeric value, which in turn is processed to generate a ConfigRank numeric value for each of a plurality of product modules. In turn, the ConfigRank numeric values are then used to determine the placement of each product module's associated product module descriptor within a user interface window.
US09754300B2

Methods, systems, and apparatus transferring power between the grid and an electric vehicle are disclosed. The apparatus may include at least one vehicle communication port for interfacing with electric vehicle equipment (EVE) and a processor coupled to the at least one vehicle communication port to establish communication with the EVE, receive EVE attributes from the EVE, and transmit electric vehicle station equipment (EVSE) attributes to the EVE. Power may be transferred between the grid and the electric vehicle by maintaining EVSE attributes, establishing communication with the EVE, and transmitting the EVSE maintained attributes to the EVE.
US09754298B2

Techniques for collaborative shopping are presented. During a shopping transaction, a customer collaborates in real time with one or more additional participants. Real-time and dynamic feedback is provided to the customer from the participants throughout the shopping transaction. Furthermore, real-time and dynamic feedback is provided from the customer to the participants throughout the shopping transaction.
US09754295B2

Methods and systems for providing navigation functionality in a retail location using local positioning technology are presented. In some embodiments, a customer assistance computing platform may receive one or more attributes associated with a beacon signal received by a customer computing device and an identifier associated with the customer computing device. Subsequently, the computing platform may determine an identity of a customer using the customer computing device. The computing platform then may determine a location of the customer using the customer computing device based on the one or more attributes associated with the beacon signal. Thereafter, the computing platform may generate one or more navigation instructions to guide the customer to another location. Then, the computing platform may send the one or more navigation instructions to the customer computing device.
US09754294B2

Methods, apparatus and systems for automatically calculating charitable donations for donors and for distributing the charitable donations in accordance with the donors' wishes to approved and/or registered recipients, such as approved charitable organizations. In some embodiments, the method includes receiving contributor information, recipient information and donation data during a predetermined period of time, and then aggregating the donations from a plurality of contributors into a plurality of recipient contribution amounts. The process also includes distributing, at the end of the predetermined period of time, the recipient contribution amounts to recipient financial institutions based on the contributor information, the recipient information and the donation data.
US09754287B2

A system for targeting advertising content includes the steps of: (a) receiving respective requests for advertising content corresponding to a plurality of mobile communication facilities operated by a group of users, wherein the plurality includes first and second types of mobile communication facilities with different rendering capabilities; (b) receiving a datum corresponding to the group; (c) selecting from a first and second sponsor respective content based on a relevancy to the datum, wherein each content includes a first and second item requiring respective rendering capabilities; (d) receiving bids from the first and second sponsors; (e) attributing a priority to the content of the first sponsor based upon a determination that a yield associated with the first sponsor is greater than a yield associated with the second sponsor; and (f) transmitting the first and second items of the first sponsor to the first and second types of mobile communication facilities respectively.
US09754282B2

This invention concerns optimal ad selection for Web pages by selecting and updating an attribute set, obtaining and updating an ad-attribute profile, and optimally choosing the next ad. The present invention associates a set of attributes with each customer. The attributes reflect the customers' interests and they incorporate the characteristics that impact ad selection. Similarly, the present invention associates with each ad an ad-attribute profile in order to calculate a customer's estimated ad selection probability and measure the uncertainty in that estimate. An ad selection algorithm optimally selects which ad to show based on the click probability estimates and the uncertainties regarding these estimates.
US09754266B2

The present invention provides techniques for use in association with online advertising, relating to use of serving thresholds, associated with predicted click through rates, and delivery policies, associated with advertising inventory serving and distribution. An offline-trained machine learning-based model may be utilized in advertising serving decision-making in connection with serving opportunities. However, serving thresholds and delivery policies, for use in association with the model in serving decision-making, may be adjusted online, such as in real-time or near real-time, based on information obtained online affecting factors such as predicted click through rates and advertising inventory distribution.
US09754261B2

A system capable of charging up electronic money cards using a credit card is provided. A PIN is authenticated between a card terminal and the credit card. The card terminal transmits to a credit company server an authentication result, amount information indicating an amount with which to charge up, and a credit card number of the credit card. After billing, the credit company server transmits the amount information and the credit card number to an electronic money server. The electronic money server identifies an electronic money card based on the credit card number. The electronic money server generates amount change information for adding the amount with which to charge up to “VALUE”, and transmits the amount change information to the card terminal. The electronic money card updates the amount of “VALUE” stored therein to an amount specified by the amount change information.
US09754259B2

Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can acquire historical data including a plurality of features associated with known legitimate activities and with known illegitimate activities. A machine learning technique can be applied to the historical data to gain information about the plurality of features associated with the known legitimate activities and with the known illegitimate activities. A decision tree can be generated based on at least a portion of the information about the plurality of features. A node in the decision tree that satisfies specified precision criteria can be identified. A rule can be created based on the node. One or more illegitimate activities can be identified based on the rule.
US09754256B2

The invention provides systems and methods for risk assessment using a variable risk engine. A method for risk assessment may comprise setting an amount of real-time risk analysis for an online transaction, performing the amount of real-time risk analysis based on the set amount, and performing an amount of time-delayed risk analysis. In some embodiments, the amount of real-time risk analysis may depend on a predetermined period of time for completion of the real-time risk analysis. In other embodiments, the amount of real-time risk analysis may depend on selected tests to be completed during the real-time risk analysis.
US09754248B2

A POS terminal 8 in a transaction system 1 transmits control data instructing executing a transaction-related process during a transaction; a recording device 12 receives the control data, executes a process based on the control data, transmits transaction information based on the control data and transaction identification information identifying the transaction information, and outputs a 2D code representing the transaction identification information; a terminal 14 reads the transaction identification information from the 2D code output by the recording device 12, and transmits the transaction identification information that was read and a customer ID, which is identification information to store; and a control server 10 receives the transaction information and transaction identification information from the recording device 12, receives the transaction identification information and customer ID from the terminal 14, and relationally stores the transaction information and customer ID when both of the received transaction identification information match.
US09754240B2

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for assisting a user in recovering from a task interruption. During operation, the system records the user's activity while the user is performing a task, and detects an interruption to the task. Upon the detection of the interruption, the system transfers to a storage the recorded user activities during a predetermined time period before the interruption. The system presents a visual representation of the recorded activities to the user, thereby assisting the user in recovering from the task interruption.
US09754233B1

Systems and methods are provided for centralized employee data analytics. For example, a method includes collecting employee data for one or more employees of an organization from a plurality of data sources, analyzing the collected employee data to determine criteria for use in assessing management skills of employees in the organization, and utilizing the determined criteria to rate an employee's management skills in the organization.
US09754232B2

A system and method is disclosed for solving supply chain planning problems. The system includes a database that stores data representing a planning problem of a supply chain network and a computer that accesses the planning problem of the supply chain network stored in the database and models the planning problem as a network of nodes and edges. The computer further generates a hierarchical linear programming solution of the planning problem and applies advanced heuristics to the generated hierarchical linear programming solution. The computer still further formulates a mixed integer program to generate an optimized global hierarchical solution and stores the generated optimized global hierarchical solution in the database.
US09754227B2

Some embodiments relate to an example system for adjusting an exercise schedule of a generator. The system includes the generator and a controller that exercises the generator according to the exercise schedule. The controller modifies the exercise schedule based on generator use. In some of the example embodiments described herein, the controller is a generator controller. Other embodiments relate to a method for adjusting an exercise schedule of a generator. The method includes exercising the generator according to the exercise schedule, and modifying the exercise schedule based on generator use.
US09754225B2

Automated risk assessment and management techniques are provided. Assets of an enterprise are monitored within an enterprise repository via their electronic identities. The identities are annotated with business defined values. The annotations can dynamically change based on dynamic policy evaluation and evolving actions of the assets, the state of the enterprise, and/or the state of an enterprise system. The annotations are accumulated and used in customized calculations for purposes of driving automated actions of the enterprise and producing a variety of reporting features.
US09754224B2

A method for implementing an action-based to-do list includes monitoring user actions with a personal management device which is configured to compare the user actions to a task definition file. A processor of the personal management device determines if the user actions fulfill one or more predefined conditions, within the task definition file. If a condition is fulfilled, the processor of the personal management device modifies the to-do list based on the fulfilled condition. A personal management device for implementing an action-based to-do list includes a user interface configured to allow a user to interact with a to-do list application and a processor configured to execute the to-do list application. The to-do list application, when executed, causes the processor to monitor user actions and compare the user actions to a task definition file, determine if the user actions fulfill one or more conditions within the task definition file, and if a condition is fulfilled, modify the to-do list based on the fulfilled condition.
US09754223B2

Methods and systems for generating and validating electronic tickets are disclosed. The systems include a server that is configured to host a centralized website through which a computer application may be downloaded into a plurality of user devices. The server is further configured to issue electronic tickets to the user devices that have downloaded the computer application; embed an encrypted visual identifier that is unique to an event in each electronic ticket; generate instructions to be issued to an event administrator that identifies a decrypted form of the visual identifier for each event; and include instructions within each electronic ticket that may be executed by an event administrator to convert the encrypted visual identifier that is shown in the electronic ticket of each user device into the decrypted form of the visual identifier.
US09754217B2

A data leak protection system and methods thereof are described that identify and analyze a digital fingerprint for a data package, the digital fingerprint characterizing the data package based on a corpus of data within the data package. In one embodiment, an asset descriptor is configured to identify one or more assets within the corpus of data while a contextual analyzer frames the one or more assets into the prevailing contextual environment. Then, a domain identifier further identifies a data perimeter based on the assets identified for the prevailing contextual environment. A comparison of the digital fingerprint to a collection of domain specific identifiers allows further actions responsive to a digital fingerprint falling outside of the data perimeter for an identified contextual environment. In one example, a data leak triggers quarantining of the data package for further manual processing.
US09754213B2

According to an aspect, a cyclical directed graphical model that includes a plurality of nodes connected by directed edges is accessed. Each directed edge has an edge strength indicating a degree of relation between the nodes, and each node has a value and a state of either active or inactive. A first node that has at least one directed incoming edge from a second node having a state of active is selected. At least a subset of the nodes in the cyclical directed graphical model are traversed in a reverse direction relative to the directed edges. The traversing is performed along a path starting from the second node and ending at a third node having a state of active. If the path does not include the first node, an inference about a value of the first node is proposed based on a value of the second node.
US09754210B2

In one implementation, a computer-implemented method for determining user interests includes receiving user activity data that describes an interaction between a user and digital content. The method further includes generating first interest-level data that quantifies a first level of interest between the user and an entity that is a topic of the digital content, where the entity is of a plurality of entities included within a knowledge base. The knowledge base includes an ontology that indicates relationships between the plurality of entities. The method further includes identifying a candidate entity based on the candidate entity having one of the relationships to the entity within the knowledge base. Additionally, the method includes generating second interest-level data that quantifies a second level of interest between the user and the candidate entity based on an analysis of the one of the relationships of the candidate entity to the entity within the knowledge base.
US09754207B2

A mechanism is provided in a data processing system for corpus quality analysis. The mechanism applies at least one filter to a candidate corpus to determine a degree to which the candidate corpus supplements existing corpora for performing a natural language processing (NLP) operation. Responsive to a determination to add the candidate corpus to the existing corpora based on a result of applying the at least one filter, the mechanism adds the candidate corpus to the existing corpora to form modified corpora. The mechanism performs the NLP operation using the modified corpora.
US09754200B2

The method for protecting the authenticity of an article from imitation and counterfeit is characterized by the following. During the packaging process, a container label is affixed to the article, which container label comprises a national bank note having a serial number which is encoded with the aid of a cryptographic algorithm and is shown on the outer surface of the label as a verification code, which is decoded with the aid of cryptographic keys. The verification code is represented in the form of alphanumeric information or in the form of a two-dimensional QR barcode, wherein more than one verification code can be shown on the outer surface of the label.
US09754193B2

Provided is a method of authenticating a user by correlating speech and corresponding lip shape. An audiovisual of a user requesting authentication is captured. The audiovisual is processed to generate a speech vector quantization sequence and a corresponding lip vector quantization sequence of the user. A likelihood of the speech vector quantization sequence and the corresponding lip vector quantization sequence with probability distributions of speech vector quantization code words corresponding to different lip shape vector quantization code words of the user requesting authentication weighed by probabilities of speech and lip vector quantization indices of the user requesting authentication is evaluated. If upon evaluation, a likelihood of the user requesting authentication being an authentic user is more than a predefined threshold, the user is authenticated.
US09754189B2

A detection device includes an image acquisition section that acquires an image that has been captured by an imaging section, and includes an image of an object, a distance information acquisition section that acquires distance information about the distance from the imaging section to the object, a feature quantity calculation section that calculates a feature quantity from the image, a learning feature quantity storage section that stores a learning feature quantity calculated by a learning process corresponding to each of a plurality of distance ranges that are set corresponding to the distance from the imaging section to the object, and a detection section that determines a distance range that corresponds to the feature quantity based on the distance information, and detects the target area based on the learning feature quantity that corresponds to the determined distance range, and the feature quantity calculated by the feature quantity calculation section.
US09754187B2

For extracting data from a document with fixed structure, we recognize key words in an image of the document; identify reference object based on these key words, create templates based on the identified reference objects; match the created templates against the image of the document while recognizing fields in the image of the document these templates; and select the best template using quality of the recognized field.
US09754186B2

Systems and methods for image processing are disclosed. For example, a system for processing images includes voxel-ranking circuitry that ranks individual voxels using voxel data derived from physiological responses resulting from exposure to a plurality of corresponding baseline stimulus images, and voxel selection circuitry that selects a portion of the set of ranked voxels based on their rank.
US09754182B2

Methods and systems for detecting keypoints in image data may include an image sensor interface receiving pixel data from an image sensor. A front-end pixel data processing circuit may receive pixel data and convert the pixel data to a different color space format. A back-end pixel data processing circuit may perform one or more operations on the pixel data. An output circuit may receive pixel data and output the pixel data to a system memory. A keypoint detection circuit may receive pixel data from the image sensor interface in the image sensor pixel data format or receive pixel data after processing by the front-end or the back-end pixel data processing circuits. The keypoint detection circuit may perform a keypoint detection operation on the pixel data to detect one or more keypoints in the image frame and output to the system memory a description of the one or more keypoints.
US09754174B2

An object detection apparatus includes means for acquiring image data from an in-vehicle imaging device and means for extracting, from the image data acquired by the acquiring means, an object region which is an image region where a preset object exists. Moreover, the extracting means includes means for identifying the object region, means for measuring the processing time of the identifying means and controlling means. The identifying means includes a plurality of identifiers for identifying candidate regions for the object region. The identifiers are serially linked so as to sequentially refine the candidate regions. The controlling means controls, based on the measured processing time at a preset time point, a degree of refining the candidate regions by the identifying means after the preset time point by adjusting at least one of the linkage between the identifiers and processes to be executed by the identifiers after the preset time point.
US09754172B2

A three-dimensional object detection device includes an image capturing unit, a detection area setting unit, an image conversion unit, a three-dimensional object detection unit, a reference image area setting unit, a contour information extraction unit, a reference sharpness calculation unit and a subject sharpness calculation unit. The image conversion unit converts a viewpoint of an image obtained by the image capturing unit to create a bird's-eye view image. The reference image area unit sets a reference image area for extracting contour information by the contour information extraction unit. The reference sharpness calculation unit calculates a reference sharpness using contour information of the reference image area. The subject sharpness calculation unit calculates a subject sharpness using contour information of the detection area. The three-dimensional object detection unit calculates a final sharpness based on the reference sharpness and the subject sharpness, and sets a difference threshold value based on the final sharpness.
US09754168B1

Introduced here are techniques for incentivizing the consumption of foodstuffs through the use of augmented reality features. A parent may initiate an application on a mobile phone and scan a plate of one or more foodstuffs by initiating a live view captured by a camera. The parent can then select a given foodstuff that a child is unlikely to consume. When the child views the given foodstuff through the mobile phone, a portion of an augmented reality feature could be shown. For example, the child may be able to see the tail of a creature, a corner of a item, etc. As the child consumes the given foodstuff, additional portion(s) of the augmented reality feature are exposed, and the augmented reality feature becomes increasingly visible. Such a technique incentivizes the child to continue eating the given foodstuff so that the augmented reality feature can be fully seen.
US09754166B2

A system and method for object and area detection and replacement in an image includes identifying an object or area in one or more sequential images that form a moving image sequence and replacing some or all of the identified object or areas with another image such that the image looks to be part of the original composition of the original image including lighting, shadows, placement, occlusion, orientation, position, and deformation.
US09754157B2

A method, apparatus, computer program product and system are provided for facilitating video and/or image summarization based on facial expressions. In this regard, a method is provided that includes receiving one or more first frames and one or more second frames, determining information regarding one or more facial expressions contained in the one or more second frames, and causing the information regarding the one or more facial expressions to be associated with at least one of the one or more first frames.
US09754154B2

A candidate human head is found in depth video using a head detector. A head region of light intensity video is spatially resolved with a three-dimensional location of the candidate human head in the depth video. Facial recognition is performed on the head region of the light intensity video using a face recognizer.
US09754140B2

A method and a read/write device for selecting at least one wireless data medium from a number of detected wireless data media that are RFID transponders, wherein the data media are registered in a detection area of a read/write device via a plurality of detection cycles, at least one receive parameter is recorded for each of the detected data media, and at least one data medium of the data media is selected based on an evaluation of the recorded receive parameters, a plurality of detection cycles are performed at different antenna polarizations, at least one receive parameter is recorded at each of utilized antenna polarizations for the detected data media, and at least one of the detected data media is selected in each case based on a statistical evaluation of the receive parameters recorded in the different antenna polarizations.
US09754134B2

A tool for creating mechanical stamps that produce machine-readable optical labels. The tool selects an initial element of a list of two-dimensional labels. The tool selects a pixel difference to apply to a two-dimensional label for the initial element. The tool selects a cardinality for bits in one or more bytes to encode. The tool determines whether a cardinality of a bit difference for each element compared to the initial element equals the selected bit difference cardinality. The tool determines whether a pixel difference between a two-dimensional label for each element and the two-dimensional label for the initial element equals the selected pixel difference. The tool selects one or more elements from the list of two-dimensional labels to create one or more mechanical stamps.
US09754133B2

A semiconductor device may include a secure memory configured to store a programmable key, an interface for programming the programmable key in the secure memory, and a plurality of configurable features of the semiconductor device that are associated with the programmable key, each configurable feature having a set of multiple selectable configurations, wherein a value of the key defines a selection of one of the multiple configurations for each of the configurable features. For example, the key may include multiple sub-keys, each associated with one of the configurable features, wherein a value of each sub-key defines a selection of one of the multiple configurations for the configurable feature associated with that sub-key. In addition, the full programmable key may enable an additional functionality of the semiconductor device.
US09754125B2

An external system (such as a website) that interacts with users communicates with a social networking system to access information about the users, who may also be users of the social networking system. If a privacy setting is changed in the social networking system, and the change applies to information that has been shared with an external system, the change is enforced at the external system. For example, the external system may be notified that the information is invalid and must be deleted, or the external system may periodically request the information so that changes to the privacy settings are eventually experienced at the external systems. When an external system again needs the information, whether expired naturally or actively invalidated by the social network, the external system sends a new request for the information, which is subject to the (possibly revised) privacy settings.
US09754124B1

A method for protecting data on a first storage device from unauthorized access is provided. The method includes copying a data map, such as a file allocation table, from the first storage device, on which the data to be protected resides, to a second storage device. A security key is established for the data map. The data map is then deleted from the first storage device, to render unusable the data thereon. The data map is restored to the first storage device upon successful input of the security key.
US09754119B1

Containerized security is disclosed. An indication is received that a content item included in a body of managed content is associated with a container. A security measure is associated with the content item, based at least in part on the association of the content item with the container, that causes access to the content item by a user who is not associated with the container but who otherwise would have access to the content item within the body of managed content to be denied.
US09754118B2

A method of performing an operation on a data storage for storing data being encrypted with a key KD associated with an owner of the data is provided. The method includes deriving, for each authorized client Cj, a first key KCj and a second key KTj, providing the client Cj with the first key KCj, and providing a Trusted Third Party (TTP) with the second key KTj. The method further includes, at a Policy Enforcement Point, receiving a request for performing the operation on the data storage from a client Ck of the authorized clients, acquiring a first key KCk from the client Ck, acquiring a second key KTk from the TTP, deriving the key KD from the first key KCk and the second key KTk, and performing the operation on the data storage using the derived key KD. The disclosed trust model uses two-part secret sharing.
US09754115B2

A system and method is disclosed for securely binding an arbitrary program to an authorized instance of a generic execution platform. Once the binding process occurs, the protected software application will not exhibit correct behavior unless run on the execution platform to which it is bound. The system and method withstands repeated attacks which tamper with the software application and the execution platform. The system and method present a mechanism to bind a program, P, to any un-trusted execution platform, E, which contains a Trusted Signing Authority (TSA). The TSA may take many alternate forms including a trusted platform module, secure processor, kernel driver, and hardened software agents.
US09754113B2

Disclosed are a method and apparatus for detecting a document object model (DOM) based cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability, an apparatus thereof, and a terminal are provided. The method includes: obtaining a set of parameter-value pairs from an original web address of a web page, where the set of parameter-value pairs comprises at least one parameter-value pair; replacing a parameter value in a parameter-value pair with feature code, to form a test web address for the web page, where the feature code comprises malicious code that comprises a malicious character and is uniquely identified in a DOM tree of the web page; obtaining page content corresponding to the test web address; converting the page content, into the DOM tree; and detecting whether a XSS vulnerability exists in the parameter-value pair, based on the DOM tree and the feature code.
US09754106B2

The disclosed computer-implemented method for classifying security events as targeted attacks may include (1) detecting a security event in connection with at least one organization, (2) comparing the security event against a targeted-attack taxonomy that identifies a plurality of characteristics of targeted attacks, (3) determining that the security event is likely targeting the organization based at least in part on comparing the security event against the targeted-attack taxonomy, and then in response to determining that the security event is likely targeting the organization, (4) classifying the security event as a targeted attack. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09754105B1

An anti-exploit system monitors and identifies malicious behavior related to one or more protected applications or processes. The anti-exploit system intercepts API calls associated with the protected application or process including parameters passed on to the operating system functions as well as a memory address associated with the caller to the API calls. Based on the characteristics associated with the intercepted API call a Behavioral Analysis Component determines whether the API call is malicious in nature.
US09754095B2

A computer implemented method for detecting input gesture events on a touchscreen of an electronic device and for unlocking the electronic device is disclosed. The method may include displaying, while the electronic device is in a locked state, a plurality of guidance lines on the touchscreen of the electronic device, detecting, during an input gesture event, guidance line crossings and calculating a number of guidance line crossings detected during the input gesture event. The method may also include converting a calculated number of detected guidance line crossings into at least one password digit, comparing a sequence of password digits to a stored password in the electronic device and unlocking, in response to comparing the sequence of password digits to the stored password, the electronic device.
US09754094B2

Provided is a programmable display apparatus that enables post-hoc identification of a user who has been permitted to access an application through facial authentication. The programmable display apparatus stores feature data of a face of a user and identification information of the user in association with each other. The programmable display apparatus performs facial authentication based on image data of a user obtained through image capture and on the feature data. The programmable display apparatus permits a user to access the application if the user has been authenticated. The programmable display apparatus stores identification information of the authenticated user and a history indicating a state in which the access has been permitted in association with each other.
US09754091B2

Systems and techniques are provided for restricted accounts on a mobile platform. A request to create a restricted account may be received. The restricted account may be a user account with a restriction. Credentials for the restricted account may be received. A restriction for the restricted account may be received. The restriction may include an access restriction or a lifetime restriction. An access restriction may prevent an application from accessing the restricted account and a lifetime restriction may limit the lifetime of the restricted account. The restricted account may be stored with the credentials and the restriction. A request may be received for a list of user accounts from an application. The restricted account may be determined to include an access restriction that prevents the application from accessing the restricted account. The list of user accounts may be sent to the application and without an identifier for the restricted account.
US09754080B2

A method for at least one of characterizing, diagnosing, and treating a cardiovascular disease condition in at least a subject, the method comprising: receiving an aggregate set of biological samples from a population of subjects; generating at least one of a microbiome composition dataset and a microbiome functional diversity dataset for the population of subjects; generating a characterization of the cardiovascular disease condition based upon features extracted from at least one of the microbiome composition dataset and the microbiome functional diversity dataset; based upon the characterization, generating a therapy model configured to correct the cardiovascular disease condition; and at an output device associated with the subject, promoting a therapy to the subject based upon the characterization and the therapy model.
US09754077B2

Methods, computer-readable media, and systems for providing disease management. In one implementation, a system develops a treatment recommendation for a patient based on patient data. The system may receive patient data, execute a basic model of the physiological system of the patient to generate a modified model for the patient based on the patient data, perform a statistical analysis of the patient data to detect data excursions of the parameter values; use the modified model to determine factors causing the data excursions; and use the model to develop a treatment recommendation to ameliorate negative effects of the disease.
US09754072B1

One aspect checks and prepares design data (202) based on design rule(s) to identify tracks for physical implementation of an electronic design. Structured physical implementation (204) is performed to implement at least a part of the electronic design by using the tracks under separate design rule(s). Structured physical implementation using the tracks under separate design rules result in correct-by-construction implementation results automatically satisfying the design rule(s), without performing additional design rule checking on the design rule(s). Additional physical implementation (206) may be optionally performed for portion(s) of the electronic design not implemented with the structured physical implementation. Layout fixing or optimization may be optionally performed to fix design rule violations in the additional physical implementation results, if any, or to optimize the additional physical implementation results.
US09754065B2

A method for designing a system on a target device utilizing programmable logic devices (PLDs) includes generating options for utilizing resources on the PLDs in response to user specified constraints. The options for utilizing the resources on the PLDs are refined independent of the user specified constraints.
US09754059B2

A graphical tool creates design-verification environments. The tool includes a graphical environment builder that allows for the drag and drop addition of verification IP (“VIP”) modules to a graphical verification environment. The tool assigns connector signals associated with source code that simulates a connection between a VIP module and the device under test (“DUT”). The tool learns which connection signals are suitable to connect a VIP to the DUT and facilitates selecting of the suitable signals in the environment development process. The tool converts the graphical environment to source code that can be executed to simulate testing on the DUT. The tool also allows a user to navigate between view modes that display the verification environment graphically, and that display the source code associated with components of the verification environment.
US09754034B2

Techniques and systems for facilitating contextual information lookup and navigation are presented. Contextually relevant information can be presented without requiring a user to switch context or craft a search query. From within an application in which a user may consume or create content, a user may indicate text for further exploration. The application can receive the indication of an initial text selection, determine the intended selection and provide contextual search results to the user. In some implementations, the initial selection and a selection context (that includes at least some of the text surrounding the initial selection) is sent to a contextual search service which provides the intended selection and contextual search results based on the initial selection and selection context. In other implementations, text may be suggested by the contextual search service for selection from within the application.
US09754027B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide, systems, methods, and computer program products for processing data in an extract, transform, and load system. Embodiments of the present invention provide protective enhancements to be applied to data during extract-transform-load operations, including protections that can prevent unauthorized access and/or modifications to data stored on an intermediate computer system. Embodiments of the present invention can afford users with the ability to modify the protective enhancements and provide users with transformation operations compatible with the protective enhancements during extract-transform-load operations.
US09754026B2

A matching system receives probe audio samples for comparison to references of a data store. Comparisons are generated between a first segment of a probe audio sample and corresponding time segments of a plurality of reference audio samples to identify a plurality of sufficiently matching reference audio samples based upon a first set of consistency scores. Matching references are retained, unless they meet a score threshold. Comparisons are continually generated with a second segment of the probe audio sample and corresponding time segments of the sufficiently matching reference audio samples to generate a second set of consistency scores. The retained results are outputted based on the first and second set of consistency scores.
US09754019B2

An information processing apparatus that compares content to stored information identifying a plurality of words, identifies words from the content that match words included in the stored information, retrieves information based on the identifying, and generates an image to be displayed based on the retrieved information.
US09754014B2

According to one embodiment, a computer-implemented method for confirming/rejecting a most relevant example includes: generating a binary decision model by training a binary classifier using a plurality of training documents; classifying one or more test documents into one of a plurality of categories using the binary decision model, wherein the one or more test documents lack a user-defined category label; selecting a most relevant example of the classified test documents from among the classified test documents; displaying, using a display of the computer, the most relevant example of the classified test documents to a user; receiving, via the computer and from the user, a confirmation or a negation of a classification label of the most relevant example of the classified test documents; and storing the confirmation or the negation of the classification label of the most relevant example of the classified test documents to a memory of the computer.
US09754005B2

Systems and methods are provided for backing up out-of-band storage. A protection policy is activated for out-of-band storage at a remote host, wherein the out-of-band storage is not physically accessible by the computing device, such that the out-of-band storage is not in communication with the remote host through the computing device. A backup request is transmitted to the remote host comprising data indicative of a volume on the out-of-band storage to back up according to the protection policy. A response to the backup request is received comprising staging disk requirements for the volume, the staging disk requirements comprising a required size for a staging disk to back up the volume. A staging disk is determined based on the response. The staging disk is presented to the remote host. A backup result is received comprising data indicative of whether a backup of the volume to the staging disk succeeded.
US09754002B2

Disclosed herein is a data synchronization between a client computing device's local store and another data store, such as a data store that is remote to the client computing device. The other data store may comprise a cloud data store. The existence, or absence, of a causal relationship between the local and remote data stores for a given data item is used to determine whether or not a conflict exists and/or whether a requested operation may be performed. The causal relationship may be determined using a previous commit's hash value, referred to as a hash_base value, and a hash value, both of which are associated with the data item.
US09754000B2

According to one general aspect, a method may include replicating, to a software-as-a-service application, a plurality of pieces of master data from a physically remote master database. The method may also include converting the plurality of pieces of master data into one or more pieces of local data of the software-as-a-service application. The method may include changing one or more of either the pieces of master data or the pieces of local data. The method may further include synchronizing the changed pieces of either master data or local data between the remote master database and the software-as-a-service application.
US09753998B2

A method for presenting a trusted tag cloud to a user. The method includes associating a number of tags with a first user who applies the tags, calculating a weight of the tags being examined by a second user. The weight may be based on the identity of the second user, the identity of the first user, and examining the relationship between the two. The tags may then be presented to the user in accordance with the value of the weight.
US09753996B2

A method and a system of standardizing data from devices such as medical simulators. The method includes receiving data from a device, determining by a computer type of information provided in the received data, converting the information into a predetermined format based on the determined type and generating a message based on the determined type, the message comprising the converted information in the predetermined format. In this method, type of the information is different based on a stage of a process in which the received data was provided.
US09753983B2

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for decompressing data in a database system. A query is received, which pertains to a subset of data within a compressed set of data. One or more decompression strategies are evaluated using a cost model. The cost model includes an estimated filter factor. A low cost decompression strategy is selected based on the results of the evaluation of the one or more decompression strategies. One or more bytes representing the requested subset of data are located within the compressed set of data. Only a portion of the compressed data that corresponds to the subset of data is decompressed, using the selected decompression strategy, while leaving the remaining set of data in a compressed state.
US09753977B2

A database management method generates an execution plan with respect to a factorized character string generated by factoring an execution value list of a query and storing the factorized character string and an execution plan identifier associated with the factorized character string. The method includes receiving a factorized character string generated from a query; determining whether the factorized character string is stored in a memory; transmitting an execution plan identifier matching the factorized character string stored in the memory when the factorized character string is stored in the memory; generating and transmitting an execution plan identifier with respect to an execution plan of the factorized character string when the factorized character string is not stored in the memory; receiving a query request consisting of the execution plan identifier and an execution value list included in the query; and providing a query result obtained using the query request.
US09753972B2

Information may be presented to a user by receiving a selection of one or more terms passively displayed in a document, loading the terms to a search configuration, generating first results responsive to a user's predicted interest as expressed in the search configuration, and enabling display of the first results.
US09753965B2

The disclosed apparatus, systems, and methods relate to a location query mechanism that can efficiently determine whether a target entity is located within a region of interest (ROI). At a high level, the location query mechanism can be configured to represent a ROI using one or more polygons. The location query mechanism can, in turn, divide (e.g., tessellate) the one or more polygons into sub-polygons. Subsequently, the location query mechanism can use the sub-polygons to build an index system that can efficiently determine whether a particular location is within any of the sub-polygons. Therefore, when a computing device queries whether a particular location is within the region of interest, the location query mechanism can use the index system to determine whether the particular location is within any of the sub-polygons.
US09753954B2

Systems and methods for data node fencing in a distributed file system to prevent data inconsistencies and corruptions are disclosed. An embodiment includes implementing a protocol whereby data nodes detect a failover and determine an active name node based on transaction identifiers associated with transaction requests. The data nodes also provide to the active name node block location information and an acknowledgment. The embodiment further includes a protocol whereby a name node refrains from issuing invalidation requests to the data nodes until the name node receives acknowledgments from all data nodes that are functional.
US09753953B2

An interactivity system is provided that tracks interactivity between a target entity and participant entities and identifies entities whose interactions satisfy an interactivity criterion. The interactivity system maintains for the target entity interactivity models between the target entity and each participant entity, with each interactivity model modeling the interactions between the target entity and that participant entity. The interactivity system dynamically updates the interactivity models as notification of interactions are received. Upon receiving a query that specifies an interactivity criterion, the interactivity system analyzes the interactivity models to determine whether the interactivity criterion is satisfied. When an interactivity criterion is satisfied, the interactivity system sends a response to the query indicating that the interactivity criterion is satisfied along with the identity of the entity that satisfies the interactivity criterion.
US09753945B2

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for interpreting geographical search queries are provided. Query templates for geographical search queries are generated from search logs of previously executed geographical search queries. Unique queries are extracted from the search logs and interpretations for these queries are obtained. Based on these interpretations, query templates having an arrangement of term types are extracted. Additionally, probability distributions for the query templates for a context, such as a locale, language, client type, etc., are determined.
US09753942B2

Systems and methods are disclosed for generating traffic statistics for a datacenter. Distributed, parallel processing may be used to generate traffic statistics from data sets about traffic in a datacenter. To reduce data sets from which such statistics are derived to manageable sizes and relevant processing times for distributed, parallel processing, traffic agents may be provided at end hosts in the datacenter. The traffic agents may summarize data traffic over large numbers of packets in terms of the various sockets over which they are transmitted. Reports on the various sockets may be sent by the various flow agents that monitor them to an analytic controller. The analytic controller may aggregate, provide flow-path information for, further reduce, and/or provision the resultant data for distributed parallel processing.
US09753938B2

Methods and apparatuses for performing selective deduplication in a storage system are introduced herein. Techniques are provided for determining deduplication priorities of data objects based upon projected likelihoods that deduplication of such data objects will provide a storage space benefit. Inline deduplication and/or post processing deduplication is selectively provided on an individual data object basis based upon deduplication priorities assigned to respective data objects.
US09753922B2

Disclosed are systems and methods for enhanced tracking of user interactions with online documents, such as, in accordance with various embodiments, interaction tracking on a sub-document level of granularity. In some embodiment, user interests or expertise are determined based at least in part on the tracked user interactions with document elements and topics associated with the elements.
US09753916B2

A method comprising using at least one hardware processor for: identifying relations between pairs of claims of a set of claims; aggregating the claims of the set of claims into a plurality of clusters based on the identified relations; generating a plurality of arguments from the plurality of clusters, wherein each of the arguments is generated from a cluster of the plurality of clusters, and wherein each of the arguments comprises at least one claim of the set of claims, scoring each possible set of a predefined number of arguments of the plurality of arguments, based on a quality of each argument of the predefined number of arguments and on diversity between the predefined number of arguments; and generating a speech, wherein the speech comprises a top scoring possible set of the possible set of the predefined number of arguments.
US09753911B2

A system includes, for a selection of objects on a displayed page of the system, each object having pre-defined customizable attributes and non-customizable attributes, a sorter to sort the customizable attributes of the selected objects. The system also includes a dialog builder to build a customization dialog specific to the selection based on the sorted pre-defined customizable attributes, a displayer to display the dialog and an updater to receive input according to the dialog and to update the customizable attributes according to the input.
US09753908B2

A system and method that transfers data from scanned documents and document images directly into a spreadsheet. The user can construct a map that associates data types in the input scanned document with an area in the spreadsheet. The user can also use pre-stored maps that have previously been constructed by the user or by someone else. The map may be stored as an XML file in a hidden sheet of the spreadsheet or in a separate file. During use, the user selects a map, scans the document, parses the document to extract the data types and associated data, and transfers the parsed data to the spreadsheet in accordance with the selected mapping.
US09753902B2

A system and method for orchestration of customization for a user experience is disclosed. The system in an example embodiment includes automatically producing user experience customization selections for generating a webpage based on context information and a collection of user activity feedback from a community of users who previously interacted with the webpage. The user experience customization selections include a plurality of modules for inclusion in the web page, where each of the modules represent a user-interface element. One or more of the plurality of modules having input and output properties defining at least one application programming interface (API). The system in a further embodiment includes discovering dependencies between the one or more of the plurality of modules by extracting dependency information from the at least one API associated with the one or more of the plurality of modules. The system in another embodiment includes generating a dependency graph for the webpage based on the dependencies between the one or more of the plurality of modules and invoking the plurality of modules based on the dependency graph to generate the webpage.
US09753899B1

The present disclosure provides various systems and methods for indexing digital (electronic) documents and providing various error reporting and identification functions. The systems and methods may utilize various software, hardware, and firmware modules to identify notations, such as primary sheet names and reference sheet names on construction documents. Various algorithms and methods may be employed to identify errors, erroneous notations, missing sheets, missing details, and/or the like to aid in the correction of construction documents. Identified notations are indexed and may be used to create hyperlinked and/or backlinked notations in output files.
US09753893B2

In rejection sampling of a function or distribution p over a space X, a proposal distribution q(n) is refined responsive to rejection of a sample x*εX to generate a refined proposal distribution q(n+1) selected to satisfy the criteria p(x)≦q(n+1)(x)≦q(n)(x) and q(n+1)(x*)
US09753889B2

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for using an index array and finite state machine for scatter/gather operations. Embodiment of apparatus may comprise: decode logic to decode a scatter/gather instruction and generate a set of micro-operations, and an index array to hold a set of indices and a corresponding set of mask elements. A finite state machine facilitates the gather operation. Address generation logic generates an address from an index of the set of indices for at least each of the corresponding mask elements having a first value. An address is accessed to load a corresponding data element if the mask element had the first value. The data element is written at an in-register position in a destination vector register according to a respective in-register position the index. Values of corresponding mask elements are changed from the first value to a second value responsive to completion of their respective loads.
US09753887B2

A communications apparatus is provided having a first line driver transmitting data at a first end of a serial bus to a second line receiver at a second end of the serial bus. A first line receiver receives data at the first end of the serial bus from a second line driver at the second end of the serial bus. The first line receiver has a selectable input parameter that controls a physical layer quality of data received at the first end of the serial bus. Programming instructions stored in memory cause the second line driver to transmit a training signal that is not a COMWAKE signal to the first line receiver in response to the first line driver transmitting a COMWAKE signal to the second line receiver. A controller compares a received physical layer quality of the training signal at the first line receiver to a desired physical layer quality and computes a value for the input parameter to obtain a desired physical layer quality.
US09753872B2

A control device is coupled to node devices and one or more input and output devices, each node device including an arithmetic processing unit and a memory. The control device is configured to store history information including an entry in which device identification information for identifying the input and output device that is accessed based on a request corresponds to node identification information for identifying a node device of the node devices which is a transmission source of the request; determine the node identification information corresponding to the device identification information that indicates an input and output device which outputs a memory access request to the memory based on search of the entry in the history information; generate a packet in which the determined node identification information is set to a memory access destination based on the memory access request; and output the generated packet.
US09753869B2

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a storage device having a non-volatile memory, a Proof of Physical Access (PPA) mechanism and a controller circuit. The PPA mechanism generates a PPA value responsive to a direct physical user interaction with the storage device by a user. In response to receipt of a storage command from a host, the controller circuit executes the received storage command responsive to the storage command being determined to be a protected command and responsive to detection of the PPA value during a predetermined window of time. The controller circuit does not execute the received storage command responsive to the storage command being determined to be a protected command and responsive to an absence of the PPA value during the predetermined window of time. The protected command is a command that changes access to data stored in the non-volatile memory.
US09753868B2

In one embodiment, a device executes reading and writing for a storage unit storing a table tree and verifier tree. The table tree includes a parent table and child table. The verifier tree includes a parent verifier associated with the parent table, and a child verifier associated with the child table. The parent verifier is used for verifying the child table and the child verifier. The device stores a secure table tree being a part of the table tree and used for address translation, and a secure verifier tree being a part of the verifier tree, to a secure storage unit. The device, when data has a read-only attribute, calculates verification information based on the data and a secure value varying according as the data is updated, and executes verification based on a verifier corresponded to the data and the verification information.
US09753867B2

In one embodiment, a device executes reading and writing for a storage unit storing a table tree and verifier tree. The table tree includes a parent table and child table. The verifier tree includes a parent verifier associated with the parent table, and a child verifier associated with the child table. The parent verifier is used for verifying the child table and child verifier. The device stores a secure table tree being a part of the table tree and used for address translation, and a secure verifier tree being a part of the verifier tree, to a secure storage unit. The device executes verification, based on verification information calculated based on a first child table and first child verifier in the storage unit and a first parent verifier in the secure verifier tree.
US09753852B1

Methods and systems for a device coupled to a computing device are provided. As an example, one method includes receiving a request for processing an address list control block (ALCB) by an ALCB offload engine of an adapter coupled to a computing device; determining by the ALCB offload engine if the ALCB is located at a cache managed by a cache controller of the ALCB engine; forwarding the ALCB to an address computation module that determines an address of a memory location of the computing device, where the ALCB stores the address of the memory location in an address list; generating a direct memory access (DMA) request to retrieve the ALCB from an adapter memory, when the ALCB is not located at the cache; and storing the ALCB at the cache, after the ALCB is received in response to the DMA request.
US09753851B2

A computer system to schedule a garbage collection process within a computing environment comprises a memory unit and a hardware computer processor. The memory unit includes a load-monitored region configured to undergo a garbage collection process. The hardware computer processor is configured to perform operations comprising invoking a handler to obtain processing control in response to a request from an application to load a pointer that points to an object located within the load-monitored region, and determining by the handler a priority of the application, and performing a garbage selection process according to one mode among a plurality of different modes based on the priority.
US09753838B2

A method is implemented in a computer infrastructure having computer executable code tangibly embodied on a computer readable storage medium having programming instructions. The programming instructions are operable to receive a tool error output determined by a code inspection tool and select at least one defect classification mapping profile based on the code inspection tool. Additionally, the programming instructions are operable to map the tool error output to one or more output classifications using the selected at least one defect classification mapping profile and generate at least one report based on the one or more output classifications.
US09753837B2

A management apparatus, based on received error information of applications and information of applications installed in a terminal being managed by the management apparatus, determines a condition that an application causes the error, send information indicating that the application satisfies the condition for causing the error to an terminal satisfying the error condition out of a plurality of terminals. An application execution terminal receives from the management apparatus the information indicating that the condition that the application causes an error is satisfied, and inhibits the execution of the application causing the error by changing a display form of the corresponding application or by displaying a message at the time of the activation of the application.
US09753832B2

In accordance with embodiments disclosed herein, there is provided systems and methods for minimizing bandwidth to compress an output stream of an instruction tracing system. For example, the method may include identifying a current instruction in a trace of the IT module as a conditional branch (CB) instruction. The method includes executing one of generating a CB packet including a byte pattern with an indication of outcome of the CB instruction, or adding an indication of the outcome of the CB instruction to the byte pattern of an existing CB packet. The method includes generating a packet when a subsequent instruction in the trace is not the CB instruction. The packet is different from the CB packet. The method also includes adding the packet into a deferred queue when the packet is deferrable. The method further includes outputting the CB packet followed by the deferred packet into a packet log.
US09753825B2

Systems and methods can use a testing framework for testing an event processing system. The testing framework operates to send one or more input events in an event stream to an event processing system, wherein each said input event is associated with a timestamp. Also, the testing framework can receive one or more actual output events from the event processing system, wherein each said actual output event is associated with a timestamp. Furthermore, the testing framework can compare said one or more actual output events in an event window with one or more expected output events for the event window.
US09753821B2

A power supply control device for a system having two or more power supply devices, configured to control a first power supply device that includes a compensation device configured to perform power compensation at a time of power failure, the power supply control device includes a controller configured to limit the power compensation of the compensation device in a normal state, and release the limitation on the power compensation of the compensation device if detecting power failure of the first power supply device and detecting power failure of a second power supply device provided redundantly in addition to the first power supply device.
US09753819B2

A test device and a method for controlling the test device are disclosed. After a test is interrupted due to a malfunction of the test device, the test device continuously performs the interrupted testing. The test device for testing a biological material includes: a memory configured to store information which relates to progress of a test; and a controller which, if the test is interrupted due to a malfunction of the test device, is configured to continue performance of the test by using the information which relates to the test progress which is stored in the memory.
US09753813B1

Persistent storage for a master copy is provided using operation numbers. A master copy can include a persistent key-value store such as a B-tree with references to corresponding data. When provisioning a slave copy, the master copy sends a point-in-time copy of the B-tree to the slave copy, which stores a copy of the B-tree, allocates the necessary space, and updates the references of the B-tree to point to a local storage before the data is transferred. When writing the data to persistent storage, a snapshot created on the master copy is an operation that is replicated to the slave copy. The snapshot is generated using a volume view that includes changes to chunks of data of the master copy since a previous snapshot, as determined using the operation number for the previous snapshot. Data (and metadata) for the snapshot is written to persistent storage while new EO operations are processed.
US09753806B1

A method, system and memory controller are provided for implementing signal integrity fail recovery and mainline calibration for Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM). After identifying a failed DRAM, the DRAM is marked as bad and taken out of mainline operation. Characterization tests and periodic calibrations are run to evaluate optimal settings and to determine if the marked DRAM is recoverable. If recoverable, the marked DRAM chip is redeployed. If unrecoverable, error reporting is provided to the user.
US09753805B2

A method and related apparatus are provided for restoring a connection through a provider network (PN). In particular, a connection is established along a path (P1) through the provider network (PN) for the transport of client traffic between two client network nodes (CR1, CR2) of a client network (CD1, CD2). Any restoration service for this connection is deactivated. However, when a failure (F1) is detected along the path (P1) which affects the connection, a path search is performed anyhow to determine a projected restoration path (P2) through the provider network (PN) available to restore said failed connection. In the case that the path search was successful and a projected restoration path (P2) was found, the availability of the projected restoration path (P2) is communicated (MS1, MS2) to the client network (CD1, CD2). The client can now decide whether to accept a temporary service upgrade to restoration service or not. Only after receipt of a confirmation (CM1, CM2) from said client network (CD1, CD2), a path restoration is performed to restore the failed connection over the projected restoration path (P2).
US09753803B2

A storage system includes an information processing apparatus and plural storage nodes. A replication unit replicates plural data elements respectively stored in plural data regions of one of the plural storage nodes, and stores replicated data elements respectively in plural data regions of each of the other storage nodes. A parity generation unit generates a parity corresponding to the data elements respectively stored in the plural data regions, and stores the parity in the parity region, for each of the storage nodes. The data selection unit selects one or more data regions that hold data elements, from among the plural data regions, and releases one or more non-selected data regions, for each of the storage nodes, so as to reduce a multiplicity of the data elements respectively stored in the plural data regions of each of the plural storage nodes.
US09753795B2

Dynamically adjust an error threshold in a data system based system status changes caused by either an external environment and/or an internal status.
US09753794B2

A method and an apparatus for controlling sending of a heartbeat signal are provided. The method includes acquiring a target push delay corresponding to all target applications; sending the target push delay to a push server; receiving a first heartbeat signal control time sent by the push server and corresponding to the target push delay; and sending a heartbeat signal to the push server at an interval of the first heartbeat signal control time. According to the embodiments of the present invention, a first heartbeat signal control time may be determined according to an acquired target push delay corresponding to all target applications, and the first heartbeat signal control time may be adjusted according to a target application, so that a push client can send a heartbeat signal to a push server at an interval of the first heartbeat signal control time, to maintain a Push connection.
US09753790B2

A method of handling requests between contexts in a processing system includes, in a current context of a source processing system element (PSE): executing a send-and rendezvous instruction that specifies a destination PSE, a queue address in the destination PSE, a set of source registers, and a set of receive registers; and sending a send-and-rendezvous message (SRM) to the destination PSE, wherein the SRM includes an address of the destination PSE, a destination queue address, a source PSE address, and an identifier of the current context in the source PSE.
US09753789B2

A computing node in a distributed system comprising a processor and associated memory, said memory storing: software component code executable to provide a service to software components running on other computers in said distributed system; component monitoring code executable to generate an event message for distribution in said distributed system in response to the occurrence of an event pertaining to the performance of said software component; action request assembly code executable to store an assemblage of action requests received from other computers in said distributed system in reaction to the distribution of said event message in said memory; action request assemblage processing code executable to order and/or filter said assemblage of action request to generate a processed set of action requests for execution by said software component.
US09753787B2

Apparatuses, methods and storage media associated with multiple processor modes execution are described herein. In embodiments, an apparatus may include a processor with a plurality of processor modes, including a first processor mode to address a first address space, and a second processor mode to address a second address space, the second address space including the first address space. The apparatus may further include a signal handler to handle a signal from a kernel, in the first processor mode; and a signal handler wrapper to switch the processor to the second processor mode on delivery of the signal from the kernel, save a current extra context of the second processor mode from the second register file to a user stack, switch the processor back to the first processor mode, then invoke the signal handler to handle the signal. Other embodiments may be described or claimed.
US09753780B2

In an example embodiment, a method of operating a task scheduler for one or more processors is provided. A topology of one or more processors is obtained, the topology indicating a plurality of execution units and physical resources associated with each of the plurality of execution units. A task to be performed by the one or more processors is received. Then a plurality of available execution units from the plurality of execution units is identified. An optimal execution unit is then determined, from the plurality of execution units, to which to assign the task, based on the topology. The task is then assigned to the optimal execution unit, after which the task is sent to the optimal execution unit for execution.
US09753773B1

In one embodiment of multi-mode task dispatching for extreme temperature avoidance, a performance-based dispatching mode includes a heating sub-mode in which heat generating non-system workload tasks are dispatched to idle processor cores of a set of available processor cores to raise the temperature of processing cores receiving a heat generating task. The heating sub-mode is entered if a multi-processor core temperature such as the ambient temperature of a CPU complex, for example, is below a sub-mode temperature threshold value. In this manner, the ambient temperature of the CPU complex may be prevented from reaching or maintaining a level which causes the CPU complex to fully or partially shut down due to low temperatures. Other features and aspects may be realized, depending upon the particular application.
US09753766B2

A system and method for allocating resources receive one or more resource requests describing tasks, each of the one or more resource requests having a request priority, a requested configuration type, and a requestor identifier. In a winner-take-all circuit, all of the existing resource priorities within each configuration of the requested configuration type are compared to determine a highest-priority task occupying each assignment. In a loser-take-all circuit, one or more current highest resource priorities of each configuration within the requested configuration type, which are output from the winner-take-all circuit associated with the requested resource assignment, each of the one or more current resources having a current priority, are compared. One of the one or more current resource configurations within the requested configuration type having the lowest current priority is identified as the lowest-priority current resource configuration. The requested configuration type is allocated to the selected resource request if the request priority is higher than the lowest current priority configuration output from the loser-take-all circuit. The method further comprises continuing to allocate the requested configuration type to the lowest-priority current resource tasks currently occupying the lowest current priority configuration within the requested configuration if the lowest current priority configuration within the requested configuration is higher than or equal to the request priority.
US09753759B2

Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for optimizing and enhancing delivery of application virtualization layers to client computing devices are described herein. In various embodiments, an application virtualization layer optimization service may identify a first and a second application virtualization layer to be delivered to one or more client computing devices. Each application virtualization layer may represent a package of one or more applications. A layer analysis service may analyze the first and second application virtualization layers to determine conflicts between the layers, using predetermined conflict analysis rules, and generate an actionable conflict resolution report based on the analysis. Based on the actionable conflict resolution report, the application virtualization layer optimization service may resolve conflicts between the first and second application virtualization layers, order the first and application virtualization layers, and deliver the ordered layers to the one or more client computing devices.
US09753757B2

Embodiments relate to generating a virtual machine (VM) migration plan. A method includes determining an initial mapping of VMs to hosts as an origin state and a final mapping of VMs to hosts as a goal state. Candidate paths are generated from the initial mapping to the final mapping. The candidate paths are evaluated based on a heuristic state transition cost from the origin state through intermediate states to the goal state by recursively obtaining a list of transitions that a parent state underwent. A heuristic goal cost is identified to reach the goal state from the intermediate states based on a fewest number of VM movements. The VM migration plan is generated based on the heuristic state transition cost of the candidate paths in combination with the heuristic goal cost of a sequence of transitions from the origin state to the goal state having a lowest total cost.
US09753756B2

A first network device determines whether it is available to transmit division data which is transmitted from a first virtual machine execution apparatus to a second network device which is provided at a side of a second virtual machine execution apparatus among a plurality of network devices, and stores the division data in a storing device when determining that it is not available to transmit, and transmit the division data in the storing device to the second network device when determining that it is available to transmit the division data to the second network device.
US09753748B2

A method of customization of software configuration includes generating and saving user information relating software features, when the software features are requested by a user for the first time. The computer system executes instructions to allow the user to input and adjust the user information. The user information is reviewed and adjustments to configurations of the software features based on the saved user information. Then, the computer system executes the software features requested by the user, according to the implemented adjustments to the configurations of the software features.
US09753745B1

A method and a non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer program for optimizing a system function-flow of a system capable of performing at least one function and comprising a plurality of components by utilizing application programming interface (API) profiling are provided. The method comprises receiving a request to perform the at least one function of the system from a user; obtaining at least one component required to realize the at least one function requested by the user from the plurality of the components; providing a plurality of APIs to the at least one obtained component to choose from; profiling each of the plurality of APIs to get a performance score of each API; based on the profiled APIs, optimizing the system function-flow of the system; determining corresponding APIs for the optimized system function-flow; and performing the at least one function requested by the user based on the determined APIs.
US09753719B2

Techniques for updating an application installed on a communication device may include determining that an update for a private portion of the application is available at a server, sending a request for the update to the server, receiving an updated version of the private portion from the server, and installing the updated version of the private portion on the portable communication device without updating the public portion.
US09753715B2

In an exemplary information processing apparatus communicable with a server via network, update information is obtained from the server at a first timing and the obtained update information is saved. The update information is information for determining presence of an update of each application. At a second timing independent of the first timing, the information processing apparatus determines whether there is an update to each of at least one of applications stored in a storage unit accessed by the information processing apparatus based on the saved update information. The information processing apparatus obtains, from the server, update data used for updating the application with respect to which it has been determined that the update is present.
US09753708B2

The present disclosure relates generally to the field of automatic conversion of sequential array-based programs to parallel MapReduce programs. In various examples, automatic conversion of sequential array-based programs to parallel MapReduce programs may be implemented in the form of systems, methods and/or algorithms.
US09753694B2

Systems and methods relate to division of a dividend by a divisor, with fast result formatting. Counts of leading sign bits of the dividend and the divisor are determined. The dividend and the divisor are normalized based on their respective counts of leading sign bits to obtain a normalized dividend and a normalized divisor, respectively. An exact number of significant quotient bits of a quotient of the division, based on the normalized dividend, the normalized divisor, and the counts of leading sign bits of the dividend and the divisor and used to determine a correct position of a leading bit of the quotient based on this exact number. The quotient is developed by placing the leading bit at or near the correct position and appending less significant bits to the right of the leading bit. Thus, left-shifts in each iteration and large final shifts are avoided in formatting the result.
US09753693B2

A binary logic circuit is provided for determining a rounded value of px q , where p and q are coprime constant integers with p
US09753691B2

A method for fast parallel adder processing. The method includes receiving parallel inputs from a communications path, wherein each input comprises one bit, adding the inputs using a parallel structure, wherein the parallel structure is optimized to accelerate the addition by utilizing a characteristic that the inputs are one bit each, and transmitting the resulting outputs to a subsequent stage.
US09753688B2

Provided is a motor control system of a numerical controller that can instruct a plurality of motors and display data on a display device by means of a single serial bus. An amplifier which controls the motor drives the motor based on a motor command received from the numerical controller via the serial bus. The display device display data on a screen based on display data received from the numerical controller via the serial bus.
US09753673B1

A data storage device is disclosed configured to connect to a host compute device via a power bus and at least one data bus, the data storage device comprising an I/O port configured to receive power from the power bus and provide data to and receive data from the host compute device via the at least one data bus, a timer configured to open a timing window when a cache flush command is received from the host compute device and close the timing window after a predetermined amount of time has expired or a host write command is received, and control circuitry configured to detect when the power from the host compute device is removed, determine whether the timing window is closed, and, if the timing window is closed, provide a warning alarm to indicate improper removal of the power from the host compute device.
US09753669B2

A method and system for real-time cloud bursting is provided. The method and system are directed to extending a data center with cloud computing resources by decoupling computing resources and storage devices in a virtualized data center, and booting the decoupled computing resources in a staged process while storage devices are divided and prioritized into components. Data and boot instructions are re-routed and cached as needed through a proxy system.
US09753665B2

A memory device includes an input/output interface, a bus of SPI type coupled to the input/output interface, and a plurality of individual non-volatile memory devices connected to the bus of SPI type. The chip select inputs of each individual memory device are all connected to one and the same chip select wire of the SPI bus. The individual memory devices are further configured and controllable so as to behave, as seen by the input/output interface, as a single non-volatile memory device, the total memory space of which has a total memory capacity equal to the sum of the individual memory capacities of the individual devices.
US09753655B2

A computing system includes: a write buffer block configured to: receive a data in a write buffer entry for staging the data prior to transferring the data to a storage cell, determine a validity identification of the data for a buffer entry address of the write buffer entry, store the data based on the validity identification to the write buffer entry, and a memory computing block, coupled to the write buffer block, configured to read the data for accessing the write buffer block.
US09753653B2

Systems, methods, and/or devices are used to manage high-priority NAND operations. In some embodiments, the method includes receiving a first command (e.g., requesting a high-priority memory operation) corresponding to a first location (e.g., having both a first physical address and a first aliased physical address) in a first die of a plurality of physical non-volatile memory die in a storage device. If the first die is performing a blocking low-priority memory operation (e.g., the low-priority operation was sent to the first die using a second physical address), the method includes sending a memory operation command, corresponding to the first memory operation, to the first die using the first aliased physical address. In some embodiments, a predefined die-selection portion of the second physical address matches the predefined die-selection portion of the first physical address and does not match the predefined die-selection portion of the first aliased physical address.
US09753649B2

Systems, methods and/or devices are used to enable tracking intermix of writes and un-map commands across power cycles. In one aspect, the method includes (1) receiving, at a storage device, a plurality of commands from a host, the storage device including non-volatile memory, (2) maintaining a log corresponding to write commands and un-map commands from the host, (3) maintaining a mapping table in volatile memory, the mapping table used to translate logical addresses to physical addresses, (4) saving the mapping table, on a scheduled basis that is independent of the un-map commands, to the non-volatile memory of the storage device, (5) saving the log to the non-volatile memory, and (6) upon power up of the storage device, rebuilding the mapping table from the saved mapping table in the non-volatile memory of the storage device and from the saved log in the non-volatile memory of the storage device.
US09753647B2

Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for deduplicating chunk digests received for chunks in objects in objects provided by clients to store in a storage. An index has chunk signatures calculated from chunks of data in the data objects in the storage. A transaction requests a shared lock for a chunk digest calculated from a chunk in an object to add to the storage. In response to not receiving the shared lock, the transaction is granted a shared lock to the chunk digest in wait mode. The transaction does not proceed until being granted the shared lock. In response to receiving the shared lock, a determination is made as to whether the chunk digest is in the index. A reference to the chunk data is provided for the object when the chunk digest is indicated in the index.
US09753646B2

Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for providing a reserved data area to use to extend a data set. A data set is configured in the volume configured in the storage. A reserved data area is configured in the storage for the volume. The reserved data area is used to extend the data set in the volume in response to there being insufficient available space in the data set. The reserved data area is used to allocate for use in the volume in response to there being no more available free space for use in the volume and if the reserved data area is available.
US09753645B1

Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for using mirror indicators to indicate whether to mirror tracks in a data set in a primary volume mirrored to a secondary volume. A table includes a mirror indicator for each of a plurality of tracks in at least one data set in the primary volume indicating whether a track is to be mirrored to the secondary volume. In response to a write command of write data for one of the tracks in the primary volume, creating a record set in a cache for the primary volume including write data for the track to transfer to the secondary volume in response to the mirror indicator for the track indicating that the track is to be mirrored. The write data in the record set is transferred from the cache to the secondary volume.
US09753644B2

A method includes storing data in a non-volatile memory that includes multiple memory blocks. At least first and second regions are defined in the non-volatile memory. A definition is made of a first over-provisioning ratio between a first logical address space and a first physical memory space of the first region, and a second over-provisioning ratio, different from the first over-provisioning ratio, between a second logical address space and a second physical memory space of the second region. Portions of the data are compacted, individually within each of the first and second regions and independently of the other region, by copying the portions from one or more source memory blocks to one or more destination memory blocks using the first and second over-provisioning ratios, respectively.
US09753637B2

An information processing apparatus includes a detection section configured to detect an operating body in proximity to a display screen, an identification section configured to identify whether the operating body detected by the detection section is in proximity to a selection item included in the display screen, and a display control section configured to temporarily superimpose and display a region including selection item content of the selection item over a previously displayed display region when the identification section identifies the operating body as being in proximity to the selection item and configured to end a display of the region including the selection item content of the selection item when the detection section no longer detects the operating body as being in proximity to the display screen.
US09753636B2

A method of changing a user interface (UI), which is used for diagnosis of a target object via a medical device, based on user motion information. The method including obtaining motion information regarding a user; changing the UI based on the obtained motion information regarding the user; and displaying the changed UI.
US09753635B2

A mobile terminal and controlling method thereof are disclosed, by which an email necessary for a user can be selectively updated only. The present invention includes a wireless communication unit configured to receive emails sent to a user from an email server, a display unit configured to display a list of the emails received from the email server, and a controller, if receiving a drag input of moving a pointer touching the display unit in a prescribed direction, partitioning at least one portion of the display unit into a plurality of region having different update references assigned thereto, the controller, if the drag input is ended, controlling the email list to be updated based on an update reference assigned to a prescribed region corresponding to a location having the drag input ended thereat among a plurality of the regions.
US09753634B2

A mobile terminal and controlling method thereof are disclosed, by a user's reading history for the e-book content can be outputted through the progress bar. The present invention includes a display unit configured to display an e-book content and a controller, if a preset user input is received while a prescribed page of the e-book content is displayed, controlling a progress bar indicating a position of the prescribed page in a total amount of the e-book content to be outputted, the controller controlling a user's reading history for the e-book content to be outputted through the progress bar.
US09753628B2

A playback system includes a display device and an information terminal adapted to communicate with the display device. The information terminal includes a processor and a recording medium storing instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform a process including displaying a first group of identification information items of content data stored in the information terminal in a first viewing area of a display screen, and displaying a second group of identification information items of the content data selected according to a selecting operation performed on the first group of identification information items displayed in the first viewing area in a second viewing area of the display screen at different times. The display device is adapted to play back the content data corresponding to the selected identification information items.
US09753621B2

A method for rendering one or more user interface elements on a display screen of a device is disclosed. The method includes receiving a request for rendering a first user interface element without an orientation preference, and identifying a type of the device. The method also includes, in accordance with a determination that the type of the device is a first device type corresponding to television devices and the first user interface element corresponds to a first user interface element type, rendering the first user interface element as a vertical user interface element in a first display region of the display screen.
US09753620B2

Various methods and systems for documenting interactive graphical design are provided. An exemplary graphical design environment stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprises a documentation element in an interactive graphical design. The design environment also comprises a design element that displays a plurality of states in a rendering of the interactive graphical design in an external player. The documentation element: (i) is enabled to receive a selection from the user of a state in the plurality of states; and (ii) displays a representation of the design element in the state in response to receiving the selection from the user. The documentation element and design element are both instantiated by a processor operating in combination with the non-transitory computer-readable medium.
US09753619B2

In some aspects, a method of authoring an interactive presentation includes defining a sequence of two or more primary content items within a presentation, and associating a link to additional content with a primary content item of the sequence in a non-transitory computer-readable medium. In additional aspects, a method of delivering an interactive presentation includes accessing the sequence of two or more primary content items, delivering the primary content items to a presentation device, and delivering, to applications operating on mobile devices of audience members, the primary content items with the additional content and/or one or more links thereto. In further aspects, a method of interacting with an interactive presentation includes receiving, by a mobile device of an audience member, a sequence of primary content items with additional content and/or one or more links thereto, and displaying the received primary content items and the additional content.
US09753612B2

A method for managing a number of applications running in an electronic device includes determining a touch gesture of a number of touch gestures on a display of the electronic device, opening an interface on a display of the electronic device to display icons of all applications that are currently running in the background when one of the touch gestures is determined, and managing the applications currently running in the background according to the number of touch gestures. The touch gestures include a single touch gesture, a normal slide gesture, and a pressure slide gesture.
US09753611B2

A method includes detecting, by an electronic device, a first input associated with a first selectable item of one or more selectable items displayed on a display. Based on the first input, a menu for display is invoked adjacent an edge of the display. The menu includes one or more selectable icons and each icon represents a function. When the first input is a continuous gesture extending to an icon displayed in the menu, the function associated with the icon is performed.
US09753605B2

According to one embodiment, a computer-implemented method for dynamically providing a tool bar in a user interface is provided. The method includes determining at least one action that is commonly performed based on data displayed on a current page of a graphical user interface of a communications device, creating a tool bar comprising at least one icon representing the at least one action, associating the tool bar with the current page of the graphical user interface, and providing the tool bar to the communications device for display on the current page of the graphical user interface.
US09753603B2

A method for inputting a text and a display apparatus using the same are provided, the text input method including: transferring a message for requesting execution of a text input mode to an external device; receiving the text from the external device; and displaying the received text if it is determined that a situation in which a text is to be input occurs. Therefore, if a situation in which a text is to be input occurs, an external device automatically operates in a text input mode, and thus a user more conveniently inputs the text.
US09753600B2

A touch panel including upper and lower electrode substrates including upper and lower conductive layers, respectively; first and second electrodes respectively provided at both ends of the upper conductive layer in a first direction for causing an electric potential distribution in the first direction; third and fourth electrodes respectively provided at both ends of the lower conductive layer in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction for causing an electric potential distribution in the second direction; a flexible substrate provided to be connected to the lower electrode substrate or the upper electrode substrate; a first resistor portion electrically connected to either of the first or second electrode and formed at the upper electrode substrate or the flexible substrate; and a second resistor portion connected to either of the third or fourth electrode and formed at the lower electrode substrate or the flexible substrate.
US09753597B2

A method and apparatus for sensing a conductive object by a mutual capacitance sensing array is described according to an embodiment of the present invention. The mutual capacitance sensing array comprises one or more sensor elements. Each sensor element comprises an outer frame including a conductive material. A cavity is formed within the interior of the outer frame. In an example embodiment, the sensor elements include transmit (TX) sensor elements and receive (RX) sensor elements that are disposed in a stackup that comprises a substrate, where the TX sensor elements are laminated by optically clear adhesive and are disposed on one side of the substrate, and where the RX sensor elements are laminated by optically clear adhesive and are disposed on a different side of the substrate than the TX elements.
US09753592B2

An electrostatic capacitive sensor includes a plurality of transmitter electrodes, a plurality of receiver electrodes, and a control circuit. The control circuit includes: a transmitter circuit configured to apply a periodical transmission signal to each of the plurality of transmitter electrodes; and a receiver circuit configured to generate, based on a reception signal generated in each of the plurality of receiver electrodes in response to the transmission signal, a detection signal indicating a change in electrostatic capacitance formed at each of intersections of the plurality of transmitter electrodes and the plurality of receiver electrodes, wherein the transmitter circuit and the receiver circuit are configured to switch between a first mode and a second mode, in the first mode, the transmission/reception signal is sequentially applied/monitored and in the second mode, the plurality of transmitter/receiver electrodes are grouped so that the same signal is applied to the same group.
US09753589B2

A touch sensing system is discussed. The touch sensing system includes sensor signal lines connected to segment electrodes, sensor enable lines to which a sensor enable pulse is applied, sensor thin film transistors (TFTs) which are turned on in response to the sensor enable pulse and supply a sensing pulse from the sensor signal lines to the segment electrodes, and a touch sensing circuit which applies the sensor enable pulse to the sensor enable lines, simultaneously turns on the two or more sensor TFTs, and applies the sensing pulse to the sensor signal lines.
US09753588B2

A touch sensing method of a display apparatus is disclosed. The display apparatus includes an active matrix substrate including a plurality of column electrodes and a plurality of row electrodes crossing the column electrodes. Each of the column electrodes is electrically connected to a driving module or a sensing module. The touch sensing method comprises steps of: transmitting a scan driving signal to at least a row electrode; transmitting a touch driving signal to the column electrode electrically connected to the driving module; capacitively coupling the touch driving signal through at least an external object, and receiving a coupling signal by the column electrode electrically connected to the sensing module; and detecting the position of the external object according to the coupling signal. Therefore, the invention can be directly applied to the active matrix substrate and enhance the accuracy of the touch sensing.
US09753577B2

A method and apparatus determine a difference value, the determined difference value reflecting a difference between a plurality of presence values. In an embodiment, the method and apparatus perform an operation associated with the plurality of presence values, based on the determined difference value.
US09753575B2

A controller adapted to an in-cell touch screen includes a common voltage (VCOM) circuit generating a common voltage at an output node of the VCOM circuit, and a detecting circuit receiving a sensing signal at an input/output node of the detecting circuit. A display-mode switch is closed in a display mode such that a VCOM electrode is set at the common voltage, and a touch-sensing-mode switch is closed in a touch sensing mode such that the sensing signal from the VCOM electrode is received and processed by the detecting circuit. The detecting circuit has full-swing power that contains full-swing power of the VCOM circuit.
US09753564B2

A touch sensor includes sensor electrodes formed on a transparent substrate by patterning an electroconductive polymer, and a see-through preventing layer in the vicinity of the outsides of the sensor electrodes on a surface different from the surface of the transparent substrate on which the sensor electrodes are disposed. The see-through preventing layer may be made of the same material as the sensor electrodes, and can not only reduce the visibility of the space between the sensor electrodes, but also reduce short-circuiting between the sensor electrodes.
US09753560B2

An input processing apparatus, including a consecutive input operation interval detector that detects a time interval between consecutive input operations received at the input processing apparatus; and an information processing unit that conducts information processing based on the detected time interval.
US09753542B2

Methods, articles of manufacture, and devices related to generating six degree of freedom (DOF) haptic feedback are provided. A computing device can receive first depth data about an environment. The computing device can generate a first plurality of points from the first depth data. The computing device can determine a virtual tool, where the virtual tool is specified in terms of a translation component for the virtual tool and a rotation component for the virtual tool. The computing device can determine a first force vector between the virtual tool and the first plurality of points. The computing device can send a first indication of haptic feedback based on the first force vector.
US09753541B1

An electronic device displays a user interface for a first software application. The user interface includes multiple elements to which user interaction models from multiple user interaction models provided by an application-independent module have been assigned (including a first element to which a first user interaction model has been assigned). The multiple elements have content provided by an application-specific module for the first software application. The first user interaction model defines how the user interface responds to inputs directed to the first element. The device detects an input directed to the first element; and updates the user interface based on characteristics of the input. If the input meets tactile output criteria specified by the first user interaction model, the device generates a first tactile output corresponding to the input, and if not, the device forgoes generation of the first tactile output.
US09753538B2

Disclosed herein is a touch display device, including: a panel including a plurality of sensing electrodes which are arranged under a dielectric layer and in a matrix configuration; a rectification unit including at least one rectifier configured to be connected to at least two sensing electrodes; and an energy storage unit including at least one capacitive element which is connected to the rectifier.
US09753533B2

Certain aspects of a method and system for controlling a user interface of a device using human breath may include a device having an embedded micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) sensing and processing module. The MEMS sensing and processing module may detect movement caused by expulsion of human breath by a user. In response to the detection of movement caused by expulsion of human breath, one or more control signals may be generated. The generated control signals may control the user interface of the device and may enable navigation and/or selection of components in the user interface.
US09753532B2

An image processing method includes receiving a first image rendered by a graphics processing unit (GPU) from the GPU, comparing the first image with a second image rendered by the GPU before the first image, and controlling a rendering frequency of the GPU based on a result of comparing the first image with the second image.
US09753510B2

Described is an apparatus which comprises: a first voltage regulator (VR) coupled to first one or more inductors, the first VR is to provide power to a first power domain; and a second VR coupled to second one or more inductors at least one of which is inductively coupled to at least one of the first one or more inductors, the second VR is to provide power to a second power domain separate from the first power domain, wherein there is a non-zero phase angle offset between switching transistors of the first VR relative to the second VR.
US09753506B2

In one example in accordance with the present disclosure an electronic device with a multi-layer heat reduction component is described. The device includes a number of integrated circuits and a first layer in contact with at least one of the number of integrated circuits to remove heat from at least one integrated circuit. The device also includes a second layer separated from the first layer by an air gap to reduce heat transfer between the first layer and the second layer. The second layer is retractable to expose the first layer when docked to a station. The electronic device operates in a first mode when docked to a station and a second mode when not docked to the station.
US09753503B2

A data processing apparatus includes an electronic device configured to store data and instructions; a memory card; and a memory card socket in which the memory card is inserted. In certain disclosed systems and methods, the memory card socket includes: an insertion portion through which the memory card is inserted; a lock portion formed around an edge of the insertion portion, and that is configured to control attaching and detaching of the memory card based on instructions received from the electronic device; and a main body including the insertion portion and the lock portion and configured to accommodate the memory card via the insertion portion.
US09753491B2

Detachable portable computing apparatus includes a base, a connecting component and a display component. The connecting component includes a housing, a first magnetic unit, and a guide pin. The housing has an opening on the housing. The first magnetic unit locates inside the housing, and moves toward or away from the opening. The guide pin is connected to and interlocking with the first magnetic unit. The guide pin can be accommodated inside the housing or protruded outside the housing from opening. The display component includes a guided socket and a second magnetic unit. The guided socket and the second magnetic unit are located at same side of the display component. While the second magnetic unit of the display computing component approaches the opening, the first magnetic unit is attracted, to drive the guide pin to be protruded outside the housing, and connects with the guided socket.
US09753487B2

Serial peripheral interfaces and methods of operating the same are provided. An apparatus can have a serial peripheral interface (SPI) including a first command state machine (CSM), and a second CSM.
US09753481B2

A method and system for generating a reference voltage are disclosed. The reference voltage is generated by generating a voltage VRIGHT using a first transistor and generating a voltage VBIAS using a second transistor. The gates of the two transistors are connected to a common node VREF, but the loads of the transistors have different resistances. At least one differential pair is used to detect a difference between voltages VRIGHT and VBIAS. VREF is forced to a value at which the source-drain currents in each of the transistors is equal. The transistors sued are NMOS transistors.
US09753477B2

A method includes obtaining energy consumption information representative of energy consumption behaviors of multiple customers, grouping the multiple customers into multiple different clusters based on the consumption behaviors of the multiple customers, and generating an energy consumption model for each different cluster to enable forecasting of energy demand of the multiple customers.
US09753476B1

A voltage regulator circuit is provided in which voltage overshoots are quickly dissipated using a discharge path which is connected to an output of the voltage regulator. Circuitry for controlling the discharge path is provided using internal currents of an error amplifier to provide a space-efficient and power-efficient design with a fast response. Moreover, hysteresis can be provided to avoid toggling between discharge and no discharge, and to avoid undershoot when discharging the output. A digital or analog signal is set which turns the discharge transistor on or off. A current pulldown may be arranged in the discharge path.
US09753468B2

An electronic circuit includes a circuit to receive an analog input signal responsive to an analog oscillating signal and to generate an analog output signal, AD converters to perform AD-conversion with respect to the analog oscillating signal, the analog input signal, and the analog output signal to generate a digital oscillating signal, a digital input signal, and a digital output signal, at least one first adjustor to adjust a phase of the digital oscillating signal through the Hilbert transform, a second adjustor to adjust a phase of the digital input signal through the Hilbert transform, a third adjustor to adjust a phase of the digital output signal through the Hilbert transform, a first mixer circuit to multiply the output of the first adjustor and the output of the second adjustor, and a second mixer circuit to multiply the output of the first adjustor and the output of the third adjustor.
US09753454B2

It is provided an apparatus for detecting a transition from a first phase to a second phase in a processing line. The apparatus comprises a first sensor for gathering data indicating product concentration, a second sensor for gathering data indicating product concentration. The first sensor is placed upstream of the second sensor. Further, the apparatus comprises a control device configured to receive a first data set from the first sensor and a second data set from the second sensor, and to calibrate the second sensor by comparing the second data set with the first data set.
US09753453B2

A method for defining a robotic machine task. The method comprises a) collecting a sequence of a plurality of images showing at least one demonstrator performing at least one manipulation of at least one object, b) performing an analysis of said sequence of a plurality of images to identify demonstrator body parts manipulating said at least one object and said at least one manipulation of said at least one object, c) determining at least one robotic machine movement to perform said task, and d) generating at least one motion command for instructing said robotic machine to perform said task.
US09753451B2

A system for managing the longevity of tools of a programmable CNC machine including means for inputting into the machine control a designation of a tool for use therein, means for recording the time of usage of such tool, means for computing the cumulative time of usage of such tool over a lifetime of usage thereof, means for computing the average time of usage of such tool and means for signaling the usage of such tool for a selected percentage of such average time.
US09753437B2

A safety device includes a first computation unit, a second computation unit, an output control unit, and a first central processing device. The first computation unit is configured to perform a first computation on a detected value detected from a subject to be controlled, thus obtaining a first result value. The second computation unit is configured to perform a second computation on the detected value, thus obtaining a second result value which is to be determined if equal to the first result value. The output control unit is configured to output the first result value in a case that the second computation unit determines that the first result value is equal to the second result value, and not to output the first result value in a case that the second computation unit determines that the first result value is not equal to the second result value.
US09753427B2

An opening/closing detection mechanism has a multifunctional peripheral body portion, a front cover, a side cover, and an interlock mechanism. The interlock mechanism contains a switch, a plate-like portion, a bulged portion, and a rocking mechanism. The bulged portion is provided on the side cover. When the side cover is in the closed state, the bulged portion abuts on a rear region located on the side opposite to the front cover with respect to a region where a projection portion is provided of the switch. The rocking mechanism rocks the switch in the opening/closing direction of the front cover according to the opened/closed state of the side cover.
US09753419B2

A fixing device and an image forming apparatus to pass a paper through a nip portion between a fixing roller and a pressure roller and fix a toner image on the paper. The image forming apparatus includes a first spring and a second spring to press the pressure roller against the fixing roller and an operation lever to change a pressing state of the springs. The operation lever has two positions of: a first position in which pressing of the pressure roller by the first spring is made active and pressing by the second spring is made inactive; and a second position in which the pressing by the second spring is made active and the pressing by the first spring is made inactive. A contact pressure of the pressure roller against the fixing roller is differentiated in the first position and in the second position.
US09753416B2

A fixing device includes a fixing rotator rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation and a pressure rotator to press against the fixing rotator to form a fixing nip between the fixing rotator and the pressure rotator, through which a recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed. A guide is disposed upstream from the fixing nip in a recording medium conveyance direction to guide the recording medium to the fixing nip. The guide includes a projection extending in the recording medium conveyance direction, a contact face to come into contact with the recording medium, and a roughened face disposed on at least a part of the contact face.
US09753414B2

Provided is an image forming apparatus including plural image formation units that form an image, an annular belt that holds the image on an outer circumferential surface thereof and transports the image, a driving roller that rotates with being in contact with an inner circumferential surface of the belt and rotates the belt, an adjustment roller that rotates with being in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the belt and adjusts a frictional force generated between the belt and the adjustment roller, a transfer roller that is driven to rotate with being in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the belt and transfers the image on the outer circumferential surface of the belt to a recording medium, and an adjustment unit that adjusts at least one of a rotational speed of the adjustment roller and a normal force of the adjustment roller against the belt.
US09753413B2

A belt unit including a steering mechanism employing a belt auto alignment method includes a restricting portion configured to enable a steering roller to rotate about a steering axis line for correcting the deviation of the position of the belt in the width-wise direction, while restricting the inclination of the steering roller due to the rotation.
US09753411B2

Concerned with a cylindrical conductive belt for electrophotography which has made permanent curl less occur. The conductive belt has a continuous phase containing a thermoplastic polyester resin and discontinuous phases each containing any one or both selected from a polyether-ester amide and a polyether amide, and the discontinuous phases are present in such way as to extend in the peripheral direction of the belt; the belt having a crystallinity that is lower on the outer-peripheral surface side than on the inner-peripheral surface side.
US09753403B2

An image forming apparatus includes a latent image forming unit that forms an electrostatic latent image on an image carrier based on an image signal, a development unit that includes a circulation mechanism that circulates developer in the development unit and develops the electrostatic latent image using the developer, and a detector unit that detects a toner density of the developer in the development unit. A determination unit determines a replenishment amount of toner to the development unit based on the toner density detected by the detector unit, and a replenisher unit replenishes the development unit with toner based on the determined replenishment amount. The determination unit reduces a predetermined ripple that occurs in accordance with a period of circulation of the developer by executing filter processing for reducing the predetermined ripple.
US09753401B2

A powder container includes a rotatable powder storage to store powder for image formation, a conveyor to transport the powder inside the powder storage, and a scooping portion to scoop the powder inside the powder storage. The conveyor transports the powder in a powder conveyance direction parallel to a rotation axis of the powder storage toward an opening at one end of the powder storage. The scooping portion causes the powder to flow to the opening. The scooping portion includes a scooping face extending from an inner face of the powder storage toward the rotation axis of the powder storage, and a rim disposed along an inner end of the scooping face in a diameter direction of the powder storage, and at least a portion of the rim protruding downstream beyond the scooping face in a rotation direction of the powder storage.
US09753396B2

A system for use in image reproduction, the system includes at least a first light emitting unit and a second light emitting unit. The first light emitting unit includes a first cooling means arranged for cooling the first light emitting unit. The second light emitting unit includes a second cooling means arranged for cooling the second light emitting unit independently of the first light emitting unit. The first light emitting unit has a first elongate emitting area. The second light emitting unit has a second elongate emitting area. A control unit controls the cooling of at least one of the first cooling means and the second cooling means such that at least one of the first elongate emitting area and the second elongate emitting area, respectively, has a desired length.
US09753389B2

A liquid developer contains an insulating liquid and toner particles dispersed in the insulating liquid. The toner particles have a resin and a coloring agent. The resin contains at least 10 mass % and at most 40 mass % of an aliphatic polyester resin and at least 60 mass % and at most 90 mass % of an aromatic polyester resin. The resin has an acid value not less than 20 mgKOH/g and not more than 100 mgKOH/g. A difference in acid value between the aliphatic polyester resin and the aromatic polyester resin is not less than 0 mgKOH/g and not more than 10 mgKOH/g.
US09753384B2

Provided is a photoconductor including a conductive support, an intermediate layer containing metal oxide particles, and a photoconductive layer. The intermediate layer and the photoconductive layer are provided over the conductive support in the order of reciting. An elastic power (We/Wt value) of the intermediate layer is greater than or equal to 20.0% but less than 35.0%. A Martens hardness (HM) of the intermediate layer is greater than or equal to 350 [N/mm2] but less than 450 [N/mm2].
US09753376B2

An exposure apparatus including a substrate transporting unit configured to transport a substrate in a first direction, and including a first measuring part; and an exposure part disposed over the substrate transporting unit configured to irradiate the substrate with ultraviolet rays. The first measuring part is configured to measure an intensity of the ultraviolet rays before the substrate is irradiated.
US09753375B2

An illumination optical unit for projection lithography illuminates an illumination field with illumination light of a primary light source. The illumination optical unit has a raster arrangement to predefine a shape of the illumination field, a transfer optical unit for the superimposing transfer of the illumination light toward the illumination field, and an illumination angle variation device which deflects the illumination light with different deflection angles. The illumination angle variation device has at least one displaceable illumination angle variation unit to generate a deflection angle for the illumination light.
US09753373B2

A semiconductor processing method is provided and includes the following steps. A first semiconductor process is performed for a wafer to obtain plural overlay datum (x, y), wherein x and y are respectively shift values in X-direction and Y-direction. Next, A re-correct process is performed by a computer, wherein the re-correct process comprises: (a) providing an overlay tolerance value (A, B) and an original out of specification value (OOS %), wherein A and B are respectively predetermined tolerance values in X-direction and Y-direction; (b) providing at least a k value (kx, ky); (c) modifying the overlay datum (x, y) according to the k value (kx, ky) to obtain at least a revised overlay datum (x′, y′); and (d) calculating a process parameter from the revised overlay datum (x′, y′). Lastly, a second semiconductor process is performed according to the process parameter . . . . The present invention further provides a lithography system.
US09753367B2

The method includes forming a graphite layer on a substrate, forming a supporting layer on the graphite layer to form a stack of the graphite layer and the supporting layer, removing the substrate to separate the stack from the substrate, transferring the stack of the graphite layer and the supporting layer onto a frame, and removing the supporting layer from the frame.
US09753362B2

Parallax ghosting is mitigated in a mounted lenticular grating with for many-frame animation by having lenticules at an offset angle α relative to the viewing vertical and incorporating ghosting in the base images. Where Ω is an angular range orthogonal to the longitudinal axes of the lenticules over which m picture slices in the base graphic are viewable, V is the distance between the viewer's eyes, and L is the distance of the viewer from the lenticular grating, the number N of picture slices viewed due to the parallax effect given by N=2(m/Ω)arc tan(V|cos α|2 L). The above variables are chosen such that the number N of viewed picture slices is not too large. Ghosting of foreground images from neighboring frames is added to mitigate parallax-induced washing-out of colors. To create a three-dimensional effect, ghosted images are shifted in position by an amount related to their intended distance out-of-plane.
US09753360B2

To provide a heat dissipating device which enables the fabrication of a small and highly bright light source unit and a light source unit and a projector which include this heat dissipating device, a heat dissipating device is provided which includes a fixing portion which fixes a first light source, a first heat dissipating portion having a plurality of fins provided on a rear surface side of the fixing portion, a flat plate portion erected from the fixing portion and a second heat dissipating portion having a plurality of fins provided on the flat plate portion.
US09753353B2

A system and method for separating signal quadratures includes obtaining, by a parametric amplifier, an input signal, amplifying, by the parametric amplifier, the input signal to create an amplified signal and generating an idler. The idler is a conjugate image of the input signal. The system and method also include obtaining, by a frequency converter, the amplified signal and the conjugate image and converting the amplified signal and the conjugate image into a first output and a second output, where the first output includes a first signal quadrature and the second output includes a second output quadrature.
US09753343B2

A display device includes a red pixel, a blue pixel, a green pixel, and a white pixel; a plurality of gate lines and data lines; and a plurality of storage electrode lines. Each of the red pixel, the blue pixel, and the green pixel includes two subpixel electrodes connected to a same gate line and a same data line and charged with different voltages. Every subpixel electrode included in the white pixel and connected to a same gate line and a same data line have a same voltage.
US09753341B1

A display apparatus includes a transparent electronic display such as a non-backlit LCD screen, a display area disposed behind the transparent electronic display, and a light source for illuminating the display area. When the light source is activated, the pixels of the LCD screen, and objects behind the screen, become visible. Various examples of the display apparatus include additional enhancements to the visual image and/or functionality. These enhancements include additional monitors for coordinated displays, user-controlled turntables with coordinated informational displays, parallax compensation, RFID sensors for identifying objects to be displayed, and switchable liquid crystal films and/or polarized mirror coatings to further control revealing and concealing of objects behind the screen. Some examples of the display apparatus may include an animal habitat. The animal habitat may be selectively revealed or concealed. The display apparatus may incorporate screen displays with animal movements for unique visual effects.
US09753339B2

A display includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a liquid crystal layer, a backlight source, a driving integrated circuit and a conductive portion. The liquid crystal layer is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. The backlight source is disposed at a first side of the second substrate. The driving integrated circuit is disposed at a second side, opposite to the first side, of the second substrate. The conductive portion is electrically coupled to the driving integrated circuit and passes through the second substrate to be electrically coupled to the backlight source. Furthermore, a display manufacturing method thereof is also disclosed here.
US09753338B2

A first substrate (10) of a liquid crystal display device (100) includes: an alignment film defining an initial alignment azimuthal direction (D), which is an alignment azimuthal direction of liquid crystal molecules (31) when no electric field is applied through a liquid crystal layer (30); a first electrode (11) and a second electrode (12) capable of producing a fringe electric field (FE) that aligns the liquid crystal molecules in an azimuthal direction that is different from the initial alignment azimuthal direction; and a third electrode (13) and a fourth electrode (14) capable of producing a lateral electric field that aligns the liquid crystal molecules in the initial alignment azimuthal direction.
US09753335B2

Embodiments of the invention disclose an array substrate and a manufacturing method thereof and a liquid crystal display. In the array substrate, an additional electrode is formed above a gate line, the additional electrode and the gate line are spaced from each other by a gate insulation layer, and the additional electrode is connected electrically with the common electrode line; pixel electrode extends to over the additional electrode and is overlapped with the additional electrode, the overlapped portion of the pixel electrode and both the additional electrode and the common electrode line forms a storage capacitor. The liquid crystal display according to the embodiment of the invention comprises the above array substrate.
US09753331B2

An alignment film and a fabrication method thereof, a liquid crystal panel and a display device, relate to a field of liquid crystal display technology, which can avoid causing static electricity and generating dust during a rubbing process, as well as unevenness of alignment. The method comprises: dispersing discotic liquid crystal molecules containing hydrophobic branched chains in a solvent, to prepare a discotic liquid crystal molecule solution (101); and applying the discotic liquid crystal molecule solution on a substrate, and obtaining the alignment film after removing the solvent (102).
US09753326B2

A photoluminescent panel includes a lower substrate, an upper substrate facing the lower substrate, a liquid crystal layer disposed between the lower substrate and the upper substrate, and a color conversion layer disposed on the upper substrate. The color conversion layer includes a light excitation particle which absorbs light having a desired wavelength and emits excited light, and a scattering particle which scatters the excited light.
US09753324B2

A photoluminescent liquid crystal display includes: a liquid crystal panel including a lower substrate, an upper substrate, a liquid crystal layer interposed between the upper and lower substrates, and a photoluminescent color filter layer disposed between the upper substrate and the liquid crystal layer; an optical device disposed on the upper substrate; a polarizing plate disposed under the lower substrate; and a backlight unit disposed under the polarizing plate and which emits blue light, where the photoluminescent color filter layer includes a first color filter which emits polarized red light, a second color filter which emits polarized green light, and a third color filter which emits polarized blue light, and the first color filter and the second color filter include a semiconductor nanocrystal-polymer composite.
US09753306B2

Eyewear comprises a first frame portion that is configured to retain a first lens therein, a second frame portion that is configured to retain a second lens therein, a first temple that is coupled to the first frame portion, a second temple that is coupled to the second frame portion, and a flexible bridge that is positioned intermediate the first frame portion and the second frame portion. In some embodiments, the flexible bridge is formed from a flexible polymer material and a shape-retaining alloy metal at least partially embedded in the flexible polymer material.
US09753302B2

A lens drive apparatus that displaces a lens holder in a direction of an optical axis and a direction orthogonal to the optical axis comprises: a drive section that displaces an assembly, which is formed by assembling a lens holder displaceable in the direction of the optical axis together with a magnet disposed around the lens holder, in the direction orthogonal to the optical axis by the magnet and a coil disposed at a position facing the magnet in collaboration with each other; and a Hall device that is disposed at a position shifted in the direction of the optical axis with respect to the coil and detects a position of the magnet in the direction orthogonal to the optical axis.
US09753299B2

An optical element in which transmittance of light monotonically decreases from a center portion toward a peripheral portion, the optical element includes an absorbing material portion made of a material that absorbs a part of light and formed such that its thickness monotonically increases from the center portion toward the peripheral portion; and a transparent material portion made of a material that transmits light and is stacked on the absorbing material portion, a total thickness of the absorbing material portion and the transparent material portion being substantially constant.
US09753290B2

A laser apparatus includes a plurality of laser modules each generating a laser line in a working plane. The laser modules are juxtaposed so that the laser lines generated by the modules combine into a single laser line. Each of the laser modules includes at least one laser line generator and a laser line shaper. The laser line shaper includes an array of microlenses such that the final laser line generated by each laser module has, in the working plane, a power density profile with a width (L90) at 90% of the maximum power density and a width (L10) at 10% of the maximum power density. A ratio L90/L10 is between 1/15 and 1/5.
US09753287B2

A wearable electronic display that includes an eyewear frame having a first side frame portion. A display module with a micro-display for generating images can be mounted to the first side frame portion. The display module can have an elongate portion with an image exit window positioned for directing viewable images to a user's eye.
US09753286B2

This invention concerns an ergonomic optical see-through head mounted display device with an eyeglass appearance. The see-through head-mounted display device consists of a transparent, freeform waveguide prism for viewing a displayed virtual image, a see-through compensation lens for enabling proper viewing of a real-world scene when combined together with the prism, and a miniature image display unit for supplying display content. The freeform waveguide prism, containing multiple freeform refractive, and reflective surfaces, guides light originated from the miniature display unit toward a user's pupil and enables a user to view a magnified image of the displayed content. A see-through compensation lens, containing multiple freeform refractive surfaces, enables proper viewing of the surrounding environment, through the combined waveguide and lens. The waveguide prism and the see-through compensation lens are properly designed to ergonomically fit human heads enabling a wraparound design of a lightweight, compact, and see-through display system.
US09753283B2

A head-up display device includes a projector, an expansion optical system, an estimating part, a determination part, and a light amount control part. The projector has a light source and a liquid crystal panel. The expansion optical system expands an imagery output from the projector. The estimating part estimates a relative position of the sun with respect to a mobile unit. The determination part determines whether the liquid crystal panel is protected based on a relation between the relative position estimated by the estimating part and a solid angle representing a range in which a light from the sun is incident to the liquid crystal panel through the expansion optical system. The light amount control part decreases an amount of light incident to the liquid crystal panel when the determination part determines that the liquid crystal panel should be protected.
US09753279B2

An electrostatically actuated oscillating structure includes a first stator subregion, a second stator subregion, a first rotor subregion and a second rotor subregion. Torsional elastic elements mounted to the first and second rotor subregions define an axis of rotation. A mobile element is coupled to the torsional elastic elements. The stator subregions are electrostatically coupled to respective regions of actuation on the mobile element. The stator subregions exhibit an element of structural asymmetry such that the electrostatic coupling surface between the first stator subregion and the first actuation region differs from the electrostatic coupling surface between the second stator subregion and the second actuation region.
US09753277B2

A wavelength conversion device includes a substrate, a reflective member, and a wavelength conversion member. The reflective member is disposed on the substrate and includes a continuous-phase material and nano particles. The nano particles are distributed in the continuous-phase material. A refractive index of the continuous-phase material is different from a refractive index of the nano particles. The wavelength conversion member is disposed on the reflective member. The reflective member is configured to reflect the light converted from the wavelength conversion member to output.
US09753275B2

An illumination apparatus includes a first unit, a second unit, and a third unit. The first unit includes an excitation light source that produces excitation light. The second unit includes a light-for-illumination phosphor. The light-for-illumination phosphor produces and outputs light for illumination when the light-for-illumination phosphor receives excitation light. Furthermore, the second unit produces and outputs light for projection. The light for illumination and the light for projection are outputted in a time division manner. The third unit includes a light shaping member. The third unit shapes the light for illumination by the light shaping member and guides the shaped light for illumination to the outside as illumination light, and shapes the light for projection by the light shaping member and guides the shaped light for projection to the outside as projection light.
US09753272B2

Provided is a technology for controlling an electrowetting cell. The electrowetting cell may be controlled by applying a preset first voltage to the electrowetting cell, measuring a first circuit parameter between any one side surface and a conductive liquid disposed in the electrowetting cell and determining whether a reset second voltage is to be applied to the electrowetting cell based on the measured first circuit parameter.
US09753267B2

An observation system includes a microscope optical system, an image pickup unit, an image pickup control unit, a detection unit, and an observation control unit. The image pickup unit is configured to take an image of a field-of-view range of the microscope optical system. The image pickup control unit is configured to cause the image pickup unit to take images of an observation sample in the field-of-view range at a plurality of focal positions and generate detection images. The detection unit is configured to detect a three-dimensional position of an observation target object in the observation sample from the detection images. The observation control unit is configured to fit the field-of-view range of the microscope optical system to the three-dimensional position.
US09753263B2

A zoom lens system includes: a first lens group having a negative refractive power; a second lens group having a positive refractive power; and an aperture between the first and second lens groups, wherein the first lens group and the second lens group are sequentially arranged from an object side to an image side, wherein the zoom lens system performs zooming and focusing by moving the second and first lens groups, respectively, along an optical axis, and satisfies 2.5<(fw/ft)×(Tw/Y)<4.5, where fw denotes an entire focal length at a wide-angle end, ft denotes an entire focal length at a telephoto end, and Tw denotes a distance between an image plane and an object side lens surface of a lens closest to the object side of the first lens group at the wide-angle end, and Y denotes a radical axis image height.
US09753260B2

An optical image capturing system includes, along the optical axis in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens, a second lens, a third lens, a fourth lens, and a fifth lens, wherein at least one lens among the first to the fifth lenses has positive refractive force, the fifth lens can have negative refractive force, wherein both surfaces thereof are aspheric, and at least one surface thereof has an inflection point, and wherein the lenses in the optical image capturing system which have refractive power include the first to the fifth lenses, whereby the optical image capturing system can increase aperture value and improve the imaging quality for use in compact cameras.
US09753259B2

A six-piece optical lens for capturing image and a six-piece optical module for capturing image are provided. In order from an object side to an image side, the optical lens along the optical axis includes a first lens with refractive power, a second lens with refractive power, a third lens with refractive power, a fourth lens with refractive power, a fifth lens with refractive power and a sixth lens with refractive power. At least one of the image-side surface and object-side surface of each of the six lens elements is aspheric. The optical lens can increase aperture value and improve the imagining quality for use in compact cameras.
US09753258B2

A compact low-profile imaging lens which offers a wide field of view and corrects aberrations properly. It includes: a first positive (refractive power) lens having a convex object-side surface as a first optical element; a second negative meniscus lens having a concave image-side surface as a second optical element; a third lens having at least one aspheric surface as a third optical element; a fourth lens having at least one aspheric surface as a fourth optical element; a fifth lens having at least one aspheric surface as a fifth optical element; and a sixth double-sided aspheric lens having a concave image-side surface as a sixth optical element. The aspheric image-side surface of the sixth lens has pole-change points off an optical axis. As a seventh optical element, one double-sided aspheric aberration correction optical element with virtually no refractive power is located between the first lens and an image plane.
US09753254B2

An imaging lens assembly includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens element (100), a second lens element (120), a third lens element (130), and a fourth lens element (140). The first lens element (110) with positive refractive power has an object-side surface (111) being convex. The second lens element (120) with negative refractive power has an object-side surface (121) being concave. The third lens element (130) with positive refractive power has an object-side surface (131) and an image-side surface (132) being both aspheric. The fourth lens element (140) with refractive power has an object-side surface (141) and an image-side surface (142) being aspheric.
US09753253B2

An optical lens system includes a first lens element of negative refractive power having a meniscus shape, a second lens element of positive refractive power having a convex image-side surface and disposed adjacent to the first lens element, a third lens element of positive refractive power having at least one aspheric surface and disposed adjacent to the second lens element, and a fourth lens element of negative refractive power having at least one aspheric surface and disposed adjacent to the third lens element.
US09753243B2

A plastic barrel includes an object-end portion, an image-end portion and a tube portion. The object-end portion includes an object-end surface and an object-end hole, wherein the object-end surface includes a plurality of annular grooves, which are disposed coaxially to a central axis, and each of the annular grooves includes a stepped surface. The image-end portion includes an image-end opening. The tube portion connects the object-end portion and the image-end portion.
US09753236B1

An optical transceiver including an optical transmitter and an optical receiver for performing a bi-directional communication over a single optical transmission fiber is provided. The optical transmitter includes a laser diode, a main body in which a receptacle part corresponding to an optical connector is formed, the optical connector to which a first optical fiber is coupled using a first supporting member, a second supporting member for supporting a portion coupled between the receptacle part and the optical connector, a plane-spring part provided in at least one of the main body and the optical connector. The optical connector has been coupled to the receptacle part. The plane-spring part is configured to provide an elasticity in a first direction to prevent an additional coupling toward the main body, the first direction is opposite toward the main body. The first optical fiber is connected to the optical receiver.
US09753228B2

An optical transmission and reception connector system includes a cable that has a plug section formed at both ends thereof so as to relay and transmit light and an interfacing module that is mounted on an electronic apparatus and that includes an insertion space into which the plug section is detachably inserted. The cable is provided with a first relay optical path and a second relay optical path. The interfacing module includes a receptacle unit in which a first internal optical terminal and a second internal optical terminal for transmitting and receiving light to and from the cable are separated from each other, an optical transmitter unit, an optical receiver unit, and a main optical transmission unit that includes a first main optical path formed between the optical transmitter unit and the first internal optical terminal so as to transmit light output from the optical transmitter unit through the first internal optical terminal and a second main optical path formed between the second internal optical terminal and the optical receiver unit so as to be separated from the first main optical path and to transmit light received from the second internal optical terminal to the optical receiver unit. The plug section of the cable is formed such that an upper part and a lower part are symmetric with respect to the center thereof without depending on the insertion direction thereof, and the cable or the receptacle unit is formed to divide or switch an optical path so as to enable transmission of light by the optical transmitter unit and reception of light by the optical receiver unit.
US09753216B2

An embodiment of the invention relates to a MMF with a structure for enabling stable manufacture of the MMF suitable for wide-band multimode optical transmission, for realizing faster short-haul information transmission than before. In the MMF, when an input position of a DMD measurement pulse on an input end face is represented by a distance r from a center of a core with a radius a, a power of the DMD measurement pulse on an output end face with the input position r of the DMD measurement pulse being 0.8a is not more than 70% of a power of the DMD measurement pulse on the output end face with the input position r of the DMD measurement pulse being 0.
US09753215B2

This disclosure provides a backlight comprising an optical component and a frame that comprises a receiving part, said optical component being disposed in said receiving part, said optical component comprising a reflective sheet for reflecting light towards a light exit of the backlight, said reflective sheet comprising a reflective sheet body and a lug arranged on at least one side of the reflective sheet body, said lug protruding outwardly of the reflective sheet body along a length or a width direction of the reflective sheet body, a clamp slot corresponding to the lug being arranged on a side wall of said receiving part, said lug being arranged within the clamp slot. Correspondingly, this disclosure provides also a liquid crystal module and a display device. Compared with the prior art, during repair and maintenance, the backlight of this disclosure avoids the damage to the reflective sheet caused by tearing double-sided adhesive and avoids waste of the double-sided adhesive, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost.
US09753210B2

An optical waveguide body includes a first layer of optically transmissive material and a second layer of optically transmissive material in contact with the first layer. At least one of the first and second layers is tapered and the first layer has a first index of refraction and the second layer has a second index of refraction less than the first index of refraction and the first and second indices of refraction are both greater than about 1.0.
US09753206B2

Provided are a light guide plate, and a backlight unit and a display device including the same. The light guide plate includes a body including a light output surface configured to output light, a reflective surface provided opposite the light output surface, and side surfaces provided between the light output surface and the reflective surface; and a plurality of dot pattern formed on a surface of the reflective surface, and the dot pattern includes a central embossed portion protruding to the outside of the reflective surface, a concave portion having a ring shape which surrounds the central embossed portion and recessed and formed in the reflective surface, and an outer embossed portion formed on an outer circumference surface of the concave portion and configured to protrude to the outside of the reflective surface.
US09753199B2

A variable wavelength interference filter includes a stationary substrate including a stationary reflecting film and a stationary electrode, and a movable substrate including a movable reflecting film and a movable electrode, the stationary electrode and the movable electrode are disposed outside an optical interference region where the stationary reflecting film and the movable reflecting film overlap each other in a filter plan view, an inner peripheral edge of the stationary electrode is located nearer to the optical interference region than an outer peripheral edge of the movable electrode, and an outer peripheral edge of the stationary electrode is located further from the optical interference region than an outer peripheral edge of the movable electrode.
US09753198B2

The light emitting screen of the present invention includes: a blue light emitting layer emitting blue light by being excited with first excitation light; a green light emitting layer which is disposed on the blue light emitting layer and emits green light by being excited with second excitation light; a red light emitting layer which is disposed on the green light emitting layer and emits red light by being excited with third excitation light; a first selective reflection layer which is disposed between the blue light emitting layer and the green light emitting layer; and a second selective reflection layer which is disposed between the green light emitting layer and the red light emitting layer, wherein the blue light emitting layer, the green light emitting layer, and the red light emitting layer contain quantum rods or quantum dots.
US09753193B2

Lenses, devices, apparatus, systems, methods of manufacturing and fabricating an ophthalmic lens device for correction of human vision. The ophthalmic lens device includes at least one diffractive waveplate coating with an optical axis orientation pattern designed to correct the vision of individual patients. The ophthalmic lens device including diffractive waveplate coating may also provide a portion of the required vision correction by means of refraction of light by curved surfaces of a dielectric material.
US09753186B2

Disclosed is a glass fiber-silsesquioxane composite molded article containing glass fibers and a cured material of a silsesquioxane polymer composited therewith, wherein the silsesquioxane has a polyhedral structure or a partially polyhedral structure. The glass fiber-silsesquioxane composite molded article is preferably obtained by impregnating glass fibers with a composition containing at least one of silsesquioxanes represented by formula (A-1) to (A-3) and at least one of a curing agent, a polymerization initiator, and a hydrosilylation catalyst, or the silsesquioxane polymer and allowing a curing reaction to proceed.
US09753179B2

Methods for determining downhole fluid parameters include disposing apparatus including a sensor in a fluid in a wellbore. The sensor includes a heater and a temperature sensor, and the fluid is flowing at a velocity of about zero centimeters per second to about ten centimeters per second. The fluid includes particulates, paraffin or asphaltenes. The methods further include obtaining a first measurement via the heater and obtaining a second measurement via the temperature sensor. Based on the first measurement and the second measurement, the velocity of the fluid is determined.
US09753176B2

Adsorbed gas in a formation may be estimated. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) data for a subsurface geological formation is obtained, and at least a portion of the NMR data is corrected to produce corrected NMR data. A NMR-based estimate of formation porosity is determined using the corrected NMR data. Dielectric permittivity data for the subsurface geological formation is obtained, and a dielectric permittivity-based estimate of the formation water-filled porosity is determined using the dielectric permittivity data. A gas volume is determined using the determined NMR-based estimate of the formation porosity and the determined dielectric permittivity-based estimate of the formation water-filled porosity. The gas volume may be determined by subtracting the determined dielectric permittivity-based estimate of the formation water-filled porosity from the determined NMR-based estimate of the formation porosity. The gas volume per unit volume of the formation may be determined using an equation of state.
US09753174B2

A method for acquiring geophysical data includes connecting a power module comprising a data transfer port and a power transfer port to a geophysical data acquisition device to provide a geophysical sensing node and deploying the geophysical sensing node. While deployed, data is transferred from the geophysical data acquisition device to the power module via the data transfer port and power is transferred from the power module to the geophysical data acquisition device via the power transfer port. The method also includes retrieving the geophysical sensing node and replacing the power module with a newly charged power module to provide a newly charged geophysical sensing node, and deploying the newly charged geophysical sensing node. Corresponding systems are also disclosed herein.
US09753168B2

Disclosed are methods and systems for performing marine geophysical surveys that utilize a streamer having variable stiffness. An embodiment discloses a sensor streamer comprising: an outer surface; tension members within the outer surface extending along a length of the sensor streamer; spacers disposed within the outer surface along the length of the sensor streamer; a geophysical sensor disposed in an interior of one of the spacers; and an actuator assembly configured to apply tension to the tension members.
US09753167B2

Rotation data and translational data are received. A calibration operator is determined based on the rotation data and translational data, where the calibration operator is useable to relatively calibrate the rotation data and the translation of data.
US09753163B2

Methods and apparatuses for acquiring marine seismic data to generate images or determine properties of an interior section of the Earth using simultaneous marine vibrator sweeps and methods for processing the acquired seismic data. Phase of sweeps produced by the marine vibrator(s) are controlled to provide for removal of crosstalk. The phases between marine vibrator sweeps may be random or controlled to have a predetermined/desired phase difference. The predetermined phases may be determined to minimize the crosstalk between sweeps based on known seismic velocity of the survey area.
US09753161B2

A neutron scintillator excellent in neutron detection efficiency and n/γ discrimination ability, having uniform characteristics, and easily available in a large size is provided.The neutron scintillator comprises a resin composition having eutectic particles incorporated in a resin having a similar refractive index, the eutectic particles having a sphere equivalent diameter of the order of 50 to 1000 μm and being composed of lithium fluoride and an inorganic fluorescent material, such as MgF2, CaF2 or SrF2, the inorganic fluorescent material containing a lanthanoid, such as Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm or Yb, as a luminescent center atom.
US09753160B2

A digital X-ray sensor having a detection layer, and a collection layer formed by pixels in the form of a CMOS ASIC, wherein the sensor is provided with a “photon-counting” function and is suitable for radiological applications, so that the best arrangement is obtained between the image quality and the radiation dose absorbed by a subject.
US09753145B2

The present invention relates to a method for detecting and optionally quantifying exposure to ionizing radiation and applications thereof. More particularly, the invention relates to the detection and/or quantification of ionizing radiation exposure by detecting the colour change of one or more dianhydrohexitol compounds, such as isosorbide, caused by ionizing radiation. It also relates to the use of dianhydrohexitol compounds for detecting exposure to irradiation, to a system and kit that may be used for such purposes, and to a method for making sterilized objects, which also relies on the colour change induced by ionizing radiation.
US09753143B2

An aircraft navigation system and navigation method. The system comprises a civil-certified GPS-receiver for determining first position information based on C/A-GPS-signals, and a military-type GPS-receiver for determining a second position information based on P(Y)-GPS-signals. A monitoring unit detects a first abnormal condition during jamming conditions within the C/A-GPS-signals. The unit compares the first position information with the second position information and detects a second abnormal condition when a difference between these position information is larger than a threshold value for more than a threshold duration. Upon detecting an abnormal condition, an alert procedure is initiated. In remotely piloted aircraft, Command & Control link-loss is also monitored and during link-loss, a transponder code automatically indicates communication failure. When in such situation an abnormal condition is additionally detected, a transponder code indicates airborne emergency and, subsequently, the aircraft navigation system is switched to navigating based on position information from the military-type GPS-receiver.
US09753137B2

Some demonstrative embodiments include apparatuses, systems and/or methods of communicating positioning information. For example, an apparatus may include an optical communication unit to communicate Intensity-Modulated (IM) optical signals of a positioning packet, the positioning packet including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion including information modulated over a first frequency band, and the second portion including On-Off-Keying (OOK) signals over a second frequency band, the second frequency band is different from the first frequency band.
US09753132B1

A radar sensing system for a vehicle includes a transmitter, a receiver, a memory, and a processor. The transmitter transmits a radio signal and the receiver receives a reflected radio signal. The processor samples reflected radio signals during a plurality of time slices. The processor produces samples by correlating reflected radio signals to time-delayed replicas of transmitted radio signals. The processor accumulates the time slices into a first radar data cube and stores the first radar data cube in a memory. The processor combines a portion of the first radar data cube with a portion of a previously stored radar data cube. Based at least in part on the combined portions of the radar data cubes, the processor processes a time series that is a time series of the first radar data cube concatenated with a time series from the previously stored radar data cube.
US09753129B2

Disclosed are methods and systems for determining distance between two or more mobile devices utilizing a sound emitted from each device such as a chirp. Each device may determine or receive an indication of a time reference for each instance the device emits or detects a chirp. Utilizing the time reference data, the distance between the two or more devices may be determined assuming the sound travels at a constant speed of 340.29 m/s. Techniques for disambiguating orientation of the devices relative to one another rare also disclosed.
US09753128B2

A method to compensate for multi-path in time-of-flight (TOF) three dimensional (3D) cameras applies different modulation frequencies in order to calculate/estimate the error vector. Multi-path in 3D TOF cameras might be caused by one of the two following sources: stray light artifacts in the TOF camera systems and multiple reflections in the scene. The proposed method compensates for the errors caused by both sources by implementing multiple modulation frequencies.
US09753126B2

Embodiments are directed toward measuring a three dimensional range to a target. A transmitter emits light toward the target. An aperture may receive light reflections from the target. The aperture may direct the reflections toward a sensor that comprises rows of pixels that have columns. The sensor is offset a predetermined distance from the transmitter. Anticipated arrival times of the reflections on the sensor are based on the departure times and the predetermined offset distance. A portion of the pixels are sequentially activated based on the anticipated arrival times. The target's three dimensional range measurement is based on the reflections detected by the portion of the pixels.
US09753123B2

A more dynamic situational awareness may be provided by processing received attack radar pulses in a radar warning receiver in such a way as to provide an indication of where the aircraft is within the transmit beamwidth of the attack radar.
US09753115B2

A system for determining location and timing information in a cellular network includes a space-time calibration unit (SCU) and a plurality of nodes in communication with the SCU. Each node includes a node ping driver that receives frame synchronization information from a respective subset of cell sites, and associates the frame synchronization information with respective receive count stamps generated using a local node clock. The system also includes a user handset that includes a handset ping driver that receives the frame synchronization information from a serving cell site and one or more neighbor cell sites, and associates the frame synchronization information with respective receive count stamps generated using a local handset clock. The SCU uses the information from the node and handset ping drivers to determine a handset location.
US09753112B2

Magnetic resonance imaging method and device, preferably using T2-weighted Fast Spin Echo (FSE) sequences, wherein a first set of magnetic resonance signals corresponding to predetermined phase-encoding gradients and at least one second set of received magnetic resonance signals, corresponding to further predetermined phase-encoding gradients, are acquired from the body under examination, using multi-echo sequences, such that echoes with the same echo index are assigned to different phase-encoding gradients, said first set and said at least one second set being entered into at least two corresponding k-space matrices, and the at least two k-space matrices being combined into a single k-space matrix from which an image is generated, wherein each k-space matrix is incompletely filled such that, for the same phase encoding gradients, one matrix contains the higher-intensity received signals, and at least another matrix contains no signal.
US09753109B2

At least two chemical species are imaged using magnetic resonance imaging with signal separation for two chemical species resulting in separate signal datasets for these two chemical species. First and second echo data are acquired at different echo times resulting in a first and second acquired complex dataset. The first and second acquired datasets are modelled by employing a spectral signal model of at least one of the chemical species. The modelling results in a first and second modelled complex dataset. The first and second modelled datasets include a first and second phase error and the separate signal datasets for the two chemical species. From the first and second acquired dataset and the first and second modelled dataset the separate signal datasets for the two chemical species are determined.
US09753105B2

A debugging device for a body coil of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system includes a pair of output ports connected to a pair of input ports of the body coil. The debugging device also includes a pair of input ports connected to a pair of output ports of the MRI system. The debugging device includes a pair of extension circuits, separately connected between the pair of input ports and the pair of output ports; and a first adjustment capacitor for reducing or eliminating coupling between the pair of input ports. The first adjustment capacitor is bridged between the pair of input ports, and the capacitance of the first adjustment capacitor is variable.
US09753101B2

Embodiments relate to xMR sensors, sensor elements and structures, and methods. In an embodiment, a sensor element comprises a non-elongated xMR structure; and a plurality of contact regions formed on the xMR structure spaced apart from one another such that a non-homogeneous current direction and current density distribution are induced in the xMR structure when a voltage is applied between the plurality of contact regions.
US09753096B2

A method, system and computer software for detecting an incipient failure of a generator in a power system including the steps of ascertaining one or more generator reference parameter of the generator for use as a baseline reference; measuring one or more operating parameter values of the generator; using the one or more operating parameter values to solve for an estimated present value of the one or more of the generator's current performance parameters using particle swarm optimization technique; and determining whether the estimated present values of the one or more of the generator's current performance parameters are outside of an acceptable limit.
US09753092B2

A battery monitoring system of flying capacitor type detects voltage difference between adjacent unit cells connected in series in battery pack. The system has the unit cells, an open and close section, a first and second capacitor, a first and second switching section, an ADC, and a microcomputer. The microcomputer instructs the open and close section to charge each of the first and second capacitors with each unit cell. After the first and second capacitors have been charged by the corresponding unit cells, the microcomputer instructs the first switching section to connect the first capacitor and the second capacitor in a reverse-polarity series connection. The microcomputer allows the second switching section to supply a voltage at both ends of the first and second capacitors connected in the reverse-polarity series connection, i.e. a voltage difference between the unit cells, to the ADC. The ADC supplies a conversion result to the microcomputer.
US09753087B2

A method for testing a multi-chip system with multiple ports includes determining a test path formed by connecting the multiple ports. The test path is determined in such a way that the internal logic circuit of each chip in the multi-chip system is bypassed. The method further includes injecting a test traffic to the test path, and receiving the test traffic from the test path.
US09753083B2

A parallelism adjusting device and a parallelism adjusting method capable of adjusting the parallelism between the surface of a semiconductor and the surface of an electrode by reducing the load on the semiconductor and capable of shortening the cycle time by increasing the operating speed. A probe device of adjusting the parallelism between the surface and the surface of a contact body that is in contact with the surface to press the surface and apply a current is configured to include a pressing body assembly that presses the contact body with a predetermined pressing force until the surface and the surface come into contact with each other to adjust the parallelism and, after that, presses the contact body with a pressing force that is stronger than the predetermined pressing force.
US09753064B2

A voltage metering module for metering a voltage signal at least one analogue to digital converter (ADC) component arranged to receive at an input thereof a voltage signal and to generate a digital signal representative of the received voltage signal. The at least one ADC component includes at least one sampling network controllable to sample the received voltage signal for conversion to a digital signal representative of the received voltage signal and at least one compensation network operably coupled in parallel with the sampling network and controllable to sample the received voltage signal such that an input current of the compensation network at least partially compensates for a component of an input current of the sampling network.
US09753054B2

An inertial force sensor has a first sensor element, a second sensor element, a first signal processor, a second signal processor, and a power controller. The first sensor element converts a first inertial force to an electric signal, and the second sensor element converts a second inertial force to an electric signal. The first signal processor is connected to the first sensor element, and outputs a first inertial force value. The second signal processor is connected to the second sensor element, and outputs a second inertial force value. The power controller is connected to the first signal processor and the second signal processor, and changes power supplied to the second signal processor based on the first inertial force value.
US09753052B2

A measurement unit for measuring a first static pressure of the ambient air in a first measurement zone of the aircraft, a measurement unit for measuring a second pressure of the ambient air, at least one static pressure probe, in a second measurement zone of the aircraft, the second pressure having a value lower than the first static pressure, a computation unit for estimating a Mach number using these two measured pressures and a data transmission unit configured to transmit the estimated Mach number to a user system.
US09753050B2

The application relates to a wind turbine component having an optical fiber sensor arranged to detect wind speed over the surface of the component. In one embodiment, the optical fiber sensor has a light loss portion that allows some of the light transmitted through the optical fiber to escape. The amount that the optical fiber bends in the air flow across the surface causes the effective surface area of the light loss portion to increase or decrease. With increased or decreased surface area of the light loss portion, more or less light is lost from the fiber. The intensity of the light transmitted in the fiber can therefore be used as a measure of the amount of bending, and therefore as a measure of the air flow's speed. In other embodiments, the optical fiber includes optical gratings, such as Fiber Bragg Gratings.
US09753048B2

A sample test automation system which is capable of reducing the workload of an operator and precisely carrying out necessary processes of each of samples without stagnation. In the sample test automation system, a sample tray 120 on which a plurality of samples 150 can be installed is prepared, an identifier for distinguishing the sample tray 120 is attached to the sample tray 120, a sample introducing unit 10 is provided with an identifier reading apparatus 111 which reads the identifier of the sample tray 120, and information about the samples 150 is switched based on the read identifier of the sample tray 120.
US09753032B2

This invention relates to an assay device and a method for pretreating a specimen containing a biologically-relevant substance and then assaying the biologically-relevant substance. Biologically-relevant substances used in the assay method include microorganisms, cells, viruses, nucleic acids, polysaccharides, proteins (including antigens, antibodies, chromoproteins, and enzymes), peptides, nucleic acids, and small molecules. This pretreatment method removes contaminants from the biologically-relevant substances using supports such as magnetic particles, gels, resins, membranes, and solid-phased reagents. Therefore, in the assay method the following steps are generally carried out (i) a pretreatment step of treating a specimen using one or more first supports and then one or more second supports, and (ii) the assay step carried out after the pretreatment step. In particular, the pretreatment method reduces false positives and false negatives in the assay.
US09753030B2

The invention relates to carbon nanotube-containing composites as biosensors to detect the presence of target clinical markers, methods of their preparation and uses in the medical field. The invention is particularly suitable for the detection in patient biological specimens of bone markers and tissue markers. The biosensors of the invention include carbon nanotubes deposited on a substrate, gold nanoparticles deposited on the carbon nanotubes and, binder material and biomolecule deposited on the gold-coated carbon nanotubes. The biomolecule is selected to interact with the target clinical markers. The biosensor can be used as an in-situ or an ex-situ device to detect and measure the presence of the target clinical markers.
US09753021B2

The invention concerns the field of biomolecule formulation screening and stability testing. It concerns a method for the evaluation of the colloidal stability of liquid biopolymer solutions. The present invention describes a method for determining the stability of a liquid pharmaceutical composition comprising: a) providing a liquid pharmaceutical composition in a container, b) shaking said container on a shaker, whereby the shaker performs an oloid movement, c) determining the stability of said liquid pharmaceutical composition.
US09753015B2

System and methods for characterizing and/or detecting structural characteristics of syringes (e.g., bare syringes or syringes included in automatic injection devices) using acoustic vibrations. A transducer is positioned proximate to a syringe so that the transducer vibrates at one or more frequencies and a response of the syringe to the vibrations can be received via the receiver. The response of syringe can be processed to determine a structural characteristic of the syringe.
US09753011B2

A method of ion mobility spectrometry wherein ions undergo multiple stages of ion mobility separation and multiple stages of inertial ion motion wherein the mean free path between ion collisions with gas is significantly longer than in the stages of ion mobility separation, wherein each stage of inertial ion motion lies between successive stages of ion mobility separation.
US09752987B1

The present disclosure is directed to a system and a method for hydride generation. In some embodiments, the system includes an assembly for introducing hydride generation reagents into a mixing path or mixing container, where the assembly includes first chamber configured to contain a first hydride generation reagent and a second chamber configured to contain a second hydride generation reagent. A first plunger is configured to translate within the first chamber and cause a displacement of the first hydride generation reagent, and a second plunger is configured to translate within the second chamber and cause a displacement of the second hydride generation reagent. The assembly further includes base coupling the first plunger and the second plunger together.
US09752984B2

An arrangement having a birefringent component is provided for use in spatial offset measurements and analysis systems. The birefringent optical arrangement provides different directional control of the excitation signal relative to the emission signal, so that offset between an excitation and emission location on a sample can be controlled for both or only one of the excitation signal relative to the emission signal.
US09752983B2

The present disclosure relates generally to systems and methods for determining the absorption coefficient and the optical density of a fluid as they relate to the wavelength of incident radiation. Specifically, ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV LEDs) or the like that emit ultraviolet (UV) radiation or the like are used as sources for irradiating the interior of an integrating chamber that is designed to increase the path length of the radiation through the fluid, thus enhancing the detection limits of the absorption coefficient and the optical density according to Beer's Law.
US09752982B2

A plasmonic sensor device includes a light source, configured to generate coherent light; a metallic film, at least partially covered on one side by analyte molecules; at least one micromirror that is rotatable about at least one axis of rotation, which is positioned and developed in such a way that the coherent light is able to be guided at an angle of incidence to one side of the metallic film, the angle of incidence being variable by the rotating of the at least one micromirror about the at least one axis of rotation; and a detector configured to determine the intensity of the light guided onto the metallic film and reflected again from there, as a function of the angle of incidence, the coherent light generated by the light source being in such a state that surface plasmons are excitable in the metallic film depending on the angle of incidence.
US09752976B2

An optical system for acquiring fast spectra from spatially channel arrays includes a light source for producing a light beam that passes through the microfluidic chip or the channel to be monitored, one or more lenses or optical fibers for capturing the light from the light source after interaction with the particles or chemicals in the microfluidic channels, and one or more detectors. The detectors, which may include light amplifying elements, detect each light signal and transducer the light signal into an electronic signal. The electronic signals, each representing the intensity of an optical signal, pass from each detector to an electronic data acquisition system for analysis. The light amplifying element or elements may comprise an array of phototubes, a multianode phototube, or a multichannel plate based image intensifier coupled to an array of photodiode detectors.
US09752973B2

Systems and methods for determining particle size distribution from electrical mobility spectrometry (EMS) measurements in the presence of multiply charged particles. EMS data comprising zeroth order singly-charged particle size distribution information for one or more EMS channels is obtained and fitted using a Gumbel distribution function to obtain a fit function value. The obtained fit function value is used to correct for multiply-charged particle contribution to the received EMS data.
US09752972B2

A viscosity measurement system, which is for measuring the viscosity of a fluid, comprises a transistor-type viscosity sensor, an electrical measurement unit, and a processing unit. The transistor-type viscosity sensor includes a semiconductor structure, a source terminal, and a drain terminal. The semiconductor structure includes a GaN layer and an AlGaN layer disposed on the GaN layer. The portion of the semiconductor structure that is between the source terminal and the drain terminal has a gate region, which has an exposed surface for being in contact with the fluid. The electrical measurement unit is in electrical connection with the source terminal and the drain terminal and for measuring an electronic signal of the semiconductor structure. The processing unit is coupled to the electrical measurement unit and for determining the viscosity of the fluid according to the electronic signal measured.
US09752969B2

A universal tester includes modular sample stages, each dedicated to a test configuration. The modules are manually coupled to the base of the tester and automatically recognized for activation of the correct software relevant to its configuration and test scripts. As a result, no extraneous script can be activated erroneously by an operator. A single motor in the frame of the tester actuates the drive of each sample stage through a drivetrain that is automatically engaged by the manual installation of the stage. Means for controlling and/or measuring temperature, humidity, voltage, resistance, and acoustic emissions are provided through dedicated expansion slots and cards that activate respective software. An electronic identification in each card ensures that only relevant software is enabled.
US09752963B2

A suspension damper test apparatus is provided. The suspension damper test apparatus includes a first fixture having a force sensor, a first prying device, and a first torsion device, operatively coupled to a first end of a suspension damper. A second fixture having at least one of a displacement sensor and a speed sensor, is operatively coupled to a second end of a suspension damper. A controller is in signal communication with the force sensor and the at least one of the displacement sensor and the speed sensor. The controller is configured to record signals received from one or more of the force sensor, and the at least one of the displacement sensor and the speed sensor. The signals recorded are representative of a friction of the suspension damper while the suspension damper is actuated along a longitudinal axis of the suspension damper.
US09752955B2

An OTDR system utilizes a laser source that is turned “on” and kept powered until its light reaches the end of the fiber span being measured (i.e., until the fiber span is fully illuminated). At any point in time after the fiber is fully illuminated, the laser source can be turned “off”. The return (reflected and backscattered) signal is directed into a photodetector of the OTDR, and is measured from the point in time when the fiber span starts to be illuminated. The measurements are made by sampling the return signal at predetermined time intervals—defined as the sampling rate. The created power samples are then subjected to post-processing in the form of a differentiation operation to create a conventional OTDR trace from the collected data.
US09752945B2

A coplanar process fluid pressure sensor module is provided. The module includes a coplanar base and a housing body. The coplanar base has a pair of process fluid pressure inlets, each having an isolator diaphragm. The housing body is coupled to the coplanar base at an interface between the coplanar base and the housing body. A differential pressure sensor is operably coupled to the pair of process fluid pressure inlets, and is disposed proximate the coplanar base within the housing body.
US09752944B2

A microelectromechanical sensing structure having a membrane region including a membrane that undergoes deformation as a function of a pressure and a first actuator that is controlled in a first operating mode and a second operating mode, the first actuator being such that, when it operates in the second operating mode, it contacts the membrane region and deforms the membrane in a way different from when it operates in the first operating mode.
US09752912B2

The dispenser disclosed herein serves a single serving of a powdered nutrient contained within a container having multi-servings of the powdered nutrient. The dispenser has a metering device that operates as a ball valve or guillotine to dispense a single serving of the powdered nutrient into a water container. The dispenser also has a support surface that can be lowered and raised back up in order to fit a water container under the metering device and a distal tip of the metering device into a mouth of the water container so that no powdered nutrient spills out of the water container during transfer of the powdered nutrient from the metering device to the water container.
US09752908B2

A thermal flow meter has improved measurement accuracy due to the shape of a circuit package. The circuit package has a measurement surface and a backside of a measurement surface of a rear surface thereof is located in a bypass passage, the bypass passage being configured to allow a measurement target gas to flow therein dividing the measurement target gas into a flow path at a side of the measurement surface and a flow path at a side of the backside of measurement surface of a rear surface thereof. An inflow-side end surface of the circuit package has different shapes at the side of the measurement surface and at the side of the backside of the measurement surface.
US09752899B2

A coil section includes a primary coil which is magnetically excitable by an AC signal, and secondary coils which are provided so as to generate an inductive output in response to excitation of the primary coil. A self-oscillation circuit, including an inductance element and a capacitor, has incorporated therein the primary coil as the inductance element for self-oscillation. A target section is provided in such a manner that its relative position to the coil section varies according to a position of a target of detection, and the target section includes a magnetically responsive member disposed so that inductance of the secondary coils is varied according to the relative position. Amplitude levels of the output signals of the secondary coils are extracted, and position data of the position of the target of detection is obtained on the basis of these amplitude levels.
US09752891B2

The present invention relates to a fitness device comprising a display having plurality of lights that are configured for illumination as fitness intervals are achieved by a user. The fitness device is interchangeable with plural wearable articles. This functional fitness device allows a user to track their steps while at work, shopping, an evening out, or anytime one is on the move, even when it is interchanged between different wearable articles.
US09752890B2

A method for identifying a result responsive to a current location of a client device includes receiving, form a client device and at a host, a search query that includes a point of interest and a current location of the client device. The method also includes automatically updating the search query as the current location of the client device changes and instructing the host to identify a potential location associated with the point of interest and located within a user-defined proximity from the current location of the client device.
US09752882B2

The invention relates to a transportation system in an environment comprising several people conveyors as well as a navigation system installed on mobile devices held by the passengers of the transportation system, which transportation system comprises at least one wireless transmission device in connection with at least one of the passenger conveyors, wherein the navigation system comprises a calibration routine for generating a reference position of the mobile device in the environment, and the calibration routine can be initiated, if the distance of the mobile device to the wireless transmission device goes below a threshold value, in which calibration routine the wireless transmission device transfers position and/or identification data to the mobile device, whereupon the navigation system on the mobile device adopts the reference position of the related passenger conveyor.
US09752877B2

An electronic device may be provided with an electronic compass. The electronic compass may include magnetic sensors. The magnetic sensors may include thin-film magnetic sensor elements such as giant magnetoresistance sensor elements. Magnetic flux concentrators may be used to guide magnetic fields through the sensor elements. To reduce offset in the electronic compass, the magnetic flux concentrators may be demagnetized by applying a current to a coil in the housing. The coil may be formed from loops of metal traces within a printed circuit or other loops of conductive paths. Magnetic flux concentrators may have ring shapes. A ring-shaped magnetic flux concentrator may be formed from multiple thin stacked layers of soft magnetic material separated by non-magnetic material.
US09752869B2

Systems for performing machine vision using diffuse structured light comprising: a linear diffuser having an axis of diffusion; a light source that projects an illumination pattern through the linear diffuser and onto a scene, wherein the illumination pattern has transiationai symmetry in a. direction of translation that is aligned with the axis of diffusion; and an image sensor that detects tight reflecting from the scene and that outputs signals corresponding to the detected light. Methods for performing machine vision using diffuse structured light comprising: projecting an illumination pattern from a light source through a linear diffuser and onto a scene, wherein the linear diffuser has an axis of diffusion and the illumination pattern has transiationai symmetry in a direction of translation that is aligned with the axis of diffusion; and detecting light reflecting from, the scene using an image sensor that outputs signals corresponding to the detected light.
US09752859B2

A method and apparatus for measuring stem nut wear in a valve having a threaded valve stem that is positioned to engage the threads of a stem nut. In a preferred embodiment, a tool is mounted on the stem nut, wherein the tool rotates when the stem nut rotates. The tool indicates a measurement of stem nut rotation. An indicator indicates stem movement. The stem nut is rotated and the amount of percent wear is observed. Rotation continues until the stem begins to move. The tool provides a reading when the stem begins to move that indicates an amount of stem nut wear.
US09752841B2

A trigger device for activating a firing mechanism, the trigger device comprising a housing, a trigger pivotally mounted on the housing via a trigger pivot pin, a sear arm comprising a first sear surface, a ticker extending generally from the trigger to the sear arm, the ticker pivotable about a ticker pivot pin, the ticker comprising spaced apart flanges, each of which comprises an aperture defining at least a first contact surface, and a captured roller positioned at least partially within the apertures, wherein in a captured position the first sear surface and the first contact surfaces engage the captured roller and in a released position the first contact surfaces disengage from the captured roller to allow the captured roller to move within the aperture.
US09752832B2

An improved heat engine is disclosed. The heat engine comprises at least one heat pipe containing a working fluid flowing in a thermal cycle between vapor phase at an evaporator end and liquid phase at a condenser end. Heat pipe configurations for high-efficiency/high-performance heat engines are disclosed. The heat pipe may have an improved capillary structure configuration with characteristic pore sizes between 1μ and 1 nm (e.g. formed through nano- or micro-fabrication techniques) and a continuous or stepwise gradient in pore size along the capillary flow direction. The heat engine may have an improved generator assembly configuration that comprises an expander (e.g. rotary/turbine or reciprocating piston machine) and generator along with magnetic bearings, magnetic couplings and/or magnetic gearing. The expander-generator may be wholly or partially sealed within the heat pipe. A heat engine system (e.g. individual heat engine or array of heat engines in series and/or in parallel) for conversion of thermal energy to useful work (including heat engines operating from a common heat source) is also disclosed. The system can be installed in a vehicle or facility to generate electricity.
US09752829B2

A process and system for lyophilizing a product. The product is first cooled in a cooling chamber (12) and then passed through a liquid nitrogen bath (14) where it is frozen. It is then freeze dried in a lyophilization chamber (26) during which the water or non-aqueous media is sublimated using a combination of gaseous nitrogen and vaporized nitrogen from liquid nitrogen supplied to the lyophilization chamber. Water and non-aqueous media removed from the product during sublimation is purged from the chamber. The system of the present invention provides more energy efficient operation, eliminates the use of hot oils and oil leaks, operates more reliably, and the liquid nitrogen can be used both as a refrigeration source, for heating shelves instead of hot oil and also can maintain the lyophilization temperature in case of power failure with minimum electric power supply in case of a power outage.
US09752828B2

The invention relates to a circulating mass dryer for drying wet sludge. According to the invention, the circulating mass dryer includes two adjacent circulating mass systems in heat exchange communication with one another, wherein the first circulating mass system is a sludge drying side and the second circulating mass system is a heat releasing side, and the first and the second circulating mass system each comprises at least one elongated riser (3, 16), and the riser (3) of the first circulating mass system and the riser (16) of the second circulating mass system are adjacent in such a way that a common heat exchange surface is formed therebetween. In addition, the invention relates to a corresponding method.
US09752825B2

A process for liquefying and subcooling a hydrocarbon-rich fraction, particularly natural gas, is described wherein, once cooled down, the fraction is subjected to a partial condensation to remove heavy hydrocarbons, particularly benzene, by the steps of: a) the liquefied hydrocarbon-rich fraction is subcooled in a separate heat exchanger (normal mode), b) the supply of the liquefied hydrocarbon-rich fraction to the heat exchanger is interrupted at the latest when a defined solid deposition value in the heat exchanger is reached (cleaning mode), c) the solid in the heat exchanger is melted with a defrost gas and drawn off from the heat exchanger and d) the liquefied hydrocarbon-rich fraction is subsequently returned to the heat exchanger.
US09752812B2

A device for making ice bars set within a freezer of a household refrigerator, the device comprising a carcass with a lateral face, an opposite lateral face, a neck in “V” shape, the lateral faces and a guiding throat which tops off with a semi-cylinder which is in connection with a “C” channel set over the opposite lateral face; a lever set over a runway found on the lateral face of the carcass, wherein said lever is mechanically grasped to a helicoid spring which returns it to its resting position, the lever comprising a disk and a “U” channel set over the disk and a pair of cylindrical concentric walls which form a cavity which houses the helicoid spring; a guard set over the lateral face of the carcass which contains the lever, the guard has an inner face; wherein said guard has a protruded tube in its inner face which is housed within the inner cylindrical wall of the lever; a tray which houses a series of molds for making ice bars, which on its flank sides has set on it a central axis portion and a cam follower; and a drawer for collecting the ice bars produced and extracted from the tray upon turning it and deforming it, when the user takes the lever to its final resting position on the runway.
US09752809B2

A linear oscillation system comprising a housing, a stationary assembly, a moveable assembly and a suspension system is disclosed. The suspension system is mechanically coupled between the moveable assembly and the housing. The suspension system comprises a plurality of planar elastic members and plurality of longitudinal elastic members disposed between the plurality of planar elastic members. A first end of each of the plurality of planar elastic members is mechanically coupled to at least one of the plurality of planar elastic members. A second end of each of the plurality of longitudinal elastic members is mechanically coupled to the housing.
US09752805B2

An adsorption heat pump includes: an evaporator configured to evaporate a refrigerant; and an adsorbent heat exchanger provided with an adsorption member configured to adsorb vapor evaporated by the evaporator, and a heat transfer tube in which a heating medium flows. Here, the adsorbent heat exchanger includes a pressing mechanism configured to press and compress the adsorption member depending on a temperature of the heating medium flowing inside the heat transfer tube.
US09752800B2

A node for connecting together at least a first support element, a second support element and a third support element of a support frame such as a solar frame which supports solar reflectors. A method for connecting together at least a first support element, a second support element and a third support element of a solar frame which supports solar reflectors. A system for supporting solar reflectors includes a first support frame upon which the solar reflectors are disposed. A method for forming a support frame for solar reflectors. A system for constructing a support frame from parts, including chords, for solar reflectors. A method for constructing a support frame for solar reflectors. A support frame for solar reflectors.
US09752797B2

A water heater is provided having a sorption based reactor that is integrated into a water tank. The water heater is operated between an adsorption cycle and a desorption cycle. During the endothermic desorption cycle, a primary heat exchanger is used to transfer heat from a condensing primary fluid that was vaporized from the sorbate to water in the tank. A charging heat transfer system supplies heat for the vaporization during endothermic desorption cycle. During the exothermic adsorption cycle, a secondary heat exchanger is used along with a secondary fluid to transfer heat generated by adsorption of the primary fluid to water in the tank. An evaporator provides for vaporization of the primary fluid during the adsorption cycle. Substantial improvements in energy efficiency can be achieved.
US09752792B2

A building ventilation system (1) comprising a central unit (2) and at least one electrical operating unit (3) for adjusting a movable member of a ventilation device, the central control unit (2) is connected to the at least one electrical operating unit (3) by two power supply wires (4) and configured to provide an operating voltage for operation of the at least one electrical operating unit (3) via the two power supply wires (4), wherein the power supply lines (4) are connected to an end module (5) and the central control unit (2) further is configured to provide a test voltage being lower than the operating voltage, wherein the end module (5) is configured to temporarily vary its load impedance with a predetermined pattern, and the central control unit (2) is configured to detect the temporarily varying load impedance of the end module.
US09752788B2

In an adsorption operation in which the adsorption agent adsorbs water, air in a vehicle compartment flows into an adsorption agent module after being cooled by passing around a heat sink. On the other hand, in a desorption operation in which the water is desorbed from the adsorption agent, the air in the vehicle compartment flows into the adsorption agent module to be humidified without being heated or cooled, and humidified air is cooled by passing around the heat sink and blown into the vehicle compartment. Accordingly, a temperature of the humidified air can be prevented from increasing unnecessarily by a simple configuration with which the air in the vehicle compartment is cooled in the heat sink.
US09752787B1

A system and method of providing a high temperature hot water system assembly including a direct buried valve box that connects to one or more underground service pipes is disclosed. The buried valve box contains a valve assembly configured to control the flow of water through the one or more service pipes. An air gap within the valve box allows for movement and expansion of the components as the temperatures rise, preventing cracking or other failures. A bypass valve is also provided within the buried valve box, allowing for a small amount of hot water to flow through the service pipes to gradually increase the temperature. The direct buried valve boxes, controllable through valve risers that terminate in surface assembly boxes, eliminate the need for large, concrete underground vaults that make maintenance and operation of valve assemblies more difficult.
US09752781B2

The present invention discloses a novel apparatus and way for controlling a velocity of a fuel-air mixture entering a gas turbine combustion system. The apparatus comprises a hemispherical dome assembly which directs a fuel-air mixture along a portion of the outer wall of a combustion liner and turns the fuel-air mixture to enter the combustion liner in a manner coaxial to the combustor axis and radially outward of a pilot fuel nozzle so as to regulate the velocity of the fuel-air mixture.
US09752772B2

Provided are a steam spraying apparatus and a clothing drying machine including the same. The steam spraying apparatus include a flow passage forming unit, a steam generating heater, and a nozzle. The flow passage forming unit has a flow passage for guiding water introduced through an inlet to an outlet. The steam generating heater applies heat to water flowing along the flow passage. A nozzle sprays steam generated by the heating of the steam generating heater at a certain pressure.
US09752771B2

An apparatus comprising a plurality of legs. Each of the legs may have a plurality of holders and a base. The base may comprise (i) a first connector on one side of the base and (ii) a second connector on another side of the base. Each of the plurality of legs may be configured to (i) connect to the second connector of one of the plurality of legs using the first connector, (ii) connect to the first connector of another of the plurality of legs using the second connector, (iii) be flexible about an axis and (iv) be arranged in a circular fashion. The holders may be configured to secure one or more lights of a strand of lights.
US09752763B2

A weatherproof light string employing a T-shaped inner frame with grooves to direct the placement of a plurality of conductors and apertures to secure conductive pins connecting conductors. The light string has secondary cables connected to the primary cables at one end and lamp holders at the other end. The insulation core wires at the first end of the secondary cable are positioned on the insulation core wires of the first cable by a T-shaped inner frame in a clamping and overlapping manner. Conductive pins extend through a side wall of the T-shaped inner frame and pierce the overlapped insulation core wires to from a mechanical and electrical connection between the wires. Light strings employing the T-shaped inner frame and conductive pins provide a more robust and reliable product, and are better suited to automation. Also disclosed is a method for manufacturing the light string.
US09752761B2

A landscape light incorporating two or more lasers or LEDs of different colors (e.g., red, green, white, blue) in the same housing, each laser or LED preferably having a separate lens. The apparatus projects any of a variety of colors including red, green, white, blue, or other colors, or combinations of any colors, as well as providing an optional flash/pulse setting for the lights. The apparatus preferably includes an RF remote which enables the user to control the apparatus from anywhere in and around the house, and may also include a built-in timer which runs the lights for selected periods such as 2, 4, 6, or 8 hours.
US09752755B2

A collapsible reflector includes a plurality of reflective blades which are rotatably arranged around a common axis. Each blade has a leading edge and a trailing edge. The blades are substantially flat and stacked above one another between a top blade and a bottom blade when the reflector is in a retracted position. The blades rotate and elastically bend to form an approximately dish-shaped arrangement when in an extended position. The leading edge of each blade is arranged below the trailing edge of the adjacent blade when the reflector is in the extended position. This includes the leading edge of the top blade, which is below the trailing edge of the bottom blade when the reflector is in the extended position. One blade may be fixedly connected to a central hub, enabling quick setup and disassembly of the reflector.
US09752752B2

A luminaire which has at least one first LED light source for emitting a first light, at least one first light-directing element for influencing the direction of the first light, at least one second LED light source for emitting a second light, and at least one second light-directing element for influencing the direction of the second light. The first light-directing element is in this case configured in such a way that it affects an asymmetric light output of the first light. The second light-directing element has an identical configuration to the first light-directing element and is arranged in a position rotated through 180° relative to the first light-directing element. When the first LED light source is switched ON and the second LED light source is switched OFF, an asymmetrical light output which is particularly suitable as task lighting can be achieved by the luminaire.
US09752743B1

A light pipe for distributing light from a light source within a space, comprises a first portion adapted for receiving light from the light source and directing the light along an internal path in a first direction; a second portion adapted for receiving and distributing light received by the first portion from the light source in the first direction into the space; and a third portion intermediate the first and second portions, wherein the third portion is adapted for distributing light to the space in a second direction generally transverse to the first direction. The first portion may comprise a band, a lens, or both. Related aspects and methods are also disclosed.
US09752740B1

An electronic flameless candle including a body having a top surface, a bottom surface, a sidewall between the top surface and the bottom surface, and a cavity defined by the top surface, the bottom surface and the sidewall, the body configured in shape and size to simulate a true flame candle. The candle may also include a light source operably connected to the body, the light source electrically operated to illuminate in a way that simulates a natural flicker of a real candle flame. The candle may also include a scent component, operably connected to the body, the scent component configured to emit a scent when heated and/or a sensor component, operably connected to the body, the sensor component configured to sense an environmental condition and affect a mode of the light source upon the sensing of the environmental condition.
US09752732B2

The present invention relates to a transparent electronic display board and a method of manufacturing the same. More particularly, the transparent electronic display board uses front light-emitting elements and rear light-emitting elements and/or both-sided light-emitting elements, whereby the number of light-emitting elements that can be installed in the transparent electronic display board can be increased. Thereby, the quality of an image displayed on the transparent electronic display board can be markedly improved.
US09752729B2

A system for generating swirl includes a pipe and at least two orifice plates located within a section of the pipe and defining a swirl generation area. Each orifice plate has an off-set orifice or hole and is configured to have a position that is adjustable within the swirl generation area. Each orifice plate may be oriented at an angle variable to each other to generate a variable degree of swirl as fluid flow exits the swirl generation area.
US09752726B2

Gas supply device comprising a frame (2) housing a set of pressurized-fluid cylinders (3) linked to a fluid circuit (4, 5) for filling and emptying the cylinders (3), the support frame (2) comprising a lower base (34) on which the cylinders (3) rest vertically and a set of uprights (30) and cross beams (31, 32, 33) forming a cage with an overall parallelepiped shape to provide lateral support for the cylinders (3) arranged in several contiguous rows, characterized in that it includes at least one rigid reinforcement bar (6) for the frame (2) arranged between two rows of contiguous cylinders (3), said at least one reinforcement bar (6) resting simultaneously on the upper surface of the cylinders (3) in two rows of adjacent cylinders (3), the reinforcement bar (6) having two extremities connected rigidly and respectively to two opposing faces of the frame (2).
US09752721B2

A mounting system having a base plate, multiple mounting apertures adapted to releasably hold a man-portable equipment item, and non-invasive fasteners for attaching to a structure without damaging the structure. The non-invasive fasteners can include adhesive bonded fasteners which couple to a structure without damaging the structure and permit attachment and removal of the mounting system. The base plate and mounting apertures are designed to minimize mounting footprint and orient the man-portable equipment item in relation to a user structure or aperture such as a turret, egress point, portal, or other structure which requires a user to pass through a structure and have immediate access to the man-portable equipment item.
US09752720B2

An ultra lightweight clamp for three coordinate measuring comprises a support assembly and locating-clamping devices mounted on the support assembly, the support assembly comprising joints and supporting bars, opposite ends of each supporting bar being inserted into a corresponding joint, each locating-clamping device being mounted on several first level joints arranged at the top of the support assembly, the first level joints being each carried by at least three oblique first supporting bars to form a first layer of pyramid-like spatial frameworks, and the first supporting bars each having an lower end inserted into a corresponding second level joint. On the basis of the height of the clamp, the support assembly comprises one or more layers of pyramid-like spatial frameworks, and the joints at the lower end of the bottom layer of pyramid-like spatial frameworks are coupled with feet to be connected to a measuring platform.
US09752719B2

Disclosed is a simple portable holder for holding electronic devices such as a laptop computer and a tablet. The holder can secure a laptop in a vertical (closed) position, or an open position. The holder includes a base, at least four posts and straps between the posts for holding the device. The straps between the posts form a substantial U-shaped area for stowage of the device while the device is in a closed position. The posts may have flat or curved profiles including a slanted or curved top portion thereof. The curvature at the top of the posts is used for securing the laptop while in an open position to the device holder. The holder may be placed on the floor to avoid clutter on a work surface, or for the convenience of the user having it near a seat.
US09752712B2

A conduit-coupling adaptor configured for mutually joining conduits of disparate diameters includes a central conduit with interior and exterior surfaces extending longitudinally between central-conduit first and second ends. The central-conduit first and second ends define, respectively, first-end and second-end coupling sleeves that extend longitudinally in opposite directions and terminate at, respectively, first and second openings. The coupling sleeves can be implemented, alternatively, as male or female coupling members relative to other conduits. A first-end skirt includes a skirt wall concentrically disposed about at least a lengthwise portion of the central-conduit first end. The skirt wall has skirt-wall inside and outside surfaces that longitudinally co-extend with at least a portion of the first-end coupling sleeve and are joined to the central-conduit wall by a shoulder. The skirt-wall inside surface defines a socket that is configured as a female connector for insertably receiving a male coupling member of another conduit.
US09752708B2

An exhaust system is manufactured in the following manner. Initially, a plurality of pipe sections are put into each other with a clearance fit, so that connecting points are formed, at which two pipe sections overlap each other. The pipe sections then are calibrated at the connecting points, so that a narrow gap is obtained. Subsequently, the connecting points are soldered. The exhaust system thus includes a plurality of pipe sections which are put into each other and soldered to each other. Outer pipe sections of the plurality of pipe sections are calibrated.
US09752705B2

A fluid conduit (2) comprises a wall (4) defining a fluid flow path (6) and a confinement feature (24) within the wall (4) and being configured to confine energy within a cavity (26), wherein at least a portion of the fluid flow path (6) extends through the cavity (26). The confinement feature (24) may be configured to confine electromagnetic energy. The fluid conduit (2) may comprise an oscillator defined by the cavity (26) and a positive feedback arrangement (34). The fluid conduit (2) may be configured for sensing a property of a fluid present in or flowing through the fluid conduit (2) or for use in sensing a property of a fluid present in or flowing through the fluid conduit (2). More specifically, the present invention deals with a microwave cavity sensor wherein the cavity member (24) is embedded in the wall (4) of the fluid conduit (2), the wall (4) including a composite region (20).
US09752702B2

An operating valve includes a valve chamber which is formed in a main body having a passage, a valve body which is housed in the valve chamber and has a passage corresponding to the passage of the main body, a rotary shaft which is detachably connected to the valve body, an operating member which operates a rotation of the rotary shaft, and a bias member which biases the rotary shaft to a position of the valve body.
US09752697B2

A valve unit for a motor vehicle having a valve housing, which includes a valve inlet and a valve outlet, and having a valve body disposed in the valve housing, which includes a cross-section, increasing up to an inflection point and decreasing once past the inflection point, and which is guided from a closed position in which the valve body seals the valve inlet to a final opened position in which the valve body abuts a stop element fixed in the valve housing, releasing the valve inlet, and in which an inflow section is formed between the valve inlet and the inflection point of the valve body, and an outflow section is formed between the inflection point of the valve body and the valve outlet.
US09752695B2

The present invention discloses an improved operating fluid reservoir (1) having a venting and/or air admission valve. The operating fluid reservoir (1) is characterized in that a valve housing (10) is formed integrally with an operating fluid reservoir wall (2). A vent opening (3), via which a valve housing interior (11) is in fluid communication with a vent line (5), is embodied as a through opening (3) through the operating fluid reservoir wall (2). A valve body (20), which is arranged in the valve housing interior (11), can be introduced into the valve housing interior (11) via an introduction opening (16) in the valve housing (10). The valve body (20) comprises a holding device (23; 14, 24), by means of which the valve body (20) is held movably in the valve housing (10).
US09752694B2

The single-use valve to be installed on a line for transporting a fluid includes a tubular body, which is intended to be placed on the line and contains a mobile element that is able to take up two positions in the tubular body. Each position allows the fluid to pass through the tubular body or not, one being a standby position, while the other is an active position. Inside the tubular body, a driver able to move the mobile element such that the mobile element passes from its standby position to the active position. The driver includes a pretensioned elastic device. Outside the tubular body, a device for maintaining the pretension connects to a controller able to deactivate the device for maintaining the tension.
US09752690B2

A valve includes a generally cylindrical housing including first and second end portions that are offset from each other along a longitudinal axis of the generally cylindrical housing. First and second inlet ports are arranged on one of said first or second end portions, and at least one outlet port is arranged on one of said first or second end portions. A disk is disposed in the generally cylindrical housing and is configured to independently control both mixing and flow rate of fluid flowing into at least one of the first and second inlet ports.
US09752688B2

A double-plate gate valve is provided for fittings of industrial plants wherein the double-plate gate valve comprises a housing having two shut-off plates inside the housing the shut-off plates being displaceable between an open and a closed position. Spring elements, such as disc spring packs, are arranged between the shut-off plates pressing the shut-off plates in the closed position against sealing surfaces arranged on the housing such that the entire sealing force required for sealing is provided by the spring elements. Also provided in stand-alone form is a shut-off plate for use in the double-plate gate valve. A method for sealing the double-plate gate valve using the shut-off plates is also provided.
US09752686B2

A valve apparatus employs a shape memory alloy. In another aspect, a shape memory member acts as a lock or trigger in combination with a separate actuator or spring to move a valve. Still another aspect uses an externally mounted shape memory member to rotate a valve if an unsafe condition causes movement of the member.
US09752684B2

A seal assembly includes a cover. A panel sealing apparatus includes the seal assembly. The apparatus includes a wall defining an orifice and the cover is disposed through the orifice. The cover includes a collar and a flange extending outwardly away from the collar. The cover defines an aperture through the collar and the flange. The assembly also includes a plate overlapping the flange and defining a hole. The collar of the cover is disposed through the hole. The assembly further includes a seal defining a passageway. The cover is disposed through the passageway. The assembly also includes a bushing defining an opening. The collar of the cover is disposed through the opening such that the bushing surrounds the collar. At least one of the plate and the bushing is configured to allow movement of the cover independently of the seal.
US09752683B2

A sealing device for sealing at least one underpressure or overpressure zone adjoining a surface which is moved in a movement direction in a paper, tissue or cardboard machine, includes at least one sealing element which is located opposite the moved surface and has at least one feed channel for a lubricant. In order to considerably decrease the wear of a sealing element uniformly over the entire length thereof, the at least one feed channel ends in a supply channel, which is arranged at the beginning of the sealing element in the movement direction.
US09752682B2

O-ring/back-up ring systems that are suitable for use in high pressure applications, including those of 70 MPa automotive hydrogen storage applications, to form a seal between first and second connector bodies. Such sealing systems comprise a back-up ring having a base portion and a flange portion, wherein such ring is configured to prevent extrusion of an O-ring into a gap existing between the back-up ring and a groove into which the back-up ring and O-ring are disposed. High pressure gas storage systems comprising such sealing systems, and methods of sealing a connection in a high pressure hydrogen storage system using such sealing systems.
US09752675B2

A transmission control circuit for controlling a system pressure provided by a pressure pump in a transmission. The circuit includes a pressure control valve and an electronic control unit. Load states and operating states of the working machine can be detected by the control unit and transmission input torque limits associated with the load states and state values representing at least one first operating state and state values representing at least one second operating state are stored therein. The first operating state corresponds with the maximum system pressure and the second operating state corresponds with a reduced system pressure compared to the maximum system pressure. The circuit includes a pressure limiting valve activated by the control unit to overrule the pressure control valve in order to variably set the reduced system pressure.
US09752672B2

A transmission turbo machine integrates drive units and/or driven units into a machine train via a transmission. The integrated transmission substantially comprises a central large wheel with a shaft and a plurality of pinions with pinion shafts. The large wheel is operatively connected to the pinions, and the ends of the pinion shafts are operatively connected to a drive unit and/or driven unit. The shaft of the large wheel is operatively connected to a drive unit and/or driven unit. The invention is characterized in that the drive unit and/or driven unit is an axial expander which is mounted in a cantilevering manner in one or more stages.
US09752671B2

A transfer case is provided with a primary shaft which is selectively engagable with a secondary shaft via a clutch mechanism. The clutch mechanism is inclusive of a friction pack. A hub of the clutch mechanism is connected on the primary shaft and the clutch housing is torsionally fixed with a primary sprocket rotatively mounted on the primary shaft. A passive or active controlled lubricant collection receptacle is provided which maximize fluid retention in conditions wherein there is not a high demand of torque for the clutch system of the transfer case thereby minimizing fluid that is unnecessarily churned by engagement with the hub connected with the secondary shaft.
US09752669B2

The cam follower roller device comprises a body, a shaft mounted on the body, and a roller mounted on the said shaft in a rotationally movable manner and comprising two end faces. Each of the said faces is arranged at least in part axially facing an inner wall of the body. At least one of the end faces of the roller and/or at least one of the said inner walls of the body comprise an antifriction and wear-resistant coating.
US09752662B2

A tensioner assembly includes a pulley arm pivotable about a pivot shaft, and a tension pulley mounted on the pulley arm at its end remote from the pivot shaft and pressed against a belt to keep the tension of the belt. The tension pulley is rotatably mounted around a base portion of the pulley arm through a rolling bearing with the inner surface and axial rear end surface of the bearing inner race in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the base portion and an end surface of a shoulder of the base portion, respectively. The base portion has an axial through hole formed with an internal thread on its inner surface. A support bolt is threaded into the through hole from the axial front end to press the rolling bearing against the end surface of the shoulder. The internal thread has an axial front end located in the vicinity of, or axially rearwardly of, the end surface of the shoulder.
US09752652B2

Electric motors are disclosed. The motors are preferably for use in an automated vehicle, although any one or more of a variety of motor uses are suitable. The motors include lift, turntable, and locomotion motors.
US09752641B2

Provided is a magnetorheological (MR) damper, which includes a cylinder filled with an MR fluid, a piston rod extending to the outside of the cylinder, and a magnetic generator partitioning the inside of the cylinder into a compression chamber and a rebound chamber in a state of being connected to the piston rod and generating an electromagnetic force to the inside, the MR damper including: a magnetic core connected to a lower end of the piston rod; a flux ring connected to an edge of the magnetic core, such that a side surface of the flux ring tightly contacts an inner peripheral surface of the cylinder, the flux ring being formed to vertically penetrate through a main passage between the flux ring and the magnetic core; and a cutaway groove concavely formed at a side surface of the magnetic core and preventing a magnetic force from being unnecessarily formed at a setting portion of the main passage, such that the MR fluid is vertically bypassed during compression and rebound strokes.
US09752637B2

A manufacturing method of a vibration damping bushing wherein an outer cylindrical member arranged on an outer peripheral side of an inner axial member is provided with on its both axial sides a pair of first inclined cylindrical parts each having a diameter gradually reduced toward an axial outside and a pair of second inclined cylindrical parts each extending further toward the axial outside from an axial end of the corresponding first inclined cylindrical part with an inclination angle smaller than that of the first inclined cylindrical part. The outer cylindrical member is arranged on the outer peripheral side of the inner axial member to be connected thereto by a main rubber elastic body. Axial ends of the main rubber elastic body are deformed by increasing the inclination angle of the second inclined cylindrical parts of the outer cylindrical member through a drawing operation.
US09752635B2

A brake system is disclosed, which comprises a parking brake system and an inboard brake pad. The parking brake system includes a first actuator assembly, a second actuator assembly, a motor, and a clutch. The clutch selectively communicates power from the motor to the first actuator assembly so that a first end of the inboard brake pad is moved relative to a brake rotor. The clutch selectively communicates the power from the motor to the second actuator assembly so that a second end of the inboard brake pad is moved relative to the brake rotor. The clutch selectively communicates the power from the motor to both the first actuator assembly and the second actuator assembly so that both the first and the second ends of the inboard brake pad are moved relative to the brake rotor.
US09752630B2

A centrifugal clutch intermittently transmits power of rotation about an axis. The centrifugal clutch includes: a plurality of clutch shoes that are pressed against an inner peripheral surface of a clutch drum; a plurality of pivot members configured to rotatably support the clutch shoes; and a pressing member having a plurality of insertion portions that are inserted between head portions of the pivot members and the clutch shoes. The pressing member has a connecting portion that connects between the plurality of insertion portions, and the insertion portions and the connecting portion are curved in a direction of the axis.
US09752617B2

An annular sensor holder (5) has an axial end (15) including a protrusion (18). The axial end (15) is fitted in a circumferential groove (7), such as a seal groove, of a bearing race (2) fitted to a stationary member (9) so that the sensor holder (5) can slide in the circumferential direction relative to the bearing race (2). In this state, the sensor holder (5) is coupled to the stationary member (9) by a fixing arrangement (19). Thus, when the bearing race (2) creeps, the sensor holder (5) slides relative to the bearing race (2) and does not rotate relative to the stationary member (9). This prevents breakage of connecting wires.
US09752614B2

A wheel suspension bearing is disclosed as being arranged on a member of a motor vehicle, with a bearing bushing and a bearing bushing carrier. The bearing bushing carrier incorporates the bearing bushing and is designed to be situated in the member of the motor vehicle. A wheel suspension bearing assembly, as well as a correspondingly equipped motor vehicle is also disclosed.
US09752613B1

A hook assembly includes a substrate having three tabs arranged in a triangular configuration, a hook including a pair of opposing side flaps, and a tripod mounting member configured to couple the hook to the substrate. The tripod mounting member includes three legs arranged in a triangular configuration, a pair of opposing side plates extending from two rear legs of the three legs, and a stopper groove. The three legs of the tripod mounting member correspond to the three tabs of the substrate. The hook assembly also includes a torsion spring having a pair of arms extending from opposite ends of the torsion spring, a first fastener configured to couple the tripod mounting member to the substrate, and a second fastener configured to extend through the side plates of the tripod mounting member and the side flaps of the hook to rotatably couple the hook to the tripod mounting member.
US09752611B2

A fastener and associated lock washer having an integral anti-rotation mechanism. The head of the fastener includes a plurality of saw teeth—arranged in a radial array. A lock washer is configured to interact with the head of the fastener. The lock washer includes one or more spring tabs positioned to bear against the radial array of saw teeth. As the fastener is rotated in a first direction, the saw teeth depress and pass over the spring tab(s). However, if the user attempts to rotate the fastener in the opposite direction, the spring tab snaps up into the saw teeth and arrests the motion—in the manner of a ratchet and pawl mechanism. The invention preferably includes a second means for selectively defeating the anti-rotation mechanism.
US09752610B2

The invention relates to a device for locking a nut (13) in a tightened position on a rotary shaft (12), said rotary shaft (12) being hollow at least at one end (14). The locking device comprises a plurality of outer notches (16) formed in a face of the nut (13), said outer notches (16) extending parallel to a longitudinal axis (X) of the nut (13), a plurality of inner notches (15) formed in the end (14) of the rotary shaft (12), said inner notches (15) extending parallel to a longitudinal axis (X) of the rotary shaft (12), and a ring (18) suitable for being installed inside said end (14) of the rotary shaft (12) and presenting at least one first radial finger (19) for being received both in one of the inner notches (15) and in one of the outer notches (16) with the nut (13) being in a tightened position and the two notches (15, 16) housing said first radial finger (19) being at least partially in alignment in a radial direction. In order to balance the ring about a central axis (X), the ring (18) presents an internal outline (21) arranged in such a manner that the barycenter (B) of said internal outline (21) is offset relative to said longitudinal axis (X) when the ring (18) is installed inside the end (14) of the rotary shaft (12).
US09752607B2

A retention pin assembly may include a stud having a head, a shaft, and a deformable end. The shaft may include a stepped surface having a greater diameter than the deformable end. The assembly may include a support member having an opening for receiving the deformable end. The support member may include a pocket. The stepped surface of the shaft may position the stud in relation to the support member. The deformable end of the stud may be operable to be melted to form a mechanical retainer within the pocket without forming a metallurgical joint between the stud and the pocket.
US09752591B2

An aspect includes a compressor diffuser and shroud for a motor driven compressor assembly. The motor driven compressor assembly includes a first stage compressor and a second stage compressor. The compressor diffuser and shroud of the first stage compressor includes a diffuser portion, a compressor inlet portion, and a shroud portion. The diffuser portion includes a diffuser portion outer lip having a first sealing lip outer diameter to provide a first sealing interface to a first stage compressor housing. The compressor inlet portion includes an inlet portion outer lip having a second sealing lip outer diameter to provide a second sealing interface. The shroud portion includes a curvature between the diffuser portion outer lip and the inlet portion outer lip to align with a first stage compressor rotor, where a ratio of the first sealing lip outer diameter to the second sealing lip outer diameter is between 1.622 and 1.628.
US09752585B2

A gas turbine engine includes an intercooled twin centrifugal compressor. A pipe diffuser extends from the intercooled twin centrifugal compressor into an airflow path.
US09752581B2

An oil supply apparatus supplies oil from an oil pump driven by an engine preferentially to a valve timing control unit. In the oil supply apparatus, a first discharge opening and a second discharge opening having an opening area larger than that of the first discharge opening are formed such that a pressurized region of the oil pump is divided into the two discharge openings. The oil from the first discharge opening is fed to a controlling oil passage through a first discharge port and then supplied to the valve timing controller from the controlling oil passage. The oil from the second discharge opening is fed to a lubricating oil passage through the second discharge port and then supplied to a main gallery from the lubricating oil passage.
US09752576B2

A variable flow engine oil pump has a first seat, a second seat attached to the first seat, and a regulating valve assembly and a pressurizing assembly mounted in the second seat. An eccentric wheel of the pressurizing assembly meshes with a plug of the regulating valve assembly. With the plug driving the eccentric wheel to rotate by an angle, a volume flow rate of engine oil output by the engine oil pump can be adjusted. Elements used for adjusting the output of the engine oil are reduced, and manufacturing cost and assembling complexity of the engine oil pump are lowered accordingly. Moreover, since the regulating valve assembly drives the pressurizing assembly directly, the regulating valve assembly can drive the pressurizing assembly efficiently.
US09752570B2

A variable displacement piston assembly including a plurality of cylinders, each cylinder having an axis substantially parallel to the axis of the other cylinders, a plurality of pistons, one piston in each cylinder, and each piston and corresponding cylinder having a displacement. The assembly also including a transition arm having a connector pin for each piston, each connector pin connecting each piston to said transition arm, a drive shaft connected to the transition arm and a control shaft rotatably coupled to the drive shaft, the control shaft being movable to adjust the displacement of the piston assembly.
US09752563B2

A swash plate type variable displacement compressor according to the present invention includes a housing having a suction chamber, a discharge chamber, a swash plate chamber, and a plurality of cylinder bores, a drive shaft, a swash plate, a link mechanism, a plurality of pistons reciprocally received in the respective cylinder bores, a conversion mechanism, an actuator that changes the inclination angle of the swash plate, and a control mechanism that controls the actuator. The link mechanism disposed between the drive shaft and the swash plate allows a change in inclination angle of the swash plate with respect to a plane extending perpendicularly to the axis of rotation of the drive shaft. The conversion mechanism converts the rotation of the swash plate into reciprocal movement of the pistons in the cylinder bores with a stroke length according to the inclination angle of the swash plate.
US09752557B2

The vertical axis turbine may include a frame rotatable about the central axis. In one variation at least two masts, each having a boom, are coupled to the frame and at least one sail is coupled to each mast and boom. In another variation, at least two blades are rotatably coupled to the frame and being substantially perpendicular to the frame. The frame may also include at least two retaining members being attached to the frame. Each retaining members defines an opening and corresponds to each mast or blade. A cord is coupled between the two generally opposing booms or blades. The cord extends within the opening of the corresponding retaining members, wherein the cord is configured to regulate the position of the at least one blade or sail. Alternatively, the vertical axis turbine may include a central hub. The cords from each boom or blade extend through each retaining member and then attach to the central hub.
US09752556B1

The multi-rotor vertical axis wind turbine includes a plurality of vertical wind rotors rotatably mounted on support arms extending from the vertices of upper and lower polygonal frame members. The upper end of each rotor is journaled into a plain bearing, and a lower portion is journaled into a freewheeling clutch bearing. A pulley wheel is mounted on the lower end of each rotor. A generator is centrally located beneath the lower frame member and has a rotatable armature shaft extending vertically upward. The pulley wheel of each vertical rotor is connected to the armature shaft by its own separate endless belt.
US09752554B2

An apparatus has a base and a flow path assembly movably supported by the base and defining a serpentine flow path having an entry opening and an exit opening. An actuator is coupled with the flow path assembly and the base and is configured to rotate the flow path assembly between a vertical and an angled position relative to the base. The flow path is configured to allow a column of a first fluid with a first density to be trapped between columns of a second fluid with a second density higher than the first density. The first fluid column has a first height and the second fluid columns have second heights, so that a volume of the first fluid and a volume of the second fluid flow through the flow path and through the exit opening as the flow path assembly is rotated between the vertical and angled positions.
US09752549B2

An apparatus for generating electricity from water flow comprises a convergent section, a diffuser section and tube for locating within a body of water. The convergent section is connected to a first end of a mixing chamber such that a venturi is defined between the end of the convergent section and the mixing chamber. The diffuser section is connected to a second end of the mixing chamber, the diffuser section configured such that in use the pressure at the exit of the diffuser section is greater than the pressure at the venturi. At least part of the tube is located in the convergent section, such that an annulus is defined between the tube and the convergent section, to form a first flow passage. The tube defines a second flow passage within the tube; and a turbine connectable to a generator is located within the tube.
US09752544B2

A fuel system in particular of a motor vehicle, includes a fuel tank and a ventilation device for ventilating the fuel tank. The ventilation device has at least one separation device which has a temporary accumulator for liquid fuel. The separation device is made at least in part of a porous material and/or is filled with the porous material.
US09752539B2

A vapor purge system for an engine, includes a purge valve having a housing including an input port in communication with a purge canister and including an output port in communication with an intake system component defining a first bore portion receiving the output port with a first seal member disposed therebetween. The intake system component includes a second bore portion receiving a housing portion of the purge valve with a second seal member disposed therebetween. The first and second seal members are spaced such that when the housing is pulled away from the intake system component and the first seal member is out of engagement between the first bore and the output port, the second seal member can remain in engagement so that a diagnostic module can diagnose detachment of the purge valve from the intake system before any hydrocarbon vapor can be released into the atmosphere.
US09752538B2

A drive arrangement for an aggregate of an internal combustion engine includes a drive element, a housing, and an intermediate element. The housing comprises a static receiving part comprising a stop, and a cover fastened on the static receiving part. The cover is configured to bear axially against the stop. The intermediate element is arranged, in a preloaded state, between the drive element and the housing, radially between the cover and the drive element, and, in an elastically deformed state, axially between the drive element and the cover.
US09752537B2

A unique engine system has an engine with a dedicated exhaust gas recirculation cylinder, an EGR system that receives exhaust gas from the dedicated cylinder, and a turbocharger having turbine inlet ports in fluid communication with other engine cylinders via a plurality of exhaust passages. At least two of the exhaust passages are substantially isolated from each other. Other embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, methods, and combinations for engines and engine systems.
US09752533B2

A method for monitoring a locking system includes N locks, each lock being monitored by two locking sensors, each locking sensor being capable of indicating if the lock that it monitors is in a locked or unlocked state, each locking sensor being able to be in a valid or invalid status, the method including determining the state of the locking system on the basis of the state of the locks detected by the locking sensors; determining a reliability level associated with the state of the locking system on the basis of the number of valid locking sensors monitoring the locks that are in the same state as the locking system.
US09752526B2

A load driving device including a converter, an output circuit and a timer circuit is provided. The converter receives a communication frame including a data signal through a serial communication and performs parallel conversion on the data signal to output an instruction signal instructing the output circuit to transition to a first state when the data signal includes first serial data and output an instruction signal instructing the output circuit to transition to a second state when the data signal includes second serial data. A timer circuit measures a duration time during which the converter receives the first serial data. When the measuring duration time arrives at an abnormality determination time, the timer circuit forces the output circuit to transition to the second state when the measuring duration time arrives at an abnormality determination time.
US09752524B2

Methods and systems for correcting cam angle measurements for engine-to-engine build variation are disclosed. In one example, a method comprises learning cam angle corrections to update a measured cam angle responsive to air-fuel ratio errors during selected conditions, and learning air and fueling errors responsive to the air-fuel ratio error otherwise. In this way, cam angle errors due to engine build variation may be corrected, thereby improving other air and fuel adaptation methods and improving engine emissions.
US09752517B2

Methods and systems are described for monitoring air/fuel imbalance in cylinders of an engine. In one example method, air/fuel ratio of a cylinder is modulated to produce a series of rich, lean, and stoichiometric conditions in the cylinder and corresponding crank accelerations are measured to calculate a peak function indicating an air/fuel ratio in the cylinder. The peak function is calculated over a plurality of modulations to provide a more reliable computation of the air/fuel ratio of the cylinder and its deviation from a pre-determined air/fuel ratio.
US09752515B1

A secondary fuel injection system determines (precisely) a maximum amount of secondary fuel that can be injected into a cylinder during a cycle based upon the rotational speed (RPM) of the engine. A primary fuel injection pulse width of the prior cycle and is used to determine how much heat energy was requested by an engine control module based upon the duration of the injection pulse. Secondary fuel is injected into the intake port of the cylinder after the exhaust valve closes in an amount that is calculated based upon the maximum that can be injected during the allowed calculated time of crankshaft rotation and the amount of heat energy requested in the prior cycle and to include the amount of primary fuel that is then injected into the cylinder is being reduced based upon the amount of heat energy provided by the secondary fuel that was previously injected.
US09752509B2

A method for controlling coupling between a first machine including a first rotating shaft having an associated first positional phase angle defined by a first shaft indicia and a second machine including a second rotating shaft having an associated second positional phase angle defined by a second shaft indicia. A rotational speed and rotational angle of the first shaft are monitored, and rotation of the second shaft is controlled by bringing the second shaft to a predetermined rotational speed relative to the first shaft speed. Acceleration of the second shaft is controlled such that the second shaft indicia is within a predetermined angle relative to the first shaft indicia upon the second shaft being brought to the predetermined rotational speed, at which point the first and second shafts are coupled such that the second shaft indicia is within the predetermined angle relative to the first shaft indicia.
US09752503B2

An airflow control system for a gas turbine system according to an embodiment includes: a compressor component of a gas turbine system for generating an excess flow of air; a mixing area for receiving an exhaust gas stream produced by the gas turbine system; an air extraction system for extracting at least a portion of the excess flow of air generated by the compressor component of the gas turbine system to provide bypass air; and diverting the bypass air into the mixing area to reduce a temperature of the exhaust gas stream; and an exhaust processing system for processing the reduced temperature exhaust gas stream.
US09752499B2

The present invention discloses an on-line cleaning control system and method for carbon deposits in a direct injection engine fuel system. The system comprises a cleaner tank, a cleaner input pipeline, an electromagnetic flow controller and a control circuit. A liquid transfer pump is in series connection with a pipeline of the cleaner input pipeline and the cleaner tank; when the conditions that fuel is injected through a fuel injector of the engine, the temperature of a three-way catalytic converter is lower than 800° C., the rotational speed of the engine is greater than 1200 rpm and the cleaning time is shorter than set cleaning time are met, the control circuit starts a cleaning working procedure to inject a cleaner into an intake manifold of the engine. According to the present invention, the liquid transfer pump is used for actively injecting the cleaner into an intake valve of the engine, and besides, the optimal cleaning condition of the engine is controlled; a starting switch can be arranged in a cab so that on-line cleaning for the carbon deposits in the intake valve and a combustion chamber of the engine is performed actively according to the usage state of an automobile; and also, by receiving a mileage signal and presetting a mileage starting value in the controller, on-line cleaning for the carbon deposits in the intake valve and the combustion chamber of the engine can be performed automatically and periodically in accordance with mileages.
US09752498B2

An outboard motor includes a cylinder block, a cylinder head unit, a delivery pipe, a plurality of injectors, a fuel pump, and a fuel pipe. The cylinder block includes a plurality of cylinders. The cylinder head unit is connected to the cylinder block. The delivery pipe is attached to the cylinder head unit. The injectors are attached to the delivery pipe. The fuel pump is attached to the cylinder head unit. The fuel pipe is attached to the delivery pipe and the fuel pump. A first attachment direction of attaching the fuel pump to the cylinder head unit is parallel or substantially parallel to a second attachment direction of attaching the fuel pipe to the delivery pipe.
US09752497B2

Systems and methods for reducing NOx emissions are provided, comprising: adjusting an amount of water injected into an intake manifold responsive to an oxygen concentration, temperature and pressure in the intake manifold; and heating the injected water if humidity is higher than a threshold. Water injected into the intake manifold decreases the temperature of, and dilutes the oxygen content of intake gases thereby decreasing NOx emissions.
US09752495B2

Methods and systems are provided for cleaning out condensate stored at a charge air cooler. In response to increased condensate accumulation at a charge air cooler, airflow through the engine is increased to purge the condensate while an engine actuator is adjusted to maintain engine torque. Combustion stability issues of engine cylinders are addressed by adjusting fueling of each cylinder individually during condensate ingestion.
US09752487B2

A controller recognizes that fuel is and is not actually injected when an amplitude of fuel pressure fluctuations detected by a pressure sensor is not less than and is less than a pressure threshold α, respectively, to obtain a number N of actual fuel injections and determines that a fuel addition valve operates normally and has malfunction when a ratio (N/S) of the obtained numbers N of the actual fuel injections to a number S of the fuel injection commands is not less than and is less than a number ratio threshold β, respectively.
US09752476B2

A method and apparatus forms an exhaust component that includes first and second substrates. An outer shell surrounds the first and second substrates. At least one sensor hole is formed in the outer shell at a location between the first and second substrates. A first end of the outer shell is surrounded with a plurality fingers to size the first end around the first substrate to a first diameter. The plurality of fingers includes an extended finger that is longer than the other fingers such that the extended finger at least partially covers the sensor hole during sizing of the first end. A second end of the outer shell is then surrounded by the fingers to size the second end around the second substrate to a second diameter. The extended finger at least partially covers the sensor hole during sizing of the second end.
US09752473B1

An oil change drain valve includes a hollow valve body and a hollow body valve actuator arranged coaxial with the valve body. The valve body is adapted for insertion into an oil pan and houses a check ball and a spring arranged to urge the check ball into a closed position. The valve actuator is adapted for temporary insertion into a lower end of the valve body and includes a bayonet at its upper end. As the valve actuator moves toward the check ball, the bayonet contacts the ball and urges it into an open position. Oil flows through the valve body and actuator unimpeded by any mechanical or moving parts.
US09752472B2

An oil pump is provided. The oil pump comprises a shell, a rotor mounting part on the shell, and a rotor mechanism disposed on the rotor mounting part. The shell has an inlet and an outlet and defines a low-pressure oil chamber and a high-pressure oil chamber therein. A buffer chamber is defined between the low-pressure oil chamber and the high-pressure oil chamber, and a barrier wall is disposed between the buffer chamber and the low-pressure oil chamber. An engine cover comprising the oil pump and an engine comprising the engine cover are also provided.
US09752457B2

A turbine housing for a turbocharger has a plurality of interconnected housing parts. A central, one-piece contoured component that is constructed as a cast component or a forged component is provided on that side of a spiral channel which faces away from a bearing housing attachment flange in the turbine housing. The contoured component has a wall region of the spiral channel, a boundary wall of an exhaust gas inlet gap and a sealing contour region. The contoured component is connected to its adjacent housing parts, which are at least partly constructed as sheet metal molded parts, so as to form the turbine housing.
US09752455B2

A component support of the turbomachine, in particular an aircraft engine, is described, which includes at least two essentially annular components on the stator side, which are in axial contact with each other and are preferably oriented coaxially to the machine axis, the first component having a plurality of radial, groove-like recesses, which are laterally overlapped by the second component with its projection-like bearing sections, and an uncontoured support ring surface section being provided between the adjacent bearing sections, a turbomachine also being described.
US09752442B2

An airfoil includes an airfoil body having a first section and a second section that differ in coefficient of thermal expansion by at least 10% and that each have a through-thickness that is 20% or greater than a through-thickness of the airfoil body. The second section is arranged in thermomechanical juxtaposition with the first section such that the first section and the second section cooperatively thermomechanically control a profile of the airfoil body responsive to varying thermal conditions.
US09752441B2

A rotary blade is provided that includes a root, an airfoil, and a tip insert. The airfoil is attached to the root, and has a suction side surface, a pressure side surface, a leading edge, a trailing edge, a tip, and a slot disposed within the tip. The slot extends in a chordwise direction between the leading edge and trailing edge. The tip insert has a base end and a rub end. The base end of the tip insert is disposed within the slot. The rub end of the tip insert extends radially outward from the airfoil tip.
US09752432B2

Methods of evaluating a downhole fluid with a downhole tool. The downhole tool is positionable in a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation, and has a probe positionable adjacent a wall of the wellbore and pumps, the probe having a sampling inlet and a contamination inlet to draw fluid from the formation into the downhole tool with the pumps. The methods involve pumping fluid into the downhole tool through the sampling inlet and the contamination inlet, varying the pumping of the fluid through the sampling inlet and the contamination inlet at a plurality of flow rates, measuring parameters of the fluid passing through the sampling inlet and the contamination inlet (the fluid parameters comprising optical density), and determining cleanup of contamination during sampling by examining changes in optical density of the fluid entering the sampling inlet at the flow rates.
US09752417B2

A gravel packing apparatus includes a base pipe having at least one opening in a sidewall portion thereof. A fluid filtration subassembly is positioned exteriorly of the base pipe and is in fluid communication with the at least one opening of the base pipe. The fluid filtration subassembly extends partially circumferentially around the base pipe and has at least two circumferential terminuses defining a circumferential gap therebetween. A slurry delivery subassembly is positioned exteriorly of the base pipe and at least partially within the circumferential gap.
US09752412B2

A toe valve having an outer tubular member, including at least one outer flow port, and an inner tubular member positioned at least partially within the outer tubular member and including a central flow passage. An indexing mechanism is positioned within the outer tubular member and there is a flow path allowing fluid pressure from the central passage to act against a first side of the indexing mechanism. A biasing device acts on a second side of the indexing mechanism and the indexing mechanism is configured to allow communication between the central flow passage and the outer flow port after the indexing mechanism is subject to a plurality of pressure cycles within the central flow passage.
US09752408B2

A crack and fluid containment collar and system for well casings to prevent micro-annulus crack propagation and fluid flow therethrough. The collar includes an annular wall extending coaxially from a first end thereof to form a trough around a casing on which the collar is disposed. A plurality of circumferential channels is provided in an exterior surface of the collar and an interior surface of the annular wall. Pairs of the collar are coupled to the casing in opposite orientations; one above and one below a containment zone with their annular flanges directed toward the zone. When encased in cement, the collars impede propagation of cracks (and fluid/gas flow therethrough) along the surfaces of the casing and collars. A second end of the collar is tapered to direct crack formation away from the collar and casing.
US09752407B2

A technique includes deploying a seat assembly having a plurality of segments into a tubing string installed in a well and expanding the seat assembly at a downhole location in the well to secure the assembly to the tubing string and form a seat that is adapted to receive an untethered object. The technique includes receiving the untethered object in the seat of the seat assembly and using the received untethered object in the seat assembly to perform a downhole operation in the well.
US09752401B2

The present invention relates to a release device (10) for releasably connecting a downhole object (80), such as a running tool or a plug, to a setting tool, the release device extending between a proximal end (10a) adapted to be coupled to the setting tool and a distal end (10b) adapted to be coupled to the downhole object, the release device comprising a base element (16) extending in a longitudinal direction and a connecting element arranged in continuation of the base element, the connecting element (11) constituting the distal end of the release device and being adapted to be coupled to the downhole object, wherein the connecting element is releasably coupled to the base element by an activatable release mechanism (60). Further, the invention relates to a downhole setting tool for setting an object in a wellbore and to a method for disconnecting a downhole object.
US09752400B2

A high-axial load bearing assembly is provided for use with a radially expandable tool such as an expandable liner hanger. Exemplary embodiments of axial load bearing assemblies operate independently of external casing pressure and internal tubing pressure. The assemblies do not rely on movable slips or the physical characteristics of the sealing members to grip the casing and bear the axial load. The gripping and sealing functions are largely separated between gripping and sealing sub-assemblies. Hardened metal features which undergo radial expansion during deployment are provided with expansion stress-relief features.
US09752395B2

An aspect of the present invention relates to a wellbore drilling system comprising a drilling tower and a tubular racking device having at least a lower first tubular racker assembly and at least a second tubular racker assembly operable at a greater height than the first tubular racker assembly. The system further comprises one or more well center tools, each adapted for operation above the well center of the drill floor, e.g. an iron roughneck tool for making up and breaking out of threaded tubular joints. According to the present invention, the tubular racking device comprises a third tubular racker assembly which is vertically mobile and which is operable for tubular transfer between the firing line and the drilling tubulars storage rack in combination with the second tubular racker assembly, e.g. in case of failure of the first tubular racker assembly, and wherein at least one well center tool is adapted to be connected to the motion arm of the third tubular racker assembly, which well center tool is operable above the drill floor, whilst the first and second tubular racker assemblies are operable in combination for tubular transfer between the firing line and the drilling tubulars storage rack.
US09752381B2

A privacy screen system for inhibiting an extraneous observer from viewing a display on an electronic device includes an electronic device that has a display and the display may be viewed. A pair of screens is provided and each of the screens is removably coupled to the electronic device. Thus, each of the screens inhibits an extraneous observer from viewing the display.
US09752378B2

Molded articles are provided. An exemplary molded article includes an inner panel portion, a main body portion, and a contoured portion extending between and interconnecting the inner panel portion and the main body portion so as to surround the inner panel portion and be surrounded by the main body portion. The contoured portion includes contoured corner segments and contoured intermediate segments extending between respective pairs of the contoured corner segments. The contoured intermediate segments have a first maximum thickness. The contoured corner segments have a second maximum thickness. The first maximum thickness of the contoured intermediate segments is greater than the second maximum thickness of the contoured corner segments. Related methods, assemblies, and apparatus are also provided.
US09752374B2

An assembly has a liftable lid and a movable hinge module. The assembly includes an object having an opening, a lid rotatably arranged upon the opening, and a hinge module. The hinge module includes at least a shaft connected to the lid, a base, and at least a latch. The shaft is connected to the base and along with the base defines a rotating axis. The rotating axis is movably arranged between a close position and an open position. The latch fastens the lid over the opening. When the rotating axis is at close position, the lid closes upon the opening as a close state. When the rotating axis moves away from close position, the lid rotates and moves away from the opening to an open state. The rotating axis moves to open position.
US09752371B2

A method and a system for controlling the opening/closing of a vehicle door are provided. The method includes determining whether a door is in a locked state and when the door is determined to be in the locked state, determining whether a smart key is within a predetermined distance. When the smart key is determined to be within the predetermined distance, a door latch module is changed to a “ready-to-open” state in the locked state of the door. The method further includes determining whether the smart key is maintained to be within the predetermined distance and operating an exterior handle of the door. When the exterior handle is operated, the door is opened and locking of the door is released simultaneously.
US09752363B2

A locking structure for securing an electronic device includes a body, a worm shaft, a guide rod, a fixing base and a linkage set. When a user wants to connect the electronic device to another device, the user could insert the electronic device into the locking structure which is set on the device. Then, the user pushes down the electronic device to drive the locking structure and the worm shaft of the locking structure would be rotated from a releasing direction to a securing direction. When the user wants to release the electronic device, the user could push it back to the original position. Then, the worm shaft would be rotated from the securing direction to the releasing direction so the user could release the electronic device from the locking structure. Consequently, it is easy to secure or release the electronic device to another device through the locking structure.
US09752362B2

A hood hinge structure includes a hood hinge base (12) and a hood hinge arm (14). The hood hinge base is fixed to a vehicle body. The hood hinge arm includes a supported portion (22) and a fixed portion (24). The supported portion is provided at a base end side of the hood hinge arm and is supported by the hood hinge base. The fixed portion (24) is provided at a tip end side of the hood hinge arm and is fixed to a hood. At least a portion of the hood hinge arm from the supported portion to the fixed portion has a laminated structure.
US09752356B2

An embodiment provides a lock-release apparatus including: a rotation member to actuate a locking member; a case member rotatably supporting the rotation member; an operation member slidable in a direction substantially in parallel to a rotation plane of the rotation member; and a spring member urging the rotation member in a given rotation direction. The lock-release apparatus further includes a link structure converting a sliding movement of the operation member into a rotational movement of the rotation member. More specifically, the case member includes: an accommodation section slidably accommodating the operation member to allow an operation face thereof to be exposed; and a support section rotatably supporting the rotation member.
US09752348B2

A tool for operating pivotal levers includes a lever member having an attachment and a handle. The attachment defines proximal-lower and distal-upper bearing surfaces for contacting the pivotal lever to transmit a pivotal opening force, and the proximal-upper and distal-lower bearing surfaces for contacting the pivotal lever to transmit a pivotal closing force. Typically, the tool includes hook retainers extending from the lever member that define the lower bearing surfaces. Also, the lower bearing surfaces and the handle define a clearance angle to avoid interference with an opposite lever. Typically, the lever member includes an angle between its attachment section and its handle section to define the clearance angle. Methods of installation and use of such a tool are also disclosed.
US09752337B1

A mid-rise residential building with a garage section, a lower section disposed above the garage section, and an upper section disposed above the lower section is disclosed. The upper section includes a corridor that traverses the building, but the lower section does not include such a corridor. The garage section includes a plurality of private garages. The lower section includes at least a pair of multistory dwelling units, where each unit has a through unit floor plan and each unit provides direct access to a respective private garage. The upper section includes a corridor. The upper section also includes a single story dwelling unit that is primarily accessible from the corridor; and at least two multistory dwelling units that have respective entranceways disposed laterally across the corridor from the single story dwelling unit. Each of the multistory dwelling units has a second floor with portions directly above the corridor and the single story dwelling unit. An elevator serves the corridor of the upper section, but it bypasses the lower section.
US09752333B2

A trowel may include a main body including at least one working edge, the working edge including an edge radius, a plurality of radial teeth extending from the working edge, each radial tooth of the plurality of radial teeth including a radial edge and a tooth radius. A distance between the edge radius and the tooth radius at any point along the working edge is the same.
US09752332B2

Movable partition systems include a movable partition, a soffit positioned along an edge of a track, and a molding member engaged with the soffit opposite the track. The molding member is at least partially abutted against a wall and configured to be adjusted laterally relative to the soffit. Methods of installing a movable partition system include suspending a track from a support member, inserting an end of a soffit between first and second ends of a molding member, and coupling the soffit to an edge of the track or a wall of a header structure. Methods of forming a header structure for a movable partition include disposing a track for a movable partition at least partially in a header recess of a header structure, engaging a molding member with a soffit, and coupling the soffit with the track and between the track and a wall of the header structure.
US09752303B2

A system and method for providing guidance to a user of a construction machine include computing kinematic behavior of a construction machine based on data received from the construction machine while performing a task. The kinematic behavior is compared with a model for operating the construction machine for performing the task. Feedback data is sent to the construction machine based on the comparing to provide guidance to the user of the construction machine for performing the task.
US09752299B2

A speed measurement system for use with a machine having a component rotationally mounted inside a housing may have a first sensing element configured to be mounted to the housing adjacent the component, and a second sensing element configured to be mounted to the housing. The first sensing element may be configured to generate a first signal indicative of a rotational velocity of the component. The second sensing element may be configured to generate a second signal indicative of a rotational rate of the housing. The speed measurement system may also have a controller in communication with the first and second sensing elements. The controller may be configured to determine a rotational speed of the component relative to an offboard reference based on the first and second signals.
US09752291B2

A protector allows for the engagement and protection of a segment of an upright from an impact force by an external object and for absorbing and damping the resulting impact force. The protector comprises a protector body and a shim. The protector body allows engagement and positioning of the protector on at least a segment of the upright. The protector body is also partially constructed of an energy absorbing and damping material and having an outer surface and an inner surface. The outer surface is positionable to receive the impact force from the external object. The inner surface is positionable to abut the upright, when the protector is in engagement with the upright. The shim is least partially embedded in the protector body and provides increased structural support for the protector body. The shim also has a stiffness different than the stiffness of the protector body.
US09752284B2

The invention relates to a method for treating a fiber stock for making of paper, board or the like. The method comprises obtaining a fiber thick stock and adding to the fiber thick stock at least one cationic first agent, and adding separately to the fiber stock and after the addition of the cationic first agent, at least one anionic second agent, which is an water-soluble anionic copolymer of acrylamide, methacrylamide or acrylonitrile, in such amount that the ratio of the added absolute cationic charge to the added absolute anionic charge is from 1:0.1 to 1:0.95. The invention relates also to the product prepared by using a fiber stock, which is treated by using the method.
US09752281B2

Fibrous structures having a surface including a plurality of line elements and a method for making same is provided.
US09752247B2

An electroplating method that includes: a) contacting a first substrate with a first article, which includes a substrate and a conformable mask disposed in a pattern on the substrate; b) electroplating a first metal from a source of metal ions onto the first substrate in a first pattern, the first pattern corresponding to the complement of the conformable mask pattern; and c) removing the first article from the first substrate, is disclosed. Electroplating articles and electroplating apparatus are also disclosed.
US09752242B2

Leveling additives, their use in electrodeposition, and regeneration are described. In one embodiment, an electrodeposition bath may include a non-aqueous liquid and an optionally substituted aromatic hydrocarbon. The optionally substituted aromatic hydrocarbon may be protonated.
US09752236B2

The present invention provides the use of a sulfosuccinate as a corrosion inhibitor. In particular, the sulfosuccinate may be used to inhibit the corrosion of a metal component that is, or will be, in contact with an aqueous fluid, in order to prevent or reduce corrosion of the metal component. The sulfosuccinate may be used to inhibit corrosion of a metal component in an industrial aqueous system, such as a hydrocarbon plant; a chemical plant; a water plant; or a paper manufacturing plant, and in particular in an oilfield system or a downstream oil-related system.
US09752233B2

Aqueous compositions useful as pretreatments prior to painting and to reduce the formation of rust in the uncoated condition consist essentially of water, an organo-functional silane, a compound of a Group IV-B element, and optionally a polyvinyl alcohol, stabilizing agents, wetting agents, thickeners, and biocides, and have an alkaline pH>7. A process for treating a metal surface includes contacting the surface with such an aqueous composition. The compositions and processes were found to have further benefits in comparison to the zinc phosphate metal pretreatment thought to be the standard in the industry. Preferably, the pH of the compositions is alkaline, which has been found to improve the efficacy of a silane as a surface treatment to improve uniformity of paint adhesion. By operating in the alkaline pH range, it was found that flash rusting and/or blush rust were significantly reduced.
US09752230B2

Disclosed is an alpha alumina (α-Al2O3) thin film comprising the lower layer formed on the base material made from cemented carbide; and the α-Al2O3 thin film layer formed on the lower layer, wherein when the α-Al2O3 thin film layer is divided, from the total thickness (T) thereof, into a D1 layer which is from an interface layer to 0.15T, a D2 layer which is from 0.15T to 0.4T, and a D3 layer which is from 0.4T to 1T, an S1 (D3 layer grain size/D1 layer grain size) is 2-5.5 and an S2 (D2 layer grain size/D1 layer grain size) is 1.5-4.
US09752223B2

A plasma spray system including a turntable subsystem operable to position a multiple of work pieces on a respective multiple of workpiece mounts; a plasma spray subsystem operable to plasma spray the multiple of work pieces on said turntable subsystem; and an overspray wash subsystem operable to wash the multiple of work pieces on said turntable subsystem subsequent to plasma spray of the multiple of work pieces.
US09752222B2

A surface-treated steel sheet for a container, comprising: a steel sheet, and a Zr compound film disposed on the steel sheet, wherein the Zr compound film being formed by a dipping or electrolytic treatment in a solution containing Zr ion, F ion, ammonium ion and nitrate ion; and the coating weight of the Zr compound film is 1 to 100 mg/m2 in terms of the amount of metallic Zr, and 0.1 mg/m2 or less in terms of the F amount. There is provided a steel sheet for container, which has an excellent processability in the can manufacturing, and at the same time, is excellent in drawing and ironing processability, weldability, corrosion resistance, adherence thereof to a coating material and adherence thereof to a film, and a process for producing such a steel sheet for container.
US09752220B2

There are provided a magnesium alloy coil stock having good flatness and a method for producing the magnesium alloy coil stock, and a magnesium alloy structural member that uses the coil stock and a method for producing the magnesium alloy structural member. The coil stock is obtained by coiling a sheet composed of a magnesium alloy in a cylindrical shape, and the internal diameter of the coil stock is 1000 mm or less. The coil stock can be produced by rolling a cast material obtained by subjecting a magnesium alloy to continuous casting, subjecting the rolled sheet to warm leveling, and coiling the worked sheet in a cylindrical shape while the temperature just before coiling is decreased to 100° C. or less.
US09752213B2

A method for comprehensively recovering rare earth elements and fluorine element in a bastnaesite treatment process. The method comprises: oxidation roasting a bastnaesite, and leaching a roasted mixture using a hydrochloric acid, adding a roasting promoter to the bastnaesite during the roasting process; and/or during the leaching process using the hydrochloric acid, adding a catalytic leaching promoter into the mixture, obtaining a rare earth chloride solution containing little cerium element and a cerium-rich residue containing the fluorine element; and separating and recovering rare earth fluorides from the cerium-rich residue.
US09752209B2

A method is provided for separating a leach residue from which a hematite-containing material capable of being used as a raw material for ironmaking can be obtained. A method also is provided for producing hematite for ironmaking from the leach residue. The method utilizes a leach residue as a raw material, the leach residue being obtained from a hydrometallurgical refining plant where a nickel oxide ore treated by a high pressure acid leach process. The method includes, in sequence: a separation step of separating the leach residue into an overflow and an underflow with a wet cyclone; and another separation step of separating the separated overflow into a strong magnetic substance and a weak magnetic substance using magnetic force, wherein a strong-magnetic-field magnetic separator is used in the another separation step using the magnetic force.
US09752208B2

The present invention provides an extraction solvent for extracting metallic elements that is characterized in that: the total concentration of chlorine (Cl2) and hypochlorous acid (HOCl) is from 20 to 1000 ppm; chlorine (Cl2) and hypochlorous acid (HOCl) are included at a molar ratio of 1:1 to 1:11; the oxidation-reduction potential is from 1100 to 1400 mV; and the pH is from 1.7 to 3.7. The present invention also provides a method for producing said extraction solvent, and a method for recovering metallic elements by using said extraction solvent.
US09752202B2

Provided are a method and a refining device for producing molten steel of outstanding cleanliness, and more particularly provides a method and device for refining inclusions by forming droplets from molten steel and dropping same into slag during pre-processing in a continuous casting process in a steel-making process. Also, provided is a method for producing high cleanliness molten steel comprising a molten-steel supply device for supplying molten steel and a molten-steel refining device for containing and refining molten steel poured into the molten-steel supply device, wherein the method comprises: a molten-steel pouring step in which molten steel is poured from the molten-steel supply device into the molten-steel refining device; a droplet-forming step in which the molten steel which has been poured in is formed into droplets in the molten-steel refining device; a slag-pass-through step in which the molten steel which has been formed into droplets is dropped so as to pass through slag; and an inclusion-removing step in which residual inclusions in the molten steel, which has been formed into droplets, are removed while passing through the slag.
US09752188B2

Next Generation DNA sequencing promises to revolutionize clinical medicine and basic research. However, while this technology has the capacity to generate hundreds of billions of nucleotides of DNA sequence in a single experiment, the error rate of approximately 1% results in hundreds of millions of sequencing mistakes. These scattered errors can be tolerated in some applications but become extremely problematic when “deep sequencing” genetically heterogeneous mixtures, such as tumors or mixed microbial populations. To overcome limitations in sequencing accuracy, a method Duplex Consensus Sequencing (DCS) is provided. This approach greatly reduces errors by independently tagging and sequencing each of the two strands of a DNA duplex. As the two strands are complementary, true mutations are found at the same position in both strands. In contrast, PCR or sequencing errors will result in errors in only one strand.
US09752184B2

The present invention provides methods for rapid forensic analysis of mitochondrial DNA and methods for characterizing heteroplasmy of mitochondrial DNA, which can be used to assess the progression of mitochondrial diseases.
US09752181B2

A system and method for capturing and analyzing a set of cells, comprising: an array including a set of parallel pores, each pore including a chamber including a chamber inlet and a chamber outlet, and configured to hold a single cell, and a pore channel fluidly connected to the chamber outlet; an inlet channel fluidly connected to each chamber inlet of the set of parallel pores; an outlet channel fluidly connected to each pore channel of the set of parallel pores; a set of electrophoresis channels fluidly coupled to the outlet channel, configured to receive a sieving matrix for electrophoretic separation; and a set of electrodes including a first electrode and a second electrode, wherein the set of electrodes is configured to provide an electric field that facilitates electrophoretic analysis of the set of cells.
US09752177B2

Filtering small nucleic acids using permeabilized cells and methods for using the filtering to detect genomic DNA accessibility are described.
US09752173B2

The present invention realtes to systems and methods for amplifying nucleic acid. In particular, systems and methods are provided for inhibiting polymerase based terminal transferase activity within a polynucleotide amplification setting (e.g., polymerase chain reaction). In addition, systems and methods are provided for generating amplified products generated with polynucleotide amplification techniques having reduced 3′ non-templated nucleotide addition.
US09752171B2

The present invention provides recombinant nucleic acid constructs comprising a xylose isomerase polynucleotide, a recombinant fungal host cell comprising a recombinant xylose isomerase polynucleotide, and related methods.
US09752168B2

The present invention relates to compositions comprising: a polypeptide having cellulolytic enhancing activity and a quinone compound. The present invention also relates to methods of using the compositions.
US09752166B2

The present invention comprises a process to produce organic products from a single-carbon substrate; microbial compositions used in the process; and a process to isolate microorganisms for the process.
US09752163B2

Described is a method for the enzymatic production of isoprenol using mevalonate as a substrate and enzymatically converting it by a decarboxylation step into isoprenol as well as the use of an enzyme which is capable of catalyzing the decarboxylation of mevalonate for the production of isoprenol from mevalonate. Furthermore described is the use of mevalonate as a starting material for the production of isoprenol in an enzymatically catalyzed reaction. Also disclosed is a method for the production of isoprene comprising the method for the production of isoprenol using mevalonate as a substrate and enzymatically converting it by a decarboxylation step into isoprenol and further comprising the step of converting the produced isoprenol into isoprene as well as a method for the production of isoamyl alcohol comprising the method for the production of isoprenol using mevalonate as a substrate and enzymatically converting it by a decarboxylation step into isoprenol and further comprising the step of converting the produced isoprenol into isoamyl alcohol.
US09752157B2

The invention provides cereal plants having a high level of fructan useful for the production of a range of food, beverage, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical products. The invention provides methods of producing high-fructan products from plants modified to comprise a reduced level of an endogenous polypeptide with starch synthase activity, and products so produced. In some embodiments, plants are modified by introduction of an agent such as a nucleic acid molecule which down regulates endogenous starch synthase II gene expression.
US09752155B2

Provided are constructs and methods for expressing a transgene in plant cells and/or plant tissues using the regulatory elements, including the promoters and/or 3′-UTRs, isolated from Brachypodium distachyon ubiquitin genes.
US09752150B2

Methods and compositions are provided for the treatment of medical conditions associated with a reduced rate of stem cell self-renewal or that will be responsive to an increased rate of stem cell self-renewal. Aspects of the methods include inhibiting H2A deubiquitinating enzyme activity in cells, e.g. by administering an effective amount of an H2A deubiquitinating enzyme antagonist. Also provided are screens to identify therapeutics for the treatment of medical conditions associated with a reduced rate of stem cell self-renewal or that will be responsive to an increased rate of stem cell self-renewal.
US09752142B2

The present invention provides gapped oligomeric compounds comprising at least one 5′-substituted P-D-2′-deoxyribonucleoside in the gap region. Certain such gapped oligomeric compounds are useful for hybridizing to a complementary nucleic acid, including but not limited to, nucleic acids in a cell. The oligomeric compounds provided herein have improved properties such as selectivity, potency and improved proinflammatory profile. In certain embodiments, hybridization results in modulation of the amount of activity or expression of the target nucleic acid in a cell.
US09752137B2

Compounds, compositions and methods for the preparation of peptide/protein conjugates, said method comprising a step of reacting a compound (2) represented by the formula (2) with a compound (3) represented by the formula (3) to obtain compound (1) represented by the formula (1), wherein R′ represents substituent, and R represents H or at least one substituents. Also disclosed is a kit comprising the compound.
US09752133B2

Purified Ref polypeptides with increased nuclease site-specific targeting activity, recombinant nucleic acids and cells for expression of such Ref polypeptides, and methods for using the Ref polypeptides in combination with RecA protein and variants thereof to effect targeted nuclease cleavage of a DNA duplex are disclosed.
US09752132B2

Engineered CRISPR-Cas9 nucleases with altered and improved PAM specificities and their use in genomic engineering, epigenomic engineering, and genome targeting.
US09752128B2

The present invention relates to cellular differentiation and, in particular to hybrid cells that exhibit phenotypic plasticity and methods for producing these cells. The invention also relates to methods for generating specific cells of a desired phenotype. The invention still further relates to methods of producing hybrid cells with a capacity to de-differentiate into an earlier progenitor state. The invention further contemplates the use of hybrid cells in a range of applications, for example tissue generation.
US09752126B2

The present invention provides a method for increasing the expression of MAFA in cells expressing markers characteristic of the pancreatic endocrine lineage comprising the steps of culturing the cells expressing markers characteristic of the pancreatic endocrine lineage in medium comprising a sufficient amount of a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor to cause an increase in expression of MAFA.
US09752117B2

A hybrid tissue scaffold is provided which comprises a porous primary scaffold having a plurality of pores and a porous secondary scaffold having a plurality of pores, wherein the secondary scaffold resides in the pores of the primary scaffold to provide a hybrid scaffold. The pores of the porous primary scaffold may have a pore size in a range of 0.50 mm to 5.0 mm, and the pores of the porous secondary scaffold may have a pore size in a range of 50 μm to 600 μm. The primary scaffold may provide 5% to 30% of a volume of the hybrid scaffold.
US09752105B2

Methods employing detergent compositions comprising phosphinosuccinic acid oligomers (PSO) in combination with a sanitizing rinse aid are disclosed. The methods beneficially clean, sanitize and rinse a surface in an efficient two-step process. The detergent compositions employ phosphinosuccinic acid adducts, namely mono-, bis- and oligomeric phosphinosuccinic acid (PSO) derivatives, in combination with an alkalinity source and optionally polymers and/or surfactants. The sanitizing and rinsing compositions employ peroxycarboxylic acid compositions in combination with a nonionic defoaming and wetting surfactant.
US09752101B2

The present invention relates to liquid laundry detergent compositions comprising a polyetheramine.
US09752092B2

The present invention provides a lubricating oil composition comprising: (a) a major amount of a lubricating oil, (a) a diarylamine antioxidant, and (b) an amidine compound of Formula (I), wherein R1 is hydrogen, an alkyl or an aromatic group containing 1-30 carbon atoms; x is from 1 to 5; Y is an optional linking alkyl group; Z is carbon or nitrogen; and R2 is hydrogen or alkyl groups containing 1-30 carbon atoms. Also provided is a method for lubricating an engine comprising lubricating the engine with said lubricating oil composition.
US09752091B2

The lubricating base oil of the present invention comprises an ester synthesized from: a first component that is at least one selected from polyhydric alcohols having 2 to 4 hydroxyl groups; a second component that is at least one selected from polybasic acids having 6 to 12 carbon atoms; and a third component that is at least one selected from monohydric alcohols having 4 to 18 carbon atoms and monocarboxylic acids having 2 to 12 carbon atoms. In addition, the refrigerating machine oil and the working fluid composition for a refrigerating machine of the present invention each comprise the above lubricating base oil.
US09752089B2

A process for converting waste fibers to solid fuel is provided, including providing a supply of animal waste including the waste fibers in a predetermined quantity; washing the supply of animal waste for a predetermined washing period; dewatering the supply of animal waste by separating water from the waste fibers for a predetermined dewatering period; shedding the waste fibers for separating liquids from solids; compressing the dewatered and shed waste fibers to generate a plurality of briquettes; torrefying at least one of the plurality of briquettes in a torrefaction reactor using a heat source at a predetermined torrefying temperature for a predetermined torrefying period; removing the at least one of the plurality of briquettes from the reactor; and cooling the torrefaction reactor to reach a predetermined cooling temperature.
US09752081B2

A method that produces coupled radical products from biomass. The method involves obtaining a lipid or carboxylic acid material from the biomass. This material may be a carboxylic acid, an ester of a carboxylic acid, a triglyceride of a carboxylic acid, or a metal salt of a carboxylic acid, or any other fatty acid derivative. This lipid material or carboxylic acid material is converted into an alkali metal salt. The alkali metal salt is then used in an anolyte as part of an electrolytic cell. The electrolytic cell may include an alkali ion conducting membrane (such as a NaSICON membrane). When the cell is operated, the alkali metal salt of the carboxylic acid decarboxylates and forms radicals. Such radicals are then bonded to other radicals, thereby producing a coupled radical product such as a hydrocarbon. The produced hydrocarbon may be, for example, saturated, unsaturated, branched, or unbranched, depending upon the starting material.
US09752075B2

Mesogenic media comprising a first component, component A, consisting of bimesogenic compounds optionally a second component, component B, consisting of nematogenic compounds, and optionally a second or third component, component C, consisting of one or more chiral molecules, is suitable for use in flexoelectric liquid crystal devices.
US09752074B2

A pickling solution for the surface pre-treatment of plastic surfaces in preparation for metallization, the solution comprising a source of Mn(VII) ions; and an inorganic acid; wherein the pickling solution is substantially free of chromium (VI) ions, alkali ions, and alkaline-earth ions.
US09752065B2

A sealant composition includes a curable sealing resin, and a plurality of microcapsules dispersed in the sealing resin. Each of the plurality of microcapsules includes a self-curable healing agent and a capsule coating film encapsulating the healing agent.
US09752063B2

An electrochemical cell may have a PVDF microporous membrane that may be adhesively bonded to electrodes. The adhesive may be a mixture of a solvent and non-solvent that may cause the PVDF membrane to become tacky and adhere to an electrode without collapsing. An adhesively bonded cell may be constructed using multiple layers of adhesively bonded membranes and electrodes. In some embodiments, the adhesive solution may be used as a sizing to prepare electrodes for bonding.
US09752051B2

Compositions of arylene oligomers and certain curing agents are useful to provide arylene polymer coatings having improved mechanical properties when cured in an oxygen-containing atmosphere. Methods of curing such compositions are also provided.
US09752049B2

An optically transparent, hydrophobic coating, exhibiting an average contact angle of at least 100 degrees with a drop of water. The coating can be produced using low-cost, environmentally friendly components. Methods of preparing and using the optically transparent, hydrophobic coating.
US09752044B2

An aqueous-based coating composition suitable as a container coating comprising: (A) a resinous phase comprising (i) an organic oil, (ii) an at least partially neutralized acid functional polymer containing reactive functional groups, (iii) a phenolic compound and an aldehyde or the reaction product thereof; the resinous phase dispersed in (B) aqueous medium.
US09752036B2

[Problem] To provide a curable organopolysiloxane antifouling composite coating film obtained by using a urethane resin anticorrosive coating film excellent in curability instead of one or two organopolysiloxane intermediate coating film layers (Tie Coats) to layer an organopolysiloxane antifouling coating film excellent in both interlayer adhesiveness with the anticorrosive coating film and antifouling performance; and an antifouling substrate coated with the composite coating film.[Solution] An antifouling composite coating film, comprising a laminated urethane resin anticorrosive coating film and antifouling coating film, (I) the urethane resin anticorrosive coating film being formed from an anticorrosive paint composition comprising a main agent selected from the group consisting of polyols and glycidyl ethers, and an isocyanate curing agent, (II) the antifouling coating film being formed from a curable polysiloxane composition comprising specific components (a), (b), and (c).
US09752033B2

The present invention provides a process for producing a fine organic pigment having a very small primary particle size, and a fine organic pigment produced by the process; a process for producing a dispersion using the fine organic pigment, and a dispersion produced by the process; and a process for producing an ink using the dispersion. The present invention relates to [1] a process for producing a fine organic pigment, including step 1 of kneading a mixture prepared by blending a raw material organic pigment, a water-soluble inorganic salt, a water-soluble organic solvent and water with each other, the water being blended in an amount of not less than 0.6 part by mass and not more than 4.0 parts by mass on the basis of 100 parts by mass of the water-soluble inorganic salt; [2] a fine organic pigment produced by the process described in the above [1]; [3] a dispersion produced using the fine organic pigment described in the above [2]; [4] a process for producing a paste of a fine organic pigment, including step 2 of cleaning the kneaded mixture obtained in the step 1; [5] a process for producing a dispersion, including step 3 of subjecting the paste of the fine organic pigment produced by the process described in the above [4], an organic solvent and water to dispersing treatment; and [6] a process for producing an ink, including step 4 of mixing the dispersion produced by the process described in the above [5], with at least one material selected from the group consisting of water and an organic solvent.
US09752026B2

A composition including at least two grafted copolymers, having a polyolefin trunk and polyamide grafts, the polyamide grafts being 15% to 25% by weight of the composition. Also, a multilayered structure including a plurality of adjacent layers, at least one of which has the above composition. The first grafted copolymer is a polyolefin backbone containing a residue of at least one unsaturated monomer (X) and a plurality of polyamide grafts, the polyamide grafts are attached to the polyolefin backbone by the residue of the unsaturated monomer (X). The second copolymer is a grafted elastomeric copolymer of a polyolefin backbone.
US09752024B2

A comprising includes one or more polyethylene, one or more polypropylene, one or more polyolefin elastomer, and a crystalline block composite having the following three components: (i) a crystalline ethylene based polymer, (ii) a crystalline propylene based polymer, and (iii) a block copolymer having a crystalline ethylene based block and a crystalline propylene block. The composition of component (i) is the same as the crystalline ethylene based block of the block copolymer and the composition of component (ii) is the same as the crystalline propylene block of the block copolymer. The composition is useful for forming rotomolded articles.
US09752020B2

This invention relates to rubber compositions having a low aromatic-oil content, or no aromatic oils at all. The rubber composition contains a diene rubber, one or more fillers, and a low molecular weight, functionalized polymer than has the ability to interact with the fillers and act and as a replacement to the aromatic oil. The rubber compositions so produced may be used in tread rubbers and have exhibited good snow/wet traction properties and low rolling resistance.
US09752018B2

A rubber composition of the present technology for a conveyor belt contains a diene rubber and a carbon black, the diene rubber containing: a natural rubber; and a modified butadiene rubber obtained by modifying a butadiene rubber with a nitrone compound; the content of the natural rubber in the diene rubber being 30 to 85 mass %, and the content of the modified butadiene rubber in the diene rubber being 15 to 70 mass %.
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