US09910932B2

There is disclosed a method and a system for completing a search query. The method is executable at a server. The method comprises receiving a portion of the search query from an electronic device associated with a user; determining a query-completion suggestion for the received search query portion, the query-completion suggestion based on information searchable within a vertical search domain; determining the most suitable response to the query based on information maintained within the vertical search domain; causing the electronic device to display the user a suggest line, the suggest line including both: (i) the query-completion suggestion and (ii) representation of the most suitable response to the query.
US09910928B2

A system and method for enhancing a lazy loading operation is disclosed. The system and method, in general, retrieves a plurality of subsets of a dataset via the lazy loading operation and increments a counter for each of the plurality of subsets retrieved by the processor. Then, the system and method detects a first event that navigates away from the retrieving of the plurality of subsets and also detects a second event that navigates back to the retrieving of the plurality of subsets. Next, the system and method returns to the retrieving of the plurality of subsets in accordance with the counter in response to the detecting of the second event.
US09910924B2

The technology disclosed relates to identifying entity reflections that refer to a same real-world entity. In particular, it relates to using statistical functions to make probabilistic deductions about entity attributes, which are used to construct optimal combinations of entity attributes. These optimal combinations of entity attributes are further used to generate search queries that return more precise search results with greater recall.
US09910918B2

A method, system and computer program product for presenting tags of a tag cloud in a more understandable and visually appealing manner. Tags of a tag cloud that are associated with an object (e.g., web page) are retrieved. The retrieved tags are then assigned to parts of speech (e.g., noun, verb, adjective, adverb). Combinations of the tags are then generated based on the parts of speech assigned to the tags. For example, the combinations of the tags may be based on a template, such as , , is and so forth. The combinations of the tags are then presented after determining the layout to display the generated combinations of tags. Since the tags of the tag cloud are presented in a combination based on the parts of speech assigned to the tags, the tag cloud is more understandable and visually appealing.
US09910914B1

Among other things, an information retrieval process that optimizes the retrieval of highly relevant information across dissimilar documents; information retrieval is based on information understanding, using contextual word disambiguation and sentence parsing to determine well-formed sentences, storing information according to syntactical structures; the information retrieval process finds the target of the search in the subject, subject complement, or direct object and returns maximally informative factual sentences; this search method alters the traditional user experience by presenting facts about the search topic with a link to the source document sentence, rather than presenting brief snippets of text containing the search string.
US09910903B1

A computer-implemented method is disclosed which detects a change in a set of data sources of a DSS, such as addition of a new data source, removal of an existing data source, or a schema change of an existing data source in the set. A first set of DSS updates for pending ETL jobs of an ETL engine of the DSS are automatically determined based on the change in the set of data sources. The method automatically updates, without canceling, the pending ETL jobs of the ETL engine based on the first set of DSS updates. A second set of DSS updates for a semantic layer of a BI engine of the DSS are automatically determined based on the change in the set of data sources and based on the first set of DSS updates. The semantic layer is automatically updated based on the second set of DSS updates.
US09910898B2

Systems and methods for building a latent item vector and item bias for a new item in a collaborative filtering system are disclosed. The method includes dividing incoming users into intervals with each interval having a learning phase and a selection phase. The learning phase scores each incoming user according to a best estimate latent vector and bias and saves the highest score. In the selection each incoming user is scored and a user exceeding the highest score is selected. The best estimate latent vector and bias is then updated based on the user's vector and bias, and the user's interaction with the item. The updated best estimate latent vector is then used in further intervals for learning and selecting users.
US09910880B2

According to an exemplary embodiment, a method for generating an enterprise user group is provided. The method may include receiving a set of attributes for an enterprise network user; receiving one or more enterprise group member identification rules including a similarity distance threshold and a set of target attributes; calculating, using a hardware processor, a similarity assessment score based on the set of target attributes and the set of attributes; and determining, using the hardware processor, whether the enterprise network user is an enterprise group member based on the similarity assessment score and the similarity distance threshold.
US09910861B2

A method, apparatus, and system for automated information lifecycle management using low access patterns in a database management system are provided. A user or the database can store policy data that defines an archiving action when meeting an activity-level condition on one or more database objects. The archiving actions may include compression, data movement, and other actions to place the database object in an appropriate storage tier for a lifecycle phase of the database object. The activity-level condition may specify the database object meeting a low access pattern, optionally for a minimum time period. Various criteria including access statistics for the database object and cost characteristics of current and target compression levels or storage tiers may be considered to determine the meeting of the activity-level condition. The policies may be evaluated on an adjustable periodic basis and may utilize a task scheduler for minimal performance impact.
US09910856B2

Information source agent systems and methods for distributed content storage and management using content signatures that use file identicality properties are provided. A data management system is provided that includes a content engine for managing the storage of file content, a content signature generator that generates a unique content signature for a file processed by the content engine, a content signature comparator that compares content signatures and a content signature repository that stores content signatures. Information source agents are provided that include content signature generators and content signature comparators. Methods are provided for the efficient management of files using content signatures that take advantage of file identicality properties. Content signature application modules and registries exist within information source clients and centralized servers to support the content signature methods.
US09910849B2

A system and method for providing multilingual support to users communicating in an computing environment. The system and method may receive communications from a user in a first language. The system and method may store the communication in the first language. If the first language does not match a standard language of the environment, the system and method may translate the communication to the standard language and store the translation. If the system and method receives a subsequent request to access the stored user communication, the system and method may determine whether a language associated with the request matches the standard language or the first language. If there is a match, the system and method may return the stored original user communication or the stored standard language version of the user communication. If the access request language does not match either language, the system and method may translate the user communication to the request's language. The system and method may perform all translations directly from the stored original user communication, rather than from a previous translation, to reduce cumulative translation inaccuracies.
US09910848B2

A mechanism is provided in a data processing system having a processor and a memory storing instructions for implementing a natural language processing engine, a store of semantic types, and a store of units, conversions among units, and variants of unit names, for generating semantically equivalent variants of a natural language term. The mechanism receives an input term for variant analysis. The natural language processing engine executing on the data processing system identifies a semantic type of the input term based on the store of semantic types. The natural language processing engine extracts a quantity and a unit from the input term based on the store of units, conversions among units, and variants of unit names. The natural language processing engine populates type-specific templates at a level of specificity based on the input term based on the identified semantic type of the input term and the extracted quantity and unit to form a set of semantically equivalent variants of the input term. The natural language processing engine performs a natural language processing operation using the input term and the set of semantically equivalent variants of the input term.
US09910844B2

According to an aspect, a query and a passage are parsed by a language parser to detect noun-centric phrases and verb-centric phrases in the query and the passage. Entities, including at least one untyped entity, are identified based on the noun-centric phrases and relations are identified based on the verb-centric phrases. Entity pairs are created that include an entity identified in the query and an entity identified in the passage, each pair satisfies a matching criteria. Relation pairs are created that include a relation identified in the query and a relation identified in the passage, each pair satisfies a matching criteria. A passage score that indicates the likelihood that an answer to the query is contained in the passage is determined based on the entity pairs, the matching criteria satisfied by each entity pair, the elation pairs, and the matching criteria satisfied by each relation pair.
US09910842B2

Methods, apparatuses, and embodiments related to interactively predicting fields in a form. A computer system received an image of a form. A user moves a cursor to a first field of the form, and the computer system automatically displays a predicted location of the field, including a bounding box that represents a boundary of the field. The computer system further predicts the field name/label based on text in the document. The user clicks on the field to indicate that he wants to digitize the field. When needed, the user interactively modifies the size of the bounding box that represents the extent of the field, changes the name/label of the field. Once finalized, the user can cause the field information (e.g., the bounding box coordinate, the bounding box location, the name/label of the field, etc.) to be written to a database.
US09910822B2

A network interface for a first network on chip resource capable of interfacing a data processing unit in the first resource with the network, the network interface including an output communication controller including a mechanism detecting an indicator marking an end of communication between the first resource and at least one second resource with which a communication link is set up, and a mechanism outputting a signal indicating closure of the link to be sent to the second resource, after detection of an end of communication indicator.
US09910820B2

An electronic device includes a display unit and a processor. The processor is configured to accept an input of numerical expression data including an input field-equipped function data with one or plural input fields; cause the display unit to display the numerical expression data and a cursor; move, upon accepting a first user operation, the cursor from one element to a next or previous element, the element being a constituent of numerical expression data; and move, upon accepting a second user operation when the cursor is present in the input fields, the cursor to an outside of the input field-equipped function data with the input fields.
US09910810B1

Systems and methods of emulating application-specific integrated circuits using multiple execution phases, where different inputs and outputs are used or produced by components of the emulation system are disclosed. For example, an OMUX may select and transmit different data over a serial bus based on the execution phase of the emulator system. In another example, a processor or cluster may capture outputted data during a first execution phase, execute instructions for a second execution phase, and then return to the capture outputted data for further processing during a next cycle of the first execution phase.
US09910807B2

Methods, systems, and apparatus for implementing low latency interconnect switches between CPU's and associated protocols. CPU's are configured to be installed on a main board including multiple CPU sockets linked in communication via CPU socket-to-socket interconnect links forming a CPU socket-to-socket ring interconnect. The CPU's are also configured to transfer data between one another by sending data via the CPU socket-to-socket interconnects. Data may be transferred using a packetized protocol, such as QPI, and the CPU's may also be configured to support coherent memory transactions across CPU's.
US09910800B1

Emulating a remote direct memory access (‘RDMA’) link between controllers in a storage array, including: inserting, into a buffer utilized by a direct memory access (‘DMA’) engine of a first storage array controller, a data transfer descriptor describing data stored in memory of the first storage array controller and a location to write the data to memory of the second storage array controller; retrieving, in dependence upon the data transfer descriptor, the data stored in memory of the first storage array controller; and writing the data into the memory of the second storage array controller in dependence upon the data transfer descriptor.
US09910799B2

Aspects include computing devices, apparatus, and methods for accelerating distributive virtual memory (DVM) message processing in a computing device. DVM message interceptors may be positioned in various locations within a DVM network of a computing device so that DVM messages may be intercepted before reaching certain DVM destinations. A DVM message interceptor may receive a broadcast DVM message from first DVM source. The DVM message interceptor may determine whether a preemptive DVM message response should be returned to the DVM source on behalf of the DVM destination. When certain criteria are met, the DVM message interceptor may generate a preemptive DVM message response to the broadcast DVM message, and send the preemptive DVM message response to the DVM source.
US09910797B2

Methods and structure for formatting and processing Scatter Gather Lists (SGLs). One exemplary embodiment is a storage controller that includes a cache memory storing data for a logical volume, and a control unit. The control unit is able to service an Input/Output (I/O) request based on a Scatter Gather List (SGL) that refers to the cache memory, the SGL comprising multiple entries that each include a flag field and an identifier (ID) field. The entries are assigned to categories that are each associated with a different set of stored processing instructions. The control unit is able to identify a category for an entry based on a combination of both flag field and ID field for the entry, and the control unit is able to process the entry using the set of instructions associated with the identified category.
US09910783B2

A method, system and memory controller for implementing memory hierarchy placement decisions in a memory system including direct routing of arriving data into a main memory system and selective injection of the data or computed results into a processor cache in a computer system. A memory controller, or a processing element in a memory system, selectively drives placement of data into other levels of the memory hierarchy. The decision to inject into the hierarchy can be triggered by the arrival of data from an input output (IO) device, from computation, or from a directive of an in-memory processing element.
US09910782B2

In at least some embodiments, a processor core generates a store operation by executing a store instruction in an instruction sequence. The store operation is marked as a high priority store operation in response to the store instruction being marked as high priority and is not so marked otherwise. The store operation is buffered in a store queue associated with a cache memory of the processor core. Handling of the store operation in the store queue is expedited in response to the store operation being marked as a high priority store operation and not expedited otherwise.
US09910767B2

On-chip instruction RAM is leveraged as an extension of on-chip data RAM during normal use of a modified Harvard Architecture processor. Unused space in an instruction RAM is detected in a modified Harvard Architecture processor. During operation of the processor this unused space is used to load and store data normally loaded and stored in an on-chip data RAM. A performance penalty associated with swapping out to external memory is reduced. The type of data stored in the unused portion of the instruction RAM may be selected to optimize performance. In one implementation, the unused space in the instruction RAM is used to load and store only a single type of data, such as heap, stack, initialized or uninitialized data.
US09910755B2

A computing resource monitoring service receives a request to retrieve measurement data for a metric. The computing resource monitoring service determines, based at least in part on information included in the request, one or more in-memory datastores where the measurement data is stored. If the information indicates that the computing resource monitoring service is to provide an authoritative subset of the measurement data, the computing resource monitoring service limits the data provided in response to the request to the authoritative subset of the measurement data. Otherwise, if the information does not specify this indication, the computing resource monitoring service will provide the measurement data that is available.
US09910752B2

Method and system for providing message communications with failure detection and recovery are disclosed. At a respective node of a non-static collection of nodes forming a linear communication orbit: the node identifies, from among the non-static collection of nodes, a set of forward contacts distributed in a forward direction along the linear communication orbit; the node monitors a propagation state of a first query that has departed from the respective node to travel in the forward direction along the linear communication orbit; and upon detecting a propagation failure of the first query based on the monitoring, the node sends the first query directly to a first forward contact among the set of forward contacts to initiate a failure recovery process within at least part of a segment of the linear communication orbit between the respective node and the first forward contact of the respective node.
US09910744B1

A system includes a multi-process application that runs on primary hosts and is checkpointed by a checkpointer comprised of a kernel-mode checkpointer module and one or more user-space interceptors providing at least one of barrier synchronization, checkpointing thread, resource flushing, and an application virtualization space. Checkpoints may be written to storage and the application restored from said stored checkpoint at a later time. Checkpointing may be incremental using Page Table Entry (PTE) pages and Virtual Memory Areas (VMA) information. Checkpointing is transparent to the application and requires no modification to the application, operating system, networking stack or libraries. In an alternate embodiment the kernel-mode checkpointer is built into the kernel.
US09910738B2

Systems and methods integrate disparate backup devices with a unified interface. In certain examples, a management console manages data from various backup devices, while retaining such data in its native format. The management console can display a hierarchical view of the client devices and/or their data and can further provide utilities for processing the various data formats. A data structure including fields for storing both metadata common to the client device data and value-added metadata can be used to mine or process the data of the disparate client devices. The unified single platform and interface reduces the need for multiple data management products and/or customized data utilities for each individual client device and provides a single pane of glass view into data management operations. Integrating the various types of storage formats and media allows a user to retain existing storage infrastructures and further facilitates scaling to meet long-term management needs.
US09910730B2

A non-volatile storage system identifies a word line with an open neighbor word line and determines whether data stored in non-volatile memory cells connected to the identified word line has an error condition. If the data does have an error condition, then an attempt is made to fix the data and the open neighbor word line is checked for errors. If the open neighbor word line has errors, then memory cells connected to the open neighbor word line are programmed with pseudo data.
US09910729B1

A method of restoring an ECC syndrome in a non-volatile memory device having memory cells arranged in a plurality of sectors within a memory cell array, the method comprising identifying a first sector including at least one page having a disabled ECC (error correction code) flag; reading the value of all data bits in said at least one page; calculating values for ECC bits in said at least one page; and writing said data bit values and said calculated ECC bit values to a second sector in the memory cell array.
US09910725B2

A method includes determining that an error has occurred. The error includes a hardware error in a computer, a network error in a network connected to the computer and/or a software error for software executing on the computer. The computer determines that the error has occurred. The method includes identifying a type of computer system in which the error has occurred. The computer system type includes a manufacturer and/or a brand for the computer. The method includes identifying, in response to determining that the error has occurred, an advertisement for a product or service relating to resolution of the error and to the type of computer system. The computer identifies the advertisement and generates an error message. The error message includes the advertisement and information regarding the error. The computer displays the error message with the advertisement on an electronic display connected to the computer.
US09910716B2

In one aspect, a method implemented by a first sync controller includes receiving sync information, wherein the sync information (i) identifies a first sync process, (ii) indicates that the first sync controller is not a master controller of the first sync process, and (iii) identifies a group of components executing the first sync process, the group comprising a first processing device; receiving a first sync indication from the first processing device; storing an indication, associated with the first sync process, that the first sync indication was received from the first processing device; determining that a sync indication has been received from all components of the first group of components; and transmitting a second sync indication to a second sync controller.
US09910714B2

The described embodiments include a system for executing a load using a first processor and a seond processor in a computer system. During operation, a load balancer executing on the first processor obtains one or more attributes of a load to be executed on the computer system. Next, the load balancer applies a set of configurable rules to the one or more attributes to select a processor from the first and second processors for executing the load. Finally, the system executes the load on the selected processor.
US09910713B2

A system for providing low-latency compute capacity is provided. The system may be configured to route incoming code execution requests based on user indications to use specific containers running on a plurality of virtual machine instances. The system may be configured to process a code execution request, identify, based on the user indication that a specific container previously used to handle a request of similar type is to be used for handling the code execution request, and cause the code execution request to be handled using the specific container.
US09910712B2

In an example, a method of replication between computing systems includes replicating virtual machine files from primary storage in a primary computing system to secondary storage in a secondary computing system. The virtual machine files implement a plurality of virtual machines in the primary computing system and a plurality of replica virtual machines in the secondary computing system. The method further includes replicating configuration data, from virtualization software in the primary computing system to secondary virtualization software installed on a host computer in the secondary computing system, through a platform management system in the host computer while the host computer is in a low-power state.
US09910711B1

A method for managing a thread pool size dynamically using elemental task throughputs is provided. The method includes steps of: a computing device (a) calculating a first representative task throughput corresponding to a first group including elemental task throughputs during the first time section, and then increasing a maximum thread value for the first time section and setting it as a maximum thread value for the second time section; (b) calculating a second representative task throughput corresponding to a second group including elemental task throughputs during the second time section; and (c) comparing the first and the second representative task throughput and then, if the latter is greater than the former by an amount equal to or greater than a preset first threshold value, increasing the maximum thread value for the second time section and setting it as a maximum thread value for a third time section.
US09910705B1

Systems and methods are provided for configuring a programmable integrated circuit device. A hard processor region of the programmable integrated circuit device includes a processor that identifies one or more tasks for assigning to an offload region of the programmable integrated circuit. The processor in the hard processor region transmits an instruction to the offload region. The plurality of offload nodes in the offload region are configured to perform the one or more tasks.
US09910703B2

A method is provided for efficiently scheduling timer events within an operating system by allocating a plurality of timers, each of which has an expiry time, to a set of available timer slots. The method defines a timer spread value that denotes the allowed variance of the expiry times of each of the timers, calculates a set of available timer slots for each of the timers based on the timer spread value, and adjusts the expiry times of the timers so as to insert and evenly spread the timers across the set of available timer slots. In one implementation, the set of available timer slots is located in a timer wheel existing within the operating system, and the timer wheel uses a plurality of timer vectors arranged into successively increasing levels, beginning with level zero.
US09910701B2

A device, such as a constrained device that includes a processing device and memory, schedules user-defined independently executable functions to execute from a single stack common to all user-defined independently executable functions according to availability and priority of the user-defined independently executable functions relative to other user-defined independently executable functions and preempts currently running user-defined independently executable function by placing the particular user-defined independently executable function on a single stack that has register values for the currently running user-defined independently executable function.
US09910696B2

Embodiments relate to generating a virtual machine (VM) migration plan. An initial mapping of VMs to hosts is determined 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.
US09910688B2

Implementing aspects via callback in a virtual machine, where an aspect weaver weaves the aspect with a module to provide primary and crosscutting functionality in the runtime execution of the module. The virtual machine has multiple modules that are part of an application implementing separation of concerns. Each of the multiple modules has a distinct functionality portion and a common functionality portion, common to all modules. The common functionality is referenced by the virtual machine via callback for the multiple modules. Aspect code is loaded as a callback that is applied to the multiple modules by the virtual machine. Loading the aspect code as a callback can implement the aspect at any point in the modules, including conditional statements, calls to methods of objects or classes, loops, any point in an exception handler, or to monitor changes in variables.
US09910670B2

A processor is described having an instruction execution pipeline. The instruction execution pipeline includes an instruction fetch stage to fetch an instruction. The instruction format of the instruction specifies a first input vector, a second input vector and a third input operand. The instruction execution pipeline comprises an instruction decode stage to decode the instruction. The instruction execution pipeline includes a functional unit to execute the instruction. The functional unit includes a routing network to route a first contiguous group of elements from a first end of one of the input vectors to a second end of the instruction's resultant vector, and, route a second contiguous group of elements from a second end of the other of the input vectors to a first end of the instruction's resultant vector. The first and second ends are opposite vector ends. The first and second groups of contiguous elements are defined from the third input operand. The instruction is not capable of routing non-contiguous groups of elements from the input vectors to the instruction's resultant vector. A software pipeline that uses the instruction is also described.
US09910669B2

A processor includes a front end to receive an instruction, a decoder to decode the instruction, a core to execute the first instruction, and a retirement unit to retire the first instruction. The core includes logic to execute the first instruction, including logic to repeatedly record a translation lookaside buffer (TLB) until a designated number of records are determined, and flush the TLB after a flush interval.
US09910667B2

Techniques are described for segregating a monolithic computing device that contains many installed applications into separate application storage volumes that can be attached or detached from the computing device as needed. Once the monolithic device has been segregated, the application storage volumes can be managed remotely from a management server and can be enabled or disabled on the device based on instructions from an administrator. Additionally, the administrator is enabled to select which application storage volumes are migrated during an operating system (OS) upgrade on the computing device.
US09910658B2

A system and apparatus for distributing updates to portable computing device are disclosed. A number of portable computing devices to receive update data is determined and a first number of invitations to update are transmitted to a subset of the portable computing devices to receive update data during a first event. Data describing network usage during the first event is received and the available network bandwidth is determined Based on the available network bandwidth, the size of the update data and network speed, a second number of invitations to update for transmission during a second event is determined In one embodiment, the available network bandwidth accounts for a threshold bandwidth and the bandwidth being used. This allows dynamic modification of the number of invitations based on available network bandwidth while allowing bandwidth usage to remain below the threshold bandwidth.
US09910657B2

A method for installing a computer program is provided, which includes: determining at a beginning of an installation procedure of the computer program whether an operating system being executed on the computer systems supports a prerequisite component for installing and executing the computer program by using operating system support information corresponding to the computer program. Based on determining that the prerequisite component is not supported by the operating system, performing: setting up a container comprising the prerequisite component using operating system level virtualization, installing the computer program in the container, and providing information on how to access the computer program being executed on the container.
US09910656B2

A solution for updating at least one software product installed on a virtual machine, including providing a software image of at least one new virtual disk storing a new level of the software product together with new metadata including an indication of at least one new activation procedure of the new level of the software product, and replacing a current level of the software product with the new level of the software product, the current level of the software product being stored in at least one current virtual disk of the virtual machine together with current metadata including current activation information of the current level of the software product, where the replacing includes removing at least one current virtual disk from the virtual machine; adding at least one new virtual disk to the virtual machine; and running at least one new activation procedure according to the current activation information.
US09910655B1

A system and method may be used to manipulate secure content on a first computing device through the use of a software developer's kit. The method may include defining a secure container as a subset of a data store of the first computing device. First instructions of the software developer's kit may be executed to retrieve the secure content from a first content source of a plurality of content sources managed by a plurality of different entities. The secure content may be stored in the secure container. At an input device, user input may be received to initiate manipulation of the secure content in a manner that avoids storage of any of the secure content on a portion of the data store outside the secure container.
US09910648B2

Arrangements described herein relate to inserting implicit sequence points into computer program code to support debug operations. Optimization of the computer program code can be performed during compilation of the computer program code and, during the optimization, implicit sequence points can be inserted into the computer program code. The implicit sequence points can be configured to provide virtual reads of symbols contained in the computer program code when the implicit sequence points are reached during execution of the computer program code during a debug operation performed on the computer program code after the computer program code is optimized and compiled.
US09910646B2

Technologies for native code invocation using binary analysis are described. A computing device for invoking native code from managed code using binary analysis receives a call from a thread executing a managed code segment to execute a native code segment. The computing device performs a binary analysis of the native code segment and generates, from the binary analysis, a complexity indicator that indicates a level of complexity of the native code segment by comparing the native code segment to at least one predefined complexity rule. Additionally, the computing device stores a status of the thread based on the complexity indicator and executes the native code segment. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09910643B2

A program for program editing for editing a program described using a symbol on a program editing screen causes an information processing apparatus to function as input-gesture-characteristic-information acquiring unit for acquiring input gesture characteristic information including coordinate information and a track of the coordinate input on the program editing screen, and as processing executing unit for specifying an operation target and specifying a command applied to the operation target on the basis of the input gesture characteristic information, executing the command, and for displaying the result of execution of the command on the program editing screen.
US09910640B2

Modeling representational state transfer application programming interfaces by performing the following steps: (i) receiving REST schema information defining a REST schema; (ii) organizing into a non-cyclic object graph according to a hierarchy, a set of hypertext transport protocol (HTTP) endpoints, with each endpoint respectively including a portion of the REST application so that the set of HTTP endpoints are individually addressable by uniform resource locator (URL) addresses; and (iii) for each HTTP endpoint of the set of HTTP node types, assigning node types based on the REST schema.
US09910633B2

A method for a scalable storage-loss optimized (SSLO) system for color gamut mapping is provided. The SSLO system method comprises generating a pre-computed color gamut mapping between an input color gamut and an output color gamut, receiving an input signal including a plurality of input pixels from the input signal domain, wherein the input pixels correspond to a set of first color values represented in a first color space; converting the set of the first color values to be a set of second color values represented in a second color space; generating a set of third color values through a mapping modeling and a color reproduction; converting the set of the third color values to be a set of fourth color values represented in the first color space; and outputting an output signal including a plurality of output pixels corresponding to the fourth color values to the output signal domain.
US09910632B1

Systems and methods are disclosed for using a supplementary display device in conjunction with a first device, where the first device may have a smaller display than the supplementary display device. Icon images corresponding to applications installed on the first device are accessed and wirelessly transmitted to the supplementary display device. Touch data, corresponding to a user touch input on a touchscreen of the supplementary display device, is received at the first device. The touch data includes coordinate data corresponding to the user touch input on a touchscreen of the supplementary display device. Based at least in part on the touch data, a determination is to be made as whether an application on the first device is to be launched. The application is launched on the first device and a user interface corresponding to the launched application is transmitted to the supplementary display device.
US09910620B1

Example embodiments of the present invention relate to a method, a system, and a computer program product for leveraging secondary storage for primary storage snapshots. The method includes creating a current first snapshot of a volume at a current first time in a primary storage. The method then may determine differences between the current first snapshot at the current first time and a previous second snapshot created at a previous second time. The differences then may be sent to a secondary storage.
US09910617B2

A mechanism is provided for updating data of a file on a tape in a file system using a tape drive. Data of a file which received a write request is read out from a tape drive and stored in a memory. At least a part of the data of the file is edited and the edited data part of the file is stored in the memory. Combination data with a non-edited data part and the edited data part of the file is written on the tape in the tape drive as a continuous data of the file to have an extent. The extent of the written continuous data of the file is then written on the tape.
US09910614B2

A method of allocating data to a storage block included in a storage network may include determining a plurality of characteristics associated with a storage block included in a storage network. The plurality of characteristics may include storage capacity of the storage block, available storage space of the storage block, likelihood of loss of data stored on the storage block, availability of the storage block with respect to the storage network, and use of the storage block. The method may further include allocating data to the storage block based on the plurality of characteristics.
US09910604B2

Apparatus, systems, and methods to manage memory refresh operations are described. In one embodiment, an electronic device comprises a processor and memory controller logic to determine a memory refresh frequency for a memory system and transmit refresh commands to a refresh control logic in at least one memory bank coupled to the memory controller according to the memory refresh frequency. Other embodiments are also disclosed and claimed.
US09910600B2

A memory controller and methods thereof suitable for operating a system utilizing multiple memory bus channels and/or multiple banks of memory devices on each channel wherein the memory devices is polled only when necessary. The memory controller includes means for determining a status of each individual memory device of the plurality of memory devices, a channel controller for each memory bus channel, and at least one status register on which is stored a plurality of bits. The channel controller maintains a derived status of each individual memory device based on the current and previous status data. Each individual bit of the plurality of bits of the status register corresponds to an individual memory device of the plurality of memory devices and indicates the derived status of the individual memory device which are used to determine whether to check for a queued command destined for the individual memory device.
US09910599B2

A receiver unit receives data write commands for a memory device. A control unit determines a use situation of an RMW cache used in a read-modify-write process by the memory device, on the basis of write sizes, a reception frequency, and the number of received commands. A control unit decides whether or not to execute a read-modify-write process by a storage control apparatus on the basis of the determination result.
US09910594B2

Apparatuses and methods for performing concurrent memory access operations for multiple memory planes are disclosed herein. An example method may include receiving first and second command and address pairs associated with first and second plane, respectively, of a memory. The method may further include, responsive to receiving the first and second command and address pairs, providing a first and second read voltages based on first and second page type determined from the first and second command and address pair. The method may further include configuring a first GAL decoder circuit to provide one of the first read voltage or a pass voltage on each GAL of a first GAL bus. The method may further include configuring a second GAL decoder circuit to provide one of the second read level voltage signal or the pass voltage signal on each GAL of a second GAL bus coupled to the second memory plane.
US09910591B2

The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates the execution of a software program. During operation, the system obtains a memory layout for an object instance in a software program, wherein the memory layout includes a set of offsets and a set of allocated sizes of a set of components associated with the object instance. Next, the system uses the memory layout to determine a first memory space occupied by data in the object instance and a second memory space occupied by padding in the object instance. The system then displays a visualization of the memory layout on the computer system, wherein the visualization includes a first graphical distinction between the first memory space and the second memory space.
US09910582B2

Techniques described and suggested herein include systems and methods for navigating content in the form of a scrollable information sets. In an embodiment, a portion of a scrollable information set is displayed on a user device. As the user navigates through the information set, one or more location indicators are modified. The location indicators each correspond to a position within the information set and are configured to facilitate user input for navigating to a corresponding position within the information set.
US09910573B2

By adjusting visual settings on a display behind a section of a background to emphasize menu options, a user can determine the status in the series of menus and sub-menus and can better read the menu options.
US09910571B2

Displaying windows on a computing device includes displaying a first window on a display of a computing device. First user input corresponding to a drag gesture from a first edge of the display inward and away from the first edge is received. In response to the received first user input, a second window is displayed concurrent with display of the first window. Second user input corresponding to a swipe gesture from a second edge of the display inward and away from the second edge is received. In response to the received second user input, a third window is displayed that replaces the concurrent display of the first and second windows. A state of the concurrent display of the first and second windows is stored for subsequent concurrent display of the first and second windows.
US09910563B2

Systems and methods for menuless application navigation are provided. In example embodiments, a first user input received via an interface of the device is detected. It is determined that the first user input is within an input region on the interface of the device. In response to determining that the first user input is within the input region, the first user input is translated into a navigation action. A second user input received via the interface of the device is detected, and it is determined that the second user input is outside the input region on the interface of the device. In response to determining that the second user input is outside the input region, the user input is translated into a second action, which is different from the navigation action.
US09910557B2

An apparatus and method for controlling an in-focus window in a graphical user interface (GUI) are disclosed. For example, the apparatus includes a processor and a computer readable medium storing instructions, which when executed by the processor, perform operations including displaying a plurality of windows that is overlaid on top of one another in the GUI, receiving a control operation intended for the in-focus window while a cursor of the GUI is over an area of an out-of-focus window that is adjacent to the in-focus window, analyzing one or more parameters to determine an intent of the control operation and applying the control operation to the in-focus window.
US09910547B2

An anti-interference touch sensing structure includes a first substrate, a plurality of touch sensing units and at least a first anti-interference spot. The touch sensing units are coplanarly disposed on the first substrate, and a first interval region is formed between the adjacent touch sensing units. The first anti-interference spot is disposed within the first interval region.
US09910545B2

The transparent conductive film of the present invention is a transparent conductive film, comprising: a transparent film substrate; a patterned transparent conductive layer formed on one side of the transparent film substrate; and a colored layer provided on at least one of an opposite side of the transparent conductive layer from the transparent film substrate and an opposite side of the transparent film substrate from the transparent conductive layer, wherein the colored layer has an average absorptance of from 35% to 90% for light in the wavelength range of from 380 nm to 780 nm.
US09910543B2

Improved signal-to-noise performance of projected capacitance touch screens and panels is provided by an integrated circuit regulated high voltage source and high voltage/current drivers coupled to a plurality of projected capacitive touch elements that are controlled by a microcontroller. The single integrated circuit high voltage generator/driver may comprise a voltage boost circuit, a voltage reference, power-on-reset (POR), soft start, a plurality of voltage level shifters and a serial interface for coupling to the microcontroller that may control all functions related to using the projected capacitance touch screens and panels.
US09910535B2

A touch input device includes a touch panel, a press detection signal generating unit and a touch detection signal generating unit. The touch panel is formed by laminating a piezoelectric sensor and a capacitive sensor. The piezoelectric sensor is connected to the press detection signal generating unit, and the capacitive sensor is connected to the touch detection signal generating unit. The piezoelectric sensor includes a piezoelectric film, and first and second press detecting conductors disposed with the piezoelectric film sandwiched therebetween. The piezoelectric film is disposed such that a polarity of electric charges produced by a press in the piezoelectric film, and a polarity of excited electric charges produced in the piezoelectric film when the capacitive sensor detects a touch become reverse polarities.
US09910524B1

An electronic device detects a change in intensity of an input on an input element that includes detecting an increase in intensity followed by a decrease in intensity, and recognizes at least a portion of the change in intensity of the input as a first input event that is associated with a first operation, for example a single click operation. After recognizing the first input event, the device delays performance of the first operation while monitoring subsequent changes in intensity of the input for a second input event, wherein the delay is limited by a default delay time period. If the second event is recognized before default delay time period has elapsed, a second operation is performed and the first operation is not performed. However, if early-confirmation criteria for the first input event are met before the default delay period elapses, the first operation is performed.
US09910523B2

A display of an electric device includes a plurality of separated transparent electrode blocks, which are configured to provide one or more of supplemental features such as touch recognition. Signal paths between the transparent electrode blocks and the driver for the supplemental features are implemented with a plurality of conductive lines positioned under one or more planarization layers. The conductive lines implementing the signal paths are routed across the display area, directly toward a non-display area where drive-integrated circuits are located.
US09910522B2

An information processing apparatus having a touch panel display includes a first detection unit configured to detect that an object touches the touch panel display, and a second detection unit configured to detect that the object touches an area of a display item on the touch panel display and then detect that the object moves outside the area of the display item while touching the touch panel display. When the display item is in a flick or drag operation detectable area, the information processing apparatus performs control not to carry out processing associated with the display item in response to the detection by the second detection unit.
US09910511B2

An input apparatus is provided. The input apparatus includes a communicator configured to receive a signal from a pointing apparatus, and a controller configured to control to display the pointer on a first position of the display when a start signal is received from the pointing apparatus, and when sensed position information of the pointing apparatus is received from the pointing apparatus, the controller controls to display the pointer on a second position of the display, which corresponds to the received position information of the pointing apparatus.
US09910500B2

The present patent application is directed to a smart signage system. In one aspect, the smart signage system includes at least a signage device; at least a signage display being connected to the at least one signage device and configured to display contents stored in the signage device; and a plurality of client devices being in wireless communication with the at least one signage device. Each client device is configured to recognize a gesture from a user in correspondence with a target content displayed on the signage display, and thereby to acquire a file of information associated with the target content from the signage device.
US09910481B2

In an embodiment, a processor a plurality of cores to independently execute instructions, the cores including a plurality of counters to store performance information, and a power controller coupled to the plurality of cores, the power controller having a logic to receive performance information from at least some of the plurality of counters, determine a number of cores to be active and a performance state for the number of cores for a next operation interval, based at least in part on the performance information and model information, and cause the number of cores to be active during the next operation interval, the performance information associated with execution of a workload on one or more of the plurality of cores. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09910459B2

In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, an apparatus for minimizing heat transfer may include a first member substantially planar in shape, a second member substantially planar in shape and substantially perpendicular to the first member, and a gasket mechanically coupling the first member to the second member. The apparatus may be formed such that the first member, second member, and the gasket define a plenum wherein the first member, the second member, and the gasket prevent transfer of fluid between an interior and exterior of the plenum.
US09910458B2

A display device 10 includes a flexible display panel having a display surface 11a and flexibility, display support portions 12 supporting the flexible display panel from a side opposite to the display surface 11a side, a hinge portion 13 supporting the two adjacent display support portions 12 to be rotatable, and an angle restricting portion 18 mounted on each of hinge parts 15, 16 and including at least a stopper projection 19 and a stopper hole 20 that are stopped by each other when an angle formed by the two adjacent display supporting portions 12 reaches a predetermined value, the two adjacent display supporting portions 12 being rotated according to bending of the flexible display panel 11 from the flat state and the angle being formed by the two adjacent display supporting portions 12 that are rotated, and the angle restricting portion 18 restricting the angle.
US09910454B2

Data payload is passed over a boundary from a sender module (SM) on one side of the boundary to a receiver module (RM) on the other side of the boundary. The SM has two or more multiplexers to pass the data payload over to a receiver storage register in the RM. Each multiplexer has 1) its own read address pointer lane coming from sequencing logic located on the RM side and 2) data slots to send data payload from that multiplexer across the boundary to the receiver storage register in the RM in a qualified event synchronization. The sequencing logic ensures that the multiple read address pointers going to the multiplexers have a fixed alternating relationship amongst themselves; and thus, the multiple read address pointers syncopate between each other to move the data payload across the boundary to provide 100% throughput.
US09910452B2

Provided is a reference voltage circuit capable of adjusting an arbitrary output voltage to have arbitrary temperature characteristics. The reference voltage circuit includes: a reference current generating circuit configured to convert a difference between forward voltages of a plurality of PN junction elements into current to generate a first current; a current generating circuit configured to use the first current generated by the reference current generating circuit to generate a second current; and a voltage generating circuit including a first resistive element and a second resistive element, the first resistive element being configured to generate a first voltage having positive temperature characteristics when the first current flows through the first resistive element, the second resistive element being configured to generate a second voltage having negative temperature characteristics when the first current and the second current flow through the second resistive element. The reference voltage circuit outputs a reference voltage obtained by adding the first voltage to the second voltage.
US09910447B2

An automatic balancing valve is described, wherein a pressure regulator device is provided and comprises a sleeve sliding axially between a position opening at least one passage port for the fluid towards the outlet channel and a position closing the passage port/s depending on the pressure difference detected between two different chambers separated by an elastic membrane.
US09910438B1

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a vehicle having one or more computing devices that may receive instructions to pick up a passenger at a location, determine when the vehicle is within a first distance of the location, provide a first notification that the vehicle is within the first distance, and stop the vehicle. When the vehicle is stopped, the computing device may initiate a countdown. When a client computing device associated with the passenger has not been authenticated, the computing devices may provide a second notification based on a first amount of time remaining in the countdown and a third notification indicating that the trip is cancelled based on a second amount of time remaining in the countdown less than the first amount of time. Once the third notification is provided, the computing devices move the vehicle from the where the vehicle is stopped without the passenger.
US09910436B1

Autonomous data machines and systems may be provided, which may be deployed in an environment. The machines may roam within the environment and collect data with aid of one or more sensors. The data may be sent to a control center, which may optionally receive information from additional data sources, such as other on-site sensors, existing static data, or real-time social data. The control center may send instructions to the machines to perform one or more reaction based on the received information. The autonomous data machines may be capable of reacting autonomously to one or more detected condition. In some instances, the autonomous data machines may be employed for security or surveillance.
US09910435B2

In a vehicle control device that is configured to be capable of switching from an automatic travel of the vehicle to manual travel by a driver, a manual driving adaptation degree of a driver during an automatic travel is calculated based on a driver state (S16), a notification timing is set such that the notification timing is earlier as the manual driving adaptation degree becomes lower (S18), and the automatic travel end notification is given to the driver at the set notification timing (S20).
US09910432B1

An autonomous vehicle system is configured to receive vehicle commands from one or more parties and to execute those vehicle commands in a way that prevents the execution of stale commands. The autonomous vehicle system includes a finite state machine and a command counter or stored vehicle timestamp, which are used to help reject invalid or stale vehicle commands.
US09910430B2

A server computer system creates a reference fingerprint for a first tool running a recipe. The server computer system uses reference data that pertains to the first tool performing within parameters to create the reference fingerprint. The reference fingerprint includes a target baseline and allowable ranges based on the target baseline. The server computer system determines whether sample data that is associated with a second tool running the recipe is performing within the parameters based on a comparison of the sample data to the reference fingerprint. The second tool can be the first tool or another tool of a same type as the first tool. The server computer system provides a classification of the second tool to at least one of a system or a user based on the comparison of the sample data to the reference fingerprint. The classification indicates whether the second tool is performing within the parameters.
US09910425B2

Systems and methods of measuring feet and designing and creating orthopedic inserts are described. A leg length discrepancy of a user is measured and this data, along with foot size are input into a computer. The computer then creates a computer model of a custom shoe insert based on this information. The computer model is then sent to a 3D printer to print the insert. The insert consists of a base insert with partial correction, and several additional layers that are added successively over time until a full correction is obtained. This eliminates any pain associated with a fully corrective insert, and allows the body to adjust gradually to the correction.
US09910407B2

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion; a discharge portion configured to discharge a recording material on which an image is formed by the image forming portion, wherein a delivery conveyance portion having a power source circuit is mountable in a space adjacent to the image forming portion and configured to convey the recording material to a post-processing apparatus; a detection unit configured to detect a temperature; a cooling unit configured to cool the image forming portion; and a control unit configured to control, in a case where the delivery conveyance portion is mounted, rotation of the cooling unit based on the temperature detected by the detection unit in a standby state in which an image forming operation is not performed.
US09910401B2

A development container includes a positioning portion and a rotation stop portion engaged with and guided by a guide of an image forming apparatus, and a longitudinal positioning portion, at one end in an axial direction of a developer carrying member. In a state where a cartridge is attached to the image forming apparatus, when a cross-sectional positioning range is defined by using a width, having one end at a point at which the rotation stop portion contacts the guide and another end at a point at which the positioning portion contacts the guide in an attachment direction of the cartridge, and a height being a width of the guide at the point at which the rotation stop portion contacts the guide or the point at which the positioning portion contacts the guide, the longitudinal positioning portion overlaps the cross-sectional positioning range in a longitudinal direction.
US09910395B2

A method of controlling toner development during a life of an imaging unit in an image forming device by determining whether an end of life of the imaging unit has been reached and upon a positive determination, performing at least one of incrementally lowering a target toner mass to be measured by a toner patch sensor and incrementally reducing the magnitude of voltage biases applied to at least one of the magnetic roll and the charging roll of the imaging forming device. Performing the acts of incrementally lowering and reducing are repeated until the imaging unit is replaced. The method reduces the risk of damage to the image forming device due to carrier bead development while allowing for printing to occur.
US09910390B2

An image forming apparatus includes a processor and heaters which heat a fixing member of an image fixing device. The processor calculates an application pattern for the heaters based on a temperature of the fixing member and generates a drive voltage by suitably selecting half waves from an AC waveform of an AC power supply according to the application pattern. When a duration of time the drive voltage is applied to a first heater in the application pattern having a duty cycle of a predetermined level or less exceeds a predetermined period of time, (i) the processor turns off the first heater and turns on a second heater with a different distribution, or (ii) the processor increases the duty cycle of the first heater and decreases a duty cycle of the second heater.
US09910388B2

A developer device includes a housing having an opening, a developing roller configured to rotate within the housing, the developing roller having a first portion that is exposed through the opening of the housing and a second portion at which developer attached to the developing roller separates from the developing roller, a first airflow passage formed in the housing, and a second airflow passage facing a third portion of the developing roller at a location of the developing roller between the first and second portions and connected to the first airflow passage.
US09910383B2

A powder container for an image forming apparatus includes: a rotatable powder storage storing powder; an opening on one end of the powder storage, through which a nozzle can be inserted; and a scooping portion to scoop up powder on an opening side, and supply the powder to a powder receiving hole of the nozzle when the powder storage rotates. The scooping portion includes a scooping surface extending inwardly from an inner wall surface of the powder storage and an inner end portion extending in a rotation axis direction of the powder storage, with an edge approximately parallel to the rotation axis. In a cross-section perpendicular to the rotation axis, the scooping surface is inclined toward an upstream side in a rotation direction of the powder storage with respect to a virtual line that passes through the rotation axis and is tangent to the edge of the inner end portion.
US09910377B1

A method for producing core shell toner for electrophotography according to one embodiment, includes surface treating the outer surface of a core shell toner particle with a alkoxysilane hydrocarbon or combination of different alkoxysilane hydrocarbons using a hydrolytic deposition process after the core shell toner particle is fully formed. This method results in the bonding of the alkoxysilane hydrocarbon or combination of different alkoxysilane hydrocarbons to the outer surface of the core shell toner particle. In an alternative method, the outer surface of the toner is surface treated with the alkoxysilane hydrocarbon solution and then fused to form toner particles. The alkoxysilane hydrocarbon surface treated core shell toner also can be mixed with magnetic carrier beads to form a developer mix to be used in a dual component development electrophotographic printer.
US09910369B2

A liquid immersion exposure apparatus includes a liquid-immersion-area-forming-member having an opening through which an exposure light is projected, the-liquid-immersion-area-forming-member having a first liquid supply inlet facing downward, a second liquid supply inlet provided opposite to an outer surface of the final optical element, and a first removal outlet facing downward. A liquid immersion area is formed on a portion of an upper surface of a substrate while performing a liquid supply via the first liquid supply inlet to a gap between the liquid-immersion-area-forming-member and the upper surface of the substrate, a liquid supply via the second liquid supply inlet to a gap between the liquid-immersion-area-forming-member and a final optical element of a projection system and a liquid removal via the first removal outlet from the gap between the liquid-immersion-area-forming-member and the upper surface of the substrate.
US09910357B2

Methods for producing tooling and sheeting using laser writing techniques, and corresponding products thereof, are presented. In one embodiment, a seamless sheet having a plurality of microstructures formed in a continuous microstructured pattern is provided. In the methods described herein, a substrate having a photosensitive coating on a surface thereof is provided. A surface-relief microstructured pattern is produced in the photosensitive coating by selectively exposing the photosensitive coating to a beam of electromagnetic radiation. The exposed portions of the photosensitive coating are developed to form a microstructured pattern on the surface of the substrate. The microstructured pattern is then transferred into retroreflector tooling comprising the microstructured pattern on a surface thereof. A sheet containing the microstructured pattern on a surface thereof is then formed from the retroreflector tooling.
US09910356B2

A method of patterning a thin film is provided. The method includes coating a thin film layer and photoresist on a surface of a substrate; forming a first partially cured zone by performing a first exposing process of the photoresist with a mask, wherein exposing energy applied to the photoresist of the first partially cured zone is less than a photosensitive threshold of the photoresist; forming a cured zone on the first partially cured zone by performing a second exposing process of the photoresist with the mask, wherein a width of the cured zone is less than a width of the first partially cured zone, and exposing energy applied to the photoresist of the cured zone is equal to or greater than the photosensitive threshold of the photoresist; developing the photoresist; etching the thin film layer that is not covered by the photoresist; and removing the photoresist of the cured zone.
US09910340B2

According to one embodiment, a cavity with a cavity mode which is coupled to physical systems includes a spherical mirror and a plane mirror. The spherical mirror is provided at a birefringent crystal including the physical systems. The plane mirror is provided at the birefringent crystal opposite to the spherical mirror. The birefringent crystal has a first refractive index to light polarized in a first direction parallel to a polarization direction of the cavity mode on an optical axis of the cavity and a second refractive index to light polarized in a second direction parallel to the optical axis, the second refractive index being different from the first refractive index. A cavity length of the cavity and a mode waist radius of the cavity mode satisfy a specific condition.
US09910334B2

This invention provides a semiconductor device having high operation performance and high reliability. An LDD region 707 overlapping with a gate wiring is arranged in an n-channel TFT 802 forming a driving circuit, and a TFT structure highly resistant to hot carrier injection is achieved. LDD regions 717, 718, 719 and 720 not overlapping with a gate wiring are arranged in an n-channel TFT 804 forming a pixel unit. As a result, a TFT structure having a small OFF current value is achieved. In this instance, an element belonging to the Group 15 of the Periodic Table exists in a higher concentration in the LDD region 707 than in the LDD regions 717, 718, 719 and 720.
US09910330B2

In a display panel, a thin film transistor is connected to a gate line and a data line, and includes a gate electrode, a semiconductor pattern, a source electrode and a drain electrode. An organic pattern makes contact with a side surface of the data line and a side surface of the thin film transistor, and the organic pattern overlaps pixel areas of the display panel. A first passivation layer is on the data line, the thin film transistor and the organic pattern. A common electrode is on the first passivation layer, and the common electrode overlaps the pixel areas. A second passivation layer covers the common electrode. A pixel electrode is on the second passivation layer, the pixel electrode overlaps the common electrode, and the pixel electrode is electrically connected to the drain electrode through a first contact hole and the data line through a second contact hole.
US09910313B2

A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate and a second substrate disposed in opposition. The first substrate includes gate lines, data lines, pixel electrodes, and an insulating film being superimposed, in plan view, over the gate lines, the data lines, and the pixel electrodes. The second substrate includes a first colored portion transmitting light of a first color, a second colored portion transmitting light of a second color, and a light-shielding portion disposed in a boundary area between the first colored portion and the second colored portion, for blocking transmittance of light of the first color and light of the second color. The insulating film includes a first portion overlapping, in plan view, the first colored portion or the second colored portion, and a second portion overlapping, in plan view, the light-shielding portion and being of thicker film thickness than the first portion.
US09910311B2

A display device comprises a first substrate, a second substrate, a display medium layer disposed between the first and second substrates, and a light-shielding pattern disposed between the first and second substrates. The second substrate comprises a plurality of conductive wires. One of the conductive wires is projected onto the light-shielding pattern along a first direction, thereby obtaining a projected line within the light-shielding pattern. The projected line comprises a curved portion and two extending portions respectively connected to two ends of the curved portion. A distance between an edge of the light-shielding pattern and the curved portion of the projected line along a second direction is not equal to a distance between the edge of the light-shielding pattern and one of the extending portions along the second direction. The first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.
US09910309B2

The disclosure is related to an array substrate having a touch function and a display device. The display device comprises a plurality of touch electrodes arranged in an array, a plurality of pixel electrodes, a plurality of scan lines, and a plurality of data lines. The scan lines and the data lines intersect with each other to define pixel regions on the display device. Each of the pixel electrodes is arranged in the corresponding pixel region and electrically connects to the corresponding scan line and the corresponding data line. Each touch electrode corresponds to at least one pixel region; at least an opening portion is formed at the overlapping regions between each of the touch electrode and at least one of the scan lines and the data line to reduce the coupling capacitance. Through the above-described manner, the disclosure can effectively improve the precision of the touch screen.
US09910297B1

Some embodiments provide a lens including a lens body and an optical filter configured to attenuate visible light in certain spectral bands. At least some of the spectral bands can include spectral features that tend to substantially increase the colorfulness, clarity, and/or vividness of a scene. In certain embodiments, eyewear incorporates an optical filter that enhances chroma within one or more spectral bands. In some embodiments, a wearer of the eyewear can perceive the increase in chroma when viewing at least certain types of scenes.
US09910296B2

A lens comprises an internal cavity structure formed by dissolution of a soluble insert material. The internal soluble material may dissolve through a body of a lens such as a contact lens in order to form the cavity within the contact lens. The cavity within the lens can be shaped in many ways, and corresponds to the shape of the dissolved material, such that many internal cavity shapes can be readily fabricated within the contact lens. The insert can be placed in a mold with a pre-polymer material, and the pre-polymer material cured with the insert placed in the mold to form the lens body. The polymerized polymer may comprise a low expansion polymer in order to inhibit expansion of the lens when hydrated. The polymer may comprise a hydrogel when hydrated. The soft contact lens material comprises a sufficient amount of cross-linking to provide structure to the lens and shape the cavity.
US09910295B2

A contact lens system, including a peripheral conjunctival cover portion including a shell curved and sized to substantially overly a conjunctiva of an eye. The conjunctival cover portion defines a full thickness central opening therethrough. The central opening is positioned within the conjunctival cover and sized to expose at least a portion of a cornea of the eye. The contact lens system further includes a central contact lens portion that is substantially equivalent in size to the central opening and positioned or positionable at the central opening.
US09910280B2

A display device includes: a display portion; and a storage member configured to house the display portion and including an opening through which the display portion passes, wherein the display device further includes: a plurality of cover members configured to cover the opening and to travel from the opening to a region of the storage member adjacent to the opening so as to be overlapped with each other at the region; travel control means configured to cause the plurality of cover members to transfer to a covering position in which the opening is closed by the plurality of cover members, and also to a overlapping position in which the plurality of cover members are overlapped with each other, and configured to cause the display portion to transfer to rise-up and storage positions; and only one drive source configured to drive the travel control means.
US09910267B2

A microactuator arrangement for the deflection of electromagnetic radiation, with a mirror plate which is suspended on a drive frame in a movable manner about a first rotation axis via spring elements, wherein the drive frame is suspended on a chip frame in a movable manner about a second rotation axis via spring elements, wherein the drive frame is not closed and comprises a recess adjacent to the mirror plate and wherein the chip frame at least in the region of the recess of the drive frame is not closed, in a manner such that a deflected and/or incident beam is not inhibited by the drive frame and the chip frame.
US09910265B1

An electrowetting display comprises a first support plate and a second support plate opposite to the first support plate. A plurality of electrowetting elements is provided between the first support plate and the second support plate. A first fluid is disposed within the electrowetting elements on the first support plate, and a second fluid is disposed on the first fluid. The second fluid is substantially immiscible with the first fluid. A plurality of color filter elements arranged in an array and a black matrix structure are disposed on the second support plate. The black matrix structure is positioned such that the black matrix is offset in at least one direction with respect to the electrowetting elements.
US09910264B1

Subject matter disclosed herein relates to arrangements and techniques that provide for improving contact between spacers of a first substrate of an electrowetting display device and pixel walls of a second substrate of the electrowetting display device by providing an adhesive between the spacers and the pixel walls. An electrowetting display device comprises a first substrate including a plurality of pixel walls and a second substrate including a plurality of spacers. A first fluid is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate within the pixel walls. A second fluid is disposed on the first fluid, wherein the first fluid is immiscible with the second fluid. An adhesive couples the spacers to the pixel walls.
US09910258B2

A novel method is disclosed to allow for the simultaneous capture of image data from multiple depths of a volumetric sample. The method allows for the seamless acquisition of a 2D or 3D image, while changing on the fly the acquisition depth in the sample. This method can also be used for auto focusing. Additionally this method of capturing image data from the sample allows for optimal efficiency in terms of speed, and light sensitivity, especially for the herein mentioned purpose of 2D or 3D imaging of samples when using a tilted configuration as depicted in FIG. 2. The method may be particularly used with an imaging sensor comprising a 2D array of pixels in an orthogonal XY coordinate system where gaps for electronic circuitry are present. Also other imaging sensor may be used. Further, an imaging device is presented which automatically carries out the method.
US09910253B2

An optical element and associated methods for generating an optical element and apparatus comprising the optical element, wherein the optical element comprises a first surface (10), a second surface (15), and a side wall structure (25) between the first and second surfaces. The side wall structure has an internally reflecting profile such that optical radiation incident on the first surface at an angle less than or equal to an acceptance angle and then incident on the side wall structure is internally reflected to the second surface by the side wall structure. In a first cross section of the optical element, the side wall structure has a first internally reflecting profile and/or the first surface has a first cross sectional profile. In a second cross section that is rotated relative to the first cross section, the side wall structure has a second internally reflecting profile and/or the first surface has a second cross sectional profile, wherein the second internally reflecting profile of the side wall structure and/or the second cross sectional profile of the first surface is different from the first internally reflecting profile of the side wall structure and/or the first cross sectional profile of the first surface.
US09910251B2

There is provided a lens system includes a first optical system and forms an intermediate image, which has been formed inside the first optical system by light from an input side, into a final image. The first optical system includes a first subsystem, with the first subsystem including a first lens that is disposed at a position closest to the intermediate image on the input side and moves during focusing and a second lens that is disposed at a position closest to the intermediate image on the output side and moves during focusing.
US09910249B2

Disclosed herein is an optical system for a camera. The optical system for a camera includes: a first lens having positive refractive power and a meniscus shape concave toward an image; a second lens having negative refractive power and a shape concave toward the image; a third lens having the positive refractive power and a shape convex toward an object; a fourth lens having the positive refractive power and a shape convex toward the image; and a fifth lens having the negative refractive power, a shape convex toward the object and concave to the image, and one or more inflection point provided on an image surface.
US09910244B2

An apparatus comprising a tubular housing having an axial length L and a circumferential length C. A first canopy secured to the tubular housing around a perimeter of the first canopy, the first canopy extends for an axial length L1 that is less than L and for a circumferential length C1 that is less than C/2. The first canopy has a front sloping section and a rear sloping section that extend from the perimeter to a semicircular outer perimeter. A second canopy disposed circumferentially opposite the first canopy and secured to the tubular housing around a perimeter of the second canopy. The second canopy extends an axial length L2 that is less than L and a circumferential length C2 that is less than C/2. The second canopy has a front sloping section and a rear sloping section that extend from the perimeter to a semicircular outer perimeter.
US09910240B2

A lens module for an imaging apparatus includes a lens assembly including a first lens and a second lens, a holder holding the lens assembly, a first adhesive that adheres the first lens to the holder, an elastic modulus of the first adhesive being larger than an elastic modulus of the first lens, and a second adhesive that adheres the first lens to the holder, an elastic modulus of the second adhesive being smaller than the elastic modulus of the first lens. The first adhesive is interposed between one surface of the first lens and the holder and the second adhesive is interposed between the other surface of the first lens and the holder.
US09910234B2

An optical line card includes a plurality of coherent receivers and a plurality of optical modulators. The coherent receivers are each configured to receive a corresponding channel of a received optical superchannel. The optical modulators are each configured transmit a corresponding channel of a transmitted optical superchannel. Each of a plurality of optical splitters is configured to receive a corresponding one of a plurality of unmodulated optical signals from an optical source external to the line card. Each splitter directs a first portion of light received by that splitter to a corresponding one of the coherent receivers, and a second portion of light received by that splitter to a corresponding one of said optical modulators.
US09910230B2

An integrally formed coupling module is provided. In the module, a total internal reflective surface reflects a first optical signal emitted by a laser to form a second optical signal, the second optical signal is output to the medium air interface, a medium air interface refracts the second optical signal to form a third optical signal, the third optical signal is output from air to the air medium interface, an air medium interface refracts the third optical signal to form a fourth optical signal, and then the fourth optical signal is output to an optical fiber. In addition, a refractive angle at which the medium air interface performs refraction to form the third optical signal is equal to an incidence angle at which the third optical signal is output to the air medium interface, and a first incident surface and a second incident surface are mutually perpendicular in space.
US09910229B2

Disclosed is an optical module configured to be provided to an end part of an optical cable. The optical module includes: a housing wherein, when the optical module side as viewed from the optical cable is defined as the front side and the opposite side therefrom is defined as the rear side, a front-side section of the housing is configured to be inserted into a cage, and a boot for protecting the optical cable extends from the rear side of the housing; a latch-releasing part attached slidably in the front/rear direction to the housing, the latch-releasing part having a projection for releasing a latched state established by a catch on the cage; a tab for pulling the latch-releasing part toward the rear to cause the projection to release the latched state established by the catch on the cage; and a push part that is to be pressed by an operator until the latched state is established, the push part having a rear end surface located more toward the rear than the boot.
US09910222B1

A compact configuration of a multiport fiber array and a multi-surface optical lens constitutes a low modal noise multimode fiber optical power splitter. In a digital optical system, modal noise manifests itself in modal dependent intensity noise and modal dependent timing jitter. A compact two-part end coupling design improves both properties and is more cost effective, making it a suitable solution for future high bit rate optical system applications.
US09910210B2

An electronic device and a display device are provided. The electronic device includes the display device and an object to be shown. The display device includes a display panel, a first backlight module, and a second backlight module. The display panel has a transparent area corresponding to the object. The first backlight module is disposed with a gap to the display panel and generates first backlight to reach the display panel. The second backlight module has a prism sheet and a collimated illumination. The prism sheet is parallel to the display panel and corresponding to the transparent area, while the collimated illumination generates light reaching the prism sheet. The light is orientated by the prism sheet and becomes a second backlight before entering the transparent area.
US09910206B2

A light guide includes a first major surface; a second major surface opposed the first major surface and spaced apart from the first major surface in a thickness direction; a light input edge extending between the major surfaces; and light extracting elements at the first major surface. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the light extracting elements each include: a proximal end at the first major surface and a distal end in the thickness direction; and first and second surfaces, the first surface being a side surface extending between the proximal end and the distal end and having a curvature about a direction extending in a plane parallel to the first major surface. In some embodiments, the major surface of the light guide is curved and the first surface has a curvature about a direction extending along a surface contour of the first major surface.
US09910204B2

A backlight module and a liquid crystal display are related. The backlight module comprises a light guide plate and a light source arranged on a light-incident side of the light guide plate. The light source includes a plurality of luminous points that are arranged along a line and spaced from each other, and is arranged with a reflective member in a reflective side thereof away from the light guide plate, the reflective member directly facing a space formed between two adjacent luminous points. The reflective member reflects scattered light that enters the space into the light guide plate. The backlight module according to the present disclosure ensures rather homogeneous brightness in a light source area, and therefore substantially attenuates or even eliminates high bright spots that would otherwise appear in the liquid crystal display.
US09910200B1

An invention generally relating to minimizing performance loss of the system when fitted with an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shield.
US09910198B2

An optical filter includes a first multi-layer having a width W1 and including a first optical layer and a second optical layer that are made of materials different from each other and that are alternately laminated, the first optical layer having a refractive index nH and an average layer thickness dH, and the second optical layer having a refractive index nL lower than nH and an average layer thickness dL, a second multi-layer having a width W2 and including the first and the second optical layers alternately laminated, the first and the second multi-layers are included in each of unit structures arranged being shifted from each other by a shift amount D in a lamination direction of the first and the second optical layers, and predetermined conditions are satisfied.
US09910190B2

The invention is related to poly(2-oxazoline-co-ethyleneimine)-epichlorohydrin copolymers and chemically-modified derivatives thereof as well as their uses in formation of non-silicone hydrogel coatings on silicone hydrogel contact lenses.
US09910189B2

Method for rapidly computing updates to frequency-domain seismic wave fields by utilizing a matrix perturbation approach. The method speeds up model (e.g., velocity) parameter estimation by iterative inversion of measured seismic data. The method applies to the line search where the optimal size of the model update is estimated by testing different size updates to see which one generates the minimum objective function. By treating the model update as a perturbation, perturbation theory is used to relate the model perturbation to a corresponding wavefield perturbation. Thus, the Helmholtz equation is solved only once per iteration cycle.
US09910188B2

A technique facilitates the accumulation and analysis of data related to a subterranean formation. An arrangement of different types of sensors is mounted on a collar utilized in accumulating data on the subterranean formation. The sensors are operable in combination to improve the image quality of data obtained with respect to the subterranean formation. Certain applications utilize an arrangement of sensors comprising at least one of each of an electromagnetic sensor and an ultrasonic pulse-echo transducer. A stabilizer or stabilizers may be used to precisely orient and position the sensors within a wellbore.
US09910186B2

A light curtain system is configured to perform dynamic partial muting of the light curtain's beams to accommodate products of different heights. When a product enters the light curtain's protective field during muting mode, the system identifies the highest interrupted light beam, which is indicative of the product's height. The system then sets the muting height for the light curtain based on this highest interrupted beam. Beams higher than the set muting height are un-muted, while beams up to the set muting height remain muted. Both regions are actively monitored during the partial muting mode to confirm the expected non-interrupted, respectively interrupted conditions. When the product clears the light curtain, the muting height is reset, and a new muting height is set in a similar fashion when the next part enters the light curtain's protective field.
US09910183B2

A tripod, a vertical coil and a total-field magnetometer are utilized to measure a geomagnetic field T0 without an additional magnetic field imposed, as well as two composite magnetic field values T−1 and T−2 when the geomagnetic field is added with a vertical upward magnetic field Tf and a double vertical upward magnetic field 2Tf, respectively. Calculate a vertical component Z, a horizontal component H and a geomagnetic inclination I of the geomagnetic field. Set up a horizontal coil such that a geometric center of the horizontal coil coincides with a geometric center of the vertical coil. Use the total-field magnetometer to measure two composite magnetic field values T+∥ and T−∥ after the geomagnetic field has been added with a horizontal forward magnetic field and a horizontal reverse magnetic field, respectively. Calculate a geomagnetic declination D.
US09910175B1

Method and apparatus for marine seismic data collection and high resolution imaging is described. A marine seismic surveying flotilla is described for acquiring seismic data from both beneath an obstruction and in unobstructed water using a configuration of floating energy source vessels and a floating acquisition vessel towing an array of parallel seismic streamers. Different energy sources can be disposed on or towed by floating vessels that are not the floating acquisition vessel, with these energy sources maintained at a preset radius from a center of the array of parallel seismic streamers.
US09910174B2

A seismic imaging technology, and more specifically, an imaging technology for modelling a subsurface structure by updating a velocity model of each frequency band in the ascending, descending order or any random order of frequencyThe purpose of the present disclosure is to directly compute the difference between the velocity of the actual subsurface velocity and an initial guess of the velocity.According to one aspect of the present invention, a seismic imaging apparatus for performing iterative application of the direct waveform inversion to image a subsurface structure of an area to be measured may include a waveform inverter to update a reference velocity model while changing a frequency band in a set order, by using parameter perturbation that is obtained from a virtual scattering source and an updated reference wavefield.
US09910163B2

An alpha ray observation device and an alpha ray observation method are provided that can correctly evaluate a signal derived from alpha rays. The alpha ray observation device according to an embodiment includes a device housing 10, an incident window 2, a condenser 3, an optical path changer 4, and a first optical detector 5. The device housing 10 is provided with an opening. The incident window 2 is provided at the opening, and can block beta rays. Emitted light originated by alpha rays caused from the measurement object set outside of the device housing 10 enters the inside of the device housing 10 through the incident window 2 with beta rays being blocked, and is condensed by the condenser 3, and the optical path is changed by the optical path changer 4, and subsequently the light is detected by the first optical detector 5. The first optical detector 5 outputs a signal according to the amount of detected light.
US09910160B2

A method for detecting and removing spoofing signals may include receiving, by a navigation or communications device, a radio frequency (RF) signal and performing an anti-spoofing assessment to detect a presence of a spoofing signal associated with the RF signal. The method may additionally include generating a replica of the spoofing signal in response to the spoofing signal being detected and subtracting the replica of the spoofing signal from the RF signal to provide a residual non-spoofed signal. The method may further include decoding the residual non-spoofed signal by the navigation or communications device.
US09910155B2

Embodiments herein provide for improved range response in lidar systems. In one embodiment, a lidar system includes a laser, and a detector. First optics direct light from the laser on a beam path along a first optical axis of the first optics. Second optics image the light from the beam path onto a second plane that is substantially normal to the first plane. The second optics have a second optical axis that differs from the first optical axis. The first and the second optical axes lie in a same first plane. A first line in the first plane intersects a second line in the second plane at an acute angle. The first line is perpendicular to the first optical axis. A spatial filter configured in or near the second plane filters the light from the second optics onto the detector.
US09910154B2

An obstacle avoidance system based on sonar for an unmanned aerial vehicle includes an electric motor, a single sonar module, and a control panel. The sonar module rotates with the electric motor. The control panel controls a rotation of the electric motor, thereby controlling the direction in which obstacles to the flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle are detected by the sonar module. The unmanned aerial vehicle includes a fuselage, the sonar obstacle avoidance system, and an aerial vehicle controller. A sonar obstacle avoidance method is also disclosed.
US09910148B2

A Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) system makes use of digital circuitry for synchronizing the sampling of a received radar signal with a transmitted radar signal. The digital synchronization achieves improved waveform reproduction and greater receiver sensitivity. Furthermore, the system employs digital circuitry to control the gain of a receiver amplifier. The digitally controlled gain makes it possible to accurately calibrate the amplitude of received radar signals with great precision while achieving good dynamic range.
US09910142B2

The invention relates to an ultrasonic sensor device (1) for a motor vehicle, comprising ultrasonic sensor (7) which comprises a pot-shaped membrane (6) for emitting and/or receiving ultrasonic signals as well as a sensor housing (10), comprising a stiffening element (3) arranged around the membrane (6) and comprising a holder (4), which is designed for holding the sensor housing (10) on a back side of a trim element of the motor vehicle, wherein the stiffening element (3) and the holder (4) are designed to be integrally formed from a uniform material.
US09910139B2

A method is provided that involves mounting a transmit block and a receive block in a LIDAR device to provide a relative position between the transmit block and the receive block. The method also involves locating a camera at a given position at which the camera can image light beams emitted by the transmit block and can image the receive block. The method also involves obtaining, using the camera, a first image indicative of light source positions of one or more light sources in the transmit block and a second image indicative of detector positions of one or more detectors in the receive block. The method also involves determining at least one offset based on the first image and the second image. The method also involves adjusting the relative position between the transmit block and the receive block based at least in part on the at least one offset.
US09910138B2

A vehicle sensor calibration system can detect an SDV on a turntable surrounded by a plurality of fiducial targets, and rotate the turntable using a control mechanism to provide the sensor system of the SDV with a sensor view of the plurality of fiducial targets. The vehicle sensor calibration system can receive, over a communication link with the SDV, a data log corresponding to the sensor view from the sensor system of the SDV recorded as the SDV rotates on the turntable. Thereafter, the vehicle sensor calibration system can analyze the sensor data to determine a set of calibration parameters to calibrate the sensor system of the SDV.
US09910136B2

A system and method for filtering LiDAR data is provided. The system includes a LiDAR data collector that is configured to collect the LiDAR data from a LiDAR and store the LiDAR data in a matrix structure. A noise point determiner is configured to determine whether a first filtering condition for determining whether a point within a predetermined reference distance in the LiDAR data is present, a second filtering condition for determining whether a present point adjacent to a left and right by a reference of a reference point in the matrix structure is a first reference value or less, and a third filtering condition for determining whether a present point adjacent to a top and bottom by the reference of the reference point is a second reference value or less are satisfied.
US09910131B2

The present invention discloses a method, which mainly includes: calculating location information of a estimated point by using a set algorithm according to location information of an original point; and calculating a wireless eigenvalue of the estimated point according to a wireless eigenvalue of the original point obtained by measuring; when a wireless eigenvalue reported by a terminal is received, positioning a location of the terminal according to the wireless eigenvalue of the original point and the wireless eigenvalue of the estimated point. In this way, in a mathematical model manner, location information and a wireless eigenvalue of an unmeasured raster point are fitted, with no need to increase an additional measurement workload, thereby saving a resource. In addition, a division granularity of raster measurement may be changed according to an actual requirement, thereby improving accuracy of terminal positioning.
US09910127B2

The present invention relates to apparatus and methods to provide a control system for the purpose of redirecting light from a source onto a target. The present invention appreciates that the diffraction pattern for light that is both diffracted and re-directed by a heliostat is a function of how the light redirecting element is aimed. This means that the aim of the light redirecting element can be precisely determined once the aim of the diffracted light is known. Advantageously, the characteristics of diffracted light indicative of how the diffracted light is aimed can be determined from locations outside the zone of concentrated illumination in which sensors are at undue risk. This, in turn, means that diffracted light characteristics can be detected at a safe location, and this information can then be used to help precisely aim the light redirecting element onto the desired target, such as a receiver in a CSP system. The aim of the diffracted light is thus an accurate proxy for the light beam to be aimed at the receiver.
US09910120B2

In a method and magnetic resonance apparatus to acquire magnetic resonance data with a diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance sequence wherein the magnetic resonance apparatus as a gradient coil arrangement with three gradient coils designed to generate a gradient in gradient directions orthogonal to one another, the readout gradient is flipped relative to at least one of the gradient directions such that at least two gradient coils contribute to a possible slew rate of a readout gradient pulse, and such that a phase coding gradient that is constant over the readout time period is selected.
US09910114B2

A cooling device is provided for an MRI system. A regulation unit for driving a refrigerant to subject the MRI system to a refrigeration cycle is based on a pre-collected cooling power demand of the MRI system in at least one state. By way of the cooling device and cooling method, the amount of energy needed to cool the MRI device is reduced.
US09910111B2

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems and methods to effect improved and more efficient determination of the specific absorption rate (SAR) are described. The SAR is calculated based upon a derived relationship between a body surface area (BSA) and a portion of the total radio frequency (RF) energy delivered to RF transmit coil that is deposited in the imaging subject, and the scanning is controlled in accordance with the calculated SAR.
US09910108B2

A Real-Time Magnetic Field Camera wherein magnetic fields are instantaneously converted into an electronic display as a motion picture on a screen. The Real-Time Magnetic Field Camera is extremely portable, outputs magnetic field data instantly giving the user the ability to passively locate and study magnetic phenomenon as they exist in the real world. The Real-Time Magnetic Field Camera invention includes; magnetic sensors that are triangulated, at least one microcontroller and/or microprocessor, has a power source and has a means of an image display.
US09910102B2

Methods, systems, and computer readable media for monitoring and management of a power distribution system are disclosed. In one example, the method includes receiving sensory measurement data captured by a mobile inspection device during an inspection of power distribution system elements in a power distribution system. The method further includes processing the received sensory measurement data to derive fault identification data that indicates a fault condition existing in one or more of the power distribution system elements and utilizing the derived fault identification data to update a network model of the power distribution system.
US09910099B2

A controller of a battery monitoring apparatus, said controller calculating the amount of heat generated inside a battery on the basis of information about the electric current which flows out of or flows into the battery. Furthermore, the controller calculates the amount of heat discharged from the surface of the battery, said amount being calculated on the basis of temperature information about at least one from among the surface of the battery and a substance in the vicinity of the battery. In addition, the controller calculates the temperature inside the battery on the basis of information about the amount of heat generated, and information about the amount of heat discharged.
US09910096B2

A control apparatus includes: a tentative target calculator that calculates a tentative target value for a first physical quantity, based on a control target value; a correction calculator that calculates a correction value; and a first target value calculator that calculates as a first target value by adding the correction value to the tentative target value. When a second sensor fails, the first target value calculator designates the tentative target value as the first target value without adding the correction value to the tentative target value. The control apparatus further includes a variation inhibitor that inhibits the designated first target value from greatly varying due to the failure in the second sensor.
US09910081B2

Systems and methods for analyzing performance of a power grid monitor are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving test data from a test power grid monitor coupled to a power grid signal source and receiving reference data from a reference power grid monitor coupled to the same power grid signal source. The method also includes identifying a power grid condition based on the received test data and/or reference data, extracting a subset of the test data and a subset of the reference data corresponding to the identified power grid condition, and comparing the subset of the test data to the subset of the reference data to determine a measurement accuracy of the test power grid monitor.
US09910076B2

A method for analysis of energy savings in an electrical network includes obtaining measurements of a plurality of measurement devices linked to loads of the electrical network over a first period of time. A unified signature that characterizes the recorded measurements during the first period of time is calculated. Measurements of the plurality of measurement devices in the electrical network are obtained over a second period of time after introduction of a modification into the electrical network. A unified signature that characterizes the recorded measurements during the second period of time is calculated. The unified signature that characterizes the measurements during the second period of time is compared with the unified signature that characterizes the measurements during the first period of time to calculate energy savings resulting from introduction of the modification.
US09910075B2

An overvoltage detection circuit coupled to an external power supply via a voltage supply line and comprising a transistor comprising first terminal coupled to the voltage supply line, second terminal coupled to the first terminal via a resistor, the second terminal coupled to a parasitic capacitor, the transistor configured to receive an overvoltage spike from the external power supply on the first terminal, and provide an output voltage on third terminal of the transistor to indicate detection of the overvoltage spike when it has a duration less than a time constant based on the resistor and the parasitic capacitor and amplitude that exceeds a threshold voltage of the transistor. The overvoltage detection circuit further comprises a monitor circuit configured to receive the output voltage from the transistor and provide a digital signal providing a notification of the detected overvoltage spike from the external power supply on the voltage supply line.
US09910063B2

Included are methods and systems for marine geophysical surveying. A system includes a streamer; a sensor package coupled to the streamer, wherein the sensor package comprises a primary orientation sensor and a complimentary orientation sensor, wherein the complimentary orientation sensor comprises a magnetometer, wherein the primary orientation sensor and the complimentary orientation sensor are capable of collecting data indicative of the orientation of the streamer; and geophysical sensors distributed on the streamer.
US09910060B2

An electrical energy harvesting device for harvesting electrical energy from a pulsed impact loading event. The device including: a piezoelectric element configured to be loaded and unloaded to a first load level by the pulsed impact loading event; and a first inductor coupled to the piezoelectric element configured to be loaded and unloaded to a second load level by the pulsed impact loading event, wherein the piezoelectric element and the first inductor together operate as a first inductor/capacitor (LC) resonant circuit having a first resonance frequency and wherein the loading of the first inductor lags in time the loading of the piezoelectric element.
US09910053B2

A microfluidic, chip-based assay device has been developed for measuring physical properties of an analyte (particularly, whole blood or whole blood derivatives). The technologies can be applied to measure clotting times of whole blood or blood derivatives, determine the effects of anticoagulant drugs on the kinetics of clotting/coagulation, as well as evaluate the effect of anticoagulant reversal agents. These technologies can additionally be used to optimize the dosage of anticoagulation drugs and/or their reversal agents. The assay is independent of the presence of anticoagulant; clotting is activated by exposure of the blood sample in the device to a glass (or other negatively charged material such as oxidized silicon) surface, which activates the intrinsic pathway and can be further hastened by the application of shear flow across the activating materials surface. The absence of chemical activating agents and highly controlled and reproducible micro-environment yields a point of care universal clotting assay.
US09910052B2

Markers useful in diagnosing disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) or infectious DIC are provided. In a method for detecting DIC of the present invention, sCD14-ST in a sample is measured. In a method of detecting infectious DIC of the present invention, sCD14-ST and a coagulation-related marker in a sample are measured.
US09910048B2

The present invention provides a method for detecting protein aggregates in a biological sample, and uses thereof.
US09910040B2

A molecular net formed as a branched pseudorandom copolymer including two broad classes of subunits: capture agents and linking agents. The subunits self-assemble to form a structure capable of binding to predetermined targets. The binding can then be detected.
US09910039B2

The present specification discloses regulatory T cells, compositions including regulatory T cells, methods of identifying, isolating, enriching, obtaining, and/or expanding regulatory T cells or subset populations thereof, kits including components useful for performing such methods, and methods of treating an immune-based disorder in an individual by administering regulatory T cells or compositions comprising such regulatory T cells to an individual in need thereof.
US09910037B2

The present disclosure relates to compositions, methods, and kits for the rapid detection, separation and/or isolation of microorganisms. Specifically, the disclosure relates to compositions, methods, and kits for using vancomycin—PVA backbone complexes to capture and/or concentrate microorganisms in an aqueous sample, such as gram positive and/or gram negative bacteria in solution.
US09910035B1

A system for modulating a response signal includes polyvalent functionalized nanoparticles configured to bind with target analytes located on a surface of a cell, a detector configured to detect an analyte response signal transmitted from the body, a modulation source configured to modulate the analyte response signal, and a processor configured to non-invasively detect the one or more target analytes by differentiating the analyte response signal from a background signal, at least in part, based on the modulation. The analyte response signal is related to the binding interaction of the target analytes on the cell surface with the polyvalent functionalized nanoparticles. In some examples, the system may also include magnetic particles and a magnetic field source sufficient to distribute the magnetic particles into a spatial arrangement in the body. The analyte response signal may be differentiated from the background signal, at least in part, based on modulation of the signals due, at least in part, to the spatial arrangement of the magnetic particles.
US09910034B2

Methods are described for phototransferring a compound from a first surface to a second surface. Compounds are described with photocleavable linkers. Compounds attached to a first surface through a photocleavable linker are put in proximity (or contact) with a second surface, and then phototransferred to the second surface upon exposure to electromagnetic radiation. Illuminating the compound with radiation photocleaves the compound from the first surface and transfers the compound to the second surface.
US09910030B2

Small and extremely small molecules and ions or atoms may be detected with the novel device with exceptional sensitivity. The detection is implemented in a simple manner by the known acoustic resonator FBAR or by means of other technologies that measure the physical properties of the filled layer. The permeability of substances (e.g. active ingredients) through membranes such as cell membranes, lipid bilayers, and cell walls can be examined by combining a sensor with the reservoir and the membrane.
US09910028B2

Disclosed is a point of care sepsis assay comprising a disposable assay cartridge with a sample inlet for a blood sample, a filter to isolate blood plasma, a source of multivalent cations to cause a turbidity change in the plasma sample and a transparent window to measure the change in turbidity and the use of said assay in the diagnosis of sepsis.
US09910026B2

A tracer composite comprises a tracer disposed in a metal-based carrier which comprises: a cellular nanomatrix and a metal matrix disposed in the cellular nanomatrix, wherein the tracer is detectable at a range of from about 1 ppt to about 1,000 ppm.
US09910022B2

The present invention provides a capability of Ion Mobility Spectrometry/Atmospheric Pressure Ionization Mass Spectrometry (IMS/MS) in the negative ion mode for Ozone detection and methods for ozone layer depletion monitoring in laboratory environment. Ammonium hydroxide vapors, as a dopant chemical, introduced to the inlet system of the IMS/MS interfaced with the reaction sphere enables ozone ionized to be O3−. The data obtainable from proposed methods show how ozone is depleted and which compound affect the most for O3 destruction among the O3 depletion substances of Chloro Fluoro Carbons (CFCs), Hydro Fluoro Carbons (HFCs), Hydro Chloro Fluoro Carbons (HCFCs), Hydro Chloro Bromo Carbons (HCBCs), and Hydro Chloro lodo Carbons (HClCs). Based on the results obtainable, more likely the IMS alone system without coupling with the mass spectrometer (IMS/MS) will rather be selected to develop as a spatial real time ozone layer depletion monitor. Real time monitoring device of ozone concentration in ambient atmospheric conditions can also be developed with this technique.
US09910013B1

A method for detecting electromagnetic waves derived from bacterial DNA, including extracting and purifying nucleic acids from a sample; diluting the extracted purified nucleic acids in an aqueous solvent; measuring a low frequency electromagnetic emission over time from the diluted extracted purified nucleic acids in an aqueous solvent; performing a signal analysis of the low frequency electromagnetic emission over time; and producing an output, based on the signal analysis, in dependence on the DNA in the sample. The DNA may be extracted from at least one of blood, feces, urine, saliva, tears, seminal fluid, sweat, seminal and vaginal fluids of a patient, or water to determine, e.g., potability. The samples may be frozen. The extracting and purifying may include diluting the sample with an aqueous buffer and mixing; degrading proteins in the diluted sample; precipitating DNA from the buffer solution; and resuspending the precipitated DNA in an aqueous solution.
US09910012B2

Methods for analyzing reaction products from an assay chamber (11) in a microfluidic device comprise the steps of (I) moving a sample from the chamber (11) into a load channel (12), towards a separation channel (4), and (III) analyzing the sample present at an intersection (16) of the load channel (12) and the separation channel (4), by electrophoretic separation in the separation channel (4). During this separation, the step of (II) moving a next sample inside the load channel, towards a preload channel (13), is carried out.
US09910011B2

An isotachophoresis system for separating a sample containing particles into discrete packets including a flow channel, the flow channel having a large diameter section and a small diameter section; a negative electrode operably connected to the flow channel; a positive electrode operably connected to the flow channel; a leading carrier fluid in the flow channel; a trailing carrier fluid in the flow channel; and a control for separating the particles in the sample into discrete packets using the leading carrier fluid, the trailing carrier fluid, the large diameter section, and the small diameter section.
US09910006B2

A method for manufacturing a glass assembly comprises the steps: lowering of a dip pipe that gas may flow through vertically to the surface of a glass melt; determining when the surface of the glass melt is encountered by the dip pipe end showing towards the glass melt by detecting an increase of the gas pressure found inside the dip pipe; continued lowering of the dip pipe until a predetermined depth of entry of the dip pipe end showing towards the glass melt is reached; obtaining a predetermined pressure inside the dip pipe while the dip pipe first stays at the given immersion depth for the given duration and after the predetermined duration is completed, is lifted with a given speed vertically to the surface of the glass melt, thus creating a gas bubble in the glass melt whose walls are attached to the end of the dip pipe; continued lifting of the dip pipe vertically to the surface of the glass melt until the gas bubble is separated from the glass melt, with the wall of the gas bubble remaining at the dip pipe end as a closing film; and setting, especially controlling and/or adjusting of the pressure inside the dip pipe based on the geometry of the film closing the end of the dip pipe as determined by an image capturing device.
US09910004B2

A capacitively operating apparatus (100) has a container, a probe (3) movable into and/or out of the container, an input signal generator connectable to the probe (3) to provide an input signal (sin(t)) which produces at least one output signal (sout(t) in the probe (3), and a measuring apparatus (M) connectable to the probe (3) to tap the output signal (sout(t)) from the probe (3), and wherein the probe (3) is periodically chargeable and dischargeable, the output signal (sout(t)) corresponds to the time progression of a charging/discharging curve which is produced by the periodic charging and discharging of the probe (3). The apparatus (100) also includes a circuit module (10, 11) with two comparators for providing a first comparator output signal (PWM1) and a second comparator output signal (PWM2) from the output signal (sout(t)) and to correlate them with one another.
US09909996B2

Systems, methods, and apparatus are provided for determining overlay of a pattern on a substrate with a mask pattern defined in a resist layer on top of the pattern on the substrate. A first grating is provided under a second grating, each having substantially identical pitch to the other, together forming a composite grating. A first illumination beam is provided under an angle of incidence along a first horizontal direction. The intensity of a diffracted beam from the composite grating is measured. A second illumination beam is provided under the angle of incidence along a second horizontal direction. The second horizontal direction is opposite to the first horizontal direction. The intensity of the diffracted beam from the composite grating is measured. The difference between the diffracted beam from the first illumination beam and the diffracted beam from the second illumination beam, linearly scaled, results in the overlay error.
US09909989B2

Microstructures and nanostructures (100) consisting of a substrate (110), an array of pillars (120) capped by metallic disc (130), metallic dots (clusters or granules) (140) disposed on the sidewalls of the pillars, and a metallic backplane (150) that can interact to enhance a local electric field, the absorption of the light, and the radiation of the light are disclosed. Methods to fabricate the structures (100) are also disclosed. Applications of the structures to enhance the optical signals in the detection of molecules and other materials on a structure surface, such as fluorescence, photoluminescence and surface enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) are also disclosed.
US09909987B1

Systems, methods, and software for measuring the spatially variable relative dielectric permittivity of materials along a linear or otherwise configured sensor element, and more specifically the spatial variability of soil moisture in one dimension as inferred from the dielectric profile of the soil matrix surrounding a linear sensor element. Various methods described herein combine advances in the processing of time domain reflectometry data with innovations in physical sensing apparatuses. These advancements enable high temporal (and thus spatial) resolution of electrical reflectance continuously along an insulated waveguide that is permanently emplaced in contact with adjacent soils. The spatially resolved reflectance is directly related to impedance changes along the waveguide that are dominated by electrical permittivity contrast due to variations in soil moisture. Various methods described herein are thus able to monitor soil moisture in profile with high spatial resolution.
US09909965B2

A preparation device prepares a sample of textile fibers, in particular cotton fibers, applicable to analysis and/or measuring apparatuses respectively for analyzing and/or measuring characteristics of the textile fibers forming the sample. The preparation device includes a comb body that can be coupled in a sliding manner along a rectilinear guide that faces a perforated plate against which to press a mass of textile fibers forming protuberances projecting from the holes of the perforated plate. The comb body is arranged to grip tufts of textile fibers from such protuberances. The preparation device also includes at least one brush that is mounted in a sliding manner along a rectilinear guide facing the perforated plate and that is arranged to brush the textile fibers forming the protuberances before the comb body grips the tufts.
US09909959B2

Solid beads each containing a selected quantity of analyte are combined and a liquid base matrix that contains attributes of a biological fluid that is to be assayed, together constitute a kit from which a laboratory technician can, at the point of use, prepare a liquid control for a particular analyte, and preferably a series of such controls at different levels of the same analyte customized for a particular assay.
US09909955B2

A method of collecting a urine sample including appropriately locating hydrophobic sand with respect to the urine sample. Use of the hydrophobic sand including providing a barrier in the form of at least one layer of the sand; and collecting a urine sample by appropriately locating the sand with respect to the urine.
US09909952B2

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to the field of fiber optics, and more specifically to apparatuses, methods, and/or systems associated with testing fiber optic transmitters. In an embodiment, the present invention is an apparatus comprising a laser optimized multimode fiber having near minimally compliant effective modal bandwidth, near maximum channel length, and α-profile that produces an R-MMF DMD slope.
US09909950B2

An inspection method and an inspection apparatus capable of readily determining the necessity of replacement of a resin shock absorber at an elevator inspection location without using a car of a rated weight. First, an indenter is pressed into a resin shock absorber for an elevator. A load of pressing the indenter into the resin shock absorber is released. A physical property value indicative of a repulsive force that causes the indenter to bounce from the resin shock absorber by releasing the load is measured. The necessity of replacement of the resin shock absorber is determined by comparing a result of the physical property value obtained by measuring the repulsive force with a reference value prepared in advance.
US09909942B2

An accelerometer 100 which includes a bracket 110, a pair of electrodes 210/220/230/240/250, a first electrically conductive foam 120, a second electrically conductive foam 130, wherein the first electrically conductive foam and the second electrically conductive foam are inserted between the pair of electrodes and the bracket.
US09909937B2

A method of monitoring lateral force of a coil spring having a body and opposing end coils is disclosed. A fixture includes a base defining a planar surface with a shaft that extends from said planar surface at a normal angle to said planar surface. An axis defined by the coil spring is aligned with the shaft. Angular displacement from the shaft of an end coil is measured, and the angular displacement is correlated with a lateral force value.
US09909930B2

One example discloses a multi-sensor assembly, comprising: a first temperature sensor, having a first thermal profile; a second temperature sensor, having a second thermal profile different from the first thermal profile; wherein the first and second temperature sensors are mounted on a set of lead-frames; wherein the first and second temperature sensors include a first heat path input coupled to an ambient environment, and a second heat path input coupled to at least one of the lead-frames; and wherein the first and second sensors and set of lead-frames are included in a single multi-sensor assembly. Another example discloses a method of manufacture for the multi-sensor assembly.
US09909929B2

A temperature sensor includes a temperature detecting section including a temperature-sensitive element, a cylindrical housing disposed on a proximal end side of the temperature detecting section, a connector member disposed on a proximal end side of the housing, and a buffer member which is elastically deformable and disposed between the connector member and the housing. The connector member includes a connector counter surface located on a side of the housing in an axial direction along a longitudinal axis of the housing. The housing includes a housing counter surface located opposite to the connector counter surface. The housing counter surface and the connector counter surface are separated from each other so that a gap is present therebetween. The buffer member is disposed deformably in the gap so that the connector member and the housing are movable relative to each other in the axial direction.
US09909925B2

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to apparatus for and methods of measuring and monitoring the temperature of a substrate having a 3D feature thereon. The apparatus include a light source for irradiating a substrate having a 3D feature thereon, a focus lens for gathering and focusing reflected light, and an emissometer for detecting the emissivity of the focused reflected light. The apparatus may also include a beam splitter and an imaging device. The imaging device provides a magnified image of the diffraction pattern of the reflected light. The method includes irradiating a substrate having a 3D feature thereon with light, and focusing reflected light with a focusing lens. The focused light is then directed to a sensor and the emissivity of the substrate is measured. The reflected light may also impinge upon an imaging device to generate a magnified image of the diffraction pattern of the reflected light.
US09909914B2

A system includes an agricultural metering system a meter roller configured to meter product from an agricultural product storage compartment to a product distribution system via rotation of the meter roller. The meter roller includes a first meter roller segment having a first plurality of flutes and a corresponding first plurality of recesses, and a second meter roller segment having a second plurality of flutes and a corresponding second plurality of recesses. The first meter roller segment includes a first profile, the second meter roller includes a second profile, and the first profile is different from the second profile. The system also has a dividing ring axially positioned between the first meter roller segment and the second meter roller segment.
US09909912B2

Systems and methods according to one or more examples are provided for determining a flow rate of a fluid. In certain examples, a fluid volume flow rate measurement station may be provided. The station may include a plunger, a volume chamber with a cavity, and a level sensor attached to the volume chamber. In certain such examples, the station may measure the flow rate of a fluid. The station may be incorporated into an automated manufacturing system and certain parameters associated with the automated manufacturing system may be adjusted according to the flow rate of the fluid determined by the station.
US09909910B2

Apparatus is provided featuring a signal processor or processing module configured at least to: receive signaling containing information about electrical responses to a transiting flow perturbation in at least three planes of a fluid flowing in a pipe, tank, cell or vessel sensed using a tomographic processing technique; and determine a flow rate of the fluid flowing in the pipe, tank, cell or vessel using a combined tomography and SONAR-based algorithm and signal processing technique, based at least partly on the signaling received.
US09909906B2

A dial plate is in a disc shape. A pointer body is located at a center of the dial plate and rotational relative to the dial plate. The dial plate has a plurality of grooves extending radially outward from the center. The pointer body is configured to emit light radially outward to illuminate one of the grooves to produce a linear illumination extending linearly outward from the pointer body.
US09909901B2

A system for analyzing energy usage measures one or more parameters indicative of energy usage for a plurality of sub-circuits, where the sampling rate for the measuring is substantially continuous, and automatically transmits information related to at least one of the measured parameters at a rate that enables monitoring of current energy usage. The system further detects a significant change in a measured parameter, determines whether the significant change in the measured parameter is caused by a change in energy usage, and automatically transmits information related to the significant change in the measured parameter caused by the change in energy usage after detecting the significant change.
US09909891B2

Various implementations described herein are directed to a method for displaying a route to be travelled by a marine vessel on a computer screen. In one implementation, the method may include receiving a command to display a predetermined navigation pattern corresponding to the route, receiving a request to place a center of turn on a first geographical location, and displaying the predetermined navigation pattern based on the center of turn on the computer screen.
US09909878B2

An approach for triggering the conveyance of guidance information based on the current line-of-sight of the user is described. A guidance platform processes and/or facilitates a processing of sensor information associated with a device, a user of the device, or a combination thereof to determine (a) line-of-sight information to at least one navigation element, (b) one or more user behavior patterns, or (c) a combination thereof. The guidance platform then determines a timing, a frequency, or a combination thereof of at least one presentation of guidance information based, at least in part, on the line-of-sight information.
US09909876B2

Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems, methods, and computer program products for providing improved augmentation for GPS calculations. In general, various embodiments of the invention involve using a plurality of GPS devices associated with stationary objects associated with a common carrier's delivery network and the common carrier's delivery fleet to calculate error corrections and to communicate these error corrections to a number of GPS enable devices to be used by these devices to augment GPS calculations to correct errors associated with GPS signals. Further, various embodiments of the invention involve collecting GPS data for a plurality of delivery routes traveled by the common carrier's delivery fleet. In particular embodiments, this collected data may be used to provide more accurate address information for locations along these delivery routes and more accurate renderings of various landscapes along these delivery routes.
US09909865B2

A method for determining one or more errors of a rotational position establishment system is provided. More particularly, a rotary apparatus having first and second parts that rotate relative to one another about a rotation axis of the rotary apparatus is used to determine one or more rotation errors. A rotation position determination system is used to determine rotation position errors from the rotation positions of the rotary apparatus or a change in the rotation position of the rotary apparatus, and from rotation positions of a reference rotary apparatus or a change in the rotation position of the reference rotary apparatus.
US09909858B2

A handheld dimensioner with a user interface configured to present a quality indicator is disclosed. The handheld dimensioner is configured to capture three-dimensional (3D) data and assess the three-dimensional-data's quality. Based on this quality, a quality indicator may be generated and presented to a user via the user interface. This process may be repeated while the user repositions the handheld dimensioner. In this way, the user may use the quality indicators generated at different positions to find an optimal position for a particular dimension measurement.
US09909856B2

A line scanner measures 3D coordinates of an object surface and includes a projector with a light source that projects a line of light at the object surface. The line scanner also has a camera with a 2D array of light sensors and electronics that controls the exposure and readout times of each light sensor, the exposure time being controlled in either rows or columns of the array in a non-sequential manner, the readout time being controlled in either rows or columns that are the same as the rows or columns whose exposure time is being controlled, each of the light sensors converts an amount of captured optical energy into a digital signal value, the captured optical energy being from a reflected line of light from the object surface. Further includes a processor that receives the digital signal values and calculates the 3D coordinates of the object surface.
US09909847B1

An ammunition cartridge for a gun is optically initiated by a mechanism wholly within the cartridge case itself. The case has as optical primer initiation means producing light fluence to ignite a primer, which ignited primer may in turn ignite into a flashtube, and which ignited flashtube may in turn ignite a bed of propellant in said cartridge. The optical primer initiation means may be an LED, a laser diode, a VCSEL, or some other light emitting device in general. The cartridge optically initiated primer package is so sized and made electrically and mechanically seamlessly physically compatible with current ammunition cartridges such that these new cartridges are completely interchangeable. If the cartridge primer initiation means is of a percussion type, the cartridge is adapted to include an in-line piezoelectric crystal so that electrical power will be generated when the cartridge assembly is struck by a firing pin during percussion type operations; the power is then used to initiate the light emitting device.
US09909837B2

A rocket extraction device and method is disclosed. In one embodiment, the device comprises an upper and a lower casing; an interior cutout in each of the upper and lower casings, the interior cutouts having contours matching exterior surface contours of a rocket fuze; an upper fuze clamp and a lower fuze clamp disposed respectively within the upper and lower casings, each upper and lower fuze clamp having interior surface contours matching exterior surface contours of the rocket fuze; a clamp adjustment screw onto which the upper fuze clamp is mountable; an adjustment wheel mountable at the exterior end of the clamp adjustment screw by which the clamp adjustment screw and the upper fuse clamp are movable to secure the upper and lower fuze clamps to the fuze and force the fuze into the contours of the lower fuze clamp and the interior cutout of the lower casing to lock the fuze into the rocket extraction device. There is an eyebolt or similar type device mountable to the exterior of the rocket extraction device, to which force is applied to remove a rocket from a storage tube. In another embodiment, the method comprises attaching the rocket extraction device securely to a fuze on a rocket and pulling on the rocket extraction device to remove the rocket from a storage tube.
US09909835B1

A recoil reduction system for a firearm. In some embodiments, the recoil reduction includes buffer tube housed within a buttstock, and a deformable structure for setting a clearance tolerance between the buffer tube and the buttstock to reduce lateral play while enabling smooth translation therebetween. In some embodiments, a guide pin and/or skid projections provide interference between the sliding components of the recoil reduction system when in a battery configuration, while releasing the interference during a recoil event.
US09909834B1

An explosive disruptor includes a first jacket having joined inflatable members. The inflatable members are adapted to be filled with a gas. A second jacket is surrounded by and coupled to the first jacket. The second jacket has an outer radial wall, an inner radial wall spaced apart from the outer radial wall, and two end walls coupled to opposing axial ends of the outer radial wall and the inner radial wall. A first volumetric region is defined between the outer radial wall, the inner radial wall, and the two end walls. A second volumetric region is defined by the inner radial wall. The first volumetric region is sealed and adapted to be filled with a liquid. An explosive material is disposed in the second volumetric region. A blasting cap is in contact with the explosive material.
US09909822B2

A channel guide distributor of a heat exchanger including a flanged body, a nozzle fluidly connected to the flanged body, a diffuser fluidly connected to the nozzle, a pin operably connected to the nozzle, a cone operably connected to the nozzle and a post removably connected to the flanged body and configured to receive the diffuser. The post having a tubular portion, an open end, a closed end, an inner surface, an outer surface, a post longitudinal axis, and twenty-four apertures in the tubular portion. The apertures are aligned linearly along the post longitudinal axis and equidistantly spaced. A diameter of the outer surface of the tubular portion is about 1.156±0.003 inches (2.936±0.01 centimeters).
US09909821B2

An elongate heat exchanger for cooling hot gas includes an arrangement for reducing thermal stresses when mounted in a housing. A pair of planar extensions project from opposite sides of the core. A mounting bracket has a central portion adapted to extend across the top of the core, and a pair of edge portions projecting outwardly from the central portion. The edge portions are substantially parallel to the planar extensions, and each has a top layer at least partially covering one of the planar extensions, wherein each of the edge portions is adapted to be secured to the housing, for example by a bolt. Each planar extension may be slidably received in a slot between the top and bottom layers of the edge portion, or may be slidably received between the top layer and the housing, to permit longitudinal thermal expansion of the core.
US09909820B2

A fluid heat exchanger includes: a heat spreader plate including an intended heat generating component contact region; a plurality of microchannels for directing heat transfer fluid over the heat spreader plate, the plurality of microchannels each having a first end and an opposite end and each of the plurality of microchannels extending substantially parallel with each other microchannel and each of the plurality of microchannels having a continuous channel flow path between their first end and their opposite end; a fluid inlet opening for the plurality of microchannels and positioned between the microchannel first and opposite ends, a first fluid outlet opening from the plurality of microchannels at each of the microchannel first ends; and an opposite fluid outlet opening from the plurality of microchannels at each of the microchannel opposite ends, the fluid inlet opening and the first and opposite fluid outlet openings providing that any flow of heat transfer fluid that passes into the plurality of microchannels, flows along the full length of each of the plurality of microchannels in two directions outwardly from the fluid inlet opening. A method of cooling a heat generating component uses a fluid heat exchanger that splits a mass flow of coolant.
US09909817B2

The invention relates to a cooling element (11) comprising: a fluid channel (1) providing a pulsating heat pipe, a first evaporator (14) for receiving heat from electric components (15) and for passing the heat into fluid in the fluid channel (1), and a first condenser (18) for receiving fluid from the first evaporator (14) via the fluid channel (1) and for cooling fluid in the fluid channel. In order to obtain an even temperature distribution at the first evaporator (14) an adiabatic zone where the temperature of the fluid in the fluid channel (1) remains unchanged or a cooling zone, with a second condenser (20) cooling fluid in the fluid channel (1), separates the first evaporator (14) from the loops (6) in the second end (12) of the fluid channel.
US09909808B2

A system for adding gas to and transferring molten metal from a vessel and into one or more of a ladle, ingot mold, launder, feed die cast machine or other structure is disclosed. The system includes at least a vessel for containing molten metal, an overflow (or dividing) wall, a device or structure, such as a molten metal pump, for generating a stream of molten metal, and one or more gas-release devices.
US09909789B2

Aspects of the disclosure herein relate to systems and methods for heating, cooling, and/or displaying food. A food display system may include a base; a support engaged with the base; a canopy supported by the support, the canopy having a top surface, a bottom surface, and an edge surface between the top and bottom surfaces, the edge surface having at least a first portion and a second portion; and a light source configured to provide light to the first portion of the edge surface of the canopy and illuminate the second portion of the edge surface of the canopy. The canopy may be configured to be located above a food item.
US09909786B2

A method for distributing a refrigerant charge level in a refrigerant vapor compression system includes restarting a stopped refrigerant compression device in a first mode; operating a primary expansion device independent of refrigerant heat absorption heat exchanger superheat; comparing a condition at a refrigerant reservoir to a prescribed condition; wherein when the condition is below the prescribed condition for a prescribed interval, operating the primary expansion device to control the refrigerant heat absorption heat exchanger superheat; and transitioning the refrigerant vapor compression system to a second mode.
US09909773B2

Fan coil thermostats can provide energy savings by, for example, operating a fan coil system more efficiently. Fan coil systems employing such a fan coil thermostat may be more energy efficient. A fan coil system may include a fan coil that is configured for fluid communication with a source of heated fluid and/or a source of cooled fluid, a valve that controls fluid flow through the fan coil and a fan that blows air across the fan coil. The fan coil thermostat may include a controller that implements a control algorithm that calculates an error percentage value relating to a temperature difference between the current temperature and the temperature set point. The error percentage value may include a proportional term related to the temperature difference and an integral term related to the temperature difference. The controller may regulate the fan speed in accordance with the calculated error percentage.
US09909770B2

An HVAC controller, a method of operating an HVAC controller and an HVAC system employing the controller or the method. In one embodiment, the HVAC controller includes: (1) a processor couplable to at least two refrigerant pressure sensors via separate data paths to receive input signals therefrom and further couplable to a compressor stage and a condenser fan to provide output signals thereto, and (2) memory coupled to the processor and storing a software program having program instructions capable of causing the processor to command the compressor stage or the condenser fan to turn on irrespective of a state of an input signal generated by either of the at least two refrigerant pressure sensors, and generate an error message at least partially depending upon whether or not a high pressure shutdown occurs after the processor commands the compressor stage or the fan to turn on.
US09909766B2

A flow control system for controlling exhaust flow can measure effluent escaping from the exhaust hood at a given flow rate. An interferometric detector can measure fluctuations in fluid properties external to and/or in the vicinity of the exhaust hood. The flow control system may vary a flow rate of the exhaust hood and/or control exhaust hood structures responsive to the measurements to contain the effluent while minimizing the exhaust of air from the occupied space.
US09909765B2

Exhaust hood methods, devices, and systems are disclosed herein that improve the performance of short-circuit hoods. Such improvements can be provided relatively inexpensively by utilizing existing features of the structure of short-circuit hoods. The resulting enhancement in performance may exceed that of a regular exhaust hood while avoiding the pitfalls associated with make-up air injection into the exhaust hood recess. The components of the short-circuit system that inject make-up and/or conditioned air into the exhaust hood recess can be converted into a combination of horizontal and vertical jets at a lower edge of the exhaust hood. A retrofit jet generator can be installed into the short-circuit system outlets. A series of openings in the jet generator can generate the combination of horizontal and vertical jets at a lower edge of the exhaust hood when air from the make-up air or conditioned air source is supplied thereto.
US09909755B2

A low NOx combustion method includes steps of injecting reactants into a combustion chamber. A primary reactant stream, including fuel and combustion air premix, is injected from a premix burner port into the combustion chamber. A staged fuel stream is injected into the combustion chamber from a staged fuel injector port adjacent to the premix burner port. A stream of recirculated flue gas is injected into the combustion chamber from a flue gas injector port that is adjacent to the premix burner port and adjacent to the staged fuel injector port. In this manner, the stream of recirculated flue gas is injected into the combustion chamber unmixed with the primary reactant stream and unmixed with the staged fuel stream.
US09909751B2

Disclosed is a heat sink for a lighting device, which radiates the heat generated from the lighting device, comprising: an outer case coupled to the lighting device; an inner case accommodated into the outer case in such a manner as to be spaced apart therefrom to form a filling space between the inner case and the outer case; and a cooling medium vaporized on a portion of the outer case coupled to the lighting device by means of the heat generated from the lighting device to cool the lighting device.
US09909748B2

LED lighting systems, mounting configurations, and light fixtures are disclosed for original and retrofit configurations. Some configurations mount the light fixture with a mounting bracket that allows for the removal and replacement of the light fixture in about the same time as a traditional light bulb change. Some configurations provide for fuse removal and replacement without the need to dismount the light fixture from its mounting bracket or without the need to open the housing of the light fixture to access the fuses. Some configurations use a battery backup system and self-check methods with LED light fixtures configured for public transportation applications.
US09909745B2

Embodiments provide an illumination device comprising an elongated base and a pivotable elongated illumination unit. Said pivotable elongated illumination unit is mounted to be pivotable about a longitudinal axis by means of at least one joint. Both the elongated base and the pivotable elongated illumination unit extend in parallel with said longitudinal axis. In particular, the longitudinal extension of the pivotable elongated illumination unit is limited by two opposing lateral faces. The illumination unit includes at least two illumination elements arranged along the pivotable axis, so that a distance between two neighboring light emitting elements corresponds to 1.5 to 2.5 times the distance between a light emitting element that is positioned adjacently to a lateral face and the corresponding lateral face.
US09909743B2

Embodiments of the invention relate to connectors for connecting strips of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) end-to-end and for connecting a single strip of LEDs to a power source. The connectors define a compartment to receive a strip of LEDs. Tabs extending inwardly from the sides of the connector retain the strip. Electrical contact with the strip is made by a pair of spring clip contacts that bear against electrical terminals on the strip. A hinged lid has an opening positioned so as not to obstruct the last LED on the strip, and carries a downwardly-facing block that bears against the spring clip ends to keep them in contact with the terminals of the strip. In a strip-to-power connector, the connector defines one compartment for each conductor, and each conductor carries connecting structure. Ends of the spring clip connectors carry complementary connecting structure.
US09909741B2

A watertight lighting fixture, comprising a casing (10), which is closed by a tempered glass (11) at a light emission surface and which has at its ends respective heads (12), connected and fixed to said casing (10); in particular, a slide (14) is placed within said casing (10), on said slide (14) are fixed the wiring terminals (15) of the fixture and below said slide (14) is placed a reflector (16), which is able to spread light outside and which is placed in correspondence of at least one light source, such as at least one neon tube (18) or a plurality of LEDs (17).
US09909740B2

A headset for virtual reality applications includes an array of light emitting diodes (LEDs) emitting light captured by a camera included in a virtual reality system, allowing the virtual reality system to detect the position and orientation of the headset in three-dimensional space. To manufacture the headset, a flexible strip including a circuit having the LEDs is molded into an outer shell of the headset using a casting material that is transmissible to wavelengths of light transmitted by the LEDs. An interior surface of the outer shell of the headset is within a specified distance of the LEDs. The outer shell may also include fabric that is also molded into the outer shell in the same or in a similar process.
US09909729B2

Electric lighting devices are described having a candle body with an upper surface coupled to a sidewall. A flame element is disposed entirely outside of the candle body and include one or more magnets or a ferrous material. The flame element is supported above the upper surface by a support member that extends upwardly from the upper surface and terminates at a first end disposed within the flame element. This allows the flame element some degree of movement about the support member that combined with a light source configured to illuminate a surface of the flame element creates a flickering flame effect. The device can also include a drive mechanism such as an electromagnet that generates an electromagnetic field that interacts with the magnets of the flame element to thereby cause movement of the flame element.
US09909724B2

A lighting device (1) is provided comprising at least one light source (3), a wavelength converting element (8) adapted to convert a wavelength of light emitted by the at least one light source, at least one support (7) arranged to support the wavelength converting element remote from the at least one light source, and an envelope (2) adapted to enclose the wavelength converting element and at least a portion of the at least one support. The at least one support is arranged to be able to pivot relative to the wavelength converting element. The present lighting device enables using a rigid wavelength converting element and an at least partially rigid support, as these two components may be moved relative to each other for facilitating insertion of the unit in the envelope.
US09909720B1

A lamp is provided. The lamp includes at least one light emitting diode (LED) and an electronic circuit configured to provide power to the at least one LED. The lamp includes at least one flat circuit board having mounted thereto the at least one LED and the electronic circuit. The at least one flat circuit board acts as a heatsink to dissipate heat from the at least one LED and acts as a plurality of circuit paths for the electronic circuit and the at least one LED.
US09909711B2

The invention relates to a holding apparatus (10) for a housing (11) and method for affixing the holding apparatus (10) and the housing (11) to an affixation surface, in particular an external building surface. The holding apparatus (10) has two holding parts (12) that each have a holding segment (25) that extends in a longitudinal direction (L). At least one of the two holding parts (12) additionally has a locking segment (43). Two attachment parts (46) and, for each locking segment (43), one locking part (47) are affixed to a rear wall (11b) of the housing (11). To mount the housing (11) on the holding apparatus (10), the two attachment parts (46) are firstly each brought into engagement with their respective holding segment (25). By displacing the housing (11) in the longitudinal direction (L), the locking part (47) enters into engagement with the locking segment (43). A continued movement of the housing (11) in the longitudinal direction (L) is at least delimited.
US09909707B2

A splitter system and methods are shown. Examples of splitter systems provide limited possibility of damage to adjacent utilities in the ground. Further, examples of splitter systems relax a shape memory of split pipe, which in turn reduces friction in a splitting operation. Configurations are further shown that provide lubrication to splitting operations in a number of locations along a splitter system. Configurations are also shown that provide electrical isolation to cutting blades.
US09909706B2

A flowline branch structure (10) has at least one inner branch assembly with an inner flowline branch and at least one inner flowline pipe attached to and communicating with the inner flowline branch. At least one outer branch assembly (12) of the flowline branch structure has an outer branch housing disposed around the inner flowline branch and at least one outer pipe (14) disposed around the inner flowline pipe and attached to the outer branch housing. A generally annular space is defined between the inner and outer branch assemblies. At least one wiring element including an electrical heating element is disposed in the sealed space on an outer side of the inner branch assembly. The, or each, wiring element extends in one continuous length across an interface between the inner flowline pipe and the inner flowline branch. This reduces the number of connections necessary to create the flowline branch structure.
US09909695B2

A joint ring system for lined pipes includes a first pipe and a second pipe joined end-to-end, each pipe having an interior lining covering substantially all of an interior wall of the respective pipe. A first ring is disposed within and substantially flush with the joined end of the first pipe, and a second ring is disposed within and substantially flush with the joined end of the second pipe. The first ring is configured to create a first circumferential pressure seal against the interior wall of the first pipe, and the second ring is configured to create a second circumferential pressure seal against the interior wall of the second pipe. At least one of the first ring and the second ring is configured to create a pipe joint pressure seal against the other ring.
US09909694B2

Flexible pipe body for transporting fluids from a sub-sea location includes a carcass layer comprising adjacent interlocked annular elements each comprising a body portion that extends around an inner circumference of a bore region and a channel region provided within the body. A method of manufacturing flexible pipe body is also disclosed.
US09909691B1

One embodiment provides a method and apparatus for suspending air conditioning duct works from a support structure comprising unistrut type support beams which apparatus includes a plurality of support brackets arranged and configured for being slidably interlockable with the interior of the unistrut beam members. The support brackets can be slid inside the interior of the support beam until adjacent a support beam which support beam can be connected to the support bracket. In like manner additional support brackets can be inserted into the interior of the support beam members to be adjustably located next to their respective support rod. In such manner multiple support rods can be used to support a frame member even where the support rods are not symmetrically located along the length of the support beam as the support bracket can be slid/moved inside the support beam until lining up with its respective support rod. Additionally, the entire support framework can be moved relative to the plurality of support rods by sliding the framework relative to the support brackets. In such manner the location of the supporting frame member can be changed without moving the support rods.
US09909688B2

A method of performing a certification on an enteral feeding pump based on at least one operating parameter of the pump includes communicating certification information between the pump and a certification application remote from the pump. The at least one operating parameter is compared to a specified operating metric to verify that the at least one operating parameter of the pump is within the specified operating metric.
US09909684B2

A lever type switch valve has a switch chamber with three sections in the axial direction including, two outlet cavities at two ends and an inlet cavity in the central section. The outer end of each outlet cavity in the axial direction has a slide section; an inner protruding ring is disposed between two ends of the inlet cavity and the outlet cavities; a spindle of dumbbell shape, the spindle is slidably coupled to the inner side of the switch chamber axially; the spindle has three sections in the axial direction that are two pistons at two ends and a flowing section in the central section; the piston has a big outer end and a small inner end. The outer ends of the pistons are slidably coupled to the slide section in sealing way, the axial length of the outlet cavity is larger than the axial direction of the piston.
US09909676B2

An automatic shut-off device, comprising a housing member with a hollow opening, an inlet port coupled to a first end of the housing member, an outlet port coupled to a second end of the housing member, a valve coupled to the outlet port, a variable volume chamber within the housing member with an open end facing the inlet port of the housing member and a closed end with flow restriction holes in closed end facing the outlet port of the housing member, a one-way valve disposed in the closed end of the variable volume chamber, and a spring-biased piston within the variable volume chamber with a compressible spring coupled to the piston at the closed end of the chamber wherein the piston is mechanically coupled to the valve.
US09909669B2

A linear valve drive for connection to a valve body having a valve seat and at least one flow passage with at least one inlet and at least one outlet, comprises a drive housing with a drive unit accommodated therein, an actuating element axially shiftable by the drive unit and coupled with a valve closing element to be pressed against the valve seat, and optionally closing the flow passage, and a supporting unit surrounding the actuating element, which is designed to be attached to the valve body. A spring system loaded by actuating the linear valve drive is provided at the supporting unit, which in dependence on the compression path has different spring rates. Furthermore, a correspondingly equipped valve is described.
US09909666B2

A sleeve is disclosed for use with a hammer. The sleeve may have a generally cylindrical body with a first end and a second end. The sleeve may also have a plurality of channels spiraling at least partially around the generally cylindrical body between the first and second ends.
US09909652B2

A chain transmission device for driving camshafts includes a chain including a loose side chain portion, and the chain is trained around the crank sprocket and the cam sprockets. A chain guide is mounted on the outer side of the loose side chain portion so as to be pivotable about one of the two end portions of the chain guide, and the chain guide has a plurality of rotatable rollers. An adjustment force is applied to the other of the two end portions of the chain guide by a chain tensioner such that the chain guide is biased toward the chain, so that the rollers of the chain guide can guide the chain by rolling. The winding angle of the portion of the chain located on the outer periphery of the roller located closest to the crank sprocket is set to be 170 degrees or greater so as to reduce noise.
US09909641B2

An isolator mount system includes multiple isolator mounts that are used to isolate a piece of equipment from a structure. The isolation mounts each include an isolation pad between inner and outer mountings, to provide damping between relative motions of the inner mounting and the outer mounting. A central portion of the isolation pad is closer to a central axis of the isolation mount than are ends of the isolation pad that are on opposite sides of the central portion. This configuration provides two shear sections, to provide additional damping, an additional amount of shear in the isolator mounts. The shear sections may be configured to control location of the center of elasticity of the system, for example by locating the center of elasticity at the same location as the center of gravity of the system, thereby resulting in an isoelastic system.
US09909636B2

A coil spring for use in a cavity, such as in a groove of a pin, a housing, or both. The cavity can also be part of a seal assembly. The coil spring can have a longitudinal component positioned within the plurality of interconnected coils that runs along the spring coil axis in order to increase rigidity of the coil spring. The longitudinal component applies a load against the coil spring and/or provides restriction against the coil spring taking a shape or size different than that of the coil spring retaining groove.
US09909628B2

A transmitter for a synchronizing assembly of a manual transmission has a transmitter disk and at least one clutch disk which is arranged on a side surface of the transmitter disk. The clutch disk and the transmitter disk are fixedly connected together by local welding points. A method for producing a transmitter for a synchronizing assembly of a manual transmission consists of providing a clutch disk and a transmitter disk. Then, the clutch disk and the transmitter disk are fastened together by means of projection welding. Finally, the thus formed assembly is hardened.
US09909626B2

A clutch assembly (10) and a method of assembly operable for transferring rotary power between a first shaft (12) and a second shaft (14) through a set of inner clutch plates (16) and a set of outer clutch plates (18) can include at least one of an outer plate separator (28) and an inner plate separator (30). The outer plate separator (28) can be biased radially inward toward the outer clutch plates (18) for axially separating each of the outer clutch plates (18) and moveable radially outward away from the outer clutch plates (18) by centrifugal force when the clutch assembly (10) is rotated above a predetermined rotational speed threshold. The inner plate separator (30) is biased radially outward for axially separating each of the inner clutch plates (16) and moveable radially inward away from the inner clutch plates (16) by axial movement of a hydraulically actuated wedge member (31) when the clutch assembly (10) is engaged.
US09909604B1

A system and method for securing adjoining walls without requiring the use of tools is disclosed. A plurality of walls may mate with each other through the use of grooves within each wall to sit flush with each other. A plurality of locking keys may be used to further secure the walls to each other. If disassembly is required, a user may quickly disassemble the present invention by removing the keys and reversing the steps taken to secure the walls to each other. The entire system may pack flat and be stacked once disassembled.
US09909600B2

A driving chamber (11) where pressurized fluid is supplied and discharged is arranged above a piston (10) inserted into a housing (1) ascendably and descendably. An ascent-detecting detection valve (32) is oriented laterally in an upper portion of the housing (1). An operating portion (10b) is provided on an upper portion of the piston (10), and an operated portion (79) movable in response to movement of the operating portion (10b) is provided on the detection valve (32). A transmission ball (70) is inserted into a transmission chamber (67) communicatively connected to an upper portion of the driving chamber (11). The transmission ball (70) converts ascent movement of the operating portion (10b) to lateral movement of the operated portion (79). Pressurized air for detection is supplied to an inlet (32a) of the detection valve (32) through a supply passage (B2).
US09909593B2

A method of de-watering during intermittent dry running periods with a self-priming centrifugal pump is presented. Centrifugal pumps, as opposed to diaphragm pumps, are advantageous because they are less expensive and can provide greater capacity. The shaft seals are sensitive, however, to frictional heating when water flow is interrupted. In some situations, this fractional heating may desiccate self-priming. The inventive concept provides a continuous stream of pressurized water moving through the pump to cool the seal and sustain priming capability without substantially impairing the ability of the pump to resume wet operation.
US09909584B2

A lubricant vane pump for providing a pressurized lubricant for an internal combustion engine includes a pump housing enclosing a pumping cavity comprising a charge zone and a discharge zone. A shiftable control ring envelops the pumping cavity. A pump rotor comprising vanes divides the pumping cavity into pumping chambers. The pump rotor is radially slidable and rotates in the control ring from the charge zone to the discharge zone. A spring chamber comprises a pretensioning element which pushes the control ring to a high pumping volume direction. A control chamber is configured so that a lubricant pressure in the control chamber moves the control ring to a low pumping volume direction against a force of the pretensioning element. A pumping cavity outlet port is connected to the control chamber. A pressure equilibration channel drains the lubricant from the pumping chamber in the discharge zone into the spring chamber.
US09909580B2

A valve cover lock assembly for a pump having a fluid end module can include a ring adapted to couple to the module, an insert comprising a plurality of segments, and a cone adapted to couple with the insert, wherein the ring comprises a first coupler and the insert comprises a second coupler configured to couple with the first coupler, wherein the cone is configured to move one or more of the plurality of segments when the cone is moved, and wherein the first and second couplers are adapted to at least partially resist movement of the insert. A method of locking a valve cover can include coupling a ring to a valve cover opening, disposing an insert comprising a plurality of segments at least partially within the ring, coupling an actuator to the insert, and coupling the insert to the ring.
US09909578B2

There is provided an integrated electric compressor that can be made small in size while reducing radio noise effectively. In an inverter of the electric compressor, a snubber circuit 21 comprising a resistor R and a capacitor C is provided between input/output terminals 20 of a power source and a switching element 18. The snubber circuit 21 is formed by surface mounting a resistive element constituting the resistor R and a capacitor element constituting the capacitor C on a power board 16. A leakage current from a motor 19 is thus restrained and radio noise is reduced. The resistive element and the capacitor element constituting the snubber circuit 21 are preferably surface mounted on the power board 16 on the side opposite to the side on which a control circuit board is arranged.
US09909576B2

A cryogenic pump comprising a shaft disposed in a bearing. The shaft rotates with respect to the bearing housing, and the shaft includes an end with an angled face. The pump includes a drive at one end of the bearing housing. A tappet passage is formed through the drive housing. A pushrod housing connects to the drive housing. The pump includes a piston and a tappet sliding within the tappet passage. The tappet has a base end disposed within the tappet passage and a rod end extending below the tappet end of the drive housing. A fluid cavity is in the tappet passage between the piston and the tappet. The pump includes a pushrod connected to the tappet. The angled face of the shaft rotates and drives the piston toward the drive housing, pushing fluid within the fluid cavity against the tappet, driving the pushrod away from the drive housing.
US09909572B2

A drive device includes: a base member having, on a surface, an operation base part made up of one or more operation recesses; and a movable member disposed to be opposed to the base member and having, on the opposing surface, operation projections to be inserted into the operation recesses. A shape memory alloy member is interposed between the base member and the movable member, and the movable member is moved so as to be separated away from the base member in response to the contraction of the shape memory alloy member when energized. The drive device includes a spring which is supported by the base member and bias the movable member so as to be separated away from the base member.
US09909563B2

A system and method for monitoring and controlling the deflection of rotor blades of a wind turbine so as to prevent tower strikes is disclosed. The method includes operating the wind turbine at standard pitch angle settings. Another step includes monitoring a loading condition of the wind turbine over a predetermined time period. A further step includes tracking a number of wind condition deviations of a certain magnitude occurring during a predetermined time period. The method also include altering one or more of the standard pitch settings of the rotor blades in response to the number of wind condition deviations exceeding a wind deviation threshold and/or the loading condition exceeding a loading threshold as an exceedance indicates an increased probability of rotor blade deflection. The method further includes performing one or more additional corrective actions so as to reduce the probability of a rotor blade tower strike.
US09909559B2

A method for performing uptower maintenance of a wind turbine in order to replace the main bearing on the turbine shaft is disclosed. Embodiments of this method to perform maintenance may include installing a rotor lock to resist rotation of the main shaft during maintenance, providing a lifting device in order to elevate the main shaft, removing the main bearing from its main bearing housing, and installing a replacement split main bearing. A crane may also be installed uptower to assist in the maintenance.
US09909549B2

Various technologies presented herein relate to enhancing mixing inside a combustion chamber to form one or more locally premixed mixtures comprising fuel and charge-gas with low peak fuel to charge-gas ratios to enable minimal, or no, generation of soot and other undesired emissions during ignition and subsequent combustion of the locally premixed mixtures. To enable sufficient mixing of the fuel and charge-gas, a jet of fuel can be directed to pass through a bore of a duct causing charge-gas to be drawn into the bore creating turbulence to mix the fuel and the drawn charge-gas. The duct can be located proximate to an opening in a tip of a fuel injector. The duct can comprise of one or more holes along its length to enable charge-gas to be drawn into the bore, and further, the duct can cool the fuel and/or charge-gas prior to combustion.
US09909547B2

In a quantity limiting valve for a fuel injection system of an internal combustion engine including a cylinder with an inflow region and an outflow region separated by a piston axially movably disposed in the cylinder and a flow limiting fluid flow path extending along the piston between the inflow and outflow regions wherein the piston is biased with its front surface into contact with a stop element, the contact area between the front surface and the stop surface includes between the piston and the stop element a contact structure providing for an intermediate space which is in communication with the inflow region thereby to expose the front surface of the piston to the pressure of the fluid in the inflow region.
US09909546B2

A fuel valve (50) for injecting gaseous fuel into the combustion chamber of a self-igniting internal combustion engine. The fuel valve (50) comprises an elongated fuel valve housing (52) with a rear end and a front end, a nozzle (54) with an elongated nozzle body with a hollow interior that forms a chamber (55) connected to nozzle holes (56), the nozzle (54) being arranged at the front end of the fuel valve housing (52), a gaseous fuel inlet port (53) in the elongated fuel valve housing (52) for connection to a source (60) of high pressure gaseous fuel, an ignition liquid inlet port (78,98) for connection to a source of ignition liquid (57), means (61,69,53,58,61,69) for establishing a timed fluidic connection between the gaseous fuel inlet port and the ignition space (55), and means (61,67,69,76,79,85,98,99) configured for a timed delivery of a finite volume of ignition liquid to the chamber (55) for igniting the gaseous fuel inside the chamber (55).
US09909541B1

Methods and systems are provided for carrying out on-board diagnostics of a plurality of components of an exhaust heat exchange system. In one example, degradation of one or more of a heat exchanger and a coolant system fluidically coupled to the heat exchanger may be detected based on a first temperature estimated upstream of the heat exchanger, a second temperature sensor estimated downstream of the heat exchanger, a coolant temperature, and a pressure estimated upstream of the heat exchanger. Also, degradation of a diverter valve of the heat exchange system may be detected based on inputs of a position sensor coupled to the diverter valve.
US09909538B2

A vapor blocking valve for a fuel vapor recovery system is mounted with a two-piece bracket having a base member and a clip member. The base member fixedly mounts on a vehicle structure. At least two bendable wings extend from the base member which are bendable toward one another to a release position. The clip member has an aperture receiving the wings and a clamp receiving the vapor blocking valve. The wings and aperture have a matching profile for selectably locking the clip member at one of a plurality of rotational orientations when the wings are at the rest position. The clip member is movable between rotational orientations with the wings bent to the release position. Consequently, re-orientation of the vapor blocking valve can be accommodated without any changes to the mounting bracket or the structural component to which the bracket attaches.
US09909534B2

A simple engine, comprises (1) a cylinder, and a spark plug in the cylinder; (2) a carburetor, fluidly connected to the cylinder; (3) a primary air intake path, fluidly connecting atmosphere to the carburetor; (4) a carburetor bypass air intake path, fluidly connecting air to the cylinder without passing through the carburetor; and (5) a valve, along the carburetor bypass air intake path, for controlling the flow of air through the carburetor bypass air intake path.
US09909528B2

A piston including an abradable coating applied to a round surface of the piston is provided. The shape of the round surface is not greater than 0.1 mm from a circular shape, and thus is relatively inexpensive to machine. As the piston reciprocates in an internal combustion engine, the abradable coating rubs against another component, such as a cylinder liner or wrist pin, to achieve suitable contact geometry, such as an oval, asymmetric, or other non-round shape. Thus, a costly machining process is not required to achieve the desired contact geometry. The abradable coating can also be applied to ring lands, skirt sections, or along pin bores of the piston. The abradable coating can also be applied to a wrist pin or an opening of a connecting rod which receives the wrist pin. The abradable coating can be formed from a polymer-based material or an aluminum-silicon alloy-based material.
US09909527B2

A hybrid induction welded piston including an upper piston part welded to a lower piston part is provided. The piston is produced by induction heating the upper piston part and the lower piston part, and bringing the parts together to a part growth compensated position. The method then includes rotating the upper piston part 17 to 34 degrees clockwise and then 17 to 34 degrees counterclockwise. In addition to controlling the axial position and degree of rotation, the force applied to the piston parts is controlled so that preferably no flash is formed in a narrow cooling chamber of the piston. During the rotating steps, the pressure gradually increases to a maximum level which occurs while the upper piston part is rotating in the second direction. The piston includes a homogenous metallurgical bond across the weld and no indentation on the outer surface at the weld prior to machining.
US09909526B2

A piston for an internal combustion engine has an upper crown portion with a pair of pin bosses depending therefrom, wherein the pin bosses have pin bores axially aligned along a central pin bore axis. A pair of laterally spaced skirt portions are fixedly attached to the pin bosses and depend to a lowermost free edge. At least one of the skirt portions has a recess extending upwardly from the lowermost free edge beyond the central axis of the pin bores.
US09909520B2

A control device for an internal combustion engine including a variable compression ratio mechanism arranged to vary a relative position relationship between a piston and a cylinder, and thereby to vary a mechanical compression ratio, and a fuel injection valve arranged to directly inject a fuel within a combustion chamber, the control device includes: at least in an engine high load region including a full open, the compression ratio at an exhaust upper dead center being controlled to a low compression ratio, a fuel injection start timing of the fuel in which an air-fuel mixture is formed within the combustion chamber, and which is ignited by an ignition plug being set before an exhaust upper dead center so that a fuel injection period crosses an upper dead center.
US09909518B2

A method for controlling the speed of an internal combustion engine and a speed control circuit for carrying out the method. For controlling, fuel energy is used as an output variable. The control units are calculated in accordance with a stationary proportion gain which is calculated proportionally to the fuel energy and inversely proportional to the engine speed.
US09909514B2

A method for a turbocharged engine, comprising: during high load conditions, in response to an elevated engine temperature, after port injecting a first quantity of a first gaseous fuel, direct injecting a second quantity of a second, liquid fuel at a first timing that is a function of a desired air-fuel ratio. In this way, engine power may be maximized while simultaneously decreasing the maximum combustion temperature and mitigating engine knock.
US09909505B2

A gas turbine engine includes a core flow passage, a bypass flow passage, and a propulsor arranged at an inlet of the bypass flow passage and the core flow passage. The propulsor includes a row of propulsor blades. The row includes no more than 20 of the propulsor blades. The propulsor has a pressure ratio between about 1.2 and about 1.7 across the propulsor blades.
US09909504B2

A gas turbine engine comprises an outer nacelle. A nose cone is spaced radially inward of the outer nacelle. The nose cone defines a particle separator for directing an outer air flow and an inner airflow. The inner airflow is directed through a core inlet to a compressor. The engine further comprises a drive gear system for driving at least one propeller. A variable pitch control system may alter a pitch angle of the at least one propeller. Some of the outer air flow is directed to at least one of the drive gear system and the pitch control system.
US09909499B2

Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed toward a system and method to drain a fuel manifold wherein a fuel drainage and purge system includes a fuel manifold and a drainage line extending from the fuel manifold. The drainage line is configured to flow a liquid-gas mixture from the fuel manifold. The fuel drainage and purge system also includes a drain valve disposed along the drainage line, a vent line extending from the drainage line upstream of the drain valve, a vent valve disposed along the vent line, and a drainage trap arranged along the drainage line downstream of the drain valve. The drainage trap is configured to separate the liquid-gas mixture into a liquid stream and a gaseous stream.
US09909498B2

A system for supplying a turbomachine with fluid, the supply system including a low-pressure pumping unit intended to increase the pressure of the fluid flowing toward a downstream circuit. The downstream circuit divides at an inlet node, situated between the low-pressure pumping unit and the high-pressure volumetric pump, into a circuit supplying an injection system and a variable geometries supply circuit. The circuit supplying the injection system includes a high-pressure volumetric pump. The variable geometries supply circuit is configured to convey the fluid toward variable geometry from the inlet node to an outlet node connecting the variable geometries supply circuit to the upstream circuit between two pumps of the low-pressure pumping unit.
US09909493B2

An assembly includes a gas turbine and a heat exchanger for heating up a gas turbine process fluid by thermal energy. The gas turbine has a compressor, a combustor and a turbine downstream of the combustor, wherein the thermal energy is from the solar receiver. To improve efficiency and reduce power generation fluctuations, the assembly includes a first line to conduct the gas turbine process fluid downstream a compression by the compressor to the heat exchanger, and a second line to conduct the gas turbine process fluid from the heat exchanger to the combustor to generate hot combustion gas from the warmed up gas turbine process fluid burning fuel in the combustor.
US09909486B2

A vehicle includes an engine, a generator, an electric power storage device, a switch, a shutter, and a electronic control unit. The switch is configured to be operated by a user. The shutter is arranged in a path of air of intake air to the engine compartment from an outside of the vehicle. The electronic control unit configured to charge the electric power storage device by using the electric power generated by the generator when the switch is operated, and close the shutter when the electric power storage device is charged based on the operation of the switch.
US09909484B2

An emissions cleaning module including a heat shield that comprises a first section and a second section that are coupled together around a flowhood. The heat shield substantially fully envelops all external surfaces of the flowhood.
US09909469B2

An oil filter adapter provides lubrication delivery for lubricating an engine bearing provides high reliability through an externally-supplied lubrication. The oil filter adapter may be supplied as part of a kit including a lubrication delivery tube for supplying the external lubrication to a mounting flange of the bearing.
US09909465B2

A camshaft adjustment device comprising an electromagnetic actuator (3) having an armature that can be adjusted axially along an adjustment axis (5) for actuating a hydraulic valve for camshaft adjustment, and fastening means for fastening the actuator (3) on an engine element (3), wherein the fastening means comprise spring means (12), which tension the actuator (3) against the engine element (2) in a securing position (13), wherein the fastening means have positive-fitting means (8) as an anti-twist device for preventing a twisting movement of the actuator (3) in an installation position (7) relatively to the engine element (2), which are constructed and arranged in such a manner that the actuator (3) can be moved to the engine element (2) by means of a pure translational installation movement and wherein the spring means (12) in the securing position (13) bar a de-installation path for a purely translational de-installation movement of the actuator (3) opposite to the installation movement in such a manner that the same cannot be de-installed oppositely to the purely translational installation direction.
US09909463B2

A hydraulic valve for a cam phaser, the hydraulic valve including a bushing element, including a longitudinal channel, a pressure medium connection that is arranged at an end of the longitudinal channel, three hydraulic connections that originate from the longitudinal channel, and a pressure balanced hollow piston that is arranged axially moveable within the longitudinal channel, characterized in that the hydraulic valve includes a check valve at the pressure medium connection and a cam phaser including a stator and a rotor that is rotatable relative to the stator between a first end position and a second end position for adjusting a cam shaft of an internal combustion engine and a hydraulic valve for controlling a rotation of the rotor.
US09909457B2

A method for assembling a section of a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The method involves aligning a vane ring with a first rotor hub such that a row of vanes on the vane ring is adjacent a first row of blades of the first rotor hub, and aligning a second rotor hub with the vane ring such that a second row of blades of the second rotor hub is adjacent the row of vanes and the row of vanes is axially between the first row of blades and the second row of blades. The first hub and the second hub are then non-mechanically bonded together.
US09909443B2

A machine includes a machine substrate and a dielectric layer formed over at least a portion of the machine substrate. A monitoring system for the machine includes a sensor subsystem that includes a first portion of the machine substrate and a portion of the machine dielectric layer formed over the first portion of the machine substrate. The monitoring system also includes a sensor electromagnetic structure disposed on the portion of the machine dielectric layer. The sensor electromagnetic structure includes at least one sensor conducting subcomponent. The sensor electromagnetic structure is configured to regulate electromagnetic fields incident thereto in response to at least one measurement characteristic of a machine measurand. The sensor subsystem is configured to obtain at least one measurement characteristic of the machine measurand proximate a machine sensing position.
US09909436B2

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a cooling structure for a stationary blade, which can include: an endwall coupled to a radial end of an airfoil, relative to a rotor axis of a turbomachine; and a substantially crescent-shaped chamber positioned within the endwall and radially displaced from a trailing edge of the airfoil, the substantially crescent-shaped chamber receiving a cooling fluid from a cooling circuit, wherein the substantially crescent-shaped chamber extends from a fore section positioned proximal to one of a pressure side surface and a suction side surface of the airfoil to an aft section positioned proximal to the trailing edge of the airfoil and the other of the pressure side surface and the suction side surface of the airfoil, wherein the aft section of the substantially crescent-shaped chamber is in fluid communication with the fore section of the substantially crescent-shaped chamber.
US09909435B2

An apparatus for sealing a gap between a stator vane platform including a seal slot, and a rotatable stator vane including a shaft connected to a vane end. The apparatus includes a substantially flat, semi-annular seal body, a first tab and a second tab. The seal body extends circumferentially between a first body end and a second body end, and radially between a radial inner body side and a radial outer body side. The inner body side wraps partially around the shaft, and the outer body side mates with the seal slot. The first tab extends axially from the first body end, and the second tab extends axially from the second body end. The first tab and the second tab engage the vane end and cause the seal body to move within the seal slot during rotation of the stator vane.
US09909433B2

An aircraft gas turbine has a core engine and a bypass duct surrounding the latter, where the core engine includes in its inflow zone a booster, in the area of which at least one booster bleed duct is provided for supplying an airflow from the booster into the bypass duct, and a stator vane row arranged in the bypass duct downstream of a fan. A vane root of the stator vane is designed as a structural element mounting the core engine, and the booster bleed duct is provided inside the vane root and issues downstream of the stator vane into the bypass duct.
US09909426B2

A blade for a turbomachine includes an airfoil portion and a root portion, the airfoil portion has an outer wall having a pressure side, suction side, leading edge and trailing edge, the outer wall extending between the leading edge and a trailing edge of the airfoil portion, a first cavity between the pressure side of the outer wall and a first inner wall, a second cavity between the suction side of the outer wall and a second inner wall. The first and second inner wall form a receiving cavity therebetween. The receiving cavity is fluidly connected to both the first and second cavity. The cooling fluid in the first and second cavity is conducted in a direction from the trailing edge to the leading edge and the cooling fluid in the receiving cavity is conducted in a direction from the leading edge to the trailing edge.
US09909419B2

A strand (20) for a cable bolt (14) comprises a plurality of metallic elongated members (22, 24) twisted together. At least one of the elongated members has a corrosion resistant coating (54) and surface deformation, so as to improve the bodig efficiency and the anchorage of the strand.
US09909412B2

A well-logging tool includes a magnetic field logging tool and a borehole seismic array, which includes a plurality of seismic sensor devices coupled together in series. Each seismic sensor device includes a sensor housing and at least one seismic sensor carried by the sensor housing. A magnetometer is carried by the sensor housing to sense the local magnetic field. A controller cooperates with the magnetic field logging tool to generate a log of the local magnetic field relative to the true earth geographic pole. The controller cooperates with the borehole seismic array to determine an orientation of each seismic sensor device based upon the respective sensed local magnetic field and log of the local magnetic field relative to the earth geographic pole.
US09909408B2

A sensing subassembly for use with a downhole tool comprises a housing, a cavity disposed within the housing, an electronic board disposed within the cavity, a stiffening member engaging the electronic board and configured to limit flexing of the electronic board, and a spring member configured to provide an isolation mount for the electronic board within the cavity.
US09909395B2

A hardfacing disposable on a surface of a component, such as a wellsite component, is disclosed. The hardfacing comprises a surface portion and a bottom portion with a segregation line defined therebetween. The surface portion and the bottom portion each include a matrix phase including a matrix composition made of a metal alloy and a hard phase distributed in the matrix phase. The hard phase may include an abrasion-resistant composition made of a hard material (e.g., vanadium carbide). The surface portion has a first concentration of the abrasion-resistant composition and the bottom portion has a second concentration of the abrasion-resistant composition with the first concentration being greater than the second concentration such that a wear resistant surface is defined on the surface of the component.
US09909393B2

A completion system for a well includes a tubing hanger movable into a landed position within an internal bore of the completion system. The tubing hanger includes a hanger bore formed through the tubing hanger, an auxiliary passage formed through the tubing hanger outside of the hanger bore, and a shuttle rod valve including a rod movable in a cavity that is capable of being in fluid communication with the auxiliary passage to control the flow of fluid through the auxiliary passage.
US09909380B2

A system and method for accessing a well is disclosed. The system includes a first cap positionable within a bore of a completion member such as a tree or a spool. The first cap has a sealable interface to accept a second cap, and the second cap when sealed to the first cap is capable of providing a barrier against a release of well fluid external to the well.
US09909379B2

This disclosure includes auxiliary-line riser segment assemblies (e.g., with isolation units) that are suitable for managed pressure drilling (MPD) and that can be lowered (e.g., when connected to other riser segment assemblies) through a rotary of a drilling rig. Some embodiments are configured to have portions of the auxiliary lines connected (e.g., without welding) below the rotary.
US09909371B2

An assembly for producing a threaded connection, including first and second tubular components with an axis of revolution, each including at one end a male threaded zone produced on the external circumferential surface, the ends each finishing in a terminal surface forming a direct drive dog clutch device to fix the first and second tubular components in rotation, and including a third tubular component which also has an axis of revolution and includes at each end on its internal circumferential surface two female threaded zones, one of the two male threaded zones being capable of cooperating with one of the two female threaded zones while the other male threaded zone can co-operate with the other female threaded zone. The male end of the first tubular component and the corresponding female end of the third tubular component include a mechanism for free rotation.
US09909351B1

A garage door opener system having a garage door opener and a remote input device electrically connected to the garage door opener by an electrical conductor. The remote input device receives power by the electrical conductor. The remote input device includes a device controller to communicate an event message, monitor for an acknowledgement message within a time period, and repeat the event message when the acknowledgement message is not received within a time period. The garage door opener includes a master controller. The master controller receives the event message and communicates the acknowledgement message in response to receiving the event message. Also disclosed is a method of operating the garage door opener system.
US09909344B2

A keyless door latch system for doors of motor vehicles includes a backup electrical power supply to unlock the door latch in the event the primary power supply fails, thereby eliminating the need for a lock cylinder. The latch system includes a user input device having first and second user input features. The door latch system is configured to supply electrical power from the primary electrical power supply to unlock the latch upon actuation of the first user input feature, and to supply electrical power from the backup electrical power supply to unlock the latch upon actuation of the second user input feature. The user input device may comprise a wireless portable device that generates first and second wireless signals upon actuation of the first and second user input features, respectively.
US09909341B2

A removable attachment device, that particularly forms an anti-theft device and/or electronic information medium, comprising a body on which a flap is mounted pivotably, wherein the body and the flap each have a substantially flat surface, wherein the flap rotates in relation to the body between a first extreme open position and a second extreme position known as the closed position in which the two respective surfaces can grip the object, wherein means are provided to lock the flap on the body temporarily and securely in the gripping position, characterized in that at least the gripping surface of the body and/or flap has/have raised or protruding means, that are elastically deformable.
US09909337B1

An improved fencing system can include an improved fence posts. Such fence posts can include features for accommodating different types of fasteners for attachment to fence components, such as fence rails. Additionally, some fence posts, such as gateposts, can be formed with one or more pieces of other fenceposts in a fencing system. Some such improved fence posts can include concrete locks.
US09909336B1

Disclosed is an identity shielding device to be used when notable persons do not wish to have their photograph taken. In one embodiment, an identity shielding device has a shaft with first and second ends; a sliding splint slideably attached to the shaft; and a foldable framework attached to the sliding splint and the first end of the shaft, the framework being open at both ends, and having a collapsible shield affixed to the framework. The foldable framework includes both ribs and fasteners.
US09909333B2

Exemplary embodiments are directed to pool cleaners, generally including a canister body, a filtering medium assembly and a cyclone block. The canister body includes an inner chamber within inner walls of the canister body. The filtering medium assembly can be disposed within the inner chamber of the canister body. The cyclone block can be disposed within the inner chamber of the canister body and can be at least partially surrounded by the filtering medium assembly. The cyclone block includes a plurality of individual cyclone containers. A first cyclonic flow can be generated between the inner walls of the canister body and the filtering medium assembly. A second cyclonic flow can be generated within each of the plurality of cyclone containers.
US09909324B2

A system for installing pre-painted moldings. The system includes pre-painted moldings each configured to be fastened to a wall by fasteners. The system also includes a caulk material, filler material, concealer material, and touchup paint each color matched to the paint color applied to the moldings. The caulk material is configured to fill a gap defined between each of the moldings and the wall to which the molding is fastened. The filler material is configured to fill a gap defined between any abutting portions of the moldings. The concealer material is configured to conceal any surface disturbances caused by the installation of the fasteners. The touchup paint is configured to adhere to the paint pre-painted on the moldings. The system may also include a marker configured to apply a coating color matched to the paint applied to the moldings, a scraping tool, and/or a buffing tool.
US09909323B2

Modular floor tiles and modular floor systems are described herein. A floor tile system includes a modular floor tile and a plurality of resilient support assemblies. The modular floor tile includes a top surface layer having a top surface and a bottom surface and a plurality of rigid support portions extending from the bottom surface. The resilient support assemblies are supported against the bottom surface and include an outer resilient support portion having a hollow interior, and an inner resilient support portion positioned centrally relative to the outer resilient support portion.
US09909322B1

A system and method for installing tile includes the use of fasteners and washers that are installed into the interstitial gaps of the tiles or installed through the face of the tile. The washers and fasteners create a downward pressure on the tiles to align the edges of the tiles and to ensure that the tiles conform to the surface to which they are applied, thereby significantly reducing or minimizing the occurrence of gaps or voids between the installation surface and the tiles. Once the tiles are fixed in position and the adhesive has set or cured, the washers and fasteners are removed and the interstitial spaces or gaps between the tiles is grouted and the tile can be painted or stained. Additionally, the method of manufacturing decorative concrete tiles uses flexible rubber molds to achieve a variety of unique shapes, patterns, and textures.
US09909321B2

A reversible resilient wall padding apparatus includes a reversible resilient wall pad and at least one pad connector. The pad includes front, rear, and peripherally-extending sides, and at least one side connector disposed along the peripheral-extending side. The pad connector includes a first portion releasably attachable to the side connector, and a second portion attachable to a vertical surface of a wall. The pad is attachable in a first orientation with the front side facing outwardly and the first portion of the pad connector being attached to the side connector, and the second portion of the pad connector being disposed adjacent to the rear surface of the pad and the vertical surface of the wall, and a second orientation with the rear side of the pad facing outwardly and the first portion of the pad connector being attached to the side connector, and the second portion of the pad connector being disposed adjacent to the front surface of the pad and the vertical surface of the wall.
US09909318B2

The present invention is a curb assembly system for modifying a metal building. The apparatus comprises a plurality of mounting brackets, at least two caps, at least two side rails, at least two end panels, and a plurality of screws. The mounting brackets are placed on support structure of the building, one of the at least two end panels is placed at the low point of the building, one of the at least two side rails is placed on the edge of an existing building panel, the at least two caps are placed a determined distance from each other, another of the at least two side rails is placed parallel to the first side rail, and another of the at least two end panels is placed at the high point of the building, such that there is created a “curb” comprised of the side rails and caps which can support an device or feature that is secured thereon.
US09909316B2

Disclosed are solar-reflective roofing and other building materials having high reflectance of near-infrared radiation and high transmission of radiation in the visible light range and a substantial emissivity so as to reduce the heat island effects experienced by the articles while also maintaining an aesthetically pleasing appearance. Also disclosed are related methods for fabrication of such materials.
US09909305B2

A composite wall assembly has an auxiliary wall and an inner wall. The auxiliary wall has a hollow space and a first supporting pillar having multiple first through holes. The inner wall is attached to the auxiliary wall and forms a depositing space. The inner wall has a first wall member, a second wall member, and a second supporting pillar having multiple second through holes. The depositing space is formed between the first wall member and the second wall member. The auxiliary wall provides a cushion effect and is not damaged easily in the earthquake for protecting the pipelines in the hollow space. The interior ambient temperature of the building is lowered by the hollow space of the auxiliary wall.
US09909303B2

An exterior insulation structure includes a first board member, first supporting members, a first thermal insulator, second supporting members disposed on the exterior side of the first supporting members, a second thermal insulator disposed on the exterior side of the first thermal insulator and between the second supporting members, securing members fixed to the exterior side of the second supporting members, and exterior wall members attached to the securing members. The adjacent exterior wall members are joined together without leaving a gap therebetween. Each securing member is long enough, in the second direction, to be fixable to at least two second supporting members and shorter, in the second direction, than each exterior wall member. A first gap is left between the securing members adjacent in the second direction. At least part of each second supporting member is made of a material having a thermal conductivity lower than that of steel.
US09909298B2

A track for a wall construction for use in building construction is disclosed. Embodiments can include a track having a plurality of bendable tabs that can be manipulated to grip or release wall studs to prevent lateral or side to side movement of the studs. Embodiments can include tracks which incorporate various geometries capable of receiving fire-retardant material, including but not limited to intumescent material.
US09909289B2

A device for changing the jet shape of free-flowing products, in particular of foodstuffs, including: an inflow area for the free-flowing products to enter, an outflow area for the free-flowing products to exit, and several channels through which to pass the free-flowing products. Each channel has an inlet allocated to the inflow area and an outlet allocated to the outflow area. Each inlet of a channel has a first cross sectional area. Each outlet of a channel has a second cross sectional area. In order to make it easy to adjust the shape and velocity profile of the filling jet, it is proposed that the second cross sectional area of at least one channel be larger than the first cross sectional area of this channel.
US09909286B2

A portable half bathroom is disclosed. The portable half bathroom may be in a compact condition or in an expanded condition. In the compact condition, the portable half bathroom looks like a regular cabinet. Collapsed and folded panels are attached to the cabinet. All side and back walls are racked on their relative sides of the cabinet when the portable half bathroom is not in use. In the expanded condition, the panels are unfolded and expanded to form an enclosure.
US09909283B2

An image display apparatus for a shovel that includes a lower-part traveling body, an upper-part turning body turnably placed on the lower-part traveling body, and an attachment mounted on the upper-part turning body, and performs work in a work area by driving the attachment, includes an image display part configured to display the work area to be subjected to the work. An image of the work area captured with an image capturing device is subjected to image processing to add and indicate a distribution of depressions and elevations of the work area, and is displayed on the image display part.
US09909278B2

Concrete wall supports that reduce or eliminate wall movement due to exterior horizontal forces. One support is a bracket mounted to a floor joist with a plate extending below the top of the wall and two legs extending from the plate and attaching to the joist. One leg is above the concrete wall on one horizontal side of the plate, and the other leg is on the opposite side of the plate. Another support has a plate that extends below the top of the wall with two legs on opposite sides of the joist above the wall. A leg attaches to the lower edge of the joist. A support against shear forces includes a highly water permeable aggregate composite disposed in the voids of the wall, with a supportive strip that is enclosed in the aggregate composite and extends out of the voids to the face of the wall.
US09909270B1

A sign post cover comprised of a series of segments that are stacked fit around a traffic control sign post. Segments have on a side facing the same direction as the sign on the sign post differing visual patterns that alternate between successive segments. A rear side of each segment includes an alternate pattern. This allows an observer from any direction to determine the nature of the sign and the direction which that sign faces.
US09909263B2

A method includes: taking a topographical survey of a plurality of geographical points near a structure to be built, the position of each point being determined in an absolute frame of reference XYZ; installing a plurality of reflectors, each reflector being placed at a geographical point of the topographical survey; measuring distances between reflectors and optical devices, using at least three optical devices fixed on a moving arm of an insertion device that bears an element to be inserted; computing, by trilateration, the absolute position of the arm of the insertion device from the measured distances and from the known position of each optical reflector; and moving the arm of the insertion device based on the computed absolute position, so as to bring the element to be inserted into a predetermined implantation position.
US09909257B2

A modified kraft pulp fiber with unique properties is provided. The modified fiber can be a modified bleached kraft fiber that is almost indistinguishable from its conventional counterpart, except that it has a low degree of polymerization (DP). Methods for making the modified fiber and products made from it are also provided. The method can be a one step acidic, iron catalyzed peroxide treatment process that can be incorporated into a single stage of a multi-stage bleaching process. The products can be chemical cellulose feedstocks, microcrystalline cellulose feedstocks, fluff pulps and products made from them.
US09909256B2

A method for fibrillation of cellulose includes the following steps: introducing fiber pulp of anionic cellulose at a consistency of 1 to 4% into a homogenizer, and homogenizing fiber pulp in the homogenizer at a pressure of 200 to 1000 bar, advantageously 300 to 650 bar, and by using 2 to 4 passes through for the same fiber pulp under these conditions, and after passes through, taking pulp from the homogenizer, which pulp has been fibrillated by homogenization to a degree than can be expressed as Brookfield viscosity exceeding 10,000 mPa·s (consistency 0.8%, 10 rpm).
US09909254B2

A system and method for forming patterned tufted fabrics such as carpets, including the formation of patterns having cut pile and loop pile tufts therein. The system includes a pair of needle bars each carrying a series of needles to which a plurality of yarns are fed. Cut pile hooks are arranged along a cut pile side of a tufting zone, in a position to engage the needles of one of the needle bars, while loop pile loopers are arranged along the opposite loop pile side of the tufting zone, in a position to engage the needles of the other one of the needle bars. A backing material is fed through the tufting zone, and as loop pile tufts of yarns are formed in the backing material, the needles mounted along a needle bar extending along the cut pile side of the tufting zone can be shifted to an off-gauge position, with the yarn feed to these needles further being controlled, to substantially prevent engagement and pick-up of the yarns carried by such needles by the cut pile hooks.
US09909247B2

A laundry treating appliance for treating fabric according to a cycle of operation includes a cabinet defining an interior, a wash tub within the interior and having a peripheral wall with an upper portion and a bottom end closed by a base; a wash basket located within the wash tub for movement relative thereto and defining a laundry treating chamber; and a drive motor located within the cabinet for rotating or oscillating the wash basket. Prior to installation of the wash tub in the cabinet, the wash tub is oversized relative to the interior. After installation of the wash tub in the cabinet, the upper portion of the wash tub forms a press fit with the cabinet such that the upper portion of the wash tub exerts a force on the cabinet.
US09909246B2

A washing method includes (a) continuously rotating a drum in one direction at a first speed such that laundry is lifted to a predetermined height and then falls, (b) accelerating the drum to rotate the drum at a second speed such that the laundry is moved in a state in which at least some of the laundry clings to the drum, and (c) spraying wash water into the drum during rotation of the drum at the second speed.
US09909244B2

The invention relates to a method and a device for washing textile items to be washed, wherein the items to be washed and a washing liquid are introduced into a washing container. Then the washing container is dually asymmetrically centrifuged. During the dual asymmetrical centrifuging, the washing container is rotated about a first axis of rotation, which extends outside of the washing container, and simultaneously about a second axis of rotation, which extends through the washing container and is at an acute angle to the first axis of rotation. The washing process is thereby intensified and significantly accelerated.
US09909237B2

A wrappable textile sleeve and method of construction thereof is provided. The wrappable textile sleeve includes an elongate wall extending along a longitudinal axis between opposite ends with lengthwise extending edges extending parallel or substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis between the opposite ends. The wall is woven from lengthwise extending warp yarns and circumferentially extending weft yarns. The weft yarns form a plurality of discrete annular bands, with adjacent bands having weft yarns of different diameters to provide the wall with discrete enhanced hoop strength regions and with discrete enhanced flexibility regions, where the enhanced hoop strength and enhanced flexibility regions alternate in adjacent relation with one another.
US09909233B1

The present invention pertains to the use of mobile coherent interfaces in a ferroelectric material to interact with optical phonons and, ultimately, to affect the material's optical properties. In altering the optical phonon properties, the optical properties of the ferroelectric material in the spectral range near-to the phonon mode frequency can dramatically change. This can result in a facile means to change to the optical response of the ferroelectric material in the infrared.
US09909231B2

A method for recharging a crucible with polycrystalline silicon comprises adding flowable chips to a crucible used in a Czochralski-type process. Flowable chips are polycrystalline silicon particles made from polycrystalline silicon prepared by a chemical vapor deposition process, and flowable chips have a controlled particle size distribution, generally nonspherical morphology, low levels of bulk impurities, and low levels of surface impurities. Flowable chips can be added to the crucible using conventional feeder equipment, such as vibration feeder systems and canister feeder systems.
US09909225B2

The present invention relates to the lead-zirconate-titanate (PZT) amorphous alloy plating solution which may be used to form a PZT amorphous alloy film having excellent mechanical and physical properties and a method for plating a PZT amorphous alloy using the same. The PZT amorphous alloy plating solution may include a Pb precursor, a Zr precursor, and a Ti precursor. 10˜50 parts by weight of the Zr precursor and 5˜30 parts by weight of the Ti precursor may be included based on 100 parts by weight of the Pb precursor. Accordingly, electrical conductivity can be improved because the PZT amorphous alloy plating solution has a structure which has low crystallinity or which is amorphous. Furthermore, excellent electrical characteristics can be achieved because the PZT amorphous alloy plating solution has excellent conductivity or chemical stability.
US09909220B2

In a method of corrosion protection of rebar in concrete the sacrificial anode is held in place by wrapping a first wire around a first rebar portion and a second wire at second rebar portion and twisting together the first and second free ends to tension the wrappings. This can be used either on two separate rebars which are parallel or at right angles or can be used at longitudinally spaced positions on a single rebar where the rebar roughening prevents the two wrappings from sliding as the wires are tensioned by the twisting. In many cases a covering material such as a porous mortar is cast onto the outer surface of the anode and in this case the mortar and the wire are located such that the wire exits from the sacrificial anode at a position separate from the layer of covering material.
US09909219B2

The invention provides methods and compositions for addressing the problem of microorganism infestations and especially biocorrosion in slurry transporting pipelines. The method comprises treating pipeline fluid (especially plug fluid) with an oxidizing biocide in an amount higher than the oxidant demand of the pipeline and a non-oxidizing biocide in an amount less than 30% of the minimum necessary to sterilize the microbiological organisms. This treatment makes use of the unique characteristics of a slurry pipeline to eliminate microorganisms without harming the pipeline as would be expected by using an oxidizing biocide.
US09909216B2

The present invention relates to additives which may be employed in electroless metal and metal alloy plating baths and a process for use of said plating baths. Such additives reduce the plating rate and increase the stability of electroless plating baths and therefore, such electroless plating baths are particularly suitable for the deposition of said metal or metal alloys into recessed structures such as trenches and vias in printed circuit boards, IC substrates and semiconductor substrates. The electroless plating baths are further useful for metallization of display applications.
US09909212B2

Disclosed is an apparatus for processing a surface of a substrate by subjecting the surface of a substrate to successive surface reactions of at least a first precursor and a second precursor. The apparatus includes at least one nozzle head having two or more two or more precursor zones for subjecting the surface of the substrate to at least the first and second precursors and a moving mechanism for moving the nozzle head in oscillating movement between a first end position and a second end position. The moving mechanism is arranged to store at least part of the kinetic energy of the nozzle head released in oscillating movement of the nozzle head.
US09909207B1

A process to deposit a metallic coating on a non-metallic substrate by ion vapor deposition. The substrate is inserted into a stream of ions and vapor of the coating with a first side of the substrate facing a first electric grid. The substrate is at the same voltage potential as the first electric grid and a primer coating is deposited on the first side. The primer coated first side is next coated to a desired thickness by insertion into the ion stream with the substrate at a negative potential relative to the first grid. The substrate is then rotated so the second side is facing the first grid with the substrate at a negative potential relative the first grid for a time effective to deposit the coating to a desired thickness. One composite material is a laser sintered thermoplastic substrate with an aluminum or an aluminum base alloy coating.
US09909201B2

Various embodiments provide materials, parts, and methods useful for electronic devices. One embodiment includes providing a coating on at least one surface of a substrate, increasing an amorphicity of the coating, and incorporating the substrate including the coating having increased amorphicity into an electronic device. Another embodiment relates to frictionally transforming a coating from crystalline into amorphous to form a metamorphically transformed coating for an electronic device. Another embodiment relates to an electronic device part having a metamorphically transformed coating disposed on at least one surface thereof.
US09909186B2

The invention provides methods and reagents for identifying personalized tumor biomarkers for a patient that has a solid tumor and methods of using such biomarkers to monitor patient responses to therapeutic treatments.
US09909182B1

In one aspect, the invention provides methods of identifying genetic mutations that are associated with peripheral neurological disease. The methods comprise identifying a difference between a nucleic acid sequence of a small integral protein of the lysosome/late endosome (“SIMPLE”) gene from a mammalian subject exhibiting peripheral neuropathy and a nucleic acid sequence of a SIMPLE gene from a subject which is not exhibiting peripheral neuropathy, wherein the difference is a genetic mutation associated with peripheral neurological disease. In another aspect, isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding SIMPLE missense mutations are provided. In another aspect, a method of screening a subject to determine if the subject has a genetic predisposition to develop Charcot-Marie-Tooth type 1C neuropathy is provided. In another aspect, the invention provides kits for determining susceptibility or presence of Charcot-Marie-Tooth type 1C neuropathy in a mammalian subject.
US09909170B2

The invention encompasses a method for amplifying at least two different nucleic acid sequences. In particular, the method encompasses a multiplexed nucleic acid patch polymerase chain reaction.
US09909160B2

Disclosed are genes that, when overexpressed in cells expressing alpha-synuclein, either suppress or enhance alpha-synuclein mediated cellular toxicity. Compounds that modulate expression of these genes or activity of the encoded proteins can be used to inhibit alpha-synuclein mediated toxicity and used to treat or prevent synucleinopathies such as Parkinson's disease. Also disclosed are methods of identifying inhibitors of alpha-synuclein mediated toxicity.
US09909155B2

Recombinant DNA techniques are used to produce oleaginous recombinant cells that produce triglyceride oils having desired fatty acid profiles and regiospecific or stereospecific profiles. Genes manipulated include those encoding stearoyl-ACP desturase, delta 12 fatty acid desaturase, acyl-ACP thioesterase, ketoacyl-ACP synthase, and lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase. The oil produced can have enhanced oxidative or thermal stability, or can be useful as a frying oil, shortening, roll-in shortening, tempering fat, cocoa butter replacement, as a lubricant, or as a feedstock for various chemical processes. The fatty acid profile can be enriched in midchain profiles or the oil can be enriched in triglycerides of the saturated-unsaturated-saturated type.
US09909150B2

Provided herein is a non-naturally occurring microbial organism having a methanol metabolic pathway that can enhance the availability of reducing equivalents in the presence of methanol. Such reducing equivalents can be used to increase the product yield of organic compounds produced by the microbial organism, such as 1,2-propanediol, n-propanol, 1,3-propanediol or glycerol. Also provided herein are methods for using such an organism to produce 1,2-propanediol, n-propanol, 1,3-propanediol or glycerol.
US09909146B2

The present invention relates to a method for generating alkenes biologically. It relates more particularly to a method for producing terminal alkenes by enzymatic decarboxylation of 3-hydroxyalkanoate molecules. The invention also relates to the enzymatic systems and the microbial strains used, and also to the products obtained.
US09909135B2

The present invention provides transgenic plants comprising 3-Deoxy-D-Arabino-Heptulosonate 7-Phosphate (DAHP) Synthase that is insensitive to feedback inhibition, particularly to feedback inhibition by phenylalanine, producing increased amounts of the Shikimate pathway primary and secondary metabolites, including aromatic amino acids compared to corresponding non-transgenic plants.
US09909133B2

Provided are constructs and methods for expressing a transgene in plant cells and/or plant tissues using chimeric gene regulatory elements.
US09909131B2

As disclosed herein, optimal native genomic loci of soybean plants have been identified that represent best sites for targeted insertion of exogenous sequences.
US09909129B2

This disclosure describes a recombinant microbial cells and methods of making and using such recombinant microbial cells. Generally, the recombinant cells may be modified to exhibit increased biosynthesis of a TCA derivative compared to a wild-type control. In some embodiments, the TCA derivative can include 1,4-butanediol. In various embodiments, the microbial cell is a fungal cell or a bacterial cell. In some embodiments, the increased biosynthesis of the TCA derivative can include an increase in xylose dehydrogenase activity, xylonolactonase activity, xylonate dehydratase activity, or 2-keto-3-deoxyaldonic acid dehydratase activity.
US09909128B2

A method of treating cancer in a subject is provided. The method includes administering a splice modulating oligonucleotide to the subject in an amount effective to provide a therapeutic benefit to the subject. In the method, the oligonucleotide modifies splicing of a pre-mRNA encoding a polypeptide, and either: reduces expression of the polypeptide if the polypeptide promotes cancer cell survival, proliferation, and/or metastasis, or promotes angiogenesis, or a combination thereof; or increases expression of the polypeptide if the polypeptide inhibits cancer cell survival, proliferation and/or metastasis, or inhibits angiogenesis, or a combination thereof. Similar methods of treating diseases involving prolactin or the prolactin receptor are also provided.
US09909126B2

The present invention relates to antisense oligonucleotides that modulate the expression of and/or function of an Adiponectin (ADIPOQ), in particular, by targeting natural antisense polynucleotides of an Adiponectin (ADIPOQ). The invention also relates to the identification of these antisense oligonucleotides and their use in treating diseases and disorders associated with the expression of Adiponectins (ADIPOQ)s.
US09909122B2

This disclosure provides for compositions and methods for the use of nucleic acid-targeting nucleic acids and complexes thereof.
US09909119B2

A method for producing a purified soybean oligosaccharide liquid according to the present invention is a method for producing a purified soybean oligosaccharide liquid from a soybean and/or a processed soybean product, comprising: the step (1) of mixing the soybean and/or the processed soybean product with a water-containing polar organic solvent that contains a polar organic solvent and water and then removing a generated precipitate to obtain a soybean oligosaccharide liquid that contains the water-containing polar organic solvent; the step (2) of removing the polar organic solvent from the soybean oligosaccharide liquid to obtain a soybean oligosaccharide suspension; the step (3) of mixing the soybean oligosaccharide suspension with cellulase to obtain a cellulase-treated soybean oligosaccharide suspension; and the step (4) of subjecting the cellulase-treated soybean oligosaccharide suspension to solid-liquid separation to obtain a purified soybean oligosaccharide liquid.
US09909115B2

The present invention relates to use of Persephonella carbonic anhydrase in CO2 extraction, e.g., from flue gas, natural gas, biogas or ambient air. The Persephonella carbonic anhydrases are especially well suited for these purpose due to their extreme thermostability.
US09909108B2

Disclosed are therapeutic formulations comprising antibodies against the PEKRAEKIWK (SEQ ID NO:1) epitope of the monomeric isoform of A-protein and a physiologically acceptable carrier. Methods for the treatment of subjects using these therapeutic formulations are also disclosed.
US09909105B2

The slow kinetics and low efficiency of reprogramming methods to generate human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) impose major limitations on their utility in biomedical applications. Here we describe a chemical approach that dramatically improves (>200 fold) the efficiency of iPSC generation from human fibroblasts, within seven days of treatment. This will provide a basis for developing safer, more efficient, non-viral methods for reprogramming human somatic cells.
US09909080B2

The invention provides a grease composition containing a base oil, a thickener and a rust inhibitor, characterized in that the rust inhibitor includes an organic sulfonate and a fatty acid amine salt. The grease composition of the invention exhibits excellent rust preventing characteristics and causes little damage to the environment.
US09909073B2

A renewable fuel may be obtained from a bio-oil containing C3-C5 oxygenates. In a first step, the bio-oil is subjected to a condensation reaction in which the oxygenates undergo a carbon-carbon bond forming reaction to produce a stream containing C6+ oxygenates. In a second step, the stream is hydrotreated to produce C6+ hydrocarbons.
US09909070B2

A process for dewatering oil sand fine tailings is provided and comprises a dispersion and floc build-up stage comprising in-line addition of a flocculent solution comprising an effective amount of flocculation reagent into a flow of the oil sand fine tailings; a gel stage wherein flocculated oil sand fine tailings is transported in-line and subjected to shear conditioning; a floc breakdown and water release stage wherein the flocculated oil sand fine tailings releases water and decreases in yield shear stress, while avoiding an oversheared zone; depositing the flocculated oil sand fine tailings onto a deposition area to form a deposit and to enable the release water to flow away from the deposit, preferably done in a pipeline reactor and managing shear according to yield stress and CST information and achieves enhanced dewatering.
US09909068B2

The invention relates to processes for producing anode grade coke from whole crude oil. The invention is accomplished by first deasphalting a feedstock, followed by processing resulting DAO and asphalt fractions. The DAO fraction is hydrotreated or hydrocracked, resulting in removal of sulfur and hydrocarbons, which boil at temperatures over 370° C., and gasifying the asphalt portion in one embodiment. This embodiment includes subjecting hydrotreated and/or unconverted DAO fractions to delayed coking. In an alternate embodiment, rather than gasifying the asphalt portion, it is subjected to delayed coking in a separate reaction chamber. Any coke produced via delayed coking can be gasified.
US09909056B2

A method and composition relating to treating subterranean wells and particularly relating to treating subterranean wells with crosslinked well treatment fluids is shown. The method and composition involve the use of a ulexite with a crosslinking accelerator selected from the group consisting of ammonium salts.
US09909050B2

An emulsifying composition for an oil based drilling fluid includes oleyl alcohol and a mixture of polymeric amides. The polymeric amides can be 1,3-dihydroxypropan-2-yl (E)-12-hydroxyoctadec-9-enoate, (9E,9′E)-N,N′-(azanediylbis(ethane-2,1-diyl))bis(12-hydroxyoctadec-9-enamide, (E)-12-hydroxy-N,N-bis(2-((E)-12-hydroxyoctadec-9-enamido(ethyl)octadec-9-enamide, (Z)-4-(bis(2-((E)-12-hydroxyoctadec-9-enamido)ethy)amino)-4-oxobut-2-enoic acid, 1,3-dihydroxypropan-2-yl(Z)-4-(bis(2-((E)-12-hydroxyoctadec-9-enamido)ethy)amino)-4-oxobut-2-enoate, and N1,N1,N4,N4-tetrakis(2-((E)-12-hydroxyoctadec-9-enamido)ethyl)maleamide. The method of forming the emulsifying composition includes reacting a fatty oil with diethylenetriamine and then maleic acid, and adding oleyl alcohol. The high density emulsifying composition is stable at high temperatures of drilling operations at greater depths in the wellbore.
US09909043B2

The present invention relates to acrylic compositions capable of bonding directly with an isocyanate-containing composition, e.g. polyurethane, and methods for manufacturing the same. The acrylic compositions of the invention have multifunctional chain transfer agents and/or multifunctional crosslinkers with isocyanate-reactive groups.
US09909036B2

A pressure-sensitive adhesive composition is disclosed. The composition comprises a particulate polymer of a monomer mixture comprising (a) an alkyl (meth)acrylate monomer; (b) at least one of (b-1) an alkyl (meth)acrylate monomer with the alkyl group having a carbon number of 15 to 24 and the alkyl group being a linear alkyl group and (b-2) an alkyl (meth)acrylate monomer with the alkyl group having a carbon number of 15 to 24 and the alkyl group being a branched alkyl group; and (c) a monoolefinically unsaturated monomer having a ketone group with the alkyl group having a carbon number of 8 to 14. Pressure sensitive adhesive tapes incorporating such adhesive compositions are also described.
US09909032B2

The invention provides a chemical-mechanical polishing composition containing aluminate-modified silica particles, a polyacrylamide, a heterocyclic film-forming agent, and water. The invention also provides a method of chemically-mechanically polishing a substrate, especially a nickel-phosphorous substrate, by contacting a substrate with a polishing pad and the chemical-mechanical polishing composition, moving the polishing pad and the polishing composition relative to the substrate, and abrading at least a portion of the substrate to polish the substrate.
US09909027B2

The present invention provides a composition which is able to form a layer having excellent surface slip property and friction durability in addition to water-repellency, oil-repellency and antifouling property. The present invention provides a surface-treatment composition comprising (A) at least one fluorine-containing polymer having a curable moiety, and (B) at least one silicon-containing polymer having a curable moiety.
US09909020B2

The present invention relates to a method of activating an organic coating to enhance adhesion of the coating to a further coating and/or to other entities comprising applying a solvent and a surface chemistry and/or surface topography modifying agent to the organic coating.The invention also relates to a coated substrate having an activated coating, wherein the adhesion of the coating to a further coating and/or other entities has been enhanced by application of a solvent and a surface chemistry and/or surface topography modifying agent to the coating.The invention further relates to an activation treatment for an organic coating to enhance adhesion of the coating to a further coating and/or to other entities comprising a solvent and a surface chemistry and/or surface topography modifying agent and a method for the preparation of the activation treatment.
US09908996B2

The present invention relates to a flaky graphite-based polymer nanocomplex for preparation of a polymer complex, and more specifically, to a complex to which a polymer is stably bonded by surface-modifying, with a catecholamine, flaky graphite having a structure with nanoparticles crystallized at a high density on the surface. If the complex is dispersed in a target polymeric resin, preferably, in a homogeneous polymeric resin which is bonded to the complex, the complex is dispersed in the polymeric resin homogeneously and evenly, thereby being capable of obtaining a composite having excellent function in conductivity, thermal conductivity, etc.
US09908990B2

An organic layer composition, an organic layer, and a method of forming patterns, the composition including a polymer that includes a substituted or unsubstituted fluorene structure, an additive represented by Chemical Formula 1, and a solvent:
US09908989B2

A composition for recyclate verification is produced by adding a predetermined quantity of one or more verification compounds to a base resin. Each of the verification compounds is thermally stable over a range of temperatures that includes the maximum processing temperature of the base resin but is less than the degradation temperature of the base resin. In some embodiments, a thermoplastic material provided for verification as a recyclate is analyzed to detect the presence (and, optionally, the loading level) of one or more verification compounds associated with the base resin of the thermoplastic material. In some embodiments, a computer-implemented method for recyclate verification is performed using a computer program product. In some embodiments, a thermoplastic material verified as a recyclate is heated to drive off the verification compound(s), then a known quantity of the verification compound(s) is added to the recyclate, which is then blended with virgin base resin material.
US09908988B2

An article having a heat source and an electrically insulating thermal management component located in proximity to the heart source. The thermal management component contains a cured thermoset formed from a composition containing (a) a diglycidyl compound which has mesogenic structure and melting point of the diglycidyl compound is 150° C. or less, (b) a hardener and (c) an inorganic filler having specific thermal conductivity. The cured thermoset has high thermal conductivity.
US09908984B2

A polyurethane foam having an initial UL 94 vertical flame classification of V-0 and maintaining a UL 94 vertical flame classification of V-0 after one week of heat aging at 150° C. is formed as the reaction product of an isocyanate component and an isocyanate-reactive component in the presence of a blowing agent. The isocyanate component includes an isocyanate-containing compound and a non-reactive phosphorous compound that is present in an amount ranging from 1 to 20 weight percent based on the total weight of the polyurethane foam. The isocyanate-reactive component includes a polyether polyol and expandable graphite that is present in an amount ranging from 3 to 30 weight percent based on the total weight of the polyurethane foam.
US09908979B2

The present invention provides a method for producing polythiophene star copolymer capable of being self-doped by an external stimulus, which includes the steps of: forming a polythiophene macroinitiator made by introducing a living radical polymerizable functional group into an end of polythiophene or a derivative thereof; forming through living radical polymerization a polymer macroinitiator for providing by an external stimulus at least a dopant selected from the group consisting of sulfonic acid radical, carboxylic acid radical and phosphoric acid radical; and polymerizing the polythiophene macroinitiator added with the polymer macroinitiator and at least one kind of divinyl monomer to produce the polythiophene star copolymer. The polythiophene star copolymer capable of being self-doped by an external stimulus according to the present invention is a self-doped material to stably increase conductivity, and can be used as a material for a conductive film.
US09908978B2

Methods for producing 3D printing composite polymer materials for use in additive manufacturing processes are provided. The methods result in enhancing the material properties of the printing material by providing a uniform and smooth surface finish of the printing material and the nozzle extrudate for additive manufacturing processes, such as Fused Filament Fabrication. The method includes implementing impregnation techniques for combining carbon nanotubes or other nano-fillers, a polymer resin and a fiber material to produce a polymer material that can be processed into a printing material. Further, the method may include combining the carbon nanotubes or other nano-fillers and the polymer resin to form a masterbatch that may be further combined with the fiber material through an extrusion process. The method results in a printing material with enhanced material properties and smooth surface finish for the printing material and resulting nozzle extrudate for Fused Filament Fabrication.
US09908969B2

This invention provides a chlorinated poly(propylene carbonate) and the preparation method thereof, the chlorinated poly(propylene carbonate) is as represented by formula (I). Compared to the prior poly(propylene carbonate)s, the chlorinated poly(propylene carbonate) has relatively stronger electronegativity due to the presence of chlorine atoms and the interaction of the chlorinated poly(propylene carbonate) with other polar materials can be enhanced, so that it can be widely used as a compatilizer, a binder, a paint, an ink, and the like. After the introduction of chlorine atoms, hydrogen bond interaction is generated within the chlorinated poly(propylene carbonate), so that its processability and mechanical properties are both improved. Furthermore, the chlorine atom may improve the flame retardancy of chlorinated poly(propylene carbonate) materials.
US09908964B2

A process for providing isocyanurate modified methyl diphenyl diisocyanate is provided, the process comprises determine the NCO-value of the MDI; define the NCO-value for MDI; define a ratio of the volume of the MDI to be trimerised over volume of the MDI not to be trimerised; determine, in function of this ratio, the NCO-value of the isocyanurate modified MDI to be provided and the NCO-value of the MDI a target NCO-value for the part of MDI to be trimerised; divide the MDI in two part according to the defined ratio; provide a trimerised part of the MDI by trimerising one of these parts until the target NCO-value is obtained; and terminate the trimerisation by killing the trimerisation catalyst and blend the two parts with each other.
US09908957B2

Modified polyvinyl alcohol contains a monomer unit having a carboxyl group, wherein the modified polyvinyl alcohol has a degree of saponification of from 50 to 99.99 mol % and a viscosity-average degree of polymerization of from 200 to 5000 and satisfies formulae (1) to (3) below. The modified polyvinyl alcohol of the present invention thus obtained is particularly excellent in dispersibility in water. 0.8≦(MwUV/MwRI)≦1.2  (1) 2≦(MwUV/MnUV)≦8  (2) 0.01≦A280≦0.8  (3)
US09908950B2

A process for polymerizing or copolymerizing ethylenically unsaturated monomers in the presence of free-radical polymerization initiators, wherein the polymerization is carried out at temperatures from 100° C. to 350° C. and pressures in the range of from 110 MPa to 500 MPa in a continuously operated polymerization reactor which is controlled by a pressure control valve at the outlet of the polymerization reactor, the process comprising continuously monitoring the pressure within the polymerization reactor, feeding a pressure signal to a controller for controlling the control valve and having the controller altering the opening of the pressure control valve to control the pressure within the polymerization reactor, wherein the controller starts an emergency shutdown program when the pressure control valve closes more than a preset threshold value and the pressure within the polymerization reactor decreases below a preset pressure threshold.
US09908948B2

Enantiomers of butanediol diglycidyl ether (BDDE) are present in an enantiomerically enriched enantioenriched mixture of BDDE stereisomers or in an enantiomerically pure BDDE. Enantiomerically enriched or pure BDDE is useful as a cross-linking agent, such as in the preparation of a cross-linked hyaluronic acid product.
US09908944B2

The present invention relates to a method of identifying urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) antibodies. The invention also relates to antibodies that are capable of binding uPA and which are capable of reducing or inhibiting uPA activity. Furthermore, the invention relates to uses for such antibodies, such as therapeutic and pharmaceutical uses.
US09908943B2

Described are single domain antibodies with a specificity for BACE1. More specifically, described are single variable-domain antibodies derived from camelids that bind to BACE1 and are capable of inhibiting the activity of BACE1. The antibodies can be used for research and medical applications. Specific applications include the use of BACE1-specific antibodies for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
US09908942B2

This patent document relates to antibodies, antigen-binding antibody fragments (Fabs), and other protein scaffolds, directed against human antithrombin β complexed with heparin and/or heparin-like structure (ATβH). These ATβH binding proteins can block the anti-coagulant activity of ATβ to induce coagulation. Therapeutic uses of these antibodies and binders are described herein as are methods of panning and screening specific antibodies.
US09908941B2

An anti-human TSLP receptor antibody that specifically binds to human TSLP receptor and inhibits an action of human TSLP through human TSLP receptor. A method for preventing or treating asthma by administering the anti-human TSLP receptor antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof. An anti-human TSLP receptor antibody had been studied by the present inventors, and an anti-human TSLP receptor antibody including a heavy chain variable region consisting of the amino acid sequence of amino acid numbers 1 to 118 of SEQ ID NO: 1 and a light chain variable region consisting of the amino acid sequence of amino acid numbers 1 to 108 of SEQ ID NO: 3 was provided. It was revealed that the anti-human TSLP receptor antibody inhibits expression of TARC mRNA induced by TSLP and production of MDC proteins, and suppressed an allergic reaction in a monkey Ascaris antigen sensitization model.
US09908937B2

Disclosed are domain antibodies that monovalently bind CD28. Domain antibodies that are monovalent for binding of CD28 can inhibit CD28 activity. In one aspect, a domain antibody consists of or comprises a single immunoglobulin variable domain that specifically binds and antagonizes the activity of CD28, in an aspect, without substantially agonizing CD28 activity. In another aspect, the domain antibody is a human domain antibody. The disclosure further encompasses methods of antagonizing CD80 and/or CD86 interactions with CD28 in an individual and methods of treating diseases or disorders involving CD80 and/or CD86 interactions with CD28, the methods involving administering a domain antibody to the individual.
US09908936B2

Antibody molecules that specifically bind to LAG-3 are disclosed. The anti-LAG-3 antibody molecules can be used to treat, prevent and/or diagnose cancerous or infectious disorders.
US09908934B2

The present invention relates to pharmaceutical and medical technologies, and more particularly to novel nanobodies against pulmonary surfactant protein A (SP-A) and their preparation methods. The nanobodies of the present invention comprises an amino acid sequence having certain formula. The present invention also relates to nucleic acid sequences encoding the nanobodies, their preparation method and their applications. Immunohistochemistry and in vivo imaging show that the nanobodies of the present inventions have high lung-targeting specificity.
US09908931B2

The present invention provides anti-hemagglutinin antibodies, compositions comprising anti-hemagglutinin antibodies, and methods of using the same.
US09908924B2

A polypeptide and polynucleotides comprising at least two carboxy-terminal peptides (CTP) of chorionic gonadotrophin attached to a non-human peptide-of-interest are disclosed. Pharmaceutical compositions comprising the non-human polypeptides and polynucleotides of the invention and methods of using both human and non-human polypeptides and polynucleotides are also discarded.
US09908912B2

A selective agent comprising a triclosan derivative for use in selective inhibition of non-target cells in a mixed population of target and non-target cells. Preferably the triclosan derivative is a glycoside derivative, more preferably a pyranoside derivative. Suitably a selective medium comprising said selective agent and methods of culturing cells using the selective agent are provided.
US09908910B2

The invention relates to Rh, Ru, Co and Ir complexes comprising bidentate diphosphoramidites as ligands and to the use thereof as catalysts for the hydroformylation of olefins. The invention also relates to a process for preparing an aldehyde from an olefin using the complexes or ligands mentioned.
US09908905B2

Methods for synthesizing aluminum-modified silazanes, their use as polymer-derived ceramic precursors, and polymer-derived ceramics and carbon nanotube core/shell nanocomposites formed therefrom are disclosed.
US09908895B2

The present invention provides tricyclic fused thiophene derivatives, as well as their compositions and methods of use, that modulate the activity of Janus kinase (JAK) and are useful in the treatment of diseases related to the activity of JAK including, for example, inflammatory disorders, autoimmune disorders, cancer, and other diseases.
US09908890B2

The compounds of the invention are antagonists of CAR, with specificity for CAR over other proteins including PXR. The disclosed compounds are useful in treating or controlling cell proliferative disorders, in particular oncological disorders, such as cancer. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present invention.
US09908882B2

A process for preparing halogenated azaindole compounds makes use of stable reagents including a brominating reagent, a boroxine and a sulfonic anhydride to enhance the selectivity and yield of the final product. In addition, the process is associated with various other advantages, including the ability to recycle reagents, cost reduction, and improved manufacturability.
US09908878B2

Methods of inhibiting the replication of influenza viruses in a biological sample or patient, of reducing the amount of influenza viruses in a biological sample or patient, and of treating influenza in a patient, comprises administering to said biological sample or patient an effective amount of a compound represented by Structural Formula (I): or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein the values of Structural Formula (I) are as described herein. A compound is represented by Structural Formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein the values of Structural Formula (I) are as described herein. A pharmaceutical composition comprises an effective amount of such a compound or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, adjuvant or vehicle.
US09908875B2

The present application relates to compounds having the inhibitory activity to apoptosis signal-regulating kinase (ASK1), thus are thus useful in treating ASK1-mediated conditions, including autoimmune disorders, inflammatory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, diabetic nephropathy, cardio-renal diseases, including kidney disease, fibrotic diseases, respiratory diseases, COPD, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, acute lung injury, acute and chronic liver diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases.
US09908874B2

The present invention provides a method for physically separating the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) from the excipients in a pharmaceutical formulation before the API is fully characterized by standard techniques. The presently disclosed method is based on making use of the difference in density of the API and that of the excipients. In the method, the API is not dissolved, nor is the crystal form of the API changed.
US09908872B2

The present invention provides compounds of any one of Formulae (I) to (V) (e.g., compounds of any one of Formulae (I-1) to (I-9)), and methods for treating Waldenström's macroglobulinemia (WM) and other B cell neoplams in a subject using the compounds. The methods comprise administering to a subject in need thereof an effective amount of the compounds. Also provided are methods to treat B cell neoplasms using the compounds in combination with inhibitors of Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK), interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase 1 (IRAK1), interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase 4 (IRAK4), bone marrow on X chromosome kinase (BMX), phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), transforming growth factor b-activated kinase-1 (TAK1), and/or a Src family kinase.
US09908871B2

The invention generally relates to functional polymers and hydrogels. More particularly, the invention provides versatile monomers and polymers with well-defined functionalities, e.g., polycarbonates and poly(ester-carbonates), compositions thereof, and methods for making and using the same. The invention also provides cytocompatible poly(ethylene glycol)-co-polycarobonate hydrogels (e.g., crosslinked by copper-free, strain-promoted “click” chemistry).
US09908870B2

The present invention relates to a novel crystalline form of a benzimidazole derivative and a preparation method thereof.The novel crystalline form according to the present invention is hardly changed chemically and/or physically under a long-term photo-stressed condition, has a low hygroscopicity, and has an extremely low static-electricity-inducing capability, thus being advantageous for formulation, and due to the excellent stability of the crystal form itself, it is very useful for long-term storage of the compound.
US09908864B2

The present application provides processes for making pesticidal compounds and compounds useful both as pesticides and in the making of pesticidal compounds.
US09908857B2

A method of forming a molecular complex. The method proceeds by reacting 5-chloro-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole with N-bromosuccinimide to produce 4,7-dibromo-5-chlorobenzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole. 4,7-dibromo-5-chlorobenzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole is then reacted with trimethyl[4-(2-octyldodecyl)thiophen-2-yl]stannane to produce 5-chloro-4,7-bis(4-(2-octyldodecyl)thiophen-2-yl)benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole. 4, 7-bis(5-bromo-4-(2-octyldodecyl)thiophen-2-yl)-5-chlorobenzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole is subsequently synthesized from 5-chloro-4,7-bis(4-(2-octyldodecyl)thiophen-2-yl)benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole. 4,7-bis(5-bromo-4-(2-octyldodecyl)thiophen-2-yl)-5-chlorobenzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole with tributyl(thiophen-2-yl)stannane is then reacted to produce 4-bromo-5,6-difluoro-7-(thiophen-2-yl)benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole. This is followed by reacting 4,7-dibromo-5-chloro-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole with tributyl(thiophen-2-yl)stannane to produce 4-bromo-5-chloro-7-(thiophen-2-yl)benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole. trimethyl[4-(2-octyldodecyl)thiophen-2-yl]stannane is then reacted with and 4-bromo-5-chloro-7-(thiophen-2-yl)benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole to produce 5-chloro-4-(4-(2-octyldodecyl)thiophen-2-yl)-7-(thiophen-2-yl)benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole. 5-chloro-4-(4-(2-octyldodecyl)thiophen-2-yl)-7-(thiophen-2-yl)benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole is then reacted with N-bromosuccinimide to produce the co-monomer 4-(5-bromo-4-(2-octyldodecyl)thiophen-2-yl)-7-(5-bromothiophen-2-yl)-5-chlorobenzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole. A group can then be coupled to 4-(5-bromo-4-(2-octyldodecyl)thiophen-2-yl)-7-(5-bromothiophen-2-yl)-5-chlorobenzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole to produce a molecular complex.
US09908853B2

The present application relates to imidazolidinecliones, compositions comprising these compounds and their use, in particular for the treatment of diseases, disorders or conditions characterized by or associated with the hypercitrullination of proteins by peptidyl arginine deiminase (PAD) enzymes. In particular, the present application includes compounds of Formula I, and compositions and uses thereof: (I).
US09908841B2

This disclosure concerns the discovery of (R,R)- and (R,S)-fenoterol analogs which are highly effective at binding β2-adrenergic receptors. Exemplary chemical structures for these analogs are provided. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions including the disclosed (R,R)-fenoterol and fenoterol analogs, and methods of using such compounds and compositions for the treatment of cardiac disorders such as congestive heart failure and pulmonary disorders such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
US09908835B2

Processes for purifying acetic acid by distilling a process in a column in which acetic anhydride is formed in the lower portion of the column. The product stream withdrawn from the column comprises acetic acid, water at a concentration of no more than 0.2 wt. %, and acetic anhydride at a concentration of no more than 600 wppm. The process further comprises hydrating the acetic anhydride in the product stream to form a purified acetic acid product comprising acetic anhydride at a concentration of no more than 50 wppm.
US09908810B2

Chemically strengthened glass articles having at least one deep compressive layer extending from a surface of the article to a depth of at least about 45 μm within the article are provided. In one embodiment, the compressive stress profile includes a single linear segment extending from the surface to the depth of compression DOC. Alternatively, the compressive stress profile includes two linear portions: the first portion extending from the surface to a relatively shallow depth and having a steep slope; and a second portion extending from the shallow depth to the depth of compression. The strengthened glass has a 60% survival rate when dropped from a height of 80 cm in an inverted ball drop test and an equibiaxial flexural strength of at least 10 kgf as determined by abraded ring-on-ring testing. Methods of achieving such stress profiles are also described.
US09908809B2

Provided is a high-strength crystallized glass or substrate having a high visible light transmittance and a good color balance, which is suitable for use in protecting members of portable electronic devices, optical devices and the like. Provided is a crystallized glass comprising, in terms of mol % on an oxide basis: an SiO2 component of 30.0% or more and 70.0% or less, an Al2O3 component of 8.0% or more and 25.0%, an Na2O component of 0% or more and 25.0% or less, an MgO component of 0% or more and 25.0% or less, a ZnO component of 0% or more and 30.0% or less and a TiO2 component of 0% or more and 10.0% or less, the molar ratio [Al2O3/(MgO+ZnO)] having a value of 0.5 or more and 2.0 or less, and comprising one or more selected from RAl2O4, RTi2O5, R2TiO4, R2SiO4, RAl2Si2O8 and R2Al4Si5O18 as a crystal phase.
US09908806B2

A method of manufacturing a glass sheet involves forming a scribe in one surface of a glass sheet having a rectangular shape on a periphery of an edge portion of the glass sheet in parallel to the edge portion, and cutting the glass sheet along the scribe as a boundary. The method includes forming the scribe in a region other than both end portions of the glass sheet in a direction along the edge portion; and cutting the glass sheet along a bending portion in which the glass sheet is locally bent, the bending portion being continuously formed in a state of being connected to the scribe and gradually protruding from an edge portion side to an inner side as being shifted away from the scribe.
US09908804B2

Methods and apparatus provide for: producing a plasma plume within a plasma containment vessel from a source of plasma gas; feeding an elongate feedstock material having a longitudinal axis into the plasma containment vessel such that at least a distal end of the feedstock material is heated within the plasma plume; and spinning the feedstock material about the longitudinal axis as the distal end of the feedstock material advances into the plasma plume, where the feedstock material is a mixture of compounds that have been mixed, formed into the elongate shape, and at least partially sintered.
US09908799B2

A method for treating and improving the quality of pond water used in growing aquatic species for aquacultural applications by adding to the pond water active bacteria that are preferably grown on site in combination with a nitrification enhancement agent such as calcium carbonate or calcified seaweed, and an optional reaction surface area modifier such as calcified seaweed or plastic or metal particles or fragments.
US09908783B2

This disclosure relates to new crystalline microporous solids (including silicate- and aluminosilicate-based solids), the compositions comprising 8 and 10 membered inorganic rings, particularly those having RTH topologies having a range of Si:Al ratios, methods of preparing these and known crystalline microporous solids using certain quaternized imidazolium cation structuring agents.
US09908779B2

A method and apparatus for treating graphene raw material by plasma, and an application thereof are provided. After treated by the plasma, the graphene raw material will have a special structure and characteristic.
US09908777B2

A method for enhancing the mass transfer rate of a soluble gas from a gaseous phase to an aqueous phase using a membrane including a catalyst. The method comprises wetting the membrane with a liquid such that a film of the liquid forms on at least a portion of the membrane, the film contacting at least a portion of the catalyst. The method further comprises exposing the wetted membrane to at least one soluble gas, wherein at least a portion of the soluble gas dissolves into the liquid.
US09908770B2

A micromechanical structure is described, including: at least one elastically deformable first area, which includes a defined piezoelectrically doped second area, at least in sections; at least one fourth area, into which the electrical charges generated in the second area may be conducted; and at least one third area connected electrically to the second and fourth area, in which an electrical current flowing through is convertible into thermal energy.
US09908769B2

Ergonomic bridle for equines composed of a band formed by two lateral pieces joined to the upper bridge and to the frontal bridge; in which the lateral pieces are joined to curved-crescents which incorporate, at the ends thereof, a belt for the joining to the bit; a nasal band which is connected to a throatband formed by two curved belts which are joined to each other at the area of the lower maxilla.
US09908767B2

In many aspects, a system for a beverage dispenser can include a detector, a touch screen, and a control unit electrically coupled to the touch screen and detector. The control unit is configured to implement a method. In the method, a first graphical configuration is sent to the touch screen for display during an operational mode. A sleep mode is entered after detecting no motion events from the detector after a predetermined amount of time. A second graphical configuration is sent to the touch screen for display or the touch screen is turned off as a result of entering the sleep mode. A motion event is then detected in proximity to the detector, and as a result, the sleep mode is discontinued, and the operational mode is activated, and the first graphical configuration is sent to the touch screen for redisplay.
US09908755B2

A lift assembly comprises a base, a drive mechanism, first and second flexible drive elements driven by the drive mechanism, first and second sheaves directing the first and second drive elements in different directions, and first and second load cells sensing load on the first and second sheaves. The sheaves can be mounted to first and second sheave mounts, and the load cells can sense load on the first and second sheave mounts. The sheave mounts can be provided on first and second sheave plates, and bearings can be positioned under the first and second sheave plates. The lift assembly can further comprise first and second sheave brackets for coupling the first and second sheaves to the first and second sheave mounts. The first sheave plate can further include an opening, and at least a portion of the second sheave bracket can be positioned in the opening.
US09908748B1

A clamping device for lifting and transferring objects can employ slanting interfaces to convert a pulling action on the clamping device to a clamping action on the object. Components of the clamping device can include a metal core embedded in a body of a different material. The embedded core construction can allow a simplified fabrication of the clamping device for high stresses, high forces, high durability and high reliability.
US09908737B2

A resilient cable caddy comprising a portable housing for storing reels of cable that has a lower base with a hinged top forming an enclosure for the reel. A reel of cable is rotatably mounted within the interior. A handle formed by abutting base and top portions enables carrying. Each reel comprises a spool with a central axle coupled at each end to spaced apart end caps, being retained by mounting rings. The spindles have bearing rings journalled to bearing races defined in the end caps. Both spindles comprise hubs disposed within case gudgeons. A two-piece spindle has a removable hub portion fitted to an internal socket. When reels are transported they may be stacked vertically atop one another with the one piece spindle engaging the empty and exposed spindle hub socket of an upper reel. Caddies may also be opened and stacked vertically for transportation.
US09908734B2

A printing system includes an endless metal transport belt for transporting sheets in a transport direction, wherein the metal transport belt comprises multiple through holes through which an underpressure or overpressure may be applied on the sheets, a sheet separation system for separating the sheets from the metal transport belt by applying a local overpressure, and a sheet separation guide which guides the separated sheets away from the metal transport belt. The sheet separation system includes a stationary sliding surface, wherein the metal transport belt slides over the stationary sliding surface, wherein the stationary sliding surface includes a number of blow holes which define the overpressure zone, and wherein the blow holes are configured to apply a local overpressure in the overpressure zone through the metal transport belt onto the underside of the sheets. The overpressure zone is formed in the curved part of the stationary sliding surface, wherein the overpressure zone has an upstream end and a downstream end, which are defined by the location of the blow holes, and wherein the sheet separation guide directly adjoins the overpressure zone at the downstream end thereof.
US09908733B2

The present disclosure describes a looped pile static reduction roller (100, 200, 300), an apparatus (400) including the looped pile static reduction roller, and a technique to neutralize static and static patterns from a polymeric film surface during processing, to enable higher speeds and fewer defects during web transport. The looped pile static reduction roller includes a static reduction engagement cover (160, 260, 360) that is resilient and can facilitate discharge of static from the web to ground before, during, and after contact with a charged web (320, 420).
US09908725B2

An object of the invention is to provide a sheet materials separation-aiding apparatus capable of creating a gap between a specific sheet material and a sheet material coming into contact with the lower surface thereof even when the location precision of a stack of laminated sheet materials is low in the height direction of the stack of laminated sheet materials and in the direction orthogonal to the height direction.
US09908721B2

A palletizer for depositing a preformed layer (13) of objects (14) on a pallet (15). The palletizer includes a conveyor, equipped with an advancement mechanism (16, M1), which advances the preformed layer of objects and is designed to impart kinetic energy to the preformed layer (13) of objects, a layer depositing tool (12) designed to deposit the preformed layer (13) of objects onto the pallet (15), and a transfer mechanism for transferring the preformed layer (13) of objects and designed so that the entirety of the preformed layer (13) of objects leaves the conveyor and arrives on the layer depositing tool (12). The transfer mechanism includes the advancement mechanism (16, M1). The conveyor is a conveyor-launcher (11) designed for launching the preformed layers (13) of objects, and the transfer mechanism includes the advancement mechanism of the conveyor-launcher and the kinetic energy imparted by the conveyor-launcher (11).
US09908720B2

One embodiment describes a seed planting system that includes a seed storage tank to store seeds; a seed meter fluidly coupled to the seed storage tank via a flow path, in which the seed meter receives seeds from the seed storage tank and distributes the seeds to ground engaging opener assemblies; and a seed deflector coupled to the seed storage tank directly above the flow path, in which the seed deflector guides the seeds from the seed storage tank into the flow path at an angle relative to a vertical axis of the flow path.
US09908717B2

An accumulation system for a conveyor that supports an object for movement along a path. The accumulation system including a clutch mechanism that selectively manipulates the operation of the conveyor via eddy currents to affect the movement of the object.
US09908706B1

A power drive unit (PDU) may comprise a first motorized roller comprising an outer rotor having a first magnetic member disposed on a radially inner surface of the outer rotor and may have a liner disposed on a radially outer surface of the outer rotor. The PDU may further comprise an inner rotor having a second magnetic member disposed on a radially outer surface of the inner rotor, the inner rotor configured to drive a shaft. The PDU may further comprise a stator located between the outer rotor and the inner rotor, the stator having at least one winding in electromagnetic communication with the first magnetic member and the second magnetic member. The PDU may further comprise a second motorized roller comprising a cylindrical member coupled to the shaft and may have a second liner disposed on a radially outer surface of the cylindrical member.
US09908705B2

A roller brush bed and drive system includes a motor, a motor drive shaft mechanically coupled to the motor, the motor drive shaft extending orthogonal to the roller brush, at least one gearbox mechanically coupled to the motor drive shaft, the at least one gearbox configured to mechanically couple to the roller brush and transmit torque from the motor drive shaft to the roller brush.
US09908703B2

A robotic storage assembly includes a safe that may a plurality of items. A drawer is slidably coupled to the safe. A control is coupled to the safe and the control may be manipulated. A storage unit is positioned within the safe to contain the plurality of items. The storage unit includes a plurality of trays. A spacing unit is positioned within the safe and the spacing unit engages the plurality of trays. The spacing unit selectively spaces the trays apart from each other. A retrieval unit is positioned within the safe. The retrieval unit is selectively positioned between the trays when the trays are spaced apart. Thus, the retrieval unit retrieves the items in the storage unit. The retrieval unit is selectively aligned with the drawer to deposit the items in the drawer. Thus, the items may be removed from the safe.
US09908699B2

A transport vehicle includes a pair of top arms that extend and retract, a pair of guides disposed below the pair of top arms, an adjuster that changes a spacing between the pair of guides, a cargo placement surface disposed below the pair of guides, a clamping detector that detects whether or not the cargo is being held between the pair of guides, and a controller. The controller pulls the cargo onto the cargo placement surface, then causes the adjuster to start a positioning operation as an operation to reduce a spacing between the pair of guides, and stops the positioning operation when the clamping detector detects that the cargo is being held between the pair of guides.
US09908695B1

The autonomous garbage can cart is a remotely operated motorized cart that transports garbage receptacles. The autonomous garbage can cart comprises a platform that is formed with a cavity that is sized to receive garbage receptacles. The autonomous garbage can cart further comprises one or more adaptive inserts that are used to adjust the size of the cavity to match the size of the garbage receptacle. The autonomous garbage can cart further comprises a plurality of wheels driven by a plurality of motors that are controlled by a control module. In a potential embodiment of the disclosure, the remote control system is operated through a personal data device. The autonomous garbage can cart comprises a platform, a plurality of wheels, one or more drive motors, a one or more gearing systems, a control module and a battery.
US09908694B2

A commercial dumpster includes a bag, a frame that supports the bag in an upright manner, and wheels that are attached to the frame. In some embodiments, the bag includes an open top and a first pair of sleeves that extend from opposing sides of a top edge of the bag. The frame includes a pair of top side bars that extend through the sleeves of the bag.
US09908690B2

The invention pertains to an egg package comprising: a bottom part (4) formed by suction molding of a fibrous material, the bottom part (4) comprising a rear side (28), a front side (30), two end sides (32), and a plurality of egg-receiving compartments (34) having non-planar side surfaces (35) so as to match at least partially the outer contours of an egg, the plurality of compartments (34) being arranged in at least two parallel rows with upwardly extending projections (36) located between the rows of compartments (34), a cover part (6) comprising two substantially planar end surfaces (10), substantially planar rear (48) and front surfaces (12), and a substantially planar top surface (14), said cover part (6) being formed by cardboard and connected to the bottom part (4) via an elongated flap (40) extending from the rear side (28) of the bottom part (4), said elongated flap (40) being provided with a weakening in the transition between said elongated flap (40) and rear side (28) of the bottom part (4), said weakening forming a hinge (50) so as to allow the cover part (6) to move between an open position and a closed position, said elongated flap (40) at least in part overlapping the inner side (42) of said rear surface (48) of the cover part (6), said bottom part (4) comprising a retainment flap (44) hinged to the front side (30) of the bottom part (4), said retainment flap (44) comprising at least one outwardly extending retainment projection (26) for locking engagement with one or more co-operating apertures (46) in the front surface (12) of the cover part (6), said cover part (6) further comprising a substantially flat display surface (16) formed in the region between the top surface (14) and front surface (12) of the cover part (6), said substantially flat display surface (16) meeting the top surface (14) at a first obtuse angle, thereby forming a first edge (18), and said substantially flat display surface (16) meeting the front surface (12) at a second obtuse angle, thereby forming a second edge (20). The invention also pertains to a kit of parts comprising a bottom part for an egg package and a blank of cardboard material comprising preformed cutting and folding lines, the blank being configured such that, when cut and folded along said cutting and folding lines, it forms a cover for said bottom part.
US09908684B2

A shipping container has an inner insulative sleeve having an outer, longitudinally extending, polymer film with lateral edges folded on itself to form a pocket having an opening and sealable by a flap. An assembly has an inner, longitudinally extending, biodegradable film having lateral edges and a longitudinal extending pad composed of textile cuttings and microbial and super-absorbent powders. The inner film extends longitudinally around the pad and is attached to the pad.
US09908680B2

A containerboard packaging material includes at least one linerboard layer including tree-based pulp material and at least one fluted medium layer including tree-free pulp material, wherein the tree-free pulp material is present in the medium layer in an amount of from about 5% to about 100%. The medium layer pulp material can be tree-free pulp material. The tree-free pulp material can be wheat straw pulp and red algae pulp.
US09908677B2

A package (1000) for containing a fluidic product. In one embodiment of the invention, the package comprises a first laminate sheet (200) and a second laminate sheet (300) thermoformed together to form a unitary body (100). The unitary body (100) has a product containing portion (110) having a product cavity containing a fluidic product, a nozzle portion (120) for dispensing the fluidic product from the product cavity, and a break-off cap (130) sealing a dispensing orifice of the nozzle portion (120). Each of the first and second laminate sheets (200, 300) includes a layer of polyethylene (PE) and a layer of polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The layer of PE has a first thickness and the layer of PET has a second thickness, the second thickness being less than or equal to the first thickness.
US09908676B2

According to one embodiment, an apparatus for holding may include a plurality of ware keepers for receiving glassware. Each ware keeper may include a retention body comprising a wire coil circumscribing a glassware receiving volume. A lower-most winding of the wire coil forms a ware stop in the retention body. The retention body may include a spacer coil extending from the retention body below the ware stop. A base frame may include a plurality of apertures extending through the base frame. Each of the plurality of ware keepers may be positioned in a corresponding aperture in the base frame such that the retention body of each ware keeper is above a top surface of the base frame and the spacer coil of each ware keeper is below a bottom surface of the base frame.
US09908666B2

A bottle neck insert can include a cylindrical body having a first end and a second end, the cylindrical body having a plurality of rings; a flange provided at the first end, the flange protruding outwardly from the cylindrical body in a radial direction of the cylindrical body; and a valve section at the second end, the valve section having at least one slit, wherein the flange is configured to seat the insert onto a neck of a bottle and the valve section is configured to allow a pipette to pass through. A bottle storage system, can include a bottle having a neck with a smooth interior surface; an insert that is configured to fit inside the neck of the bottle; and a pipette assembly that is configured to proceed through the insert into the bottle.
US09908661B1

A cargo slide includes a base member, a plurality of adjustable rope members, a plurality of hook members, a plurality of accessory leg members, and a plurality of elevated members. The plurality of adjustable rope members are coupled to a plurality of attachment holes formed in the base member, such that the base member is configured to be pulled from a truck bed toward a tailgate via the plurality of adjustable rope members. The plurality of hook members are connected to the plurality of adjustable rope members, such that the cargo slide is configured to be secured in place in the truck bed when the plurality of rope members are attached to the truck bed via the plurality of hook members. The plurality of elevated members are configured to be stacked on the base member via the plurality of accessory leg members.
US09908652B2

A box packing system includes a frame, a cardboard sheet feeder, a box making section and a box packing device. The cardboard sheet feeder is configured to lift one of a plurality of cardboard sheets from a cardboard sheet stacking area of the frame. The cardboard sheets are in an upright state within the cardboard sheet stacking area and are folded or collapsed. The box making section re-shapes the cardboard sheet unfolding the cardboard sheet and transforms the cardboard sheet into a cardboard box where a bottom lid is closed and a top lid is opened defining an opening of the cardboard box. The box packing device has a dropping part that moves the cardboard box in a laterally opened state downwardly to s located filling position and a pushing part that pushes an article into the opening of the cardboard box while within the filling position.
US09908644B2

A habitation module with a gravity chamber that provides an artificial gravity environment. In one embodiment, the gravity chamber includes an outer cylindrical wall and opposing side walls. The gravity chamber attaches to a hull of the habitation module with support bearings. The support bearing includes an outer race attached to an inner surface of the hull, and an inner race attached to the gravity chamber. A drive mechanism drives the inner race of the support bearing to rotate the gravity chamber about an axis to simulate a gravitational force within the gravity chamber.
US09908642B1

A thermal protection system (TPS) comprising a mixture of silicon carbide and SiOx that has been converted from Si that is present in a collection of diatom frustules and at least one diatom has quasi-periodic pore-to-pore separation distance d(p-p) in a selected range. Where a heat shield comprising the converted SiC/SiOx frustules receives radiation, associated with atmospheric (re)entry, a portion of this radiation is reflected so that radiation loading of the heat shield is reduced.
US09908637B2

A fastener system for composite structure providing electromagnetic energy protection has a shank with a threaded portion on a first end of the shank terminating in a lead-in portion. A head is present on a second end of the shank. The shank is adapted for intimate conductive contact with an inner surface of an interference fit hole.
US09908636B2

A method and device for displaying at least one position indicator for an aircraft. The display device includes at least one unit for generating information for determining, during a flight of the aircraft, a control value representative of the movement by a first pilot of his joystick relative to at least one of the roll and pitch axes of the aircraft, at least one computation unit for computing a piloting command representative of the control value determined by the unit for generating information, and one display unit for displaying at least one symbol on at least one screen intended for the second pilot and directly visible by the latter, the symbol representing the position indicator and being displayed on the screen in a position illustrating the piloting command on the screen.
US09908621B2

A drive system for rotating one or more wheels of an aircraft landing gear for ground taxiing and/or spin-up prior to landing has a motor operable to rotate a first drive pinion via a first drive path, and a driven gear adapted to be fixed to the wheel. The drive system has a first configuration in which the first drive pinion meshes with the driven gear to permit the motor to drive the driven gear via the first drive path. One of the first drive pinion and the driven gear comprises a first sprocket and the other comprises a series of rollers arranged in two or more rows, each row of rollers being arranged to form a ring. The rollers are rotatable about pins fixed to an annular support member, and adjacent rows may be out of phase by a fraction of roller pitch.
US09908618B2

Apparatus, methods, and systems for adjusting a center of mass of a drone may include a balance track and a repositionable weight. The balance track may be configured to extend outwardly from a central region of the drone. The balance track may include a plurality of weight-balance fixation positions. The repositionable weight may be configured to be secured at any one of the plurality of weight-balance fixation positions. In various embodiments the repositionable weight may include an electronic component. Various embodiments may include a another balance track configured to extend outwardly from the central region along a second axis that is different from a first axis of the other balance track.
US09908615B2

A rotor blown wing (RBW) aircraft including an airframe, at least one rotor blown wing (RBW) having at least control selectively controllable surface, at least one rotor configured to generate and direct an airflow over the at least one RBW, and a control system operatively connected to the at least two selectively controllable control surfaces. The control system selectively controls the at least one selectively controllable control surface to change the airflow over the at least one RBW to facilitate a vertical landing.
US09908610B2

Systems, methods, and apparatus for an aircraft cargo handling system articulating ball mat are disclosed. In one or more embodiments, a method for transferring cargo across a stepped threshold and into a sloped compartment involves moving the cargo across the stepped threshold and onto a ball mat located within the sloped compartment, where the ball mat is configured in a substantially horizontal position. In one or more embodiments, the surface of the ball mat comprises at least one conveyance device (e.g., at least one roller ball and/or at least one caster). The method further involves configuring the ball mat in a sloped position. Further, the method involves moving the cargo off the ball mat and into the sloped compartment.
US09908607B1

A method for constructing a balloon assembly includes inserting balloon envelope material which will become an apex of a balloon envelope into a platen opening of a platen; flaring the balloon envelope material outward over the top surface of the platen; positioning a termination plate over the platen opening and within the apex opening; and folding at least some of the balloon envelope that overlies the platen onto the termination plate. The balloon envelope material further includes an apex opening.
US09908604B2

The outboard motor includes a lower unit that rotatably supports a propeller shaft installed with propellers, and a shift unit that switches a shift position. The lower unit is provided with an upwardly opened shift unit storage chamber and a lid member that covers the upper side of the shift unit storage chamber. The shift unit has a dog clutch that switches the shift position by reciprocating in parallel with the drive shaft, a shift fork member that reciprocates the dog clutch in parallel with the drive shaft, and an actuator that reciprocates the shift fork member in parallel with the drive shaft. The actuator is supported by the lid member.
US09908603B2

The invention provides an encapsulated magnetically geared brushless electric marine propulsion system with the principle components arranged axially around the central shaft. The marine propulsion system includes: the brushless DC motor, comprised of the stator fixed to the central shaft and motor magnets fixed within the motor rotor coupled to the central shaft using precision ball bearings; the high-speed magnetic gear rotor coupled to the motor rotor comprising an alternating array of magnets fixed to a ferromagnetic backing; the environmental barrier which protects the motor and additionally houses pole pieces to modulate magnetic flux; the low-speed magnetic gear rotor coupled to the central shaft and comprised of an alternating array of magnets fixed to a ferromagnetic backing; the propeller coupled to the low-speed magnetic gear rotor; and the shroud coupled to the struts of the motor mounting system.
US09908601B2

A method for decelerating a watercraft is disclosed. The watercraft has a reverse gate and a reverse gate actuator operatively connected to the reverse gate for moving the reverse gate between at least a stowed position and a deceleration position. The method includes: receiving, in a control unit, a deceleration signal from a deceleration device position sensor, the deceleration signal being indicative of an actuated position of a deceleration device; controlling, by the control unit, an operation of the reverse gate actuator based at least in part on the actuated position of the deceleration device; and moving the reverse gate from the stowed position to the deceleration position with the reverse gate actuator, the reverse gate actuator being controlled such that a speed of rotation of the reverse gate depends at least in part on the actuated position of the deceleration device.
US09908599B2

A heads-up display has a display panel which displays information related to a partial pressure of oxygen in a breathing gas. The display panel comprises a first indicia, a second indicia, a third indicia, and a fourth indicia. The first indicia and the fourth indicia respectively indicate a near hyperoxic condition and a near hypoxic condition. The second indicia and the third indicia together indicate the partial pressure of oxygen in the breathing gas.
US09908593B2

A system for collection of rainwater in the open ocean may include: (a) one or more ocean-going vessels, wherein each ocean-going vessel is configured for collection and storage of rainwater, wherein each ocean-going vessel is configured to drift with surface ocean currents in order to navigate to one or more delivery locations, wherein each delivery location is on or near to a land mass; and (b) one or more delivery stations located at the one or more delivery locations, wherein each delivery station is configured to receive stored rainwater from one or more of the ocean-going vessels.
US09908590B2

A watercraft configured for use in a body of water is provided including a deck and at least one propulsion mechanism mounted at a first end of the deck. The at least one propulsion mechanism is configured to move the watercraft within the body of water. A man lift movable between a lowered position and a raised position is mounted to the deck. The man lift is configured to raise a person a vertical distance above the deck. Mounting brackets are arranged adjacent a first and second side of the deck. The mounting brackets are translatable between a retracted position and a deployed position. In the deployed position, the mounting brackets extend perpendicularly from the first side and the second side, respectively. An inflatable pontoon is removably coupled to each of the mounting brackets.
US09908587B2

A bicycle detection device is basically provided with a single sensor that is configured to output a first detection signal of a first state in response to a movement of a first operating member. The sensor is configured to output a second detection signal of a second state, which is different from the first state, in response to a movement of a second operating member.
US09908585B2

A bicycle brake caliper assembly comprises a brake caliper and a base member. The brake caliper is configured to apply a braking force on a brake disc rotor configured to be rotatable about a rotational axis. The base member is configured to be coupled to the brake caliper and to be attached to a bicycle frame such that relative position between the rotational axis of the brake disc rotor and the brake caliper is adjustable in a radial direction of the brake disc rotor. The base member includes a first coupling portion at which the brake caliper is coupled, and a second coupling portion at which the brake caliper is coupled and which is arranged apart from the first coupling portion in the radial direction.
US09908576B2

Disclosed herein is a modular bicycle storage structure designed to maximize the number of bicycles that can fit into it. The structure is designed to provide a private locker to each bicycle, which is accessible by a locker door, and secured using a standard bicycle U-Lock. The structure may use bicycles that have foldable, twistable or removable handlebars in order to reduce their overall width. The user generally aligns the pedals in a specific way before inserting the bicycle into the structure. The pedals slide into a groove formed in the side wall. This allows for overlapping of pedals for adjacent bicycles providing a compact storage configuration.
US09908571B2

A paving machine for spreading, leveling and finishing concrete having a main frame, center module, bolsters laterally movably, and a crawler track associated with respective aft and forward ends of the bolsters. A bolster swing leg for each crawler track supports an upright jacking column. A worm gear drive permits rotational movements of the crawler track and the jacking column. A hinge bracket is interposed between each swing leg and a surface of the bolsters to enable pivotal movements of the swing leg. A length-adjustable holder engages the pivot pin on the hinge bracket and pivotally engages the swing leg. The holder permits pivotal motions of the swing leg in its length-adjustable configuration and prevents substantially any motion of the swing leg in its fixed-length configuration. A feedback loop cooperates with transducers keeping the crawler tracks position. The paving machine can be reconfigured into a narrowed transport configuration.
US09908568B2

A vehicle cargo bed structure includes a tailgate and a tailgate gap cover. The tailgate gap cover has a first attachment structure fixedly attached to a bed floor of the vehicle cargo bed structure, a second attachment structure fixedly attached to the bed floor at a location spaced apart from the first attachment structure, and a biasing structure. The tailgate gap cover is pivotal between a horizontal orientation with the tailgate in an open position, and an upright orientation with the tailgate in a closed position. The tailgate gap cover covers a gap between the tailgate and the bed floor with the tailgate in the open position. The biasing structure extends from the first attachment structure to the second attachment structure and biases the tailgate gap cover into contact with the tailgate in both the horizontal orientation and the upright orientation.
US09908564B1

A collar assembly has a sleeve, a first collar, a second collar and a third collar. The sleeve is configured to loosely extend into a first opening in a beam, a hollow interior of the beam and a second opening of the beam. The first collar attaches to one end of the sleeve and includes a first attachment flange that overlays a portion of an exterior surface of the beam and a first alignment flange that extends into a first opening of the beam. The second collar has a second attachment flange that overlays a portion of another exterior surface of the beam with the sleeve extending through an aperture with the sleeve member. The first and second collars are re-position-able along exterior surfaces of the beam such that the sleeve member is moved to a predetermined orientation relative to the beam prior to attachment to the beam.
US09908563B2

The present invention provides a wheel house structure having: a wheel house front wall that structures a wall at a front side of a wheel house in which a front tire is disposed; and an air discharging portion that is structured to include one or more through-holes formed along a vehicle vertical direction at a vehicle transverse direction outer side of the wheel house front wall, the air discharging portion discharging air, that is further toward a vehicle longitudinal direction front side than the wheel house front wall, through the through-hole obliquely rearward toward a vehicle longitudinal direction rear side and a vehicle transverse direction outer side.
US09908562B2

An impact energy absorption structure for a vehicle has a structure in which an impact absorption member is disposed between an outer panel and inner panel. The impact absorption member is formed of ribs in a grid pattern. Specifically, first ribs each having a major surface facing in a front-rear direction are disposed approximately at regular intervals in the front-rear direction. In addition, second ribs each having a major surface facing in a vertical direction are disposed approximately at regular intervals in the vertical direction. The first ribs disposed at ends in the front-rear direction are closer to the outer panel than the first ribs disposed at a middle portion in the front-rear direction.
US09908561B2

Each rear pillar (4) includes a rear pillar inner panel (33) and a rear pillar reinforcement (34). The rear pillar inner panel (33) and the rear pillar reinforcement (34) each include a substantially L-shaped corner portion (C1, C2) raised toward the rear pillar inner panel (33), and a ridge portion (X1, X2). The corner portions (C1, C2) are arranged next to each other in the direction toward a reinforcement (50), and an L-shaped closed cross section (40) is formed between the corner portions (C1, C2). The reinforcement (50) is, not via the closed cross section, directly connected to the corner portions (C1, C2). An upper portion of the L-shaped closed cross section (40) is connected to a closed rear header cross section (19).
US09908559B2

A metal piece having at least two areas of lower mechanical strength than the body of the piece, said pieces being respectively arranged on one side and the other of a longitudinal central section (PM) of said piece and alternatively located in two locations separated longitudinally along the piece, the areas of lower mechanical strength than the body of the piece being formed by local control of the stamping temperature during a stamping process of the piece, notably a process comprising steps including heating the piece to a temperature range suitable for obtaining an austenitic stage, then stamping this piece in a stamping tool suitable for defining different temperatures in the different areas of the stamped piece, for example by virtue of the voids formed in the stamping tool or by local reheating of the stamping tool.
US09908554B2

A board for downhill winter sports forgoes the use of bindings for holding a person in place. An elongated rigid frame receives a foot board on a top portion and a base board on a bottom portion. A steering board allows for a person to direction motion. The elongated rigid frame also receives a rotatable steering column, which is secured through an arm and steering collar. A bearing assembly, including inner race and outer race, allows for rotation of the steering column within the steering collar. The steering column has a control end which includes a first handle and a second handle that serve as a user interface. The steering column also has an actuation end, the actuation end being a fork which is mounted to the steering board. A person can use the handles to rotate the steering column and thus the steering board in order to change direction.
US09908551B2

A stroller frame having forwardly extending right and left side front supports, rearwardly extending right and left side rear supports, and upwardly extending right and left side handle supports moveable connected to permit movement of the frame between deployed and collapsed orientations, and a folding seat frame connected to the front and rear supports having right and left side fold mechanisms which are configured to lock the frame in the deployed or collapsed configurations and to selectively bias frame members toward movement towards the deployed or collapsed configurations based on frame orientation and operation of a release handle.
US09908550B2

In one embodiment, a transport dolly includes a base having a generally horizontal platform adapted to support an object to be moved and generally vertical side walls that extend downward from edges of the platform toward a floor or ground surface, and casters mounted to a bottom surface of the platform between the side walls, the casters being dimensioned such that bottom edges of the side walls nearly touch the floor or ground surface such that the casters are enclosed and protected by the side walls.
US09908548B1

A trolley configured for use to carry both round and rectangular folding tables of a variety of sizes. The trolley includes a frame having a floor located adjacent a loading end of the frame. The floor includes a planar central portion bounded on each side by angled ramp portions which terminate at elevated flat portions; a plurality of receivers located on the frame; The trolley also includes a handle rack locatable at an end of the frame opposite the loading end of the frame. The handle rack includes a pair of rack legs, each rack leg having a handle rack mount located at a lower end of the rack leg and configured to be received by one of the receivers of the frame. The handle rack mounts cooperate with corresponding ones of the receivers of the frame to enable the handle rack to be mounted to the frame and selectively positioned in either an upright position relative to the frame or in a folded orientation wherein the handle rack is folded to a lowered position adjacent the frame. The trolley also includes a pair of side rails locatable adjacent sides of the frame, the side rails including a pair of rail legs. Each rail leg has a rail mount located at a lower end of the rail leg and configured to be received by one of the receivers of the frame. The rail mounts cooperate with corresponding ones of the receivers of the frame to enable the side rails to be mounted to the frame and selectively positioned in either an upright position relative to the frame or in a folded orientation wherein the side rails are each folded to a lowered position adjacent the frame.
US09908544B2

A control system for remotely configuring a locomotive may include an operational control device located on-board the locomotive, wherein the operational control device may be configured in a run configuration when the locomotive is ready for travel. An on-board controller located on-board the locomotive may be configured to switch the operational control device to the run configuration upon receipt of a configuration command signal. An off-board remote controller interface located remotely from the locomotive may be configured to receive a configuration failure signal, wherein the configuration failure signal may be indicative of the operational control device being in a configuration other than the run configuration. The off-board remote controller interface may selectively send the configuration command signal to the on-board controller to switch the operational control device to the run configuration.
US09908538B2

A rail vehicle includes a concealed undercarriage, particularly a bogie, wherein the covering or fairing comprises at least side elements that are arranged along the rail vehicle on the sides of the undercarriage and a bottom element that is arranged on the underside of the undercarriage, where the side elements are fixedly connected to the carriage body of the rail vehicle, the bottom element is fixedly connected to the undercarriage, and a gap is provided between the bottom element on one side and the side elements on the other side, and where the gap provides a distance between the wheels of the undercarriage and the bottom element on one side and the side elements on the other side, both in the fully turned and in the partially turned state of the undercarriage.
US09908533B1

The systems and methods provided herein are directed to exiting a vehicle from transport mode using a sequence or operation performed by two or more users. In an illustrative embodiment, the vehicle may include a first system and a second system. The first system may be activated by a sequence of pedal presses to either the brake or acceleration pedal. The second system may be activated by a trunk open request or battery connection. A control system within the vehicle may exit the transport mode when the first system and second system have been activated within a predetermined time. The predetermined time may be based on a distance between the first system and the second system such that a single user may not activate both systems. The predetermined time may be less than a time to travel a distance between the first system and the second system.
US09908532B2

A method for determining an adaptive reaction time of a driver of a motor vehicle, wherein the adaptive reaction time is determined from the activity of the driver by determining the driving behavior of a vehicle driving ahead by a surroundings sensor system, determining activities of the driver of the motor vehicle, determining chronological correlations between the driving behavior of the vehicle driving ahead and the activities of the driver, and determining the driver's activity from the chronological correlations. The method is applied in assistance systems with observation of the surroundings in front of the motor vehicle, in which systems the driver's reaction time is used to determine a warning time.
US09908526B2

A method and device for transferring a vehicle travelling with lateral guidance support into a driving state with a reduced risk of the consequences of a collision in the event of the driver experiencing an emergency, wherein the speed of the vehicle is higher than a predefined limiting speed. The method detects a hands-off situation of the driver and outputs a hands-off warning in a hands-off phase and carries out a warning escalation in an escalation phase if there is no reaction to the hands-off warning, wherein initiation of the escalation phase is prevented if a predefined blocking condition is satisfied.
US09908520B2

A vehicle includes an engine, a drive axle, a multi-mode transmission, and a controller coupled to the multi-mode transmission. The multi-mode transmission includes a first gear set having a first planetary gear carrier and a second gear set having a second planetary gear carrier, the first planetary gear carrier and the second planetary gear carrier being rotatably coupled, a first motor/generator coupled to the first gear set, a second motor/generator coupled to the second gear set and selectively coupled to the engine, a brake positioned to selectively limit a rotational movement of a ring gear of the second gear set when engaged, a first clutch, and a second clutch. The controller is configured to engage the second clutch, the brake, and the first clutch to selectively reconfigure the multi-mode transmission to an intermediate shift mode of operation.
US09908516B2

Disclosed herein is a vehicle brake control apparatus, and a brake control method thereof. The vehicle brake control apparatus includes a detector configured to detect automatic brake control pressure information when an automatic brake apparatus performs an automatic braking by using the automatic brake control pressure information as closing to a current object, and releases the automatic braking; a determination unit configured to determine whether it is a first state in which a present time of detected automatic brake control pressure information is an automatic brake release time; a braking force maintenance unit configured to maintain the automatic brake release time of the automatic brake control pressure information, when it is determined to be the first state, until driver brake control pressure information of a pedal, which is stepped by a driver, becomes the same state as the automatic brake control information; and a controller configured to deliver a command of maintaining braking force to the braking force maintenance unit so as to receive the automatic brake control pressure information and the driver brake control pressure information, and so as to maintain the automatic brake release time of the automatic brake control pressure information until the driver brake control pressure information becomes the same state as the automatic brake control pressure information.
US09908513B2

Aspects of the present invention relate to a vehicle control system, a vehicle, a method and a program configured to, in response to a signal indicative that at least the front of the vehicle is no longer substantially submerged in water, to operate a vehicle cooling fan in a reverse direction, optionally for a predetermined time period. The system may include sensors that determine the water level about the vehicle and automatically operate a vehicle cooling fan in a reverse direction based on said determined water level.
US09908511B2

The invention relates to a device for fixing a windscreen wiper (16) to a drive arm (12) of a wiping system (10), said device comprising a terminal part (14) of an arm (12), a connector (20) intended to be fixed to the wiper (16), a coupling adapter (50) for coupling the connector (20) to said arm (12), and an intermediate part (40), said adapter (50) comprising means for holding it onto the arm in a nominal immobilizing position, said intermediate part (40) being mobile in said terminal part (14) relative to the adapter (50), and comprising means for releasing and/or locking said holding means, so as to allow the adapter (50) to be mounted on and/or removed from the arm (12) and/or so as to retain the adapter (50) on the arm (12) in the nominal immobilizing position.The invention also relates to a wiping system (10) comprising such a fixing device.
US09908507B2

A system for extending a vehicular alarm system includes a base unit and a remote unit. The system is configured to extend the vehicular alarm system to an accessory or equipment secured to, carried by (e.g., outside or inside) or in proximity to an automobile and/or to equipment secured to the accessory. The base unit is configured to be carried by the automobile and to communicate with the vehicular alarm system. The base unit may be configured to mimic activation of a sensor of the vehicular alarm system in a manner that can activate the vehicular alarm system. The remote unit is configured to be carried by the accessory, and may sense removal of the accessory from the automobile, opening of the accessory and/or removal of equipment from the accessory. Methods for extending a vehicular alarm system to operate with one or more accessories are also disclosed, as are methods for detecting and providing an alarm when an accessory or equipment secured by the accessory is undesirably disturbed.
US09908506B2

A network of collection, charging and distribution machines collect, charge and distribute portable electrical energy storage devices (e.g., batteries, supercapacitors or ultracapacitors). To avoid theft and tampering of the portable electrical energy storage devices, by default, each portable electrical energy storage device is locked in and operably connected to the vehicle to which it provides power unless the vehicle comes within the vicinity of a collection, charging and distribution machine or other authorized external device such as that in a service center. Once within the vicinity of a collection, charging and distribution machine or other authorized external device a locking mechanism in the vehicle or within the portable electrical energy storage device unlocks and allows the portable electrical energy storage device to be exchanged or serviced.
US09908505B2

A belt tensioner for a belt retractor having a load limiter includes a pivoted pinion (14) coupled to a belt reel, a drive unit and a load transmission element (20) moved by the drive unit. The load transmission element (20) engages in the pinion (14) so as to rotate the pinion in a tensioning direction A. The load transmission element (20) is designed so that in the rotational position adopted by the pinion (14) after being rotated by the load transmission element (20) a part (20b) of the load transmission element (20) engages in the pinion (14). A method of tensioning a seat belt by means of a belt tensioner and subsequent load limitation by means of a load limiter includes moving a load transmission element (20) by a drive unit in a first direction so that the load transmission element (20) engages in a pinion (14) coupled to a belt reel (12). The rotating the pinion (14) is rotated by the moved load transmission element (20) in a tensioning direction A. When the rotation of the pinion (14) is completed it is ensured that a part (20b) of the load transmission element (20) engages in the pinion (14).
US09908495B2

A safety system for a vehicle includes an imaging sensor configured to be disposed at a vehicle so as to have an exterior field of view external of the equipped vehicle. An image processor is operable to process image data captured by the imaging sensor to detect a vehicle exterior the equipped vehicle and to determine if a collision between the detected vehicle and the equipped vehicle is pending. Responsive to such determination of the pending collision, a safety feature of the vehicle is triggered before any actual impact occurs. The triggered safety feature is a reversible adjustment of a seat headrest, a seat belt, a seat setting or a door lock of the equipped vehicle. If the pending collision is avoided or otherwise does not occur, the adjusted safety feature returns to its unadjusted condition that existed prior to such determination of the pending collision.
US09908492B2

A vehicle body framework structure includes an elongated hollow framework member and a reinforcement member disposed within the hollow framework member, the reinforcement member including a first contact portion that contacts a first internal face of an opposing pair of internal faces of the framework member, a second contact portion that contacts a second internal face of the opposing pair of internal faces, and a coupling portion that couples the first contact portion to the second contact portion. At least one slit is formed in at least the second contact portion and the coupling portion of the reinforcement member, the slit extending from an end portion on the second internal face side of the reinforcement member toward the first internal face side of the reinforcement member and having a depth that is greater than or equal to one fourth of a spacing between the pair of internal faces.
US09908491B2

A control method for an electronic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes acquiring current time zone information, discriminating a seasonal status in the vicinity of a vehicle on the basis of the acquired current time zone information, deciding a change or non-change of a minimum cutoff voltage for cutting off power received from a battery of the vehicle according to the discriminated seasonal status, and changing the cutoff voltage according to the change or non-change of the cutoff voltage.
US09908490B2

A control system for a vehicle includes: a battery; a first control unit configured to receive a power supplied from the battery, and configured to control a first control object which is mounted on the vehicle; and an interrupting unit configured to interrupt a supply of the power to the first control unit from the battery, wherein a first switch part is provided between the battery and the first control unit which receives a resumption request signal when the supply of the power to the first control unit is interrupted by the interrupting unit to permit the power to be supplied to the first control unit from the battery.
US09908488B2

The invention comprises a wireless electrical interface system and method for establishing a non-intrusive interface with the vehicle's electrical subsystems required for the operation of an aftermarket electrical device, such as an Ignition Interlock Device (IID) or a GPS tracking device with integrated immobilizer technology. Said non-intrusive interface is established through utilizing engineered connectors for electrical connections to the vehicle's electrical system, and by incorporating wireless interface technology to establish a wireless electrical interface between the vehicle's electrical subsystems accessible only within the passenger compartment and the vehicle's electrical subsystems accessible only within the engine/trunk compartment, eliminating the conventional hardwired electrical interface between aftermarket electrical devices and the vehicle's electrical system.
US09908485B2

An acoustic barrier assembly for a vehicle and a method of manufacturing the same is disclosed. A decoupler layer surrounds a pass-through opening in a wall of the vehicle to defining a decoupler aperture that is open to the pass-through opening. A barrier layer abuts the decoupler layer and defines a barrier aperture that is also open to the pass-through opening. An acoustic seal is integrally formed in the barrier layer. The acoustic seal defines an exposed region of the barrier layer that is not bounded by the decoupler layer. The exposed region of the barrier layer directly contacts the wall around the pass-through opening and seals around a penetrating member that extends through the pass-through opening. The acoustic seal thus reduces flanking noise traveling through a gap between the penetrating member and the pass-through opening.
US09908481B2

A vehicle forward information acquiring device includes a bracket fixed to a windshield, a cover mounted to the bracket by being moved along the bracket in one direction, and a vehicle forward information acquiring sensor accommodated between the bracket and the cover. The cover is mounted to the bracket while being pressed against the bracket by a first elastic force and a second elastic force generated when a first engaging portion and a second engaging portion formed on the cover are respectively engaged with a first engaged portion and a second engaged portion formed on the bracket. A position of the cover on the bracket when the first elastic force becomes a maximum value is different from a position of the cover on the bracket when the second elastic force becomes a maximum value.
US09908474B2

An electro-optic rearview mirror system is provided. The electro-optic rearview mirror system includes an inside electro-optic rearview mirror element and an outside electro-optic rearview mirror element in series with the inside electro-optic rearview mirror element. A drive circuit is in electrical communication with the inside electro-optic rearview mirror element and the outside electro-optic rearview mirror element and includes a first power operational amplifier and a second power operational amplifier, both of which are configured as voltage followers. The drive circuit is configured to apply overvoltage to the inside electro-optic rearview mirror element if the outside electro-optic rearview mirror element is shorted.
US09908471B2

Methods and systems for encoding position markings are provided. A plurality of markings are identified, and are encoded by a processor. Each of the plurality of markings corresponds to one of a sequence of positions. The plurality of markings are encoded via the processor using a first digit representing a current position of the sequence of positions, and a plurality of additional digits, each of the plurality of additional digits representing a previous one of the positions of the sequence, such that the current position can be determined based on the first digit in combination with the additional digits.
US09908470B1

A collision avoidance and/or pedestrian detection system for a large passenger vehicle such as commuter bus, which includes one or more exterior and/or interior sensing devices positioned strategically around the exterior and interior of the vehicle for recording data, method for avoiding collisions and/or detecting pedestrians, and features/articles of manufacture for improving same, is described herein in various embodiments. The sensing devices may be responsive to one or more situational sensors, and may be connected to one or more interior and/or exterior warning systems configured to alert a driver inside the vehicle and/or a pedestrian outside the vehicle that a collision may be possible and/or imminent based on a path of the vehicle and/or a position of the pedestrian as detected by one or more sensing devices and/or situational sensors.
US09908465B2

A portable free-standing traffic incident screening assembly of flexible fabric (tarp, screen, etc.) stretched between at least two stanchions, each stanchion having at least three adjustable legs, flexible telescoping vertical extension portions, and removable ballast. The portable screens defend incident sites by establishing privacy, reduce the probability of secondary accidents due to an unprotected scene, and provide a secure environment for incident investigators.
US09908458B2

Headlight leveling systems and methods are described. A determination can be made as to whether an input corresponding to a loading condition of the vehicle has been received from a vehicle occupant. If an input corresponding to the loading condition of the vehicle has been received from the vehicle occupant, a headlight level setting can be determined based upon the input. Further, an orientation of a light emitting portion of a vehicle headlight assembly can be caused to be adjusted based on the headlight level setting. Manual lookup of a loading conditions correlation table by the vehicle occupant to determine a correct headlight level setting can be avoided. In some instances, responsive to receiving a signal indirectly indicative of a potential change in a loading condition of the vehicle, a prompt can be presented to a vehicle occupant to provide an input corresponding to the loading condition of the vehicle.
US09908456B2

An ambulance cot platform system allows variably raising a cot platform to many different positions to accommodate patients with varying weights. After a cot with a patient is placed on the cot platform, the weight of the patient is determined, and a desired position of multiple defined positions of the cot platform is determined from the patient's weight. The multiple defined positions may be a function of air pressure in air bladders, or the physical location of the platform itself. The air bladders are then inflated or deflated until the desired position of the cot platform is achieved. The result is a cot platform that has different positions to accommodate patients of different weights, thereby providing a ride with comfort that is optimized according to the weight of the patient being transported.
US09908455B2

A cargo protection device and method for use on a ratchet tie-down or other cargo securing device. The cargo protection device comprises a tubular sleeve through which a ratchet tie-down can thread through. The sleeve comprises an opening in its side wall through which the ratchet handle can exit the sleeve and be accessed and actuated by a user. In use, the sleeve protects the cargo from abrasion while the cargo is being secured or transported.
US09908441B2

A seat actuation control system is disclosed. The seat actuation control system may permit multiple functions to be controlled by a single actuator. For example, a seat floor tracking function, and a seat pan track and swivel function may be individually controlled by a single actuator, such as a rotary actuator.
US09908432B2

Proposed are a robot cleaner having an improved wheel structure to escape from being stuck in various travel conditions, and a control method thereof. The robot cleaner may smoothly escape from a door sill or an obstacle to stably travel irrespective of a state of a floor by providing an optimal frictional force of the floor through the control of an electric current of a motor when the robot cleaner escapes from being stuck. Also, the robot cleaner may stably travel without shaking by controlling an electric current flowing through the motor after the robot cleaner escapes from being stuck and before the driving wheel returns to a normal mode. Furthermore, it is possible to prevent a wheel mechanism such as a gear from being damaged by an external shock (e.g., which is caused by a pet or an object drop) or a shock caused by autonomous vibration when the robot cleaner crosses over an obstacle.
US09908424B2

A wireless charging system of a vehicle includes: a transmitting coil module including a plurality of transmitting coils; and a receiving coil module including a plurality of receiving coils receiving power by electronic resonance with the plurality of transmitting coils. The plurality of transmitting coils have a winding structure which is formed by a conductive wire causing a direction of a magnetic field generated by any one of the plurality of transmitting coils different from a direction of a magnetic field generated by a transmitting coil directly adjacent to the one transmitting coil by making a current flow in the plurality of transmitting coils.
US09908416B2

A method for blending a generator braking torque of a generator of a recuperative brake system having two brake circuits, including: controlling one of the at least two brake circuits of the brake system in a blending mode, a hydraulic connection between a master brake cylinder of the brake system and a storage volume of the brake circuit controlled in the blending mode being at least temporarily enabled, so that brake fluid is transferred from the master brake cylinder into the storage volume of the brake circuit controlled in the blending mode; and controlling another of the at least two brake circuits in a non-blending mode, a hydraulic connection between the master brake cylinder and a storage volume of the brake circuit controlled in the non-blending mode being interrupted during the non-blending mode. Also described is a control device for a recuperative brake system having two brake circuits.
US09908403B2

A misfuelling prevention device for preventing inappropriate fuel from being added to a vehicle utilizes a diameter difference between a gasoline gun and a diesel gun in order to prevent misfuelling. The misfuelling preventing device is constructed such that when the diesel gun having a relatively larger diameter is inserted, a locking button is not pressed while a flapper is opened, whereas when the gasoline gun having a relatively smaller diameter is inserted, the locking button is pressed while the flapper is not opened. As a result, misfuelling of the vehicle with inappropriate fuel is fundamentally prevented.
US09908402B2

A filler neck closure assembly includes a nozzle-receiving housing associated with a vehicle fuel tank filler neck. The nozzle-receiving housing is formed to include a central housing passageway sized to receive the tip of a fuel-dispensing pump nozzle therein during refueling of the fuel tank.
US09908401B2

Provided is a flap valve device and a gas liquid separation device provided with a flap valve. The flap valve device includes a main body having an opening, a flap for selectively closing the opening and a torsion coil spring provided between the main body and the flap for biasing the flap in an opening direction. The flap valve device further comprises a main body side bearing; a flap side bearing; a connecting member including a hinge shaft passed through the main body side bearing, the flap side bearing and the torsion coil spring, and an extension extending from an end of the hinge shaft along an outer part of the flap; and a spring engagement portion provided on the main body for engaging an end of the torsion coil spring; another end of the torsion coil spring being engaged by the extension, which is engaged on the flap.
US09908396B2

An under body may include a side sill inside front panel bent similar to the side sill inside panel to connect a front end portion of the side sill inside panel with a dash panel to be bonded to each other; a front side member connecting member connected with a bottom surface of the dash panel and a rear end portion of a front side member while being bonded to an inside surface of the side sill inside front panel; a side sill inside rear panel configured to connect a rear end portion of the side sill inside panel with a rear side member to be bonded to each other; and a rear side member connecting member configured to connect a bottom end portion of the side sill inside rear panel with a front inside surface of a rear side member to be bonded to each other.
US09908395B2

An automatic multipurpose shield device for vehicles, comprising an extendible tubular-shaped structure mounted on cross bars of the roof rack through a rotatory base. Said extendible structure is composed of two parts: a main container body (a) and a secondary body (b), the latter located inside the main container body (a) during the resting state and connected by longitudinal rails. The extendible tubular structure has two pairs of shield rolls connected to a mechanism and attached to two pairs of projecting arms that allow the automatic extension thereof, covering the entire length of the vehicle. The shield rolls may carry flexible solar cells or operate only to protect the vehicle against sun and hail.
US09908392B1

A vehicle includes a plurality of individually controllable vehicle roof modules. Each of these modules includes: a frame, an adjustable wind deflector carried at a fore end portion of the frame, a window panel carried on the frame, and a first motor structured to selectively open the window panel by moving the window panel away from the fore end portion and over its aft end portion when electrically energized. Each module also includes a shade and a second motor structured to selectively adjust the shade over a range from an undeployed state to a deployed state when electrically energized. The modules each carry a locking mechanism with a locked state to fix the frame in a respective roof opening and establish an electrical power circuit to energize the motors; and an unlocked state to remove the frame from the roof opening, and open the electrical power circuit.
US09908387B2

A vehicle air conditioning device has an air-conditioning unit including a temperature regulation unit having an evaporator and a blower unit including a blower. The blower unit is offset to a side of the temperature regulation unit. A deflection guide to deflect a flow of air is provided upstream of the evaporator in a flow of air flowing into an inflow plane of the evaporator from the blower. The deflection guide has a plate-like defection portion inclined with respect to the inflow plane, and a support portion supporting the deflection portion by extending from the blower unit. A gap is provided between the support portion and the evaporator. Air that has collided with the deflection portion is changed in flow direction to head for the blower side of the inflow plane.
US09908383B2

The invention relates to an air conditioning system for conditioning the air of a passenger space of a motor vehicle, the system including a refrigerant circuit with a compressor, a first heat exchanger for the heat exchange between the refrigerant and the environment and a second heat exchanger for supplying heat from the refrigerant to the air supply to be conditioned for the passenger space. The refrigerant circuit further includes, in the flow direction of the refrigerant after the compressor, a valve arrangement. The valve arrangement comprises a branch, a first valve arranged between the branch and the second heat exchanger, and a second valve arranged between the branch and the first heat exchanger. The first valve is designed with a normally open (NO) valve characteristic and the second valve with a normally closed (NC) valve characteristic.
US09908380B2

A method for operating a motor vehicle having at least a first axle and at least a second axle, wherein the motor vehicle has a chassis that can be adjusted by the user, and which is operable at least in a first mode and at least in a second mode, which is more comfortable than the first mode. When the user activates the more comfortable second mode, a loading state of the motor vehicle is checked. The chassis is not shifted from the first mode into the second mode for at least axle, or is changed from the second mode into the first mode of the chassis if a limit load is exceeded.
US09908377B2

Embodiments of the invention provide a device and method for controlling sway of a trailer utilizing a global positioning system (GPS) device to detect a speed of a vehicle, a rate gyro to detect a sway angle of the vehicle, and a controller coupled to the GPS device and the rate gyro. The GPS and the rate gyro provide the speed and the sway angle to the controller and the controller outputs a brake command if either a first condition is satisfied or a second condition is satisfied.
US09908354B2

In accordance with an embedment, a printer comprises a sensor configured to detect a position of a paper conveyed in a conveyance path; a first setting module configured to set a plurality of start candidate positions which are candidates of a printing start position in a paper conveyance direction based on a sensing result of the sensor; a test printing module configured to carry out a test printing for specifying the start candidate position on the paper for each start candidate position set by the first setting module; a reception module configured to receive selection of one start candidate position from the start candidate positions specified by the test printing; and a second setting module configured to set the start candidate position received by the reception module as the printing start position.
US09908351B1

Printers and other machines providing tangible outputs are provided. In one implementation, a printer comprises a housing having a fixed structure and a movable cover configured to be movable with respect to the fixed structure. The printer also includes a printing mechanism that is disposed inside the housing and is configured to print an image on a medium. The movable cover is movably attached to the fixed structure via a first pivoting mechanism that defines a first pivoting axis. The movable cover is configured to be pivoted about the first pivoting axis of the first pivoting mechanism. Also, the movable cover comprises a plurality of linked slats, each pair of adjacent linked slats being linked together by a second pivoting mechanism. Each second pivoting mechanism includes characteristics enabling a user to detach the adjacent linked slats from each other.
US09908350B2

The printer in the exemplary embodiment includes a functional unit Y. The functional unit Y includes: an opening and closing cover 3; a platen roller 10; a thermal head 28, a control board unit 40 and a battery container 33. The functional unit Y is accommodated in a body case. A front cover 5 is fixed to a body case 2. The front cover 5 enables the opening and closing cover 3 to be opened and closed, and protects the functional unit Y.
US09908345B2

A modular print drive assembly and platen assembly are provided. The modular print drive assembly is structured for insertion and removal from a printer, the modular print drive assembly and includes a print drive housing defining a plurality of printer mount fasteners, a printhead coupled to and supported by the print drive housing, a platen latch assembly coupled to and supported by the print drive housing. The platen latch assembly is structured to removably receive a platen in position to define a nip between the platen and the printhead The modular print drive also includes a platen drive motor coupled to and supported by the print housing, wherein the platen drive motor is supported by the print housing in position to drive the platen upon receipt within the platen latch assembly.
US09908339B2

A liquid jet head includes an actuator plate having opposite surfaces with ejection grooves arranged on one surface and a return path arranged on the other surface. A spacer plate has one surface on which the actuator plate is positioned and has a side flow path communicating with the ejection grooves. An air bubble retention suppression unit is provided on the spacer plate and suppresses retention of air bubbles in the side flow path.
US09908333B2

An inkjet printer has a print bar system comprising a print bar and a plurality of selectively replaceable print heads attached to the print bar. The system comprises a receptor on the bar, for installation of a print head, each print head having a rear face for insertion in said receptor in a first direction. A latch is provided, pivoted on the bar. The latch has a user-actuatable handle adapted, during a first movement thereof, to engage a latch member of the latch with a catch on the bar to lock the latch in a lockable position on the bar. A platform is mounted on the latch with freedom to move with respect to the latch in said first direction when the latch is in said lockable position. The platform has a latch electrical connector, adapted to engage a head electrical convector on the print head, by mutual movement of the connectors in said first direction. A bias means urges the platform in said first direction. A second movement of the handle releases the platform for movement relative to the latch under the action of the bias means. When the latch is in the lockable position, and the print head is installed in the receptor, the first movement of the handle locks the latch in the lockable position and the second movement of the handle releases the platform so that the bias means presses the platform in said first direction to engage said electrical connectors and urge the print head into secure engagement with the receptor.
US09908331B2

A MEMS device includes a plurality of movable regions, wiring lines extending along a first direction from the movable regions, and electrodes connected to the wiring lines. The electrodes include connection regions for connecting other electrode terminals to the connection regions. A plurality of the connection regions are disposed along a second direction intersecting the first direction. A distance between centers of connection regions that are adjacent in the second direction is longer than a distance between centers of movable regions that are adjacent in the second direction.
US09908329B2

A liquid ejecting apparatus includes an ejecting unit that includes a piezoelectric element which is displaced by a first drive signal or a second drive signal; a first unit circuit that generates the first drive signal by using a first pair of transistors; a second unit circuit that generates the second drive signal by using a second pair of transistors; and an adjustment unit that delays at least one of a first control signal and a second control signal to supply the delayed control signal to a corresponding unit circuit, in a case where timing when a level of the first control signal for controlling the first pair of transistors changes and timing when a level of the second control signal for controlling the second pair of transistors changes are within a threshold time, and in a case where a predetermined condition is satisfied.
US09908326B2

According to an example, in a method for enhancing temperature distribution uniformity across a printer die, in which the printer die includes a plurality of drop generators arranged in a plurality of columns, a warming map that identifies the drop generators of the plurality of drop generators that are to be supplied with warming pulses to enhance temperature distribution uniformity across the printer die may be accessed. The warming map may identify a non-uniform distribution of the drop generators across a column of the plurality of columns. In addition, the warming map may be implemented to supply the drop generators identified in the warming map as the drop generators that are to receive the warming pulses.
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