US09558350B2
Procedures are described for enhancing target system execution integrity determined by power fingerprinting (PFP): by integrating PFP into the detection phase of comprehensive defense-in-depth security; by deploying a network of PFP enabled nodes executing untrusted devices with predefined inputs forcing a specific state sequence and specific software execution; by embedding module identification information into synchronization signaling; by combining signals from different board elements; by using malware signatures to enhance PFP performance; by automatic characterization and signature extraction; by providing secure signature updates; by protecting against side-channel attacks; performing real-time integrity assessment in embedded platform by monitoring their dynamic power consumption and comparing it against signatures from trusted code, including pre-characterizing power consumption of the platform by concentrating on trace sections carrying the most information about the internal execution status; by using PFP from sequence of bit transitions to detect deviations from authorized execution of software in a digital processor.
US09558348B1
Disclosed are systems and methods to combine a reputation score for a software application publisher or vendor and code analysis techniques to provide a method of ranking software applications. A user downloading a software application may be confident that the software application is reliable and does not contain malicious content based on the ranking applied to the particular software application. Code analysis techniques allow for an application ranking even when there may not be enough historical information about the publisher/vendor to create a solid reputation score. A software application rank may be used internally to a software application store prior to making the software application available to the public.
US09558338B2
A method for performing security control includes selectively controlling at least one camera module of an electronic device to capture at least one image and outputting the at least one image, for security of the electronic device. For example, the method includes: activating a screen lock function that is associated with a password; and when it is detected that a string that differs from the password is entered, controlling the module to capture the image and outputting the image. In another example, the method includes: activating a remote control function, allowing the electronic device to be remotely controlled, through at least one of a telecommunication network and a wireless local area network, by an application that runs on a processor of another electronic device; and based upon remote control of the application, controlling the camera module to capture the image and outputting the image. An associated apparatus is also provided.
US09558334B2
Systems and methods are provided for provisioning access rights to physical computing resources using an IAM system implementing an IAM data model. The IAM data model may identify logical and physical computing resources. An access request handler may receive an access request and identify a set of logical permissions based on the access request. The access request handler may derive a set of logical entitlements based on the set of logical permissions. An entitlement translator may translate the set of logical entitlements to a physical entitlement specification based on a set of physical permission specifications associated with the set of logical permissions. A physical permission specification may be obtained by mapping a logical permission to one or more physical permissions. An access control manager may then provision access rights to at least one physical computing resource indicated in the physical entitlement specification.
US09558333B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for allowing a primary user to share a digital service, in a bundle of services implemented by a plurality of different service providers, with a secondary user. In accordance with one implementation, a method includes receiving a request from the primary user to share a first service in the bundle of services with the secondary user. The method also includes generating, using at least one processor, a first token that associates the secondary user with the first service. The method further includes sending the first token to one of the plurality of different service providers for the first service. Additionally, the method includes modifying a status of the primary user to restrict access to the first service by the primary user while the first service is being shared with the secondary user.
US09558330B2
Technologies for 3D printing digital rights management (DRM) include a 3D printing device communicatively coupled with a 3D model storage server and a rights management server over a network. The 3D printing device may establish a model unlock engine in a first trusted execution environment and a key release engine in a second trusted execution environment. The model unlock engine may extract a content access policy and a content key from an encrypted 3D model and generate a content key request to the key release engine. The key release engine may validate the content key request and decrypt the content key in response to the content access policy being satisfied. The model unlock engine may further decrypt 3D model content included in the 3D model using the decrypted content key to facilitate the printing of the 3D model.
US09558310B2
A method for design template pattern optimization, comprises receiving a design for a fin field effect transistor (FinFET) device, wherein the design includes a configuration of fins, creating a design template pattern for the design for use in connection with directed self-assembly (DSA) patterning using graphoepitaxy, and optimizing the design template pattern to minimize pattern density gradients, wherein the design template pattern includes a plurality of guiding lines for guiding a block-copolymer deposited during the DSA patterning and the optimizing comprises altering the guiding lines.
US09558307B1
A system and method for providing a scalable server-implemented regression query environment for remote testing and analysis of a chip-design model receives chip-design information, including the chip-design model to be tested and one or more attributes for testing the chip design model; receives a first regression simulation test request from the client-side integration client; initiates a proxy instance for a first regression simulation test to be executed by an application programming interface (API), based on the first regression simulation test request; selects, by the API, the attributes for testing the chip-design model; executes, by the API, the first regression simulation test on the chip-design model using the selected attributes; monitors, by a server-side database manager, the first regression simulation test during execution of the first regression simulation test; and stores, by the server-side database manager, one or more results of the first regression simulation test in a database.
US09558306B2
An approach for simulating a circuit design partitions the circuit design into pipeline regions that include one or more pipeline levels. A path length is computed for each combinational region within a pipeline region to compute an achievable timing goal for each pipeline region. A target retiming goal is determined for the set of pipeline regions based on the computed achievable timing goals of the pipeline regions. A pipeline region is identified from the set of pipeline regions that does not satisfy the target timing goal. A measure of slack is computed for each pipeline level in the identified pipeline region. Using the computed slack, path lengths of combinational regions in the pipeline levels of the identified pipeline region are iteratively retimed. The resulting circuit design is simulated using the retimed path lengths if the retimed critical path of the pipeline region satisfies the target timing goal.
US09558301B1
A device, method and tangible computer-readable medium are provided for detecting output discrepancies between representations of a block in two system models. For example, a first representation of a block may represent a default configuration and may execute in a first model. A second representation of the block may represent a user-modified configuration for the block and may execute in a second model. The user may execute the first and second models and may compare results using an exemplary embodiment. The embodiment may allow the user to define criteria and weightings for the criteria and to use the criteria for generating objective functions and constraints. The objective functions and constraints may be used to evaluate the performance of the two models. The embodiment may further perform trace back operations with respect to a model to determine a location in the model that produces an output discrepancy.
US09558299B2
A method for submatch extraction may include receiving an input string, receiving a regular expression. The method may further include converting the regular expression with capturing groups into ordered binary decision diagrams (OBDDs) to extract submatches.
US09558293B2
A system generating a web page portal customized for a particular requesting mobile device is disclosed. The system includes an information store having multiple groups, each associated with device qualifications, web-design characteristics, and device identifications. The system also includes a custom web page development database (CWDD) including a plurality of web page component modules storing forms of web page components, and a custom web page development server (CWDS). The CWDS (i) receives an incoming request for a web page from the particular requesting mobile device, (ii) identifies a device type, and (iii) determines an applicable group. The CWDS also (iv) obtains web-design characteristics from the applicable group, (v) accesses the CWDD and obtains applicable web page components based on the web-design characteristics obtained from the applicable group of the information store, and (vi) generates the custom web page portal using the applicable web page components obtained from the CWDD.
US09558288B1
Webpage creation system for accelerated webpage development for at least one mobile computing device
A webpage creation system for developing mobile device specific webpages for at least one mobile computing device having a hypertext generator and a domain free interface traverser to simultaneously collect predefined data from different third party servers, store the collected data and maintain consistency throughout. The webpage creation system can have a replication feature, a plurality of common stylistic rules, a document processor, auto auditor, and domain free central indexer to merge predefined data into a mobile device specific webpage document template creating the mobile device specific webpage and storing the mobile device specific webpage. A plurality of self-generating data entry screens can develop the mobile device specific webpage and a plurality of computer instructions can convert the mobile device specific webpage to a mobile version, transmit the mobile version for display and maintain the mobile version for use on the mobile computing device.
US09558281B2
A computer-implemented method and system are provided for sharing web pages. The method includes: executing one or more programs stored in a memory of the computer system for generating a representation of a web page that is displayed in a window of a web browser in a user interface of the client computer system; recording the web page over a period of time, the recording including web page changes resulting from input events; recording each input event along with a time stamp associated with the event and associating the time stamp with the event, wherein the recording of the web page, input events, and time stamps are placed in a screencast file; extracting from the screencast file portions related to selected time stamps of the recorded input events; and assembling the portions to generate a combined web page recording.
US09558279B2
Some embodiments include tracking events and classifying assets within a computer system. A time series of occurrences of an event type associated with at least one asset is generated. A first signal value and a second signal value is determined based on the time series. The at least one asset can be classified based on comparison of the first signal value and the second signal value. The time series can be based on at least one time window including time intervals. Counters to determine a number of occurrences of an event type can be associated with the time intervals. Each of the counters can be incremented upon occurrence of the event type associated with the at least one asset during an associated time interval.
US09558277B2
Disclosed are methods, apparatus, systems, and computer-readable storage media for identifying topical influence in an online social network. In some implementations, an entity associated with a feed item is identified. A topic associated with the entity or with the feed item is also identified. The entity can be determined to be a topical influencer regarding the topic in the online social network based on one or more factors, such as a factor indicating dissemination of information associated with the identified topic to other entities. A display device can be configured to display information indicating the determination that the entity is a topical influencer of the identified topic.
US09558276B2
Described are computer-based methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, comprising the steps of, or structure for, storing a plurality of expert profiles in a database, each of the plurality of expert profiles comprising information associated with a person having knowledge in a particular category, subject or topic; receiving search criteria over a network from a query source; selecting at least one of the plurality of expert profiles comprising information that satisfy the search criteria; and transmitting expert profile data for each of the selected expert profiles to the remote search engine, the expert profile data comprising data that defines a displayable representation of a corresponding expert profile, the expert profile data further comprising data that facilitates a client-initiated, real-time communication session over the network with a person associated with the corresponding expert profile.
US09558265B1
Provided is a process including: obtaining a graph comprising nodes and edges, each of the edges having a value indicating an amount of similarity between objects corresponding to the two linked nodes; selecting a parameter for influencing the graph; assessing each of the nodes based on the selected influencing parameter, wherein assessing comprises, with respect to each adjacent node in the graph sharing an edge with the node: determining the value indicating the amount of similarity between the object corresponding to the node and the object corresponding to the adjacent node; and determining a score related to the edge shared with the node, the score determined based on the similarity-amount value and a value of the selected influencing parameter for the node, such that edges are removed, weakened, added, or strengthened; and preparing, based on the graph, instructions to display at least part of the graph.
US09558262B2
A sorting method of data documents is provided, adapted to an electronic device. The sort method includes the following steps: retrieving a plurality of keywords from contents of a plurality of data documents; retrieving corresponding keyword rankings of the plurality of keywords by a search engine; searching corresponding keyword categories of the plurality of keywords; and generating a sort algorithm based on the plurality of keywords, the keyword ranking and the keyword category of each of the plurality of keywords, and a current ranking of each of the plurality of data documents, wherein the sort algorithm is used to calculate a predicting ranking of another data document and to sort the another data document.
US09558256B2
A method of maintaining a data store is disclosed. The data store is distributed across a plurality of storage provider instances, including a master storage provider instance and a plurality of additional storage provider instances. A master data log is updated to reflect a change to the data store. The master data log is synchronized with a plurality of replicas of the master data log. The change is propagated across the plurality of additional storage provider instances based on an analysis of the replicas.
US09558253B2
Method and system are provided for providing access to string-based message headers in network protocol messages. The method includes: converting header names into canonical form, wherein a canonical key represents at least one equivalent header name, and wherein a canonical key has a string and an integer value; providing a mapping between the header names and the canonical keys; and searching for a header name using the canonical key by sequential search using integer comparison.
US09558251B2
One or more transformation functions can be used in connection or together with one or more compression/decompression techniques. A transformation function can transform data (e.g., a data object) into a form more suitable for compression and/or decompression. As a result, data can be compressed and/or decompressed more effectively. In addition, multiple data objects can be associated with various transformation functions and/or compression/decompression techniques. As a result, different approaches can be taken with respect to compression and decompression of data objects in an effort to find an optimum approach for compression of data objects that may vary significantly from each other and change over time. It will be appreciated that the objects can be associated with transformation functions in a dynamic manner to accommodate changes to data. Also, an extendible and/or extensible system can allow for growth and adaption of new data in forms not currently present or expected.
US09558248B2
The present disclosure describes a data indexing and search service that resides locally on a computing device (e.g., a mobile phone) and that can host data for multiple applications on the device. By centralizing the storage of data as well as the search and query functions, unified search queries can be performed by the service.
US09558246B1
In one embodiment, a method includes accessing a data-access history for a time period, the data-access history comprising a plurality of data-access instances. The method further includes initially associating each data-access instance with a time-based data-access cluster of a plurality of time-based data-access clusters based, at least in part, on a time of the data-access instance. In addition, the method includes iteratively refining a time distribution of the plurality of data-access instances across the plurality of time-based data-access clusters. Further, the method includes facilitating a time-density analysis of the plurality of data-access instances using the iteratively refined plurality of time-based data-access clusters.
US09558237B2
Systems and methods of automated conjugation of indicia are disclosed. The system includes at least one database; a database management system, having a graphical user interface, adapted for running a query search at said database; a storage medium for storing primary indicia objects and secondary indicia objects set, retrieved from the database. The system further includes an algorithmic analysis mapping module, adapted to analyze the primary indicia objects and the secondary indicia objects to generate metadata representative therefore; a matching module adapted to compare the metadata representative of the primary and secondary indicia objects, as well as a conjugating module, adapted to conjugate at least one primary indicia object with at least one secondary indicia object.
US09558235B1
A conferencing system receives a live stream of conference data generated during a video conference. Data associated with the live stream of conference data may be stored in a storage medium in response to a conferee request. Storage of the data associated with the live stream of conference data may automatically begin at the beginning of the meeting. The system may retrieve the data associated with the live stream of conference data from the storage medium in response to a retrieval request. Retrieval of the data may occur subsequent to that portion of the video conference associated with the live stream. A local copy of the data associated with the live stream of conference data may be provided to a requesting user's computer.
US09558226B2
A method of and system for managing storage of an object for an object store is disclosed. The method and system may establish the object store. The object store may be configured to be used for a user for a workload-type for a set of objects. The method and system may provide, for the user for the workload-type, an object store quota. The method and system may provide, for the user for the workload-type, a meta-data quota. The method and system may process, consistent with both the object store quota and the meta-data quota, the set of objects.
US09558225B2
In an example embodiment, a method for performing event stream processing is provided. An event stream is received, the event stream comprising a real time indication of one or more events occurring. Then it is determined that the event stream is identified in a streaming publish service inside a database. The event stream may then be inserted directly into one or more database tables in the database based on the determining.
US09558220B2
A big data network or system for a process control system or plant includes a big data apparatus including a data storage area configured to store, using a common data schema, multiple types of process data and/or plant data (such as configuration and real-time data) that is used in, generated by or received by the process control system, and one or more data receiver computing devices to receive the data from multiple nodes or devices. The data may be cached and time-stamped at the nodes and streamed to the big data apparatus for storage. The process control system big data system provides services and/or data analyzes to automatically or manually discover prescriptive and/or predictive knowledge, and to determine, based on the discovered knowledge, changes and/or additions to the process control system and to the set of services and/or analyzes to optimize the process control system or plant.
US09558209B2
A system for automatically correcting a mistaken geocoded location input. A wireless device such as a cell phone ranks possible location input based on edit distance, which is a ‘confidence factor’. If there is no perfect match, then a list of geocode options is returned, preferably sorted by the score. The ‘closeness’ is derived by looking at the edit distance to go from the input to the matched address. Edit distance is defined herein as the number of insertion/deletion/replacement operations to go from input location to the possible matched location. In one embodiment, an option list, or ‘pick list’, may be provided based on an edit distance scoring system. The edit distance scoring system is preferably based on a number of keystrokes difference between the input location name and the possible matched location name.
US09558205B2
In the prior art clone creating technique of a file, a management table of a snapshot and the file was created when creating the clone file, so that a considerable amount of creation time for creating the clone file and storage capacity was required. In order to solve the problems of the prior art, the present invention provides a system wherein if a request to create a clone of a file is received, a differential file is created while inhibiting update of the file, and update data is written to the differential file. Further, when a first update request is received to the differential file after creating the differential file, a management table is created. According to the invention, a large amount of clone files can be created speedily.
US09558204B2
A system and method for managing information retrievals from all of an enterprises' archives across all operating locations. The archives include both digital and analog archives. A single “virtual archive” is provided which links all of the archives of the enterprise, regardless of the location or configuration of the archive. The virtual archive allows for data aggregation (regardless of location) so the a user can have data from multiple physical locations on a single screen in a single view. A single, consistent and user friendly interface is provided through which users are able to access multiple applications through a single sign-on and password. Logical tables that are used to direct information retrieval requests to the physical archives. The retrieved information is reformatted and repackaging to resolve any incompatibility between the format of the stored information and the distribution media.
US09558202B2
Techniques are disclosed for reducing database workload in implementing selective subfolder synchronization in a cloud-based environment. In one embodiment, a method comprises, in response to a selection, from a user, of a first synchronization state of a first folder in the workspace, synchronizing content of the first folder in the workspace with a corresponding folder on devices of a user (and collaborators) based on the first synchronization state. The workspace is shared among the user and one or more collaborators of the user. In some embodiments, the method further comprises determining the first synchronization state of the first folder based on synchronization states of one or more folders, other than the first folder, that are related to the first folder. The entries can be configured to identify hierarchical relationships between the one or more folders and the first folder on a per-user basis.
US09558199B2
Efficient data deduplication is described herein. A deduplication bit array partition can be created that corresponds to a number of data items in an expected dataset. The deduplication bit array partition can track whether the data items have been received. When a data item in the expected dataset is received, a bit in the deduplication bit array partition corresponding to the received data item can be accessed to determine, based on the value of the bit, if the received data item has already been received. When the value of the bit indicates that the received data item has not already been received, the value can be changed to indicate that the data item has now been received. When the value of the bit indicates that the received data item has already been received, the data item can be deleted or ignored.
US09558190B1
Methods and systems to perform methods comprising receiving, at a computer system from a first electronic device a first electronic media work; extracting one or more features therefrom; determining that at least a portion of the first electronic media work corresponds to a first reference media work based on a matching of the extracted features against a database of reference features; receiving, from a second electronic device, a query related to the first electronic media work; linking the query to action information in an action database based upon determining that at least a portion of the first electronic media work corresponds to the first reference media work; generating machine-readable instructions associated with the action to be performed based at least in part on the linking of the query to the action information; transmitting, to the second electronic device, the machine-readable instructions; and logging an event associated with the machine-readable instructions.
US09558185B2
Disclosed are several examples of systems that can read millions of news feeds per day about topics (e.g., your customers, competitors, markets, and partners), and provide a small set of the most relevant items to read to keep current with the overwhelming amount of information currently available. Topics of interest can be chosen by the user of the system for use as seeds. The seeds can be vectorized and compared with the target documents to determine their similarity. The similarities can be sorted from highest to lowest so that the most similar seed and target documents are at the top of the list. This output can be produced in XML format so that an RSS Reader can format the XML. This allows for easy Internet access to these recommendations.
US09558184B1
A computer-integratable global knowledge modeling system comprising electronic means for expressing a plurality of entity representations interconnected by relations is described, wherein the entity representations, comprising modeling base elements and rules, are organized according to a fine-grained hierarchical or fractal structure, the relations between entity representations being highly detailed; a plurality of variants, representing each a particular point of view, are associated to at least a part of an entity representation in order to customize the corresponding entity representation; and the knowledge modeling system is usable in an adaptive computer-executable artifact.
US09558182B1
A terminology marker system integrates a terminology analytical component for quantifying the amount of linguistic noise found in the translation output as measured against a dictionary; further, correlating the noise measured on a continuous basis enables the analytical component to build terminology predictive models used in a feedback loop to upstream components of the supply chain to improve future translation of new content. The system also provides a smart terminology assessment component for assessing linguistic assets and improving the quality of those assets to assist in translation. The system also provides a smart terminology evaluation component that is able to analyze MT output to make smart decisions on reducing the amount of post editing corrections needed for delivering a persistent level of translation quality. The integration and configuration of the system component within a translation supply chain assists in delivering a reliable level of translation quality by reducing the linguistic noise across all components of the supply chain.
US09558176B2
This disclosure pertains to a classification model, and to functionality for producing and applying the classification model. The classification model is configured to discriminate whether an input linguistic item (such as a query) corresponding to either a natural language (NL) linguistic item or a keyword language (KL) linguistic item. An NL linguistic item expresses an intent using a natural language, while a KL linguistic item expresses the intent using one or more keywords. In a training phase, the functionality produces the classification model based on query click log data or the like. In an application phase, the functionality may, among other uses, use the classification model to filter a subset of NL linguistic items from a larger set of items, and then use the subset of NL linguistic items to train a natural language interpretation model, such as a spoken language understanding model.
US09558173B2
Systems and methods of pasting a discontinuous selection from a first document are provided, comprising receiving, at a processor, the discontinuous selection modeling the selection as a data structure, and pasting each of the plurality of portions including contextual formatting for each portion. The discontinuous selection includes a plurality of portions of the first document and the portions are discontinuous. The portions may include one or more cells from a table, and pasting the one or more cells includes pasting at least borders of the cell, a background color of the cell, and text contained in the cell.
US09558172B2
Tools and techniques are described for linking visual properties of charts to cells within tables. Methods provided by these tools enable users to select visual properties that are associated with graphical displays of chart data, and to link these visual properties to respective cells within the tables. User interfaces provided by these tools may provide representations of visual properties associated with the graphical displays of chart data, with these representations of the visual properties being responsive to user input to link the cells in the tables to the visual properties. These user interfaces may also include representations of the cells that are associated with the representations of the visual properties.
US09558141B2
An adapter provides a link between a digital media player having a memory on which is stored digital media files, a display device, and a remote control. The adapter receives from the digital media player data which is used to generate a representation of a user interface which is provided to the display device for display. The adapter also receives from the remote control data for use in generating commands for controlling operations of the digital media player whereby a change in state of the digital media player resulting from a performance of an operation caused by the remote control will be reflected in the user interface on the display device.
US09558140B2
A robust method for addressing each of the participants of a bus system comprising a control unit, and a bus and a plurality of addressable participants connected to the bus, comprising the steps of a) pre-selecting a first number of participants, b) selecting from the pre-selected participants a second number of participants, and c) assigning one or more addresses to them, and repeating the steps a) to c). The selection and pre-selection is based on current sources, specific threshold values, and measurement error. The bus system and addressable device (are also claimed.
US09558132B2
Generally, this disclosure provides systems, methods and computer readable media for management of sockets and device queues for reduced latency packet processing. The method may include maintaining a unique-list comprising entries identifying device queues and an associated unique socket for each of the device queues, the unique socket selected from a plurality of sockets configured to receive packets; busy-polling the device queues on the unique-list; receiving a packet from one of the plurality of sockets; and updating the unique-list in response to detecting that the received packet was provided by an interrupt processing module. The updating may include identifying a device queue associated with the received packet; identifying a socket associated with the received packet; and if the identified device queue is not on one of the entries on the unique-list, creating a new entry on the unique-list, the new entry comprising the identified device queue and the identified socket.
US09558130B1
A method and apparatus of performing a data transmission from an electronic device or a peripheral device of an electronic device to a peripheral device of a remote electronic device is disclosed. One example method of performing the data transmission may include transmitting data designated for the remote peripheral device to a local virtual device object. The data that is received by the local virtual device object is transmitted via at least one communication interface or peripheral device of the electronic device to at least one remote communication interface or peripheral device of the remote electronic device. The data arriving at the least one remote communication interface or peripheral device of the remote electronic device is received by a remote virtual device object and transmitted to the designated remote peripheral device.
US09558114B2
The disclosure relates to an electronic memory system, and more specifically, to a system for storing data in an adjustably partitionable memory array, and a method to store data in an adjustably partitionable memory array. According to an embodiment of the disclosure, a system to store data in an adjustably partitionable memory array is provided, the system including a plurality of memory cells arranged in an array of rows and columns, a plurality of bit lines, and a plurality of switches, wherein each bit line is electrically coupled to a column of memory cells and each bit line comprises a switch configured to allow the respective bit line to be partitioned by opening of the switch.
US09558113B2
Methods and systems for performing garbage collection involving sensitive information on a mobile device are described herein. Secure information is received at a mobile device over a wireless network. The sensitive information is extracted from the secure information. A software program operating on the mobile device uses an object to access the sensitive information. Secure garbage collection is performed upon the object after the object becomes unreachable.
US09558112B1
A data storage device includes multiple flash memory devices with each of the flash memory devices being arranged into multiple blocks having multiple pages for storing data. The data storage device includes a memory controller operationally coupled with the flash memory devices. The memory controller is configured to mark one or more of the pages of the flash memory devices as available for deletion and maintain the marked pages as available for being read until deleted during garbage collection.
US09558111B1
A reclaim system frees previously allocated, but currently unused, storage space in a thin or virtual provisioning environment. The reclaim system may be used in connection with a maintenance operation performed upon determining that significant allocated space of a thin device is no longer being used or may be performed periodically to analyze a thin device and free appropriate space back to a thin device storage pool. In an embodiment, the reclaim system may run online while user applications are accessing a target storage volume.
US09558101B2
Generally discussed herein are systems, apparatuses, or methods for preprocessor directive symbol definition and preprocessor directive symbol usage analysis. In one or more embodiments a method can include applying a heuristic to a first preprocessor directive symbol from a build file or sub-build file of one or more build files or source code files and a second preprocessor directive symbol from a source code file. The method can include determining a likelihood that the first preprocessor directive symbol is presented erroneously in the source code file as the second preprocessor directive symbol based on a result of applying the heuristic.
US09558097B2
Some embodiments of automated recording and playback of application interactions have been presented. In one embodiment, an application proxy server communicatively coupled between an application server and a client records responses and requests between an application server and a client during a transaction. Furthermore, the application proxy server generates a script based on the responses and requests recorded.
US09558094B2
The present systems and methods leverage aspects of GPU architecture to improve the operational efficiency of the GPU. In one aspect, a set of complementary GPU kernels is identified. From among the tested GPU kernels, a set of α-kernels, may be determined wherein a kernel may be labeled as an α-kernel if it achieves the best performance among all tested kernels for at least one set of parameter values. An intelligent selection algorithm may be used to determine at least one best α-kernel from among the set of α-kernels, wherein the determining by the intelligent selection algorithm includes selecting the at least one best α-kernel based on the parameter values of the selected datasets.
US09558084B2
A method for operating a mirrored disk storage system, comprises a determiner component for determining a repair characteristic of a pair of mirrored disks, a comparator for comparing said repair characteristic of a first of said pair with said repair characteristic of a second of said pair, and a cancelling component for cancelling a repair action for said one of said first or said second of said pair that is not selected by said selector.
US09558082B2
Techniques for virtual machine (VM) availability during migration network failure and VM network failure in a first host computing system in a failover cluster are described. In one example embodiment, migration and VM network failure in the first host computing system is identified, wherein the first host computing system being configured to migrate VMs using the migration network and to route network traffic of VMs via the VM network. A migration network is then temporarily configured for the first host computing system over a management network in the virtual datacenter, wherein the management network being used to manage host computing systems by virtual management software (VMS) residing in a management server. The VMs running on the first host computing system are then migrated to at least one other host computing system in the failover cluster via the migration network temporarily configured on the management network.
US09558078B2
Archiving a database and point in time recovery of the database. A method includes taking a first snapshot of a database. The first snapshot of the database includes a first snapshot of the data in the data storage and a first snapshot of the log records in the log storage. The method further includes taking a second snapshot of the database. The second snapshot of the database includes a second snapshot of the data in data storage and a second snapshot of the log records. The method further includes restoring the database to a particular point by applying the first snapshot of the data in the data storage to the database, applying the first snapshot of the log records in the log storage to the database and applying a portion of the second snapshot of the log records in the log storage to the database.
US09558073B2
Disclosed are systems, computer-readable mediums, and methods for incremental block level backup. An initial backup of a volume is created at a backup server, where creating the initial backup includes retrieving an original metadata file from a metadata server, and retrieving a copy of all data of the volume based on the original metadata file. A first incremental backup of the volume is then created at the backup server, where creating the first incremental backup includes retrieving a first metadata file, where the first metadata file was created separately from the original metadata file. A block identifier of the first metadata file is compared to a corresponding block identifier of the original metadata file to determine a difference between the first and original block identifiers, and a copy of a changed data block of the volume is retrieved based on the comparison of the first and original block identifiers.
US09558071B2
A first section of the data object is received that contains less than a full amount of the data object. A processing module of a distributed storage (DS) processing unit determines that communication of the data object has been interrupted and whether to store the first section of the data object. The first section of the data object is stored in a DS network when determined to store the first section of the data object.
US09558055B2
A method for detecting memory leaks with an administrative client begins by transmitting to all of the processes running on at least one computing device, a first command to return memory track information. The administrative client receives memory track information from each of the processes, and combines them into a first system wide memory allocation. The administrative client transmits an instruction to run a test case process, and then transmits, to each of the processes, a second command to return memory track information. The administrative client receives the second set of memory track information and combines it to generate a second system wide memory allocation. To generate a list of potential memory leaks originating from the test case process, the administrative client compares the first system wide memory allocation with the second system wide memory allocation.
US09558052B2
A safety system monitors faults in an embedded control system. The embedded control system is modeled to produce one or more model check values by calculating how many clock cycles will pass between an initialization time point and at least one event time point for a specific event. The initialization time point is a certain point in an initialization function of a scheduler in the embedded control system. The at least one event time point is an expected number of clock cycles to pass before a specific event occurs. In operation, the embedded control system is initialized, a current clock cycle counter value is retrieved at a certain point in the initialization, and either an occurrence or an absence of an occurrence of a scheduled event is recognized. A current clock cycle value is recorded upon the recognition, and a mathematic check value is produced from the clock cycle value stored at the certain point in the initialization and the clock cycle value recorded upon the recognition. Subsequently, the model check value is compared to the mathematic check value, and action is taken based on the comparison.
US09558050B2
There are disclosed a general middleware bridge supporting an interoperability operation between devices on different middlewares and a method thereof. The general middleware bridge according to the present invention includes: a conversion rule collector collecting message conversion rules for an interoperability operation between different middleware devices; a conversion rule register registering the message conversion rules for each message type; and a message converter interconverting messages from the middleware devices on the basis of the message conversion rules and transferring the converted messages for each message type.
US09558049B1
Shuffle optimization in map-reduce processing. The method includes: obtaining intermediate results from a plurality of mappers for an application on a computing device; combining the intermediate results from the plurality of mappers; and partitioning the combined intermediate results into intermediate results for respective reducers for the application based on respective keys of the combined intermediate results.
US09558043B2
A method is provided in one example and includes receiving data from a network element, determining a candidate data processing task for the received data based upon a first similarity metric between the received data and data currently associated with the candidate data processing task, and sending the received data to the candidate data processing task.
US09558039B2
Disclosed aspects include managing resources of a shared pool of configurable computing resources having a particular shared pool resource. An application program is run for processing on the shared pool of configurable computing resources. A set of resource data for the application program is collected by the application program. An offer of the particular shared pool resource for use by the application program is detected by the application program. The set of resource data associated with the particular shared pool resource is analyzed by the application program. Based on the set of resource data and in response to analyzing the set of resource data associated with the particular shared pool resource, the application program determines to refuse the offer. In response to determining to refuse the offer, the application program selects to refuse the offer.
US09558038B2
A system to which the present invention has been applied includes a plurality of information processing apparatuses connected to each other and a management device that divides a first number of pieces of management data needed for management of the plurality of information processing apparatuses into a second number of pieces of management data, the second number being equal to or greater than the first number, and that transmits the second number of pieces of management data obtained by the division respectively to the plurality of information processing apparatuses.
US09558027B2
Some embodiments provide a method for configuring a logical middlebox in a hosting system that includes a set of nodes. The logical middlebox is part of a logical network that includes a set of logical forwarding elements that connect a set of end machines. The method receives a set of configuration data for the logical middlebox. The method uses a stored set of tables describing physical locations of the end machines to identify a set of nodes at which to implement the logical middlebox. The method provides the logical middlebox configuration for distribution to the identified nodes.
US09558019B2
A system, method, computer program product, and carrier are described for obtaining a software flaw indication resulting from an emulation of a first instance of a thread at least partly in response to a first input from a user interface or indicating a virtually instantiated service via a data flow between a user interface and an operating system, the virtually instantiated service including at least a virtual instance; and accessing another instance of the virtually instantiated service at least partly in response to the user interface after indicating the virtually instantiated service via the data flow between the user interface and the operating system or manipulating a second instance of the thread at least partly in response to a second input arriving from the user interface after beginning the emulation of the first instance of the thread.
US09558015B2
A computer-implemented method of application control includes receiving a list of applications available on a wireless device in communication with a vehicle computing system (VCS). The method also includes storing a list of applications, including triggers associated with one or more of the applications, in a local memory. The method further includes monitoring, via the VCS, one or more vehicle sensors or other input mechanisms for a state which corresponds to a trigger. This method also includes comparing, via the VCS, the trigger to the triggers associated with one or more of the applications upon detection of a state which corresponds to a trigger. Finally, the method includes recommending at least one application having an associated trigger that is the same as the trigger to which the state corresponds for activation, via the VCS.
US09558012B2
Various aspects of the present disclosure provide for a system that is able to boot from a variety of media that can be connected to the system, including SPI NOR and SPI NAND memory, universal serial bus (“USB”) devices, and devices attached via PCIe and Ethernet interfaces. When the system is powered on, the system processor is held in a reset mode, while a microcontroller in the system identifies an external device to be booted, and then copies a portion of boot code from the external device to an on-chip memory. The microcontroller can then direct the reset vector to the boot code in the on-chip memory and brings the system processor out of reset. The system processor can execute the boot code in-place on the on-chip memory, which initiates the system memory and the second stage boot loader.
US09558011B2
Methods, apparatus and computer program products implement embodiments of the present invention that enable a computer that is executing a first operating system kernel to load a second operating system kernel and one or more software components to a region in a memory. Using functions incorporated in the kernel, the region in the memory is tagged, and the computer initiates a boot of a second operating system kernel while preserving in the tagged region contents stored therein. Following the boot of the second operating system kernel, the computer executes the one or more software components from the tagged region that was preserved during the boot.
US09558010B2
Apparatus and computer program products implement embodiments of the present invention that enable a computer that is executing a first operating system kernel to load a second operating system kernel and one or more software components to a region in a memory. Using functions incorporated in the kernel, the region in the memory is tagged, and the computer initiates a boot of a second operating system kernel while preserving in the tagged region contents stored therein. Following the boot of the second operating system kernel, the computer executes the one or more software components from the tagged region that was preserved during the boot.
US09558009B1
A system may be provided that includes a random access memory, a non-volatile solid state memory, a serial non-volatile semiconductor memory, and a memory controller. The non-volatile solid state memory may include a boot block and a code partition. The serial non-volatile semiconductor memory stores a last written boot sector identifier. The memory controller may be configured to read the last written boot sector identifier from the serial non-volatile semiconductor memory and find a last written boot sector of the boot block based on the last written boot sector identifier read from the serial non-volatile semiconductor memory.
US09558007B2
In certain aspects, a system for out-of-band configuring BIOS setting data (BIOSSD) includes a host computer and a service processor (SP). The SP stores a BIOSSD collection and a human interface data (HID) collection. The HID collection includes questions for data of the BIOSSD collection and corresponding options for each question. When a remote management computer sends to the SP an information request, the SP retrieves the HID collection and transmits the questions and the corresponding options to the remote management computer. In response to a command indicating a selected corresponding option, the SP changes corresponding data of the BIOSSD collection according to the command. When the BIOS executed at the host computer issues a BIOSSD update request to the SP, the SP transmits a copy of the BIOSSD collection to the BIOS chip of the host computer to replace the BIOSSD collection stored in the BIOS chip.
US09558001B2
Methods and reservation stations for selecting instructions to issue to a functional unit of an out-of-order processor. The method includes classifying each instruction into one of a number of categories based on the type of instruction. Once classified an instruction is stored in an instruction queue corresponding to the category in which it was classified. Instructions are then selected from one or more of the instruction queues to issue to the functional unit based on a relative priority of the plurality of types of instructions. This allows certain types of instructions (e.g. control transfer instructions, flag setting instructions and/or address generation instructions) to be prioritized over other types of instructions even if they are younger.
US09557984B2
Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for performing code load operations on managed components in a system. A first node group comprising at least one computational node in the computer system performs code load operations for the managed components. Status of the code load operations at the managed component is written to a status data structure while the code load operations are being performed at the managed component. The first node group transfers control of the code load operations for the managed components to a second node group comprising at least computational node in the computer system while the code load operations are occurring at the managed components. A second node group reads the status data structure for the managed components to determine the status of the code load operations and continue the code load operations at managed components.
US09557971B2
An improved system and method for updating software is described. The system, upon detecting one or more changes within the set of eligibility attribute values associated with the one or more particular components of previously-provided software, selects a replacement component. The component is selected based on one or more changed eligibility attribute values within the set of eligibility attribute values, and the metadata of the user device. Using the replacement component, the replacement software is constructed and sent to the user device.
US09557963B2
A processing device is provided that includes a first, second and third precision operation circuit. The processing device further includes a shared, bit-shifting circuit that is communicatively coupled to the first, second and third precision operation circuits. A method is also provided for multiplying a first and second binary number including adding a first exponent value associated with the first binary number to a second exponent value associated with the second binary number and multiplying a first mantissa value associated with the first binary number to a second mantissa value associated with the second binary number. The method includes performing the exponent adding and mantissa multiplying substantially in parallel. The method further includes performing at least one of adding or subtracting a third binary number to the product. Also provided is a computer readable storage device encoded with data for adapting a manufacturing facility to create an apparatus.
US09557949B2
A print scheduling and processing method, apparatus and system are disclosed. Embodiments of the invention adopt such a method that at least one print processing apparatus satisfying a print requirement of a user is determined; upon reception of a print request sent from an idle print processing apparatus, the idle print processing apparatus sending the print request is notified of a print task of the user if it is determined that the idle print processing apparatus is included among the at least one print processing apparatus satisfying the print requirement of the user.
US09557945B2
When an index file includes reference information about a next index file, a printer continues to acquire the next index file until the index file is overwritten with reference information about a newly processed file.
US09557933B1
The system described herein allows for picking data to be moved from one physical location to another using certain criteria, such as expected activity level, to achieve load balancing or load optimization. Migrating data for a logical device includes subdividing the logical device into subsections, where each of the subsections corresponds to a particular address range of the logical device that is mapped to a physical device containing corresponding data and copying data for a first subsection from a first physical device to a second, different, physical device, where data for a second subsection is maintained indefinitely on the first physical device after copying the data for the first subsection to the second physical device. The first physical device may be provided in a different geographic location than the second physical device.
US09557929B2
The systems and methods herein permit storage systems to correctly perform data recovery, such as direct access recovery, of Network Data Management Protocol (“NDMP”) backup data that was modified prior to being stored in secondary storage media, such as tape. For example, as described in greater detail herein, the systems and methods may permit NDMP backup data to be encrypted, compressed, deduplicated, and/or otherwise modified prior to storage. The systems and methods herein also permit a user to perform a precautionary snapshot of the current state of data (e.g., primary data) prior to reverting data to a previous state using point-in-time data.
US09557924B2
Provided are a method, a system, and a computer program product in which a secondary storage controller copies a file stored in a primary storage controller. The secondary storage controller performs an anti-virus scan on the copied file. A result of the anti-virus scan is transmitted to the primary storage controller.
US09557923B2
An apparatus for migrating data in a tiered storage architecture includes one or more processors and one or more memory devices coupled to the processors and storing instructions for execution by the processors. The instructions cause the one or more processors to: track temperature (i.e., frequency of access) of data blocks in a tiered storage architecture; generate heat maps indicating the temperature of the data blocks across different time intervals; process the heat maps using an image processing algorithm; compress the heat maps to reduce the size of the heat maps; compare the heat maps from the time intervals to identify temperature patterns occurring over time; predict, from the temperature patterns, when selected data blocks will change in temperature; and migrate the selected data blocks between tiers of the tiered storage architecture in anticipation of their changes in temperature.
US09557917B2
A method for allocating memory includes an operation that determines whether a prototype of a callee function is within a scope of a caller. The caller is a module containing a function call to the callee function. In addition, the method includes determining whether the function call includes one or more unnamed parameters when a prototype of the callee function is within the scope of the caller. Further, the method may include inserting instructions in the caller to allocate a register save area in a memory when it is determined that the function call includes one or more unnamed parameters.
US09557913B2
A method comprising receiving an input of a character from a virtual keyboard rendered on a display, and displaying the input character left of a cursor located within a ticker rendered on the display proximate to the virtual keyboard, wherein the cursor has a set position located towards a centre of the ticker.
US09557911B2
An aspect provides a method, including: activating, using a processor, a touch sensitive surface which comprises at least a bezel portion of a display; accepting, using a processor, user input to the bezel portion of the touch sensitive surface; and controlling, using a processor, an information handling device operatively coupled to the touch sensitive surface in response to touch input in the bezel portion of a display. Other aspects are described and claimed.
US09557906B2
Among other things, one or more techniques and/or systems are provided for maintaining an information bar associated with a visualization. The visualization may correspond to an interface configured to display one or more entities (e.g., a map interface may display location entities, such as coffee shops, and/or direction entities, such as portions of a route, within a map). Responsive to the visualization being populated, the information bar may be populated with one or more information panels corresponding to the one or more entities. For example, a first information panel may comprise coffee specials and hours of operation for a first coffee shop entity populated within the visualization. Responsive to a selection of an entity within the visualization, a corresponding information panel may (automatically) be scrolled to and/or highlighted within the information bar. In this way, the information bar may display information panels corresponding to entities of the visualization.
US09557903B2
The present invention relates to a method for providing a user interface on a terminal, which provides a user interactive information search service that uses, as information, a user response to an information search request so as to overcome local limitations coverable by an information search service and expand a search function for the domain that cannot be supported. A method for providing a user interface on a terminal according to one embodiment disclosed in the present specification comprises a step of transmitting, to a server, an information search request based on a user voice input; a step of receiving, from the server, a response to the information search request; and a step of displaying an item to take, in the form of a voice input, a user response to the information search request in the event that the response indicates that there is nothing found as a search result.
US09557891B2
An online shopping server (10) includes a receiving unit (17a) that, when a plurality of first item information are selected by a user operation on a user terminal (T), acquiring the plurality of selected first item information, a retrieval unit (17b) that recognizes a common item attribute among the plurality of acquired first item information and reads item information different from the plurality of first item information and corresponding to the common item attribute as second item information from an item database (14), and a transmitting unit (17c) that outputs the read second item information in order to display the second item information together with the common item attribute on the user terminal (T).
US09557887B2
Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to the display of multidimensional structures and provide a method, system and computer program product for managing an integrated multidimensional view of a structured collection of objects. In one embodiment of the invention, a data processing system can be configured to render an integrated view of a multidimensional structured collection of objects. The data processing system can include a GUI for a host application in a computing platform and multidimensional view processing logic coupled to the host application. The logic can include program code enabled to render a single, integrated multidimensional view of a structured collection of objects in the GUI.
US09557883B1
In an approach for preventing the modification of an email by the recipients of the email, a processor receives an indication that an email message is composed. A processor receives an indication that modification of contents of the email message, by one or more recipients of the email message, is to be prevented. A processor converts the contents of the email message from editable text to a non-editable format. A processor sends the converted email message to a recipient.
US09557880B2
This disclosure provides various embodiments for providing UI services. An application-independent, reusable UI framework receives a request from a first application, to perform a first operation on a first set of data relating to presentation of the first set of data on a UI. A subset of the first set of data is received from a data provider independent of the UI framework. At least one first service is identified in response, the first service hosted by the UI framework and adapted to perform the first operation on the first set of data. The first operation is performed on the subset of the first set of data using the at least one identified first service to produce a first processed set of data adapted for presentation on a UI of the first application. The first processed set of data is sent to the first application.
US09557877B2
Media players and associated methods are described that may allow a user to initiate playback of content or other media assets based on information associated with content. A media player may receive information associated with content from a user selection of a song, movie, photo, or the like. Based on the information, the media player may procure other additional content to be added to a playlist. The media player may automatically add to a playlist or modify a playlist with content that matches a user's preferences for artists, albums, genres, or the like. The user may interact with the media player to determine what content is added and how a playlist should be mixed. The user may specify how much of any content procured by the media player should be present in the playlist without the need to specify each individual item that constitutes a playlist.
US09557871B2
This invention relates to a transparent conductive coating that is substantially transparent to visible light and is designed to have a visible reflectance which more closely matches that the visible reflectance of the underlying substrate. In certain example embodiments, the transparent conductive multilayer coating includes a silver layer(s) and may be used as an electrode(s) in a capacitive touch panel so as to provide for an electrode(s) transparent to visible light but without much visibility due to the substantial matching visible reflection design.
US09557863B2
The present disclosure provides a touch panel, including: a cover lens, an optical compensation layer and a sensing electrode layer disposed between the cover lens and the optical compensation layer, wherein an etching region and a non-etching region are defined in the sensing electrode layer; an optical match is formed by the optical compensation layer with the sensing electrode layer, wherein the optical compensation layer receives incident light through the cover lens and the sensing electrode to reconcile the hue of the reflected light correspondingly formed from the etching region and the non-etching region. The present disclosure also provides a method for fabricating a touch panel.
US09557861B2
A user interface apparatus and method in a user terminal that uses a capacitive touch input scheme are provided. The method includes monitoring an input signal that is generated by a touch on a touch panel; and in response to detecting an input signal generated by the touch, determining an area of the touch based on the input signal, and differently processing a selected command depending on the determined area.
US09557844B2
A mobile terminal including a wireless communication unit configured to provide wireless communication; a touch screen configured to display information; and a controller configured to receive a first tapping input on the touchscreen, and perform an output differently depending on whether a detected strength of the first tapping input is included in a first range or a second range.
US09557842B2
A display device including a display section having a plurality of pixel electrodes; and a plurality of drive electrodes extending in a first direction and arranged side-by-side in a second direction. Each of the drive electrodes has a width in the second direction corresponding to a size of the two or more pixel electrodes, and has one or more slits extending in the first direction.
US09557839B2
The embodiments of the present invention relate to a display device and a driving method thereof, wherein the display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of pixels a voltage transmitting line transmitting a first voltage to a first pixel among the plurality of pixels, a data line transmitting a data voltage to the first pixel, and a plurality of sensing units including a first sensing unit connected to the voltage transmitting line, wherein the first pixel includes a first switching element including an input terminal connected to the voltage transmitting line and a second switching element including an input terminal connected to the data line, and the first sensing unit includes a control switching element including an input terminal connected to the voltage transmitting line.
US09557835B2
A trackball that is used notably for pointing at objects on a screen of a computer system comprises a body that is intended to be fixed to a workstation, a sphere that is rotatable with respect to the body, a set of sensors that provide information relating to the relative position of the sphere with respect to the body, and braking means for braking the rotational movements of the sphere with respect to the body. The braking means comprise a friction ring that encircles the sphere. The ring extends mainly in a plane perpendicular to an axis of symmetry of the sphere. The ring is free to move translationally in the plane in which the ring extends.
US09557833B2
In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a signal at a stylus. The stylus is operable to wirelessly transmit signals to and receive signals from a device. The stylus includes a plurality of electrodes disposed in a tip of the stylus. The method includes determining a characteristic of the signal, and based at least in part on the characteristics of the signal, a threshold for determining whether to process signals received wirelessly from the device is dynamically adjusted.
US09557824B2
A terminal for a computer system includes a keyboard incorporating modules for performing two factor authentication (TFA) for log-on of a user. TFA preferably combines a fingerprint scan with the proximity of a previously enrolled Bluetooth device that typically accompanies the user, such as a wireless phone or headset. The keyboard also includes an ultrasonic proximity detector aimed to detect the presence of the user at the keyboard and to terminate log-on when the user leaves the keyboard. The keyboard processor may be used as an encryption engine to encode all keystroke data and authentication/log-on transactions with the computer system.
US09557823B1
Systems, devices, and techniques are provided for customization of a layout of keys based at least on position of a finger of an end-user of user equipment. The customization can be implemented dynamically in response to changes in actions associated with interaction between end-users and the user equipment. A customized layout of keys of a keyboard layout associated with the user equipment can be leveraged for implementation of a typing technique.
US09557822B2
To distinguish a region (e.g. hand) within a data set (e.g. digital image), data elements (e.g. pixels) representing a transition (e.g. hand outline) are identified. The direction toward the region is determined, for example using weighted direction matrices yielding a numerical maximum when aligned inward. A test element displaced one or more steps inward from the boundary element is tested against a standard for identifying the region. If the tested element meets the standard, that element is identified as part of the region. By examining data elements away from the transition, noise in the transition itself is avoided without altering the transition (e.g. by smoothing) while still only examining a linear data set (i.e. a contour or trace of the feature rather than a flooded interior thereof). The direction to the exterior of the region, an exterior contour, other features, and/or the transition also may be identified/followed.
US09557805B2
A power management circuit including, between a first terminal intended to be connected to an electric power generation source and a second terminal intended to be connected to a load to be powered, a linear regulator and a circuit capable of activating the linear regulator when the power supplied by said source is greater than a first threshold.
US09557803B2
A device for connecting a user station to a CAN bus, the user station in the active state being able to exchange messages with other user stations via the CAN bus using the device, according to the standard ISO 11898; the user station in the at-rest state being able to be activated using the device, in response to the reception of a wake-up information; the wake-up information configured as a CAN message according to the standard ISO 11898; in the device, a suitable first arrangement selectively evaluating the wake-up information received, so that the wake-up process is initiated only in response to the presence of wake-up information that is specified or specifiable for the respective user station which is characterized in that a storage arrangement is provided in the device in order, in case the wake-up process is initiated, which store the wake-up information evaluated for this entirely or partially.
US09557802B2
Described in embodiments herein are techniques for placing a secure digital input output (SDIO) device in a sleep mode and waking up the SDIO device from the sleep mode. In accordance with an embodiment, a method of controlling the SDIO device comprising: writing a control value into a register of the SDIO device; allowing the SDIO device to switch to a first operation mode based on the control value written into the register; sending a first signal to the SDIO device through a first data terminal of the SDIO device; and allowing the SDIO device to switch to a second operation mode based on the first signal.
US09557797B2
Aspects include computing devices, systems, and methods for selecting preferred processor core combinations for a state of a computing device. In an aspect, a state of a computing device containing the multi-core processor may be determined. A number of current leakage ratios may be determined by comparing current leakages of the processor cores to current leakages of the other processor cores. The ratios may be compared to boundaries for the state of the computing device in respective inequalities. A processor core associated with a number of boundaries may be selected in response to determining that the respective inequalities are true. The boundaries may be associated with a set of processor cores deemed preferred for an associated state of the computing device. The processor core present in the set of processor cores for each boundary of a true inequality may be the selected processor core.
US09557788B2
A semiconductor device includes a fuse unit comprising an array e-fuse and suitable for generating a boot-up end signal when a boot-up operation ends, a power generation unit suitable for generating a plurality of driving voltages for the fuse unit in response to a power-up signal indicating start of the boot-up operation and a power control unit suitable for controlling the generation of the driving voltages in response to the power-up signal and the boot-up end signal.
US09557786B2
Method and apparatus are provided for thermal management of mobile devices. In one novel aspect, a micro-throttle method is used to control the fast rising temperature for the device. In one embodiment, the thermal management method determines a temperature of the mobile device and compares the temperature with a plurality of predefined temperature thresholds. The thermal management applies a first micro-throttle solution upon detecting the temperature reaches a first predefined temperature threshold and applies a second micro-throttle solution upon detecting the temperature reaches a second predefined temperature threshold. In one embodiment, the first and the second micro-throttle solution control the slope of the rising temperature to be below a first predefined slope and a second predefined slope, respectively. In one embodiment, the temperature is controlled by adjusting the operating frequency or voltage of at least one heat-generating component of the mobile device.
US09557782B2
A slide track includes a slide track includes an inner track and a positioning member. The inner track includes a limiting groove and two positioning holes spaced from the limiting groove. The inner track further includes a hollow portion. The positioning holes are located between the limiting groove and the hollow portion. The positioning member further includes a stop portion and a pressing portion respectively extending away from two opposite sides of a base. The base includes two opposite faces between the stop portion and the pressing portion. A connection portion is formed on each opposite face of the base. A positioning portion is connected to each connection portion. Each positioning portion is positioned in one of the positioning holes of the inner track. The pressing portion is aligned with the hollow portion of the inner track. The stop portion is aligned with the limiting groove of the inner track.
US09557776B1
A hinge resistively holds an orientation between first and second members. The hinge has an elongated shaft with a head mating with a bore in the first member. A key is rotatably disposed on an axel portion of the shaft and has a tab mating with a slot in the second member. A friction ring is disposed on the shaft adjacent the key, and keyed to rotated with the shaft. The friction ring and the key have opposing bearing surfaces to hold their relative position by friction. One of the friction ring and the key can have a dimple while the other has a detent. A spring is carried by the shaft and biases the key and the friction ring together.
US09557772B1
An electronic device has a first body; a second body; a rotating device rotatably connecting the first body and the second body; and an enclosing mechanism enclosing at least a part of the rotating device.
US09557767B2
Certain implementations of a system for mounting an electronic device, such as a tablet computer, can include an enclosure housing to receive an electronic device, and multiple panels, each panel configured to be removably and interchangeably connected to the enclosure housing to modify a configuration of the enclosure housing based on the electronic device. The system of removable and interchangeable panels can be implemented as part of the design of the enclosure for the electronic devices to allow the enclosure to be flexibly configured with a variety of different accessory devices which may extend the capabilities of the electronic device in desirable ways.
US09557764B2
A clock tree circuit Including a first clock source, generating a first signal, and a first tree circuit. The first clock tree circuit includes a first driving stage for receiving the first signal, a second driving stage, connected to the first driving stage, a third driving stage, connected to the second driving stage, and a metal connection element, coupled between different nodes of the third driving stage and configured as a short-circuited element.
US09557753B2
The invention relates to a method for regulating the voltage of a transformer (1) having different winding taps (3). The problem addressed by the invention is that of providing a method with which different load flow directions can be regulated with conventional transformers (1) and voltage regulators (7) in order to ensure a safe and reliable supply of voltage. The general inventive concept consists in determining, using a method in which a quadrant system (11) is used, the phase angle of the conduction current (I) and thus the load flow direction, thereby preventing deviation from the voltage range as a result of power input that is too high, by controlling the load tap changer (4).
US09557752B2
A hot water supply apparatus using a heat medium provides a heat medium circulation path that circulates the heat medium, a heat medium pump that pumps the heat medium into the heat medium circulation path, a heat source that generates heat heating the heat medium, a heat medium heat exchanger that exchanges heat generated by the heat source for the heat medium, a hot water supply heat exchanger that exchanges heat of the heat medium circulating in the heat medium circulation path for clean water, and a control unit that sets the heat medium in the heat medium circulation path in a predetermined temperature and controls the rotating speed of the heat medium pump and the combustion amount of the heat source according to a heat requirement.
US09557750B2
A control system for operating the HVAC systems within a building to control the environmental conditions within a building having an onsite component networked to a remote offsite component. The onsite component monitors the conditions within the building and operates the HVAC systems, while the offsite component can be used by the system provider to communicate updates to the onsite component and monitor the effectiveness of the control algorithms used to operate the HVAC systems. The invention includes the method of providing tailored HVAC related controls, reports, notices and diagnostic services to a client under various subscription plans.
US09557748B2
A vehicle powertrain control system causes friction torque to be delivered to wheels at a generally constant value for a range of increasing requested friction torque values such that commanded powertrain torque values are reduced to a generally constant floor value. The range of increasing requested torque values is less than a requested powertrain torque value under foot off accelerator pedal and vehicle stop conditions.
US09557739B2
The inventive system comprises an autonomous robot device, a base station and a method operating the same. The autonomous robot device includes a sensor means, e.g. an optical sensor, and a propulsion means. The base station includes a cleaning means specifically adapted for cleaning the sensor means of the autonomous robot device. In a preferred embodiment the propulsion means of the autonomous robot device is configured to move the autonomous robot device in a manner suitable to generate a relative movement of the autonomous robot device with respect to the passive cleaning means arranged at the stationary base station to effect the cleaning of the sensor means of the autonomous robot device.
US09557734B2
A control computer as a master apparatus in a control network system includes a packet generation unit. The packet generation unit: selects a control command for writing a data from among packet generation information; references the packet generation information for each of the selected control command; and includes a data for write which is read from an address in a storage section corresponding to the each control command, in a control packet to generate the control packet. A communication unit transmits the generated control packet to a controlled object as a slave device.
US09557733B2
A Packaging System having a Packaging Line designed to produce Packaged Consumer Products; a Marking System designed to mark individual or packs of Packaged Consumer Products with graphical information, and a Line Controller designed to control the Packaging Line and the Marking System. The Marking System includes: Marking Equipment and a Marking Server. The Marking Server is designed to receive Production Batch Data and associated Template Identifier(s); and a Marking Device Controller. The Line Controller is designed to: receive Production Batch Data and generate Marking Instruction(s) for associated Marking Device Controller(s). The Marking Device Controller is designed to: receive Marking Instruction(s) from the Line Controller, fetch out from a Repository in the Marking Server stored Mark Layout Template(s) and Production Batch Data, and generate Marking Command(s) for Marking Device(s) controlled by the Marking Device Controller based on fetched Mark Layout Template(s) and Production Batch Data.
US09557722B1
Described is a control system for stabilizing complex systems through self-adjustment. The complex system consists of agents or machines interacting with an environment and controlled by a controller. The control system includes a sensor configured to measure a state of the complex system and output the measured state of the complex system. A filter receives the measured state of the complex system, computes a variance in the measured state of the complex system over time, and outputs the computed variance. A regulator, which is connected with at least one controller, adjusts a control parameter in response to the computed variance received from the filter. The regulator is configured to regulate each controller's action on each agent or machine based on the control parameter in order to maintain stability of the complex system. In a desired aspect, the at least one control parameter comprises a set of additional input delays.
US09557719B2
A door access control system associates a unique passive identifier with each one of a plurality of doors for which controlled access is desired. Each of the identifiers can be attached to a location adjacent to each respective door. A smart phone with a predetermined scanning application can scan or read a respective identifier of a door for which access is desired. A representation of the door identifier along with an identifier of the smart phone can be transmitted to an access control unit. A data base of the access control unit can be interrogated to determine if that smart phone identifier is authorized to open the designated door. If authorized, then an access command can be transmitted to a local access control module that can release a locking mechanism for the respective door.
US09557718B2
An electronic timepiece has a storage unit (flash ROM) that stores local time information related to positioning information and time difference information, and version information of the local time information; a version display unit (display device) capable of displaying the version information; and a display control unit that displays the version information on the version display unit.
US09557717B2
The present disclosure relates to arranging the orientation of a display on device based on motion of the device. In one embodiment, a method includes detecting movement of the device, and detecting motion data for the device. The motion data includes data associated with rotational movement of the device. The method includes analyzing, by a controller, the data associated with rotational movement of the device to determine an orientation for presenting a display of the device. The method may also include controlling the device to rotate the display to the determined orientation.
US09557705B2
An image forming apparatus includes a waste toner container for containing toner recovered from a photosensitive drum and an intermediate transfer belt. The waste toner container has a stirring screw for conveying the toner in the waste toner container. The stirring screw is driven by a waste toner motor. A CPU determines whether the waste toner container is in need of replacement depending on a rotation speed or driving current of the waste toner motor. If the waste toner container is in need of replacement, the CPU displays such on a display unit to provide a notification to a user.
US09557702B2
An image forming apparatus has a fixing unit including a first fixing member and a second fixing member opposing to the first fixing member, a curl correcting unit including a first curl correcting member and a second curl correcting member opposing to the first curl correcting member, a first changing member rotatable about a first rotation center, the first changing member changing a pressure to the sheet by the first fixing member and the second fixing member, and a second changing member rotatable about the first rotation center, the second changing member changing a pressure to the sheet by the first curl correcting member and the second curl correcting member.
US09557701B2
An image forming apparatus comprises a conveyance roller, a register roller, a sensor, a movable section, and a control section. The conveyance roller conveys a sheet. The register roller is arranged downstream of the conveyance roller along a sheet conveyance path. The sensor detects a deflection amount of the sheet when the sheet is pressed against the register roller. The movable section is connected to at least one end part of the conveyance roller. The control section controls the movable section to move the at least one end of the conveyance roller based on the deflection amount detected by the sensor, to tilt a rotational axis of the conveyance roller relative to a rotational axis of the register roller.
US09557688B2
An image forming apparatus includes a transfer portion transferring a toner image to a sheet, and a sheet guide portion guiding the sheet to the transfer portion. The sheet guide portion includes a resin member and a conductive member. The conductive member is provided to be in contact with the sheet to which the toner image is being transferred by the transfer portion and on a surface of the resin member so as to be grounded through the resin member, and has a volume resistivity which is lower than that of the resin member.
US09557686B2
The present disclosure is directed to a spring bearing which is used in a roller system for a developer cartridge. The spring bearing has a front surface and a rear surface and an angled relief cut extending from the front surface to the rear surface.
US09557673B2
An electrostatic charge image developing toner includes toner particles containing a binder resin and inorganic particles that are present in a state of being embedded into the surfaces of the toner particles and being exposed, and satisfy the following expression: 20° C.≦T1−T10, wherein T1 represents the temperature at which the viscosity under an applied pressure of 1 MPa becomes 104 Pa·s, and T10 represents the temperature at which the viscosity under an applied pressure of 10 MPa becomes 104 Pa·s.
US09557670B2
A toner, including: a binder resin; and a colorant, wherein the toner has a storage modulus of 1.0×107 Pa or more at 50° C., a loss modulus of 8.0×104 Pa to 2.0×105 Pa at 80° C., and a loss modulus of 2.0×102 Pa to 1.0×103 Pa at 160° C.
US09557667B2
The present invention relates to a process for producing a resin particle dispersion, including a step (1) of mixing a polyester resin and a basic aqueous solution to obtain a resin neutralized product; and a step (2) of adding an aqueous medium to the resin neutralized product obtained in the step (1) to emulsify the resin neutralized product, in which a concentration of an ester group in the polyester resin is from 6.3 to 12 mmol/g, a pH of the basic aqueous solution as measured at 25° C. is from 8.5 to 13.5, and a content of an organic solvent in the resin neutralized product is not more than 10% by mass; and a process for producing a toner for development of electrostatic images, including steps of aggregating and coalescing the resin particles in the obtained resin particle dispersion. The present invention provides a process for producing a dispersion of resin particles having a small particle size and a narrow particle size distribution, and a process for producing a toner that has a narrow particle size distribution and is excellent in dot reproducibility and charge stability.
US09557664B2
The present invention provides an electrophotographic photosensitive member which includes an undercoat layer, and the undercoat layer contains metal oxide particles and a compound represented by the formula (1).
US09557660B2
The subject invention relates to a charge transport layer forming coating liquid containing a charge transport material, at least one selected from the group consisting of polycarbonate resins and polyester resins, at least one of xylene and toluene, and cyclopentanone. The proportion of cyclopentanone in the charge transport layer forming coating liquid is in the range of 50% by mass to 85% by mass relative to the total mass of at least one of xylene and toluene and cyclopentanone.
US09557659B2
The present invention provides a lithography apparatus which forms a pattern on a substrate, including a stage configured to hold the substrate, a substrate transport system configured to transfer the substrate to the stage, an obtaining unit configured to obtain information about a holding state of the substrate on the stage, and a processor configured to perform processing of determining a transport position on the stage when the substrate transport system transfers the substrate to the stage, wherein based on information obtained by the obtaining unit when the stage holds the substrate at each of a plurality of positions on the stage, the processor determines the transport position at which the substrate transport system transfers the substrate to the stage.
US09557657B2
The present invention provides an exposure apparatus which exposes each of a plurality of shot regions on a substrate, comprising a substrate stage configured to be movable while holding the substrate, and a control unit, wherein the plurality of shot regions include a first shot region, and a second shot region which is exposed next to the first shot region, and the control unit drives the substrate stage in accordance with drive information of the substrate stage in a period until exposure of the second shot region starts after an end of exposing the first shot region, and when an exposure condition for exposing the second shot region is not satisfied in the period, the control unit drives again the substrate stage in accordance with the drive information and then exposes the second shot region.
US09557656B2
A stage apparatus includes a first movable stage that moves while holding an article, an electrical contact that is provided on the first movable stage, and a grounding device that comes into contact with the electrical contact and grounds the first movable stage when the article is not processed.
US09557654B2
A liquid immersion exposure apparatus includes a projection system having a final element and a liquid immersion member that forms a liquid immersion space under the final element. The liquid immersion member includes a first member that surrounds the final element and that has a liquid supply port and a liquid suction port and a second member at least a portion of which is disposed below the first member, and that is movable with respect to the first member. The first member has a channel therein, one end of the channel is open to a first space between the final element and the first member, the other end of the channel is disposed below the one end and is open to a second space different from the first space, and the channel is provided such that liquid is allowed to flow into the channel.
US09557641B2
A photoresist composition containing: a polymer including an acid-labile group; a radiation-sensitive acid generator; and an acid diffusion control agent that contains a compound represented by a formula (1). In the formula (1), R1, R2 and R3 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or a monovalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms. A represents a group having a valency of n that is obtained by combining: a hydrogen atom, a linear hydrocarbon group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms, an alicyclic hydrocarbon group having 3 to 30 carbon atoms or a combination thereof; —O—, —CO—, —COO—, —SO2O—, —NRSO2—, —NRSO2O—, —NRCO— or a combination thereof; and n nitrogen atoms as a binding site to the carbonyl group in the formula (1), in which a sum of atomic masses of the atoms constituting A is no less than 120. n is an integer of 1 to 4.
US09557632B2
A roller projection screen, including a projection screen material having a reflective front surface, onto which an image may be projected, and a back surface. The projection screen material is secured to a roller at an upper edge of the material and the projection screen material can be rolled in a spiral fashion in multiple layers around the roller. A buffer material is secured to the roller or to the back surface of the projection screen material so as to be adjacent the back surface and so as the be interposed between at least some of the multiple layers of the projection screen material when the projection screen material is rolled about the roller so as to inhibit ladder marks in the projection screen material.
US09557626B2
An optical apparatus comprising: a source and a loop. The source generates a pump. The resonating cavity of the source includes: a gain medium; and a tunable filter for selecting a wavelength. The loop comprises: an input coupler; a waveguide; and an output coupler. The input coupler receives the pump and a signal and outputs the pump and the signal into the waveguide In the waveguide, energy in the pump is transferred into energy in the signal while a relative center position of the signal is crossing a center position of the pump in a first direction while both are passing through the waveguide and into the output coupler. The output coupler r outputs a first portion of the signal and a second portion of the signal is fed into the input coupler as the signal, completing the loop.
US09557621B2
A liquid crystal display device is provided with a liquid crystal cell member, a light regulating member, a reflective polarizing member, and a control unit. The liquid crystal cell member has a first liquid crystal layer. An optical transmittance of the light regulating member changes with the application state of a second voltage. The reflective polarizing member transmits specific polarized light and reflects other polarized light. The polarization direction of light that is incident on the reflective polarizing member from the first liquid crystal layer is the same as the polarization direction of light transmitted by the reflective polarizing member. The control unit alters the application state of the second voltage in such a manner that the transmittance of the light regulating member when a backlight unit is on is higher than the transmittance of the light regulating member when the backlight unit is off.
US09557618B2
A display panel includes a plurality of primary pixel units. Each primary pixel unit includes two primary pixels arranged horizontally. Each of the primary pixels comprises a plurality of subpixels arranged vertically and comprising different colors, and arrangements of the plurality of subpixels with different colors of the adjacent primary pixels being different. The result of the arrangement is neutralization of the adjacent primary pixels, and the neutral effect is “red with white tone.” So color shift caused by the overloaded data line is prevented, which effectively improves color shift occurring in the 3G1D LCD panel and enhances the display effect of the LCD panel.
US09557616B2
An image display panel assembly includes a flexible printed circuit (FPC), an image display panel, a gate driver integrated circuit (IC) package, and a source driver IC package. The FPC is configured to receive gate and source driving signals. The image display panel is electrically connected to the FPC, and includes a gate driving signal transfer pattern along a first edge of the image display panel, a source driving signal transfer pattern along a second edge adjacent to the first end, and a plurality of pixels. The gate driver integrated circuit (IC) package is configured to receive the gate driving signal through the gate driving signal transfer pattern and provide the gate driving signal to the plurality of pixels. The source driver IC package is configured to receive the source driving signal through the source driving signal transfer pattern and provide the source driving signal to the plurality of pixels.
US09557615B2
A liquid crystal display device including a plurality of sub pixel regions is provided. The device includes first and second substrates with a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween; a first electrode formed on the liquid crystal layer side of the first substrate; a second electrode formed nearer the liquid crystal layer side than the first electrode with an insulating film interposed therebetween and having a plurality of linear portions in a region overlapping with the first electrode in plan view, a third electrode having a plurality of linear portions formed on the liquid crystal layer side of the second substrate, the linear portions of the third electrode not overlapping with the linear portions of the second electrode in plan view and have portions formed along the linear portions of the second electrode, and wherein the electric fields are generated between the second electrode and the third electrode and between the second electrode and the first electrode.
US09557614B2
A display substrate includes a first base substrate; a gate line, a data line and a common electrode line arranged on the first base substrate; a plurality of pixel units each including a first sub-pixel electrode, a second sub-pixel electrode, a first thin film transistor, a second thin film transistor and a third thin film transistor; and a charge adjustment-control line arranged on the first base substrate, where the charge adjustment-control line and the gate line are between the first sub-pixel electrode and the second sub-pixel electrode. The first thin film transistor is connected to the gate line, the data line and the first sub-pixel electrode; the second thin film transistor is connected to the gate line, the data line and the second sub-pixel electrode; the third thin film transistor is connected to the charge adjustment control line, the first sub-pixel electrode and the common electrode line.
US09557609B2
A method for manufacturing a polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) panel, which comprises: obtaining a liquid crystal mixture by uniformly mixing liquid crystal molecules, a photoinitiator and a prepolymer; forming a liquid crystal cell (23) by injecting the obtained liquid crystal mixture into an empty liquid crystal cell (22); and obtaining the PDLC panel by adopting uniformly alternated intense and weak light to irradiate the liquid crystal cell (23) to allow the liquid crystal mixture in the liquid crystal cell (23) to be subjected to polymerization. By adoption of the method, the manufactured PDLC panel has uniform brightness.
US09557604B2
A display apparatus includes a display panel which has a curved surface in a first direction and a flat surface in a second direction crossing the first direction, and includes, a first substrate, a second substrate which faces the first substrate, a liquid crystal layer which is disposed between the first and second substrates and includes liquid crystal molecules pre-tilted at predetermined angles with reference to a direction substantially vertical to a plane of the display panel, where the liquid crystal molecules are pre-tilted at the predetermined angles corresponding to cell gaps defined by distances between the first substrate and the second substrate, respectively.
US09557594B2
The present invention discloses a liquid-crystal display screen with touch-control function and a manufacturing method thereof and an electronic apparatus. The liquid-crystal display screen includes a first sensing electrode and a second sensing electrode, which are included in a common electrode in display electrodes of the liquid-crystal display screen, and are connected to a touch detection unit. Furthermore, the touch detection unit and a display control unit operate in a timesharing manner. In this way, in the touch-control display screen, the common electrode may also be used as an electrode for detecting a touch on the touch-control display screen, and the structure of the display screen is simplified. Moreover, the touch-control display screen has a better light transmittance and the detecting for the touch and the control for the display may not interact with each other.
US09557569B2
A head mounted display (HMD) may comprise an adjustable crown band, a crown band circumference adjusting mechanism coupled to the adjustable crown band and configured to adjust a crown band circumference to releasably secure the crown band to the user's crown, an armature including left and right arms, each of the left and right arms mounted at a respective proximal end to corresponding left and right HMD attachment structures, a display mounted at left and right sides to respective distal ends of the left and right arms, and an eye relief distance adjustment mechanism configured to move the left and right arms in a timed manner toward and away from the crown band along a substantially linear path, to thereby adjust an eye relief distance from the display to an eye of a the user when the crown band is fitted on the crown of the user.
US09557567B2
Method for manufacturing light guide device, light guide device, and virtual image display apparatus
During the manufacturing of the light guide device (20), the first and second bonding ribs (R1,R2) are used such that the light guide prism (10) and the opposing prism (50) are connected with each other from a specific offset direction. In this case, a difference between sizes of clearances between the first bonding surface (AS) and the second bonding surface (BS) caused by a difference in inclination angles of the offset direction with respect to the first bonding surface is used such that a flow direction of the adhesive is controlled and filling is performed in a desire state, and thus high accuracy of the joint formed by the adhesive is maintained.
US09557564B2
The rotary body driving apparatus for rotating a rotary body comprises: a rotor shaft, to which the rotary body and a rotor are attached, being rotatably held by a bearing section; a rotor magnet being attached to the rotor and partially exposed as a position detecting magnet; a first positioning section being formed in the rotor, the first positioning section corresponding to the position detecting magnet; and a second positioning section corresponding to a reference surface of the rotary body. The rotary body is attached to the rotor in a state where the first positioning section and the second positioning section are aligned so as to make circumferential positions of the reference surface and the position detecting magnet correspond to each other.
US09557563B2
An optical scanning device includes: a light source that emits a laser beam modulated and driven according to an image forming signal; a scanning optical system that includes a polygon mirror to scan a surface of a photoconductor with the laser beam from the light source; a surface identifying unit that associates a sub-scanning position by the polygon mirror with each surface of the polygon mirror; and a light-amount adjusting unit that adjusts a light amount of the light source according to the sub-scanning position, for each surface of the polygon mirror.
US09557562B2
A laser scanning unit and a color image forming apparatus using the laser scanning unit. The laser scanning unit includes a deflector that is rotatable to deflect a plurality of light beams that are incident on the deflector from a plurality of light sources at an angle with respect to a sub-scanning direction; at least one optical path changing member to change an optical path of each of the light beams deflected by the deflector; and a first f-θ lens to focus the light beam that passes through the optical path changing member onto a corresponding scanning target surface.
US09557558B2
An electrowetting element comprising a first support plate, a second support plate and a first and second fluid located between the first support plate and the second support plate, the second fluid immiscible with the first fluid. The first support plate comprises a wall extending along at least part of a perimeter of the electrowetting element and an electrode comprising a first electrode portion having a first electrode portion area and a second electrode portion having a second electrode portion area larger than the first electrode portion area. The first electrode portion is closer to the second support plate than the second electrode portion. The first electrode comprises a first edge portion and a second edge portion positioned further from an inner surface of a wall in a direction substantially perpendicular to the inner surface of the wall than the first edge portion.
US09557557B2
An electro-wetting display panel is provided. The electro-wetting display panel comprises a first transparent substrate, a second transparent substrate, and pixel units. The pixel units comprise first electrodes, a first hydrophobic layer, a plurality of first barriers, a second electrode, a polarized liquid and a plurality of first non-polarized liquids. The hysteresis phenomenon of the non-polarized liquids can be prevented by using the recess areas on the hydrophobic layer.
US09557555B2
An optical module includes a first plate-shaped member having a light transmissive optical component which is formed by applying etching to a silicon region, and a second plate-shaped member having light reflective optical components (mirrors) for reflecting light transmitting through the light transmissive optical component. The first and second plate-shaped members are bonded to one another, and an optical path for light transmitting through the light transmissive optical component is along a component forming surface of the first plate-shaped member and a principal surface of the second plate-shaped member. Thereby, realizing an optical module in which it is possible to dispose the light reflective optical component and the light transmissive optical component close to one another, and a manufacturing method for the optical module.
US09557547B2
A paraxial cloaking device provides a cloaking volume in which an item can be hid from view. A cloaking device includes an optical input receiving light rays and an optical output from which a continuous range of directions of the received light rays exit the paraxial cloaking device. The cloaking volume being disposed between the optical input and the optical output. For received light rays having incoming directions non-parallel to the reference optical axis up to a first angle, each of the received light rays exits the cloaking device substantially aligned with the respective received light ray and does not pass through the cloaking volume. The paraxial cloaking device has a unity magnification factor. In some instances, the paraxial cloaking device includes a phase matching element.
US09557544B2
A zoom lens includes, in order from object side to image side, a first lens unit having a negative refractive power and a second lens unit having a positive refractive power. During zooming, the first lens unit and the second lens unit move so that the distance between the first lens unit and the second lens unit changes. The first lens unit includes at least one positive lens and at least one negative lens. The total length of the zoom lens at the wide angle end, the back focal length at the wide angle end, the focal length of the zoom lens at the telephoto end, the focal length of the first lens unit, the focal length of the second lens unit, and the refractive index of the material of the at least one positive lens included in the first lens unit are each appropriately set according to mathematical conditions.
US09557539B2
A fixed focal-length lens system includes a negative first lens group, a positive second and third lens groups. The first and second lens groups move toward the object side during focusing from an object at infinity to an object at a close-up distance. The first lens group includes a negative lens element having a concave surface on the image side, at least two positive lens elements, and a negative lens element having a concave surface on the image side. The second lens group includes a negative lens element having a concave surface on the object side, and at least two positive lens elements. The third lens group includes at least one negative lens element, and at least one positive lens element. The following condition (1) is satisfied: −0.3
US09557528B2
The present invention provides a compact and high-performance image pickup lens having a fast F-number and capable of suppressing shading by using a curved projection surface. An image pickup lens 10 includes a first lens L1 having a positive refractive power, a second lens L2 having a negative refractive power, a third lens L3 having a positive or negative refractive power, a fourth lens L4 having a positive or negative refractive power, and a fifth lens L5 having a negative refractive power. With regard to the fifth lens L5 among these lenses, at least one surface is aspherical. The above-described image pickup lens 10 satisfies a conditional expression (1): −2.50
US09557524B2
A photographing optical lens assembly includes five lens elements with refractive power, in order from an object side to an image side. The first lens element with refractive power has a convex object-side surface. The second lens element with positive refractive power has an object-side surface and an image-side surface both being aspheric. The third lens element has positive refractive power. The fourth lens element with refractive power has a concave object-side surface. The fifth lens element with refractive power has an object-side surface and a concave image-side surface with at least one inflection point, both the object-side surface and the image-side surface being aspheric.
US09557519B2
Methods and apparatus for using optical chains, e.g., camera modules, with different lens configurations to support a wide range of focal lengths are described. In some embodiments a camera device includes a plurality of optical chains. In at least some embodiments non-circular outer lenses are used for optical chains with large focal lengths while optical chains of the same camera device which have smaller focal lengths use round outer lenses. Thus an exemplary camera device supports a number of different focal lengths.
US09557516B2
An optical system includes a lens assembly and a light source. The lens assembly includes an optical lens positioned to transmit and refract light provided by the light source, and a lens holder coupled to the optical lens and maintaining a position of the optical lens relative to the light source. The optical lens is coupled to the lens holder with a bonding agent arranged in an interrupted configuration at positions proximate to a circumference of the optical lens. The light source provides light to the optical lens of the lens assembly that has an optical footprint that includes a plurality of high-intensity regions separated from one another by low-intensity regions and the bonding agent is positioned in a circumferential orientation relative to the light source such that the bonding agent is spaced apart from the high-intensity regions of the optical footprint of the light.
US09557514B2
A lens cap includes: a cap main frame; and a pair of operating members attached to a front surface of the cap main frame, wherein, when the operating members are made to slide outward by a biasing force, engaging portions at outer ends of the operating members are engaged with to-be-engaged portions in the front end opening, while first locking portions are formed at inner edges of the operating members, and second locking portions are formed on back surfaces of the operating members, concave portions are formed on the front surface of the cap main frame, first openings and second openings are formed in bottoms of the concave portions, cover plates are placed on the back surface of the cap main frame, and biasing members are placed between the cover plates and the back surface of the cap main frame.
US09557510B2
A rugged micromodule cable includes central strength yarns, micromodules stranded around the central strength yarns, additional strength yarns positioned around the stranded micromodules, and a jacket of polymeric material surrounding the additional strength yarns. The micromodules each include sheathing surrounding a plurality of optical fibers. The strand profile of the micromodules is tight, having an average lay length of less than 250 mm, and the sheathing is thin-walled, having an average thickness of less than about 200 micrometers. The strand of the micromodules, the positioning of the additional strength yarns, and bonding between the additional strength yarns and the jacket mitigate lengthwise movement of the optical fibers in the rugged micromodule cable.
US09557509B2
A fiber optic external shield connector for grounding a fiber optic cable. The external shield connector is irreversibly mounted to the fiber optic cable using traditional tools. Prongs on the inside of the shield connector puncture the outer non-conductive sheath of the fiber optic cable. The external shield connector is compatible with fiber optics cables having different diameters. The prongs are arranged to complement the geometry of the fiber optic cables for the specific application. The prongs contact an inner conductive sheath of the cable and connect the conductive sheath electrically to an outside ground. This engagement does not expose the internal portions of the fiber optic cable to outside elements such as moisture.
US09557508B2
Convertible fiber optic panel/module assemblies for optical fiber connectivity, including for wall and floor-mounted connectivity applications are disclosed. The convertible fiber optic assemblies are configured to be convertible between a fiber optic panel assembly and a fiber optic module assembly, as desired. According to an exemplary embodiment, the convertible fiber optic panel/module assembly comprises a fiber optic panel to provide a fiber optic panel assembly. One or more fiber optic adapters are disposed through the fiber optic panel to provide fiber optic connectivity. If it is desired to convert the fiber optic panel assembly to a fiber optic module assembly, the fiber optic panel assembly is additionally fitted with a module housing having at least one rear fiber optic adapter disposed therein and a fiber optic cable harness connecting the at least one rear fiber optic adapter to the fiber optic adapters disposed in the fiber optic panel.
US09557505B2
A power and optical fiber interface system includes a housing having an interior. A cable inlet is configured to receive a hybrid cable having an electrical conductor and an optical fiber. An insulation displacement connector (IDC) is situated in the interior of the housing configured to electrically terminate the conductor, and a cable outlet is configured to receive an output cable that is connectable to the IDC and configured to output signals received via the optical fiber.
US09557496B2
A duplex clip assembly for LC fiber optic plug connectors has a duplex housing, a crimp sleeve, and a housing cover. The duplex housing retains a portion of each fiber optic plug connector such as to allow each fiber optic plug connector to rotate relative to the duplex housing. The housing also has a bottom snap located on an underside. The housing cover encloses and retains the duplex housing with a clearance between the housing cover and the rest of the assembly. The housing cover also has a slot located on an underside configured to engage the bottom snap of the duplex housing such that the clearance fit allows an application of pressure on the sides of the housing cover to result in the slot being disengaged from the bottom snap. The clip assembly can also have a boot securely attached to the housing partially enclosing the fiber optic cable.
US09557495B2
A connector device for a fiber optic cable. The connector device includes a housing assembly (5, 25, 31) arranged to house a section of a fiber optic cable (9); a first fiber optic connector (47) including a body (48) that is arranged to receive a first optical fiber; a second fiber optic connector (49) including a body (50) that is arranged to receive a second optical fiber; and attachment mechanism (41, 65) for releasably attaching each of the first and second fiber optic connectors (47, 49) to the housing assembly (5, 25, 31). A fiber optic connector assembly (1) and a method for changing the polarity of first and second optical fibers in a fiber optic cable assembly (1) are also disclosed.
US09557494B2
The present disclosure relates to a fiber optic connector that includes a main outer housing, an inner housing that mounts within the main outer housing and a plug interface housing secured at the distal end of the inner housing. The fiber optic connector also includes a ferrule assembly mounted at least partially within the plug interface housing, a spring for biasing the ferrule assembly in a distal direction and a resilient cable seal that mounts within the main outer housing.
US09557490B2
This document discusses, among other things, a connector for an optical imaging probe that includes one or more optical fibers communicating light along the catheter. The device may use multiple sections for simpler manufacturing and ease of assembly during a medical procedure. Light energy to and from a distal minimally-invasive portion of the probe is coupled by the connector to external diagnostic or analytical instrumentation through an external instrumentation lead. Certain examples provide a self-aligning two-section optical catheter with beveled ends, which is formed by separating an optical cable assembly. Techniques for improving light coupling include using a lens between instrumentation lead and probe portions. Techniques for improving the mechanical alignment of a multi-optical fiber catheter include using a stop or a guide.
US09557485B2
An optical manipulator includes a first section for propagating an optical signal with multiple polarization modes including a transverse electric (TE) mode and a transverse magnetic (TM) mode and a second section for propagating separately the TE mode and the TM mode of the optical signal. The optical manipulator also includes a multi-mode interference (MMI) section having a groove with a first refractive index less than a second refractive index of the MMI section. The groove extends along an entire length of the MMI section to partition the MMI section into two connected channels including a first channel and a second channel. The first section is connected to the first channel and the second section is connected to both the first and the second channels.
US09557484B1
Embodiments describe high-efficiency optical waveguide transitions—i.e., creating heterogeneous transitions between Si and III-V semiconductor regions or devices with minimal reflections. This is advantageous for III-V device performance, e.g. for an on-chip lasers achieving lower relative intensity noise (RIN) and lower phase noise by avoiding reflections, higher gain and reduced gain-ripple from an semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) by avoiding internal reflections in the SOA. Furthermore, in some embodiments, generated photocurrent can be used as a monitor signal for control purposes, thereby avoiding the use of separate tap-monitor photodetectors, which provide additional link loss.
US09557478B2
Disclosed herein are co-packaging structures, devices, and methods for integrating a photonic integrated circuit (PIC), an electronic integrated circuit including drivers and transimpedance amplifiers (TIAs) and an ASIC having analog-to-digital converters and a digital signal processor positioned on a common (the same) carrier thereby resulting in a compact coherent transceiver while lowering its cost.
US09557475B2
A display device includes: a first substrate; a pixel defining layer on the first substrate, the pixel defining layer being configured to define a pixel area; a pixel electrode in the pixel area; a light emission layer on the pixel electrode; a common electrode on the light emission layer; a second substrate facing the first substrate; an edge black matrix on one surface of the second substrate, the edge black matrix being configured to define a non-display area; a reflective layer on the edge black matrix; a light guide part on one surface of the first substrate; and a light sensor unit configured to receive light emitted from the light guide part.
US09557472B2
To provide a light guide member such that more uniform brightness can be ensured in a wide region. A light guide member according to the present invention that receives light through side surfaces and outputs the light through main surfaces includes recesses formed by a machine in at least one of the main surfaces in a groove-like or dot-like shape, the recesses having bottom surfaces formed of molten material at the deepest part of the recesses. Thus, there can be provided the light guide member that has the groove-like or dot-like recesses with the bottom surfaces formed by a molten mark and that can output light with more uniform brightness through the main surfaces when a wide region is observed.
US09557457B2
An image display according to an embodiment includes a first image-displaying portion that displays first information about a certain object as a first image of object color, and a second image-displaying portion that displays second information about the object as a second image of structural color provided by a relief structure, the relief structure including at least one structure selected from the group consisting of diffraction grating, hologram, and light-scattering structure having an anisotropic light-scattering property. According to an example, the object is a person, and the first image includes a facial image of the person. A labeled article according to another embodiment includes the image display, and a substrate supporting the image display.
US09557455B2
An optical element formed by stacking each of two resin layers on a glass substrate, wherein when the second resin layer of the two resin layers counting from the glass substrate is formed, an external circumferential part of the second resin layer is formed so as to be located inward of the outer circumferential part of the first resin layer, which is located closer to the glass substrate than the second resin layer.
US09557453B2
The present invention discloses a solar panel mirror unit (1) being shaped, such as curved, and having a sandwich structure, said sandwich structure comprising an outermost front reflecting layer (2), intended as the sun reflecting layer and therefore having a reflective coating, said outermost front reflecting layer (2) consisting of a first material having a first thermal expansion coefficient, an intermediate layer (4) having a honeycomb structure and being the core of the sandwich structure, and an innermost rear layer (5) consisting of a second material having a second thermal expansion coefficient, wherein said first and second thermal expansion coefficients are equal or substantially equal.
US09557450B2
A pressure-sensitive adhesive layer-attached polarizing film of the invention includes: a polarizing film; and a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer provided on the polarizing film, wherein the polarizing film includes a polarizer and a transparent protective film provided on only one side of the polarizer, the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is provided on a side of the polarizer where the transparent protective film is absent, and the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is made of a pressure-sensitive adhesive composition containing a (meth)acryl-based polymer (A) and an alkali metal salt (B). The pressure-sensitive adhesive layer-attached polarizing film has a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer with an antistatic function and satisfactory durability and whose optical properties are less likely to be degraded.
US09557447B2
Implementations described and claimed herein provide systems and methods for adding a chosen functional coating on an optical surface of a spectacle lens. In one implementation, it is determined if identified features of the optical surface of the spectacle lens are compatible with the chosen functional coating according to a first set of rules. The features of the optical surface are identified based on an analysis of a quality of the optical surface. Manufacturing information for the chosen functional coating is generated based on the determined compatibility. The manufacturing information includes information for depositing the chosen functional coating on the optical surface where the identified features are compatible with the chosen functional coating and on a modified optical surface where the identified features are not compatible with the chosen functional coating.
US09557441B2
In some embodiments, an apparatus and a system, as well as a method and an article, may operate to receive gamma ray measurements from a gamma ray detector; to generate a spectrum based on the gamma ray measurements, the spectrum including channels and count rates for the channels, wherein a channel number of a channel corresponds to energy values associated with the gamma ray measurements; to generate a ratio of total counts in a first window of the spectrum to total counts in a second window of the spectrum, the first window including a first set of channels starting at a low threshold channel and the second window including a second set of channels; and to adjust a gain of the gamma ray detector responsive to a determination that the ratio is different from a desired ratio. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
US09557432B2
The present disclosure describes a system, method and computer readable medium capable of identifying and filtering erroneous seismic data from the computer modeling process. A visual representation of seismic data pertaining to a subterranean formation may be generated and displayed upon a graphic user interface utilizing one or more color schemes. A filtering arrangement may be applied to the seismic data and the visual representation may be updated to include one or more indications illustrating seismic data that has been selected for filtering. The user may adjust filtering operations utilizing a computer generated selection tool. In one embodiment, the system provides a suggestion tool capable of alerting the user to potential seismic data filtering problems.
US09557431B2
A digital seismic sensor adapted to be connected, via a two-conductor line, to an acquisition device. The digital seismic sensor includes: a digital sensor; a local sampling clock providing a sampling frequency; a receiver for receiving command data coming from the acquisition device and synchronization information providing accurate timing information to enable seismic sensor synchronization; a compensator for compensating, as a function of the synchronization information, a drift of the local sampling clock; a transmitter for transmitting seismic data towards the acquisition device; a driver for driving the receiver and the transmitter, according to a half-duplex transmission protocol over the two-conductor line and using a transmission clock extracted from the received command data; a power receiver for receiving electrical power; and a coupler for coupling the command and synchronization information receiver, the transmitter and the power receiver to the two-conductor line.
US09557427B2
The present specification describes systems and methods for the simultaneous detection of radioactive materials such as neutrons, muons and gamma rays based on thin gap chamber technology. A thin-gap chamber (TGC) is disclosed having a thermal neutron absorber material, such as 10B4C or 10B8C, which interacts with neutrons to emit heavy particles. The heavy particles, in turn, interact with the gas present in chamber to produce ionization that is converted into a measurable signal. The TGC is embedded in a neutron moderating medium. The detector systems are fabricated from commercially available construction materials and are easy to manufacture at a reasonable cost when compared to conventional He-3 neutron detector systems.
US09557425B2
A cable with a scintillation fiber having high radiation detecting accuracy is provided. The cable comprise a protective tube, a scintillation fiber accommodated in the protective tube, and a light emission preventing element accommodated in the protective tube.
US09557423B2
A neutron detector includes a pressure vessel, an electrically conductive field cage assembly within the pressure vessel and an imaging subsystem. A pressurized gas mixture of CF4, 3He and 4He at respective partial pressures is used. The field cage establishes a relatively large drift region of low field strength, in which ionization electrons generated by neutron-He interactions are directed toward a substantially smaller amplification region of substantially higher field strength in which the ionization electrons undergo avalanche multiplication resulting in scintillation of the CF4 along scintillation tracks. The imaging system generates two-dimensional images of the scintillation patterns and employs track-finding to identify tracks and deduce the rate and direction of incident neutrons. One or more photo-multiplier tubes record the time-profile of the scintillation tracks permitting the determination of the third coordinate.
US09557422B1
Systems, methods, devices and subassemblies for creating and delivering a GNSS augmentation service include one or more reference stations for receiving signals transmitted by navigation beacons and an augmentation server coupled to the reference stations. At least one of the reference stations is able to receive at least one of the signals from a low earth orbit satellite. Each of the reference stations determines first navigation observables based on the received signals and transmit information associated with the first navigation observables to the augmentation server. The augmentation server is configured to determine and distribute augmentation information to a receiver. The augmentation information is based on the received information associated with the first navigation observables, locations of the reference stations, and computational models. The distributed augmentation information is usable by the receiver to determine a high-precision position, velocity, and time solution for the receiver based on second navigation observables associated with the receiver.
US09557415B2
One embodiment describes an imaging system. The system includes a first imaging system configured to provide first signals to a target area and to receive first response signals. The system also includes a second imaging system configured to provide second signals to the target area and to receive second response signals. The first and second signals can have separate frequency bands. The system further includes a processor configured to correct the first response signals based on the second response signals, and to generate an image based on the corrected first response signals.
US09557411B2
A signal acquisition and distance variation measurement system for laser ranging interferometers comprising a signal acquisition unit. This unit comprises a frequency detection subsystem to detect the frequency of a received laser beam measurement signal which is buried in noise, wherein the subsystem comprises an acquisition subsystem with a wavelet packet decomposition unit and a phase/frequency detector PLL; a main PLL unit being coupled to the frequency detection subsystem for receiving the detected frequency of the measurement signal for phase estimation of the measurement signal; and a phasemeter band detection subsystem for detecting whether the measurement signal frequency is higher or lower than a reference signal frequency of a reference laser beam by operating a known change to the frequency of the reference signal and measuring the consequent change in the frequency of an interference signal for having the phase of reference signal locked to the measurement signal phase.
US09557409B2
An altimeter system is provided. The altimeter system includes a receiver mixer including an antenna-input and a local-oscillator-input; a transceiver circulator communicatively coupled to an antenna via a transmission line having a selected length and communicatively coupled to the antenna-input of the receiver mixer; and a transmitter configured to output a transmitter signal to the antenna via the transceiver circulator. The transmitter signal is frequency modulated with a linear ramp. The transmitter is communicatively coupled to the receiver mixer to input a local oscillator signal at the local-oscillator-input of the receiver mixer. The receiver mixer is communicatively coupled to input a target-reflected signal from the antenna at the antenna-input of the receiver mixer. The selected length of the transmission line is set so that a composite-leakage signal at the antenna-input of the receiver mixer has a linear phase across a sweep bandwidth.
US09557404B1
A mobile device is described for tracking an object and sensing an environment of the object. The mobile device includes a circuit board that is loaded with radio frequency (RF) transmitters and receivers for finding the device position and communicating data about the device, the ambient environment of the device, and/or the position of the device. Sensor on the device may measure data about the device and about the ambient environment of the device. Flexible antennas increases the effective volume for a plurality of antennas for increased range and/or reduced power. An adjustable impedance circuit provides for real-time tuning and impedance matching of the antennas.
US09557401B2
An approach is provided for providing location information of user devices based on signal frequencies of transmitters. The positioning platform processes and/or facilitates a processing of one or more signals, from one or more transmitters, captured at one or more user devices to determine one or more frequencies of the one or more signals. Next, the positioning platform determines device location information of the one or more user devices based, at least in part, on the one or more frequencies.
US09557394B2
Methods for determining the identity of a substance are provided. A classification parameter set is defined to allow identification of substances that previously could not be identified or to allow identification of substances with a higher degree of confidence. The classification parameter set may include at least one of relative nuclear susceptibility (RNS) or an x-ray linear attenuation coefficient (LAC). RNS represents the density of hydrogen nuclei present in a substance relative to the density of hydrogen nuclei present in water. The extended classification parameter set may include T1, T2, and/or T1ρ as well as at least one additional classification parameter comprising one of RNS or LAC. Values obtained for additional classification parameters as well as values obtained for T1, T2, and T1ρ can be compared to known classification parameter values to determine whether a particular substance is a known material.
US09557392B2
Integrated magnetometer comprising a plurality of multilayer magnetoresistive sensors deposited on a surface, called the top surface, of a substantially planar substrate, characterized in that said top surface of the substrate has at least one cavity or protuberance provided with a plurality of inclined faces, and in that at least four said magnetoresistive sensors are placed on four said magnetoresistive sensors are placed on four said inclined faces, having different orientations and opposite one another in pairs, each sensor being sensitive to one component of an external magnetic field parallel to that face on which it is placed. Process for manufacturing such a magnetometer.
US09557388B2
A battery control device calculates at least one of an allowable current and an allowable power during charge/discharge of a battery from a no-load voltage and an internal resistance of the battery, and corrects at least one of the no-load voltage and the internal resistance according to the states of charge/discharge of the battery.
US09557386B2
Batteries for an athletic activity monitoring device may be managed in both charged and discharged state to provide more accurate state information and/or expected charge times. Additionally or alternatively, various power management processes may be executed to maximize an amount of battery charge remaining.
US09557383B2
A method and apparatus are provided for isolating a defect in a scan chain comprising a plurality of components of an integrated circuit. A plurality of injection points may be positioned along the scan chain. Each injection point may be configured to introduce binary test data. A plurality of bypass structures may each be configured to selectively direct a flow of the binary test data to generate a plurality of partitioned scan paths. Test logic may be configured to execute a plurality of tests using the plurality of partitioned scan paths and to combine results of the plurality of tests to isolate a faulty component of the plurality of components.
US09557378B2
Operating speeds of integrated circuit devices are tested to establish maximum and minimum frequency at maximum and minimum voltage. The devices are sorted into relatively-slow and relatively-fast devices to classify the devices into different voltage bins. A bin-specific voltage limit is established for each of the voltage bins needed for core performance at system use conditions. The bin-specific voltage limit is compared to core minimum chip-level functionality voltage at system maximum and minimum frequency specifications. The method correlates system design evaluation of design maximum and minimum frequency at design maximum and minimum voltage conditions with evaluation of tested maximum and minimum frequency at tested maximum and minimum voltage conditions. A chip-specific functionality voltage limit is established for the device. Initial system voltage for all devices from a voltage bin is set at a greater of the bin-specific voltage limit and the chip-specific functionality voltage limit consistent with the evaluation conditions.
US09557377B2
A fault analysis apparatus is an apparatus for measuring a reaction of a semiconductor device having a wiring extending in two directions orthogonal to each other. The fault analysis apparatus comprises a laser light source that outputs laser light, a control unit that sets a scan direction which is a direction of scanning an irradiation position of the laser light in the semiconductor device, a laser scanner that scans the laser light according to the scan direction, an electric signal detector that measures the reaction of the semiconductor device to the laser light and outputs a measured value, and an image processing unit that creates a two-dimensional map according to the irradiation position and the measured value. The control unit sets the scan direction such that the scan direction intersects the wiring extending directions at an angle greater than 0° but smaller than 90°.
US09557369B2
Methods for reliability testing include applying a stress voltage to a device under test (DUT); measuring a leakage current across the DUT; triggering measurement of optical emissions from the DUT based on the timing of the measurement of the leakage current; and correlating measurements of the leakage current with measurements of the optical emissions to determine a time and location of a defect occurrence within the DUT by locating instances of increased noise in the leakage current that correspond in time with instances of increased optical emissions.
US09557366B2
Provided are a tester configured to test a semiconductor device and a test system including the same. The tester may include at least one contact unit and at least one memory controller. The contact unit is in contact with the semiconductor device. The memory controller is connected to the contact unit. The memory controller controls data input/output (I/O) operations of the semiconductor device and tests the semiconductor device.
US09557365B2
Apparatuses, systems and methods for detecting corona using audio data are disclosed. A method of processing audio data to detect corona includes determining an indicator of energy at a substantially fundamental frequency in the audio data, determining an indicator of the energy at a plurality of harmonic frequencies in the audio data, determining an indicator of the noise energy in the audio data, determining a comparison indicator of the noise energy relative to the energy at the harmonic frequencies, determining a masking indicator having thresholds for each of the harmonics relative to the fundamental frequency, and determining a corona detection indicator. An apparatus for detecting corona includes a memory, an audio detector configured to obtain the audio data near an electrical conductor in an AC system, and a processor to process the audio data, fundamental and harmonic frequencies of the audio data and their corresponding thresholds to detect corona.
US09557364B2
System and method for testing the reliability of a fuse blow condition. The fuse blow detection circuit includes a fuse circuit comprising a fuse having a first end coupled to ground. A common node is coupled to the second end of the fuse. A pre-charge circuit is coupled to the common node for pre-charging the common node to a pre-charged HIGH level. An inverter includes an inverter output and an inverter input, wherein the inverter input is coupled to the common node. A feedback latch is coupled between a voltage source and ground, and includes a latch input that is coupled to the inverter output and a latch output coupled to the common node. A test circuit is included that is coupled to the common node, wherein in a normal mode the test circuit adds strength to the feedback latch for purposes of maintaining the common node at the pre-charged HIGH level, such that in a test mode the feedback latch is weaker than in the normal mode for purposes of maintaining the common node at the pre-charged HIGH level.
US09557362B2
In one implementation, a method is provided for contactor monitoring and control in electric vehicle supply equipment, which includes updating an open error count and a close error count based on a detected condition of the contactor. The method also includes determining a detected state of the contactor by comparing the open error count and the close error count to maximum and minimum values. The method further includes performing at least one of controlling the state of the contactor based on the determined contactor state, or providing a visual indicator based on the determined contactor state.
US09557361B2
A touch sensor includes a substrate and a plurality of columns of electrodes disposed on a first side of the substrate. The substrate includes a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The columns each include a sense electrode and drive electrodes. The columns include a first column adjacent to the first end, a second column adjacent to the second end, and one or more interior columns. The touch sensor also includes a plurality of channels for routing tracks coupled to the drive and sense electrodes. Tracks for the first column are routed in a first channel on a side of the first column opposite from the first end of the substrate. Tracks for the second column are routed in a second channel on a side of the second column opposite from the second end of the substrate. Tracks for the interior columns are dispersed amongst the channels.
US09557356B2
An arrangement for measuring electrical energy consumption includes an input circuit operable to generate a first signal representative of a line voltage waveform and a second signal representative of a line current waveform. The arrangement further includes a processing circuit operable to generate energy consumption data based on the first signal and the second signal. The processing circuit is further operable to generate a first pulse waveform having a plurality of output pulses based on the energy consumption data, each output pulse corresponding to a quantity of energy consumed. The arrangement further includes a wireless transmitter coupled to the processing circuit, the wireless transmitter configured to transmit an RF signal each time the first pulse waveform changes state.
US09557353B2
A power supply detecting circuit includes a power supply module configured to receive a first voltage signal from an alternating current (AC) power source; a voltage converting circuit configured to convert the first voltage signal to a second voltage signal; a switch circuit connected to an output terminal of the voltage converting circuit; a micro control unit (MCU) connected to the switch circuit; and a display module connected to the MCU. The switch circuit outputs a detecting signal to the MCU according to the second voltage signal. The MCU determines whether the first voltage signal is within a predetermined range according to the detecting signal and sending a detecting result to the display module which displays the detecting result.
US09557341B2
The present invention provides a method of predicting the risk of a patient for developing cutaneous adverse drug reaction to non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors such as nevirapine by using HLA-B*3505 allele and/or polymorphisms in the CCHCR1 gene.
US09557334B2
Systems, techniques and methods for estimating the metabolic state or flux, e.g., the body energy state (“BES”) of a patient, are disclosed. The BES provides deep insight into the nutritional needs of the patient, thus allowing for a sort of exquisite glycemic control with regard to the patient. The invention discloses systems and methods for estimating fractional gluconeogenesis, which is the % of glucose production that comes from gluconeogenesis (“GNG”), as opposed to glycogenolysis (“GLY”), the other form of glucose production. Nutritional formulations, materials, cocktails and methods for feeding patients by parenteral and other means are disclosed. The amount, type and rate of such nutritional feeding are typically based upon the above estimating. The invention discloses formulations that contain labels, such as deuterium, for medical diagnostics, such as for estimating BES and fractional gluconeogenesis. The invention is suitable for any sort of patient, including those who are injured, such as with traumatic brain injury, ill, or have other conditions that stress the metabolic system.
US09557331B2
Devices, systems, and methods for assessing microbiota of skin are described, including: a skin-covering material including an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface substantially conforming to a topography of a skin surface of an individual and including a plurality of signal-generating complexes, one or more of the plurality of signal-generating complexes configured to emit one or more signals in response to at least one type of microbe; an image capture device to capture an image of the inner surface of the skin-covering material, the image including one or more signals emitted from the plurality of signal-generating complexes, and to transform the image into a digital output; and a computing device including circuitry configured to receive the digital output, compare the properties of the imaged one or more signals with a database of reference signal-generating complexes, and generate a digital spatial profile of microbes on the skin-covering material.
US09557327B2
An object of the present invention is to provide DNA which regulates the expression of miR-140, a reporter vector which contains the DNA, cells and animals into which the reporter vector is introduced and a screening system for drugs which control the expression of miR-140 and is also to contribute in the development of new therapeutic agents for cartilage diseases such as osteoarthritis and intervertebral disk degeneration using the screening system. The DNA sequence according to the present invention is able to express any gene in a site where miR-140 is expressed and, in addition, it is also able to be utilized for screening a drug which regulates the expression of miR-140. Moreover, the drug that is selected by the screening system of the present invention is expected as a therapeutic agent for cartilage diseases accompanied by abnormality of cartilage.
US09557326B2
This invention provides a sample analyzing device and sample analyzing method designed to suppress nonuniform capture of magnetic particles (10) and detect a desired substance with higher accuracy. The sample analyzing device includes a flow channel (15) that conducts thereinto a sample which contains the magnetic particles (10), and magnetic field generating means (12) that generates magnetic fields for capturing the magnetic particles (10) in a magnetic particles capturing region of the flow channel (15); wherein the flow channel has at least one of structural characteristics that a cross-sectional area of the flow channel, at a downstream end of the magnetic particles capturing region, is larger than a cross-sectional area of the flow channel, at an upstream end of the magnetic particles capturing region, and that the magnetic fields generated by the magnetic field generating means (12) have a greater magnitude at a downstream side of the magnetic particles capturing region than at an upstream side thereof.
US09557319B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide for arrays, systems, and methods analyzing cells, methods of making arrays, and the like.
US09557314B2
A method for improved handling of a blended fuel includes obtaining a sample of the blended fuel from a storage tank; cooling the same until the sample separates into phases; and determining a risk that the fuel in the storage tank will separate based on the cooling step. An apparatus for assessing the risk of phase separation of a blended fuel includes a test cavity for holding a sample of the blended fuel from a storage tank; a heat transfer device for cooling the sample in the test cavity; and at least one sensor for indicating when the sample in the test cavity has separated into phases.
US09557304B2
An apparatus for heating a flowing fluid includes a tubing assembly, a heater block made of thermally conductive material, and a heater cartridge in thermal communication with the heater block. The heater cartridge is configured to provide heat to the heater block for transfer to fluid flowing through the tubing assembly. The apparatus also includes circuitry in electrical communication with the heater cartridge to control a temperature of the heater block by controlling operation of the heater cartridge. The heater block is die-cast about the tubing assembly.
US09557302B2
An ultrasound inspection roller provided with a wheel, a sensing system and a support for holding the sensing system inside the wheel, a wedge connected to the ultrasound sensing system at one end and provided with a curved profile at its other end facing the wheel, adapted to the curvilinear shape of the wheel, and a liquid of a density higher than 9.9*102 kg/mm3 placed inside the wheel such that the sensory system, the wheel and the wedge are acoustically coupled. The roller allows the early detection of problems during manufacturing of composites and the performance of corrective measures in real time, and assures a good coupling between the transducers and the material to be inspected in dry conditions.
US09557280B2
An X-ray tomography device for providing a 3D image of a sample comprising an X-ray source, a cell, a photon detector and a processing unit. The processing unit computes the 3D image on the basis of the images corresponding to a plurality of cell angles. The device further comprises a first and a second gratings having a grating period lower than 200 nm, and a microscope between the second grating and the detector.
US09557272B2
Disclosed are a substrate for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy allowing surface-enhanced Raman signals to be notably improved, even in cases of long-term storage, by producing the substrate so that metal nanoparticles thereon are distanced several nanometers apart, and a method for producing the substrate for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy at a large scale with simple equipment and at a low production cost.
US09557271B2
An optical biomodule for detecting a disease(s) in a biological fluid (containing a disease specific biomarker(s)) in a fluidic container(s) or on a substrate(s), utilizing an enhanced fluorescence emission (due to integration of three-dimensional (3-D) protruded structure(s)) upon chemical binding of a disease specific biomarker(s) with its corresponding specific disease specific biomarker binder(s) is disclosed. Furthermore, the invention includes spatial multiplexing and optical multiplexing of disease specific biomarker binders.
US09557265B2
An apparatus for detecting matter, the apparatus including: a first light source adapted to emit a first light beam; a second light source adapted to emit a second light beam, wherein the apparatus is arranged such that the first and second light beams converge towards a scanning element; the scanning element adapted to redirect the converging first and second light beams towards the matter to be detected; and a detector adapted to receive light reflected by the matter via the scanning element. Also, a system and method of detecting matter.
US09557262B2
A method comprises: generating a first and a second correlated photon beam with wavelengths λ1 and λ2, respectively, wherein preferably λ1≠λ2; separating the first photon beam and the second photon beam; illuminating an object with the first photon beam; generating a third and a fourth correlated photon beam with wavelength λ1 and wavelength λ2, respectively; overlapping the first photon beam with the third photon beam such that photons of wavelength λ1 in either photon beam are indistinguishable; overlapping the second photon beam with the fourth photon beam such that photons of wavelength λ2 in either photon beam are indistinguishable; and using the overlapped photons of wavelength λ2 for imaging and/or spectroscopy of the object such that the photons that illuminate the object are not detected.
US09557256B2
A tension and compression tester for a fracture stress test of a compact pipe sample having a crack portion formed thereon, comprises: a pair of holders each of which is configured to surround both ends of the compact pipe sample respectively such that the crack portion is interposed between both ends of the compact pipe; fixing portions each of which is disposed between the compact pipe sample and the holder to enhance fastening between the compact pipe sample and the holder; levers each of which is connected with the fixing portion and the holder to deliver tension or bending to the compact pipe sample; and separation preventing portions for fixing both ends of the holder and the lever with each other to prevent separation of the lever and the holder. Accordingly, the tester can conduct both tension and compression tests, while easily applying loads on the sample during the test.
US09557253B2
Provided is an observation method by an electron microscope, in which a biological sample can be observed as it is alive and a situation that the biological sample is moving can be observed using an electron microscope, and a composition for evaporation suppression under vacuum, a scanning electron microscope, and a transmission electron microscope used in the method.The sample observation method by an electron microscope according to the invention includes applying a composition for evaporation suppression containing at least one kind selected from an amphiphilic compound, oils and fats, and an ionic liquid to the surface of a sample to form a thin film, and covering the sample with the thin film, and displaying an electron microscopic image of the sample, which is covered with the thin film and accommodated in a sample chamber under vacuum, on a display device.
US09557249B2
A system and apparatuses or devices capable of automatically performing processes of cell treatment preparatory to flow cytometry and similar cytological studies in a fully automated and streamlined manner are provided. The system and apparatuses or devices are adapted for preparation and (pre)processing of cell samples, e.g., blood and/or bone marrow samples.
US09557236B2
A method for controlling a gas turbine, wherein measurement signal values are measured at different times, namely at least a first time and a second time, wherein the first time lies before the second time and wherein attenuated signal values are generated from the measurement signal values by smoothing the measured measurement signal values by means of a attenuation factor, wherein a different attenuation factor is used depending on the difference of the measurement signal value at the second time and the attenuated signal value at the first time.
US09557213B2
An photoelectric convertor comprises an optical coupler, a circuit board and two restricting posts fixed on the circuit board. The optical coupler defined two restricting grooves passing through its bottom surface and top surface. When the optical coupler is positioned on the circuit board, the two restricting posts are respectively engaged in the two restricting grooves. Each restricting groove has a sidewall opposite to a front surface of the optical coupler.
US09557211B2
An acoustic measurement device in an air flow and subjected to a noise source, the device including: a base having a surface in contact with the air flow, a first microphone which is mounted flush with the surface, a second and a third microphone which are mounted on either side of the first microphone, each, at the bottom of a cavity opening onto the surface, and where each of the second and third microphones is covered with a noise-reducing element, the second and the third microphones being assembled at a distance from the first microphone that is greater than the correlation length of the turbulent phenomenon in the frequency band studied, and a computer or processor provided for computing the power spectrum of the noise source from the signals detected by the three microphones.
US09557209B2
A reconfigurable bin system for dispensing units, the system having a platform bin and a base member with load cells configured to support the platform bin. The platform bin itself comprises a platform plate, an optional front gate, a rear wall, and a plurality of side walls extending from the front of the platform plate to the rear wall so as to form an open-top bin. The platform plate includes a front flange disposed below the upper surface to define a trough extending across the front of the platform plate. Each of the plurality of side walls includes a rear tab received within a slot in the rear wall and a depending front tab received within the trough. A cap member may be removably secured over the trough to capture the depending front tabs within the trough, thereby securing the plurality of side walls in place.
US09557208B2
Provided is a liquid level measuring technique capable of measuring a liquid level with high accuracy even if a liquid stored in a container is boiling. The liquid level measuring apparatus includes: ultrasonic sensors each configured to transmit and receive an ultrasonic wave, the ultrasonic sensors being respectively set at a plurality of positions on an outer surface of a container that stores a liquid; a transmission/reception controlling unit configured to set, as a target, any one of the ultrasonic sensors at the plurality of positions and control the transmission and reception of the ultrasonic wave of the target; an intensity detecting unit configured to detect an intensity of the ultrasonic wave that satisfies at least 2≦N (N: natural number), of the ultrasonic waves that are reflected N times on an inner surface of the container; a gas/liquid determining unit configured to determine which of the liquid and a gas a reflection point on the inner surface is in contact with, on a basis of the detected intensity of the ultrasonic wave; and a level determining unit configured to determine a liquid level of the liquid on a basis of gas/liquid determination results respectively derived by the ultrasonic sensors at the plurality of positions.
US09557197B2
A gas sensor includes a metallic shell with a shell aperture extending therethrough along an axis; a metallic glass holder metallurgically sealed to the shell in order to prevent gases from passing between the glass holder and the shell, the glass holder including a glass holder aperture extending axially therethrough; a ceramic sensing element extending through the shell aperture and through the glass holder aperture; and a glass seal which seals between the sensing element and the glass holder in order to prevent gases from passing between the sensing element and the glass holder. A method of making the gas sensor is also provided.
US09557196B2
In an optical fiber cable that includes an optical fiber core for measuring pressure and a multilayer armor cable for measuring temperature, an annular clearance space having a desired thickness is formed between the optical fiber core and the multilayer armor cable and fixing members for fixing the optical fiber core and the multilayer armor cable are provided at predetermined intervals in the axial direction of the optical fiber cable.
US09557194B2
An input device for an electrical device includes a base which can be attached to the electrical device and has at least one light source for producing a measurement beam, and at least one sensor for detecting the reflected measurement beam. An input actuator is movable in relation to the base and includes a plurality of reflection bodies for deflecting the measurement beam onto the sensor. Each reflection body has an entry area for entry of the measurement beam into the reflection body, at least one reflection surface for reflecting the measurement beam, and an outlet area for outlet of the measurement beam from the reflection body.
US09557190B2
Provided is a calibration apparatus and method of a three-dimensional (3D) position and direction estimation system. The calibration apparatus may receive inertia information and intensity information during a predetermined period of time, may calculate distances between a transmitter and the respective receivers, and may calibrate a signal attenuation characteristic of each receiver using the distances between the transmitter and the respective receivers.
US09557178B2
An indoor positioning system and method of localizing a person/object in an indoor environment by identifying the orientation and direction of a person/object to provide a true location of the person/object without navigation errors. The system comprises magnets disposed on a doorway to create a unique magnetic field; a wireless communication unit comprising a magnetometer sensor to sense perturbations in each of the unique magnetic fields in the event that the person/object with the wireless communication unit passes through the doorway, and generate corresponding signals; a processor receiving the signals and extracting data from the same; and a backend server wirelessly communicating with the wireless communication unit, the backend server processing the data sample received from the wireless communication unit to identify the opening and the wireless communication unit to localize the person/object.
US09557172B2
Visual codes are scanned to assist navigation. The visual code may be a Quick Response (QR) code that contains information useful to calibrating a variety of navigation-based sensors such as gyroscopes, e-compasses, and barometric pressure sensors. In an embodiment, an imaging device, an e-compass, an accelerometer, and a processor are elements of a system. The processor is coupled to the imaging device, the e-compass, and the accelerometer. The processor causes the imaging device to scan a visual code, read a yaw angle from the visual code, and computes an estimate of a yaw angle based on magnetic field measurements taken by the e-compass. The processor generates scale factors and biases determined from measurements generated by the e-compass. Based on scanning the visual code, the processor computes a quality factor based on the yaw angle read from the visual code and the estimate of the yaw angle.
US09557167B2
A first image of a space onto which a first light pattern formed from bright and dark portions and a coordinate-detection pattern projected onto each region of the space divided by the first pattern have been projected is acquired. A second image is acquired of the space onto which a second light pattern having a boundary position between bright and dark portions that is different from that of the first pattern, and a coordinate-detection pattern projected onto each region of the space divided by the second pattern have been projected. One of the first image and the second image is selected to perform three-dimensional shape measurement of an object included in the space based on the selection image.
US09557163B2
A head restraint for a vehicle seat has at least one sensor. The sensor is intended to determine the relative position of the head restraint in relation to the head of an occupant sitting in the vehicle seat. The sensor can include an optical sensor.
US09557158B2
A system and method for determining the position of objects in a radiation room for radiation therapy comprises several room lasers arranged in the radiation room, each of which is designed for patient positioning to project at least one laser line onto the surface of a patient located on a patient table in the radiation room. At least one camera detects at least one laser line projected onto the surface of the patient by at least one of the room lasers, and an evaluation and control apparatus determines the coordinate points along the laser line projected onto the surface of patient during a radiation procedure based on measurement values detected by the camera through a real-time triangulation process and compares them with target coordinate points. The coordinate points determined during the radiation procedure may be saved for documentation of the radiation procedure.
US09557157B2
A method of performing dimensional metrology of an object (12) includes incorporating an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU-18) with an elongate probe (20) in a portable metroprobe (10). A tip (22) of the probe (20) has an offset length (L) from an origin (26) of a coordinate system in the IMU (18) and position (X,Y,Z) thereof is correlated based on attitude (A,B,C) measurement of the IMU (18). The metroprobe (10) is transported in sequence to a complement of survey points (Pn) on the object (12) for measuring corresponding coordinates (X,Y,Z) thereof based on measured attitude (A,B,C) of the IMU (18).
US09557156B2
A system for optical coherence tomography includes a source of optical radiation, an optical fiber, and a graded index fiber attached to a distal end of the optical fiber. The optical fiber and the graded index fiber are together configured to provide a common path for optical radiation reflected from a reference interface at a distal end of the graded index fiber and from a target.
US09557155B2
An optical coherence tomography apparatus includes a light source, a light coupling module, and an optical path difference generating module. The light source emits a coherent light. The light coupling module divides the coherent light into a first incident light and a second incident light. The first incident light is emitted to an item to be inspected and a first reflected light is generated. The second incident light is emitted to the optical path difference generating module, a second reflected light is generated according to the second incident light by the optical path difference generating module through changing the transparent/reflection properties of at least one optical devices of the optical path difference generating module, so that there is a optical path difference between the first reflected light and the second reflected light.
US09557152B2
Methods and systems are described that involve a wearable computing device or an associated device determining the orientation of a person's head relative to their body. To do so, example methods and systems may compare sensor data from the wearable computing device to corresponding sensor data from a tracking device that is expected to move in a manner that follows the wearer's body, such a mobile phone that is located in the wearable computing device's wearer's pocket.
US09557151B1
A combination tape measure and cutter including a tape measure having a housing, a lock, a measuring tape, and a hooked tab. An opening is continuously disposed within the hooked tab, and a cutting blade is disposed within the opening. A screw having a thread portion and a head portion, with a spring continuously disposed around the thread portion. The spring has a decompressed position and an alternate compressed position. The spring is in the decompressed position when the cutting blade is entirely disposed within the opening. The spring is in the compressed position when the tip of the cutting blade is disposed below the hooked tab. The tip of the cutting blade is configured to cut a material disposed underneath the hooked tab.
US09557145B2
A vehicle including a door and a ballistic protection device for a door having a ballistic protection element connected to the door via a device for automatically bringing closer and spacing apart the protection element when opening and closing the door, the device for bringing closer and spacing apart include at least one upper connecting arm and at least one lower connecting arm of the same length and hinged to the protection element and the door, so that the protection element and the door can be brought closer to and spaced apart from each other, while remaining parallel to each other, and at least one actuating arm, hinged to the at least one lower connecting arm and to a fixed part of the vehicle, so as to control, by action on the at least one lower connecting arm, the displacement of the protection element with respect to the door.
US09557144B2
The helmet appliqué assembly of the present invention permits a helmet wearer to upgrade the ballistic prevention capabilities of a traditional helmet quickly and efficiently. The helmet appliqué can be provided as part of a helmet appliqué system and/or assembly that includes internal-side connection means for attaching to a helmet and external-side connection means for receiving any of various external items such as identification tags, mounts and external equipment or attachments. The appliqué element can comprise various types of material, including, for example, ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). In one embodiment of the present invention, multiple helmet appliqué elements are employed on the same helmet and include surfaces and portions that are cooperatively engageable for covering multiple areas of the helmet at the same time.
US09557132B2
A device for removing grease from a tubular drain includes a central member. The device also includes an overmolded structure having a plurality of overmolded wiping discs and a plurality of overmolded support structures. Each wiping disc is supported by an overmolded support on either side of each wiping disc of the plurality of wiping discs. At least one of the plurality of overmolded support structures has at least one hole configured to accept a pin to non-slidingly affix the overmolded structure to the central member. Methods for using the device and for manufacturing the device are also described.
US09557130B2
The subject matter discloses a fire improving hit probability apparatus for reducing misfire of a firearm, comprising a trigger unit to detect when a trigger of the firearm is engaged; a detection unit to collect direction data of a direction at which the firearm is directed when the trigger of the firearm is engaged; a firing processor to improve accuracy of a shooter firing the firearm, wherein the firing processor designates a target sample when the firing processor receives a signal from the trigger unit that the trigger is engaged, wherein the target sample comprises the direction data; a storage for storing an orientation sample designated by the firing processor; an electromagnet to control functions of a sear of the firearm; wherein the firing processor designates a target orientation data according to orientation data collected when the trigger is engaged, said target orientation data is compared to a real time orientation data; wherein the firing processor enables the firing processor the firearm to fire a round when the real time orientation data matches the target orientation data.
US09557127B2
A projectile launcher includes a receiver and a dual cylindrical-shaped magazine (“DCM”) wherein the receiver contains a propelling mechanism and an ammunition receiving port. The propelling mechanism is used for launching a projectile. The ammunition receiving port, which may be situated at bottom of the receiver, is able to receive projectiles. It should be noted that the projectile launcher can also be a gun or firearm. The DCM includes two canisters and an ammunition supply port which is situated between the two canisters. The DCM carries multiple projectiles in such a way that a first portion of projectiles moves toward the receiver against gravity for supplying projectiles from the ammunition supply port to the ammunition receiving port while a second portion of projectiles move in a direction parallel to the receiver for replenishing projectiles from the second portion of projectiles to the first portion of projectiles.
US09557126B2
Methods and apparatus are provided for a passive locking device for preventing an ammunition belt from sliding across the top of an internal wall of an ammunition magazine used in conjunction with a belt feed weapon. In one embodiment the passive locking device is movable between a locked position in which a locking end is in close proximity to the top of the internal wall, and an unlocked position in which the locking end is spaced apart from the top of the wall.
US09557125B2
A receiver for a firearm may include a linkage that integrates movement of left and right forward assists. The receiver may include a linkage connecting one or both of the forward assists to a bolt catch. The receiver may included both a connection between the left and right forward assists as well as a connection between one or both of the forward assists and the bolt catch. The receiver may include a linkage connecting the forward assist mechanism with the bolt catch mechanism such that actuation of the forward assist mechanism moves the bolt carrier and moves the bolt catch mechanism from the engaged position to the disengaged position.
US09557123B2
The invention relates to a device for the internal treatment of pipes, in particular for coolant tubes of steam condensers and heat exchangers, comprising a supply unit (V) for feeding and conveying treatment media, an application unit (A) to apply the treatment media fed in by the supply unit, as well as a control unit to monitor and control the supplied treatment media and the application of treatment media to the inner wall of the pipes, wherein the application unit (A) is provided with a guiding hose (21) through which an application hose (18) extends designed so as to be inserted into the pipe to be treated, said application hose (18) terminating in a nozzle, wherein the application hose (18) can be wound up in a single layer on a driven reel (17) and secured on the reel (17) by means of tensioning belts, the application hose (18) is capable of moving forward and back via guide rollers (27) arranged on a traversing carriage (55), the guide rollers (27) are powered by a drive operating synchronously with the drive (19) of the reel (17), and the traversing carriage (55) moves parallelly to the reel axis relative to the extended position of the application hose (18).
US09557113B2
Included are: a direct reduction furnace for reducing iron ore directly into reduced iron using a high-temperature reducing gas including hydrogen and carbon monoxide, an acid gas removal unit having an acid gas component absorber for removing, with an absorbent such as an amine-based solvent, acid gas components (CO2, H2S) in a reduction furnace flue gas discharged from the direct reduction furnace, and a regenerator for releasing the acid gas, and a degradation product removal unit for separating and removing a degradation product in the absorbent used by circulating through the absorber and the regenerator.
US09557103B2
Contemplated plants for flexible ethane recovery and rejection by allowing to switch the top reflux to the demethanizer from residue gas to the deethanizer overhead product and by controlling the flow ratio of feed gas to two different feed gas exchangers. Moreover, the pressure of the demethanizer is adjusted relative to the deethanizer pressure for control of the ethane recovery and rejection.
US09557102B2
Systems and methods for natural gas liquefaction capacity augmentation using supplemental cooling systems and methods to improve the efficiency of a liquefaction cycle for producing liquefied natural gas (LNG).
US09557096B2
In a refrigerator including a sliding door configured to open and close a storage chamber, a storage basket provided on a rear portion of the sliding door, and a support frame configured to support the sliding door and the storage basket, sidewalls of the storage basket may be formed so as to protrude outwardly except a lower portion in which the support frame is disposed between an inner case and the sidewalls, thereby increasing a storage space of the storage basket. In addition, a front protrusion, an auxiliary protrusion, and a rear protrusion are formed in an upper portion of the storage basket, and therefore a relative position of an auxiliary basket to the storage basket may be limited, and the auxiliary basket may be drawn into and out in conjunction with drawn-in and-out movements of the storage basket.
US09557090B2
A method for hyper-fast cooling of samples is described. The samples are secured in a sample container, then the sample container inserted into a cryogenic cooling chamber through an opening of the cooling chamber. The sample container is placed some distance away from a cooling head, but within range of a continuous stream of pressurized liquid coolant emitted by the cooling head, where, the sample is hyper-cooled by spraying the sample container with a continuous stream of the pressurized liquid coolant.
US09557089B2
A refrigerator is provided comprising a cabinet, a door for providing access within the cabinet, an ice maker for making ice operably connected to the cabinet, an ice bin comprising a pair of opposite-facing walls and a bottom wall, disposed within the cabinet and located adjacent the ice maker, and a stir assembly positioned within the ice bin, comprising a stir stick, a cam rod, and a pair of breaker walls; wherein the stir stick is configured to oscillate about an axis of rotation, the cam rod is coupled to the stir stick; and the pair of breaker walls are engaged with the cam rod near the bottom of the breaker walls, and hingedly attached to the pair of opposite-facing walls.
US09557085B2
In a heat pump apparatus, it is aimed to enhance efficiency of a defrost operation by reducing a loss of heat radiation during the defrost operation and reducing a compressor input during the defrost operation. The heat pump apparatus includes a main refrigerant circuit in which a compressor, a first heat exchanger, an expansion mechanism, and a second heat exchanger are connected sequentially, and also includes a bypass circuit including an on-off valve and providing a connection by bypassing the expansion mechanism. The main refrigerant circuit includes a four-way valve that switches between a heating operation and the defrost operation by switching an order in which the refrigerant circulates through the main refrigerant circuit. The main refrigerant circuit also includes a first temperature detection unit and a second temperature detection unit. Based on values detected by these temperature detection units, a degree of superheat of the first heat exchanger during the defrost operation is computed. When the heating operation is switched to the defrost operation, the heat pump apparatus increases a circulation amount of the refrigerant circulating through the refrigerant circuit by opening the on-off valve, and also controls an operation frequency of the compressor such that the degree of superheat is at a predetermined target value.
US09557084B2
In one embodiment, a method of operating a refrigeration system includes measuring a relative humidity of a container and comparing the measured relative humidity to a humidity set point. The method also includes operating evaporator fans of a refrigeration system when the measured relative humidity is above the humidity set point.
US09557081B2
The present invention provides an apparatus (10) suitable for cooling hot condensate in a piping. The apparatus comprises the use of a vortex tube (103) together with liquid such as water. A container (101) is provided to hold the liquid where the vortex tube is disposed inside the container (101). A pipe coil (133) for conveying the hot condensate is provided around the tube (104). The apparatus (10) will generate mist for cooling the hot condensate in the piping.
US09557062B2
The invention relates to a damping device for a gas turbine combustor with significantly reduced cooling air mass flow requirements. The damping device includes a wall with a first inner wall and a second outer wall, arranged in a distance to each other. The inner wall is subjected to high temperatures on a side with a hot gas flow. A plurality of cooling channels extend essentially parallel between the first inner wall and the second outer wall, and at least one damping volume bordered by cooling channels. Furthermore, the damping device includes a first passage for supplying a cooling medium from a cooling channel into the damping volume and a second passage for connecting the damping volume to the combustion chamber. An end plate, fixed to the inner wall, separates the damping volume from the combustion chamber.
US09557058B2
A rotating air distributor for rotary reactors such as rotary kilns for the gasification of biomass and other carbonaceous materials for efficient mixing and maximum conversion of solid biomass and other carbonaceous materials into synthesis fuel gas is disclosed. The invention includes a gas distribution port comprises of one main supply from which several discharge nozzles emerge at different angles and at different locations along the length of the reactor to provide distribution of gas throughout the intended length of the reactor. The discharge of gas from the gas distribution port is adjusted by the variable position of a plug inside the port that can be adjusted during the operation of the kiln to achieve optimum gas-solid interaction along the length of the reactor. The rotating action of the gas distribution port also facilitates and eases the passage of reacted biomass solid and other carbonaceous material residue through the reactor.
US09557056B2
A method for disposing of solid refinery waste is disclosed. The method includes removing solid waste constituents from inside a refinery tank using excavating machinery, delumping the solid waste constituents, and conveying the delumped solid waste constituents into a mobile tank. The method further includes transporting the delumped solid waste constituents in the mobile tank to a burning facility, adding at least one diluent, mixing, and pumping from the mobile tank a flowable mixture of refinery waste and the at least one diluent at the burning facility.
US09557054B2
A burner for an oven or grill may include a flat and elongated body extending in a major longitudinal direction and confining an inner chamber configured to receive a comburent and combustible mixture. The body may include two half-shells mutually superposed and coupled in mirror-image relationship and including edge portions defining a coupling plane. A first series of flame holes may define a first flaming front and a second series of flame holes may define a second flaming front, at the coupling plane, on opposite sides of the inner chamber. The body may include a connecting portion between the first and second flaming fronts at an end of the inner chamber. The connecting portion may be defined by connecting walls of the half-shells extending parallel to the coupling plane in a sequence of depressions and elevations between the first and second flaming fronts and configured to transfer flame.
US09557053B1
The disclosure provides a metal ferrite oxygen carrier for the chemical looping combustion of solid carbonaceous fuels, such as coal, coke, coal and biomass char, and the like. The metal ferrite oxygen carrier comprises MFexOy on an inert support, where MFexOy is a chemical composition and M is one of Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Co, Mn, and combinations thereof. For example, MFexOy may be one of MgFe2O4, CaFe2O4, SrFe2O4, BaFe2O4, CoFe2O4, MnFeO3, and combinations thereof. The MFexOy is supported on an inert support. The inert support disperses the MFexOy oxides to avoid agglomeration and improve performance stability. In an embodiment, the inert support comprises from about 5 wt. % to about 60 wt. % of the metal ferrite oxygen carrier and the MFexOy comprises at least 30 wt. % of the metal ferrite oxygen carrier. The metal ferrite oxygen carriers disclosed display improved reduction rates over Fe2O3, and improved oxidation rates over CuO.
US09557052B2
A plant for the treatment of materials, in particular waste materials and refuse, comprises a combustion reactor to which the material to be treated can be supplied. The combustion reactor has an input for a combustion supporter comprising oxygen and an output for the gases that are produced during the combustion of the materials inside the reactor and, in use, is substantially isothermic or quasi-isothermic at high or very high temperature, and without substantial oxygen deficit, in all of its parts. A portion of the combustion gases is recirculated and mixed with the combustion supporter to bring about a high degree of opacification thereof, which is increased by increasing the total pressure of the combustion chamber. The substances which cannot be gasified inside the reactor are immediately fused. The parameters of the gases at the output from the reactor are constantly measured by sensors with response-time characteristics of about 2 seconds.
US09557037B1
In an aspect, an apparatus and method are provided for creating an illusion of animation of a subject shape. The apparatus includes a screen, an intermediate body, a plurality of lights, and a controller in electronic communication with the plurality of lights. The controller is operable to turn the plurality of lights on and off in at least one of: a selected order, a combination, and a simultaneous operation of all of the lights. The intermediate body and the plurality of lights are positioned relative to said screen such that the intermediate body is positioned between the screen and the plurality of lights and such that said plurality of lights are operable to project a plurality of unique outlines of at least portions of the intermediate body onto the screen to generate an illusion of animation of the subject shape.
US09557032B2
A display system includes a first display unit and a second display unit, each including a substrate having a plurality of light-emitting elements arranged in matrix, a mask disposed at a front side of the substrate, and a case having a main body supporting the substrate from its back side. The first display unit is arranged above the second display unit such that a gap is formed between the cases of the first display unit and the second display unit. The mask of the second display unit includes a plurality of canopy sections above and along each row of the plurality of light-emitting elements, except for an uppermost row. The main body of the case of the second display unit has a canopy section above and along the light-emitting elements in the uppermost row of the second display unit, at least partially covering the gap.
US09557023B2
An indirect daylighting device for a building with an interior space may include a suspension system configured for securing to a building structure and a pan secured to the suspension system and having an incident surface and a cross-sectional profile forming a plurality of waves, wherein the incident surface is arranged to receive natural light entering a building and reflect the natural light to provide indirect lighting to the interior space of the building.
US09557018B2
In one embodiment, an LED lamp has a generally bulb shape. The LEDs are low power types and axe encapsulated in thin, narrow, flexible strips. The LEDs are connected in series in the strips to drop a desired voltage. The strips are affixed to the outer surface of a bulb form to provide structure to the lamp. The strips are connected in parallel to a power supply, which may be housed in the lamp. Since many low power LEDs are used and are spread out over a large surface area, there is no need for a large metal heat sink. Further, the light emission is similar to that of an incandescent bulb. In other embodiment, there is no bulb form and the strips are bendable to have a variety of shapes. In another embodiment, a light sheet is bent to provide 360 degrees of light emission. Many other embodiments are described.
US09557014B2
A signal indicator lamp includes an LED mounting substrate 2, and is made up of a plurality of consecutively provided lens units 3 with cylindrical light guiding radiation portions 20 provided so as to enclose the LED mounting substrate 2. An LED 14 is mounted at a position biased to the side of an end portion 2D from a central position 2C in a short-side direction S of the LED mounting substrate 2. In the light guiding radiation portion 20, a slit portion 23 is defined which is cut away in an axial direction X such that the LED 14 is arranged therein when the lens unit 3 encloses the LED mounting substrate 2. Light made incident into the lens unit 3 from incident surfaces 24 being a pair of opposite end faces of the slit portion 23 is guided by the light guiding radiation portion 20, and is radiated outward in the entire circumferential region thereof.
US09557012B2
A self cooling light effects device for use in a standard light bulb socket having a socket adaptor, surface embedded LEDs as means to generate light effects, means to control light effects, and means for cooling. Fiber optic cables provide further light effects. Means to control 5 light effects may include a logic board. Means for cooling may be any combination of fans, heat sinks, heat pipes, thermoelectric cooling, a heat conductive filler, and a heat conductive housing.
US09557008B2
A safety system in a portable tool (1) includes a pair of electrodes connected to a measurement and assessment unit, the measurement and assessment unit being an integrated circuit touch sensor device provided with a ground connector and with a sense electrode, wherein the ground connector is configured as internal floating ground connected to one electrode, the measurement and assessment unit configured for acquiring a reference capacity value measured between the two electrodes varies by a preset difference threshold with respect to the reference value, the safety signal being sent to a tool deactivation actuator.
US09557004B1
Embodiments of an adjustable panel assembly are disclosed. According to one embodiment, at least one adjustable articulating arm assembly connects a support elements having a plurality of equal sized side apertures to adjustable panel ends, providing an adjustable panel assembly with pivot hinges to rotate the adjustable panel about a common longitudinal axis for paired pivot hinges. Fixed top and side panels may be provided for each pair of corresponding support elements. Adjustable modular lighting and heating elements may be adapted between corresponding support elements to provide light or heat to a surface area below or within the panel assembly. The adjustable panel assembly components can be disassembled and/or collapsed into substantially flat shipping containers for ease of distribution and portability.
US09557002B2
A convertible stand/table may be converted for use alternately as a table or a stand, and in particular, a stand suitable for use in mounting, securing, holding, or otherwise retaining or mounting one or more items for viewing and/or use by an individual, including, for example, a tablet or other portable computing device. Further, in some configurations, a magnetic mounting pad, including a suction cup surface and at least one permanent magnet, may be used to mount a portable electronic device such as a tablet on an inclined and magnetically-attractive surface, with the suction cup surface, e.g., provided by a microsuction layer, adhered to the back of the portable electronic device, and with the permanent magnet attracted to the magnetically-attractive surface.
US09556996B2
The present invention relates to a sealing device designed for sealing a fuel inlet opening of an aircraft engine and to an aircraft engine provided with such a sealing device. The invention further relates to a method for sealing a fuel inlet opening of an aircraft engine.
US09556989B2
A joint restraint is provided for a curved pipe joint having a curved pipe section joining two adjacent pipe sections. The pipes are joined using tubular sleeves held by hose clamps to form fluid tight seals, with two clamps on each end of the curved pipe sections and two clamps on each proximal end of the adjacent pipe sections. An inner strap extends between and fastens to one of the clamps on each adjacent pipe section forming a chord of an arc. An outer strap extends along an outer periphery of the joined pipes and fastens to the other clamps on each adjacent pipe section. The straps are in a plane through a center of the flow path of the joined pipes.
US09556984B2
A method of manufacturing at least one flange (1a, 1b) by first rotating a tubular element (30) and two sheet elements (10, 20) with respect to one another until a radially enlarged portion (11) and adjacent hub section (21a,b) have been formed on the tubular element. The sheet element is impregnated by a thermosetting resin. When the resin has cured, the radially enlarged portion (11) is cut along a cut line (S), thereby also dividing the tubular element (30) in two parts (30a, 30b) and generating at least a first flange (1a) having a first flange section (11a) and a first hub section (21a). Optionally, a second flange (1b) having a second flange section (11b) and a second hub section (21b), is generated. In a preferred embodiment, the cut line (S) is arranged in the middle of the radially enlarged portion (11), whereby two similar flanges (1a, 1b) are generated.
US09556983B2
An alignment device is configured to receive, in a generally aligned configuration, workpieces which are to be joined together. In addition, the device is further configured such that, in use of the device, a joining line between the two workpieces is visible for checking alignment, and such that, in use of the device, each workpiece can be marked at a predetermined distance from the joining line. The device and a method of alignment using the device are particularly suited to the joining of pipes in the construction of marine vessels.
US09556965B2
A method for venting air from a fluid system through an air valve includes moving a float away from a seat mounted within a valve body, the valve body having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface and the outer surface defining an inlet and an outlet, the seat having an upper surface and a lower surface defining a bore and a fastener hole extending between the upper surface and the lower surface, the upper surface facing the outlet of the valve body and defining a first sealing ridge and a second sealing ridge between the bore and the fastener hole, a fastener extending through the fastener hole into the valve body; and venting air from the fluid system through the outlet.
US09556964B2
A drain valve device includes a drain valve housing arranged to be located within a drain opening. The housing has a wall structure surrounding an axis so as to define an internal flow passage through the housing and a strut member depending radially inwardly from the wall structure. The device has one or more valve members. A gas vent passage may be provided in the housing and a vent valve or control member may be provided to selectively prevent flow through the gas vent passage.
US09556959B2
A sleeve is configured to be fitted onto a rotating shaft and the sleeve includes a tubular portion extending in an axial direction and having a cylindrical-shaped sealing guide surface configured to contact a radial shaft seal. A flange extends outward from the tubular portion at least substantially in a radial direction that is perpendicular to the axial direction. A first target break line is defined between the tubular portion and the flange and is configured to facilitate separation of the flange from the tubular portion. Further, a second target break line is defined in or on the flange and is configured to facilitate tearing of the flange at least substantially in the radial direction of the flange up to the first target break line.
US09556953B2
A hydraulically actuated continuously variable transmission (1) with two pulleys (5, 6), a drive belt (4) in frictional contact with these pulleys (5, 6) and a control device that includes at least two pressure chambers (8, 9) that are both associated with one pulley (6) and that are arranged such that a clamping force (Fs) that is exerted on the drive belt (4) by that one pulley (6) during operation of the transmission 1 is determined by the difference between the two pressures (Pline, Pcomp) that are respectively exerted therein and that are respectively actively controlled by a respective pressure control valve (13; 40) of the control device.
US09556945B2
An electronically actuated locking differential for an automotive vehicle includes a gear case, a pair of side gears disposed within the gear case and operatively adapted for rotation with a corresponding pair of axle half shafts, and a lock plate disposed within the gear case and operably associated with one of the side gears and being movable axially relative to the one of the side gears. The electronically actuated locking differential also includes a return spring disposed within the gear case and cooperating with the lock plate to bias the lock plate axially away from one of the side gears and an electronic actuator cooperating with the lock plate, the electronic actuator having a non-rotating stator disposed about a portion of the gear case, an electromagnetic coil associated with the stator, and a non-rotating armature coupled to the lock plate and being axially movable relative to the stator.
US09556935B2
A multi-stage transmission for a vehicle may include an input shaft, an output shaft, first to fourth planetary gear devices disposed between the input shaft and the output shaft to transmit rotary force, each of the first to fourth planetary gear devices having three rotary elements, and at least six shifting elements connected to the rotary elements of the planetary gear devices.
US09556933B2
Provided is an eccentric oscillation gear device including: a crank shaft having eccentric portions; oscillation gears having insertion holes into which the eccentric portions are inserted; an outer cylinder; and a carrier. The outer cylinder and the carrier concentrically rotate relative to each other by the oscillation of the oscillation gears due to the rotation of the crank shaft. The eccentric oscillation gear device includes a storage unit which stores at least one type of information out of: information on a parameter that originates from a processing error and influences rotation angle characteristics; information on a parameter that changes depending on temperature and influences rotation angle characteristics; and information on a parameter that influences time-dependent change characteristics and influences rotation angle characteristics.
US09556927B2
The current invention is an improved magnetic vibration isolation mount and method that can provide a passive and active reduction in the actual and felt vibration transfer from one object to another. The vibration isolation mount is comprised of a mounting means for a first member, a mounting means for a second member, and a rod and magnetic field apparatus between the two mounts and members. The invention can also be seen as a method for the control of vibration transmission from a first member to a second member via either passive or active means.
US09556917B2
A dual clutch having a flywheel comprising an inner conical surface and an outer conical surface, a first clutch comprising a first contact member that is axially movable along an axis relative to first and second transmission-side input shafts for engaging a first conical clutch disc connected to a first input shaft with the inner conical surface of the flywheel, a second clutch comprising a second contact member that is axially movable along the axis relative to the first and second transmission-side input shafts for engaging a second conical clutch disk connected to a second input shaft with the outer conical surface of the flywheel, a mounting means connected to a clutch housing of the dual clutch or to a transmission housing of a motor vehicle transmission, and, actuation means for moving the first clutch and/or the second clutch along the axis.
US09556904B2
Provided is a sintered bush including a porous metallic sintered body including: a iron (Fe) based matrix containing a martensite structure; and one or more kind of metal matrix selected from copper (Cu), tin (Sn), and nickel (Ni), in which a lubricant which has oil separation of 5 to 10% at an operational temperature of 60 to 80° C. and is semisolid or solid at room temperature is impregnated in pores of the porous sintered body.
US09556893B2
A connector system having first and second connector segments held together by a rod threadably received in an internal axial bore through each of the first and second connector segments. Each connector segment has a breakaway portion formed from an angled face on one connector segment that cooperates with the mating angled face on the abutting connector segment to form a V-shaped breakpoint between the two connector segments. An intermediate segment can be positioned there between to provide two breakpoints, and multiple intermediate segments can be used for additional breakpoints. Upon impact, the system breaks at the breakpoint and only the rod needs to be in most cases. A longitudinal bore through the rod permits adaption of the rod to selected loads.
US09556882B2
A turbocharger (15) with variable turbine geometry, having a blade bearing ring arrangement (1) which has a blade bearing ring (2) and a disk (3) which is fixed to the blade bearing ring (2) so as to create a flow duct (4), having guide blades (5′) mounted in the blade bearing ring (2), and having a spacer device (5) which is arranged between the blade bearing ring (2) and the disk (3) so as to set a defined width (B) of the flow duct (4). The spacer device (5) is formed as an inlet guide grate (6) which has movable inlet guide blades (8) which are arranged in each case on a spacer pin (7) which is fixed with its first end (7A) to the blade bearing ring (2). Also, a method for producing a blade bearing ring arrangement (1).
US09556871B2
A liquid-ring, rotating-casing compressor comprises a shaft carrying an impeller having a core and a plurality of radially extending vanes rotatably coupled to the shaft for rotation around a first axis, and a tubular casing mounted for rotation relative to the impeller around a second axis that is parallel to and offset from the first axis. The casing and impeller define a compression zone wherein edges of the vanes rotate in increasing proximity to an inner surface of the casing and an expansion zone wherein edges of the vanes rotate in increasing spaced-apart relationship along an inner surface of the casing. An inlet port communicates with the expansion zone, an outlet port communicates with the compression zone, and a drive imparts rotating motion to the casing. The eccentricity ecr of the casing relative to the impeller is between about (1−c)/4 and (1−c)/9, preferably less than half (1−c)/3.
US09556863B2
A sprayer system having a trailer, which is pulled by a tractor or other tow body, and has a tank carrying liquid to be sprayed and a spray head. The trailer has a peristaltic pump mounted on a frame and driving pumping power from the wheels of the trailer so that the sprayer is self pumping when the trailer is pulled. The peristaltic pump provides a smooth flow by providing a multiplicity of pulses of liquid produced by the pump from the rotation of the trailer wheels by wrapping the compressible tube of each pump around an assembly of rollers which are rotated by drive wheels. The tube is wrapped at least 360° around the rollers and is held stationary by being connected to fixed outlet and inlets of each pump. The tube lies side by side on at least one of the rollers of each assembly and overlaps that roller.
US09556859B2
A piston pump for delivering fluids includes a cylinder, a piston that is movably mounted in the cylinder, and a pressure chamber that is arranged between an inlet valve and an outlet valve and that is closed off by a cover. The piston pump further includes a throttle element that is disposed in the fluid flow downstream of the outlet valve and that is configured to throttle the fluid flow. The throttle element is in the form of a resiliently elastic disk that is inserted into the cover. The cover further includes a mechanism configured to pre-center the throttle element.
US09556853B2
A method of operating a wind turbine plant is provided. Such a wind turbine plant comprises at least one transmission branch comprising a plurality of wind turbine generators and coupled to an electrical grid at a point of common coupling through at least one circuit breaker comprising a breaking capacity. The method comprises monitoring the electrical grid for a low voltage fault event; and if a low voltage fault event is detected: calculating a grid short circuit strength, determining a short circuit current limit if the grid short circuit strength requires an initial fault current contribution which exceeds the breaking capacity of the circuit breaker to be passed through the circuit breaker, determining a maximum fault current contribution based on the short circuit current limit and operating the wind turbine generators to provide to the electrical grid the maximum fault current contribution.
US09556848B2
This invention provides a tidal current generating device and an installation frame thereof. The tidal generating device includes an installation frame, at least three hydro turbines, and at least one power generation module. The installation frame of the tidal current generating device includes an outer frame and at least two buoy units. The at least two buoy units are disposed on two sides of the outer frame. When the installation frame of the tidal current generating device is used, the at least two buoy units are vertical to a horizontal plane and parallel to a direction of water flow. The at least three hydro turbines are disposed in parallel within the outer frame. The at least one power generation module is connected with the three hydro turbines. When water flows to the hydro turbines, the hydro turbines rotate to drive the power generation module to generate power.
US09556844B2
A nozzle for a member of a fuel combustion system of an engine includes a hollow nozzle body. The nozzle body includes an outer surface, an inner surface, and an orifice surface. The outer surface defines an outer opening. The inner surface defines an interior chamber and an inner opening. The orifice surface defines an orifice passage extending between, and in communication with, the outer opening and the inner opening. The orifice passage is in communication with the interior chamber via the inner opening. The orifice surface includes a boundary surface and a protrusion. The protrusion projects from the boundary surface radially inwardly into the orifice passage.
US09556843B2
A fuel injection nozzle includes: a nozzle body having a plurality of injection holes; and a needle accommodated in the nozzle body to inject a DME fuel containing dimethyl ether as a main component. The nozzle body has a seat part to which the needle seated or from which the needle separated, and a tip end chamber arranged downstream of the seat part in a flow of the DME fuel to communicate with the plurality of injection holes. The DME fuel in the tip end chamber is heated with combustion heat in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine to have a supercritical state.
US09556841B2
A fuel supply system may include a fuel pump configured to supply fuel from a fuel tank to a target, a motor for driving the fuel pump, and a controller coupled to the motor. The controller may determine a duty ratio of a control signal through a feedback control and to output the control signal to the motor, so that a fuel pressure of the fuel supplied from the fuel tank approaches a target fuel pressure. The controller may estimate the duty ratio based on the target fuel pressure and information regarding a fuel pressure of the fuel supplied from the fuel tank, and may guard an upper limit of the duty ratio by an upper limit guard value. The upper limit guard value may be determined based on a rotational speed of the motor.
US09556838B2
A fuel supply system for an aircraft is provided for delivering in use fuel from a fuel tank to an aircraft powerplant. The in use fuel flows along a fuel flow passage from the fuel tank to the powerplant. A downstream pump is associated with the powerplant and configured to draw fluid along the fuel flow path so as to supply it to the powerplant in use. An upstream pump is disposed in or associated with the fuel tank and operable to pump fluid along the fuel flow passage. A pressure sensor is configured to monitor a pressure at an inlet to the downstream pump. A fuel system controller is responsive to the pressure sensor and configured to control the upstream pump so as to maintain the pressure at the inlet to the downstream pump at or above a predetermined threshold pressure.
US09556836B2
A fuel pump including a low pressure infeed leading to a pumping chamber, a pumping plunger for pressurizing fuel in the pumping chamber, an outlet valve for delivering pressurized fuel from the pumping chamber to a high pressure outlet line during pumping, and an overpressure relief valve connected between the high pressure outlet line and the pumping chamber. A ball type relief valve element is spring biased to close against the relief valve seat. The spring is in a spring chamber that is fluidly isolated from the pumping chamber while the valve element is closed, preferably in direct hydraulic communication with the low pressure infeed, thereby reducing dead volume during normal pumping. The spring can act on the valve element through a piston, and in an alternative embodiment, the piston can provide a spill path from the pumping chamber to the low pressure infeed.
US09556835B2
An intake module an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle includes at least one air duct element via which air is to be supplied to the internal combustion engine, and a cylinder head cover connected to the air duct element by means of which a cylinder head of the internal combustion engine is to be at least partially covered. A lubricant separation device and a cooling device for cooling the air are integrated into the intake module.
US09556831B1
A thermal fuel delivery system includes an insertion assembly and a fuel device. The insertion assembly includes a housing defining a cavity for housing the fuel device. The housing is disposed above and coupled to a pair of frame members via a plurality of connecting members. The frame members extend laterally away from the housing. The insertion assembly further includes an intake manifold coupled to the housing via a tube. A plurality of runner tubes extend laterally away from the intake manifold and pass through the frame members at an inner portion of the frame members and terminate at an outer portion of the frame members.
US09556828B2
The tank ventilation system has an adsorption vessel, a regeneration duct and a pump. The adsorption vessel captures and temporarily stores fuel vapors emerging from a fuel tank. A purge air flow can flow through the adsorption vessel. The regeneration duct connects the adsorption vessel to an intake duct. In the regeneration duct there is arranged a pump designed to draw the purge air out of the adsorption vessel and admix the purge air to intake air in the intake duct. A density of the purge air that flows in the regeneration duct is determined. Furthermore, a purge air mass flow flowing in the regeneration duct is determined as a function of the density of the purge air and a predefined pump characteristic of the pump.
US09556815B2
A method for diagnosing a failure of a fuel pressure sensor for a high-pressure pump of a GDI engine includes a data collection step of collecting information on a state of a vehicle. A sensor condition determination step determines whether data collected in the data collection step meets conditions for determining the failure of the fuel pressure sensor. A failure determination step determines whether the fuel pressure value of the pressure sensor for the high-pressure pump is greater than or equal to a first reference value, and simultaneously, whether a fuel amount learning value is greater than or equal to a second reference value.
US09556814B2
A method for controlling pressure in a high-pressure region of an internal combustion engine includes adjusting a fuel outflow from the high-pressure region into a low-pressure region by means of an injector, which has a control valve adjusted by a piezo actuator and a control chamber. The method includes charging the piezo actuator by a first signal such that the control valve is moved from a closed position to a partially open position and fuel flows out from the high-pressure region into the low-pressure region, discharging the piezo actuator by a second signal such that the control valve is moved into the closed position, and partially discharging the piezo actuator by a third signal after the first signal and before the second signal. The method provides pressure control in the high-pressure region via an injector with high reliability even at high rail pressure.
US09556812B2
Methods, systems, and products monitor the environmental conditions in an enclosed environment, such as a garage or storage shed. If a dangerous environmental condition is determined, such as elevated carbon monoxide, an entry door may be opened. If further remedial measures are required, ignition of an internal combustion engine may be prohibited.
US09556811B2
A system includes a cylinder control module that determines target numbers of cylinders of an engine to be activated during a period, determines, based on the target numbers and an engine speed, N predetermined sequences for controlling the cylinders of the engine during the period, determines whether a transition parameter is associated with at least one of the N predetermined subsequences and selectively adjusts at least one of the N predetermined subsequences based on the determination of whether a transition parameter is associated with at least two of the N predetermined sequences. The system further includes a cylinder actuator module that, during the period, controls the cylinders of the engine based on the N predetermined sequence and based on the at least one selectively adjusted predetermined sequences.
US09556801B2
A driving force control device includes a controller. The controller is configured to increase driving force of a vehicle in accordance with a driver's operation to request acceleration. The controller is configured to restrict subsequent increase of the actual driving force when it determines that increase of actual driving force of the vehicle stagnates, relative to required driving force determined according to at least the driver's operation to request acceleration. The controller is configured to restrict the increase of the actual driving force so that a rate of increase of the actual driving force is reduced as a stagnation period for which the increase of the actual driving force stagnates is longer.
US09556798B2
A method and system for measuring a flow profile in a portion of a flow path in a turbine engine is provided. The system includes a mass flow sensor assembly having a plurality of hot wire mass flow sensors, the mass flow sensor assembly disposed in the portion of the flow path at a location where the flow profile is to be measured. The system also includes a controller that converts signals from the temperature sensor, the pressure sensor and the plurality of hot wire mass flow sensors to flow profile measurements.
US09556786B2
A turbine housing includes a bore, a wastegate seat and a wastegate passage; a bushing disposed at least in part in the bore; a rotatable wastegate shaft that includes a shoulder and a control end; a control arm operatively coupled to the wastegate shaft where the bushing is disposed between a surface of the control arm and the shoulder; a wastegate arm that extends from the wastegate shaft where the shoulder is disposed between the wastegate arm and the control end of the wastegate shaft; and a wastegate plug that extends from the wastegate arm where the wastegate plug includes a toroidal surface defined by a portion of a torus where, in a closed state, the toroidal surface contacts the conical surface of the wastegate seat to cover the wastegate passage.
US09556778B2
An engine including a WHR system includes a clutch positioned to engage or disengage a WHR feedpump that moves working fluid through a WHR circuit. The clutch engages or disengages the feedpump under certain operating conditions of the engine and/or the WHR system, and/or at the request of an operator of the engine. Conditions may include cool or cold components, and insufficient working fluid. The operator may also request the clutch be disengaged, such as might be advantageous if the operator detects an operational problem with the WHR system or determines there is an advantage to operating the engine without the WHR system.
US09556776B2
A supply system for a liquid includes a liquid tank, a supply line, a pump, a filter, and a device that makes it possible to purge the line, pump, and filter. The supply system further includes a non-return device preventing liquid from entering into these elements once they have been purged. In this system, the pump, filter and non-return device are combined in a compact module. The filter at least partly surrounds the pump. The non-return device is an integral part of a common housing that surrounds the filter and at least one part of the pump.
US09556775B2
A reducing agent supplying device is for a fuel combustion system that includes a NOx purifying device with a reducing catalyst arranged in an exhaust passage to purify NOx contained in exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine. The reducing agent supplying device supplies a reducing agent into the exhaust passage at a position upstream of the reducing catalyst. The reducing agent supplying device includes a reforming portion and a reformation suppressing portion. The reforming portion reforms the reducing agent by partially oxidizing the reducing agent. When a temperature of the reducing agent is higher than a first specified temperature that is equal to or higher than an activation temperature of the reducing catalyst, the reformation suppressing portion (i) suppresses the degree of reformation of the reducing agent in comparison with when a temperature of the reducing agent is lower than the first specified temperature, or (ii) stops the reformation of the reducing agent.
US09556774B2
A conveying unit which can be mounted in a tank for conveying a liquid additive from the tank includes a filling level sensor which can emit and receive waves that are reflected back to the filling level sensor at a surface of liquid in the tank, so that a filling level measurement can be carried out by measuring the transit time of the waves. The conveying unit has at least one additional sensor device or sensor with which it is possible to determine if there is frozen additive in the tank. A tank for storing a liquid additive, a motor vehicle having the conveying unit and a method for determining a liquid additive quantity in a tank are also provided.
US09556772B2
A work vehicle includes an engine, a fuel tank that has a fuel supply inlet and stores engine fuel, and a liquid tank that has a liquid supply inlet and stores purification liquid that is used in purification of engine exhaust gas. The liquid tank is protected by the fuel tank so that the liquid tank is not directly exposed to hot air from the engine.
US09556771B2
Methods and systems are provided for controlling and coordinating control of a post-catalyst exhaust throttle and an EGR valve to expedite catalyst heating. By closing both valves during an engine cold start, an elevated exhaust backpressure and increased heat rejection at an EGR cooler can be synergistically used to warm each of an engine and an exhaust catalyst. The valves may also be controlled to vary an amount of exhaust flowing through an exhaust venturi so as to meet engine vacuum needs while providing a desired amount of engine EGR.
US09556768B2
The invention relates to a device and method for metering a liquid, in particular a fuel, into an exhaust gas tract of an internal combustion engine, wherein the device comprises at least one injection valve that can be closed by a closing member and that has cooling circuit for regulating the temperature in the injection valve, and wherein a throttle element is connected upstream of the injection valve to control, by closed loop or open loop, the quantity of a volume flow of the liquid through the injection valve, in particular through the cooling circuit of the injection valve, wherein the injection valve opens when the throttle element de-throttles the volume flow of the liquid to the injection valve.
US09556764B2
One variation may include a product comprising a piston oil squirting system comprising at least one piston oil squirter operatively communicating with at least one engine oil channel and which is constructed and arranged to squirt oil at at least one piston; and at least one mechanism which is constructed and arranged to control a flow rate and a timing of at least one oil jet stream from the at least one piston oil squirter so that the oil jet stream flows at single or multiple intervals from a zero to a maximum flow rate within an engine cycle or a crankshaft revolution.
US09556761B2
The valve seat includes an iron-based sintered alloy subjected to oxidation treatment, which is obtained by subjecting an iron-based sintered alloy including: 4 mass % to 15 mass % of Co particles; and hard particles each containing at least one compound of an intermetallic compound, a carbide, a silicide, a nitride, or a boride that has one or more kinds of elements selected from group 4a to 6a elements in a periodic table, and having a hardness of from 600 HV to 1,600 HV to oxidation treatment, and which has an oxide mainly including triiron tetraoxide (Fe3O4) and cobalt oxide (CoO) formed on a surface and in an interior of the iron-based sintered alloy. The iron-based sintered alloy subjected to oxidation treatment has an area ratio of the oxide of from 5% to 25% in a cross section thereof in a state prior to installation on the cylinder head.
US09556753B2
In various aspects, a method for producing electricity by operating two or more turbines in series is provided. The method can include introducing, at least part of, the exhaust from an upstream turbine into a combustion chamber of a downstream turbine. In one aspect, exhaust from the upstream turbine is introduced into the downstream turbine's combustion chamber via the downstream turbine's compression chamber.
US09556737B2
An air separator in a gas turbine engine includes a cylindrical member and a seal flange having a flange body extending radially outward at a rearward end of the cylindrical member. A head portion is located at a radially outer free end of the flange body and includes an axial flange located axially rearward of the flange body and defining a rearward seal face for engagement with a blade disc forward face, and a forward cantilevered head mass extending axially forward from the flange body. An axial dimension of the head mass, from a connection with the forward side of flange body to an axially forward face of the head mass, is greater than a maximum radial dimension of the head mass, from a radially inner side of the head mass to a radially outermost side of the head mass.
US09556736B2
A hydraulic pressure exchanger comprising a drum rotatable about an axis, a front plate arrangement having a front plate and a pressure shoe, said drum including a plurality of working cylinders, each working cylinder having a front opening and, during rotation of this drum, said front opening sliding over said pressure shoe along a path, said pressure shoe having at least two kidney-shaped openings, said kidney-shaped openings being arranged in said path. The hydraulic pressure exchanger should be operated with low noise. To this end said pressure shoe is arranged between said drum and said front plate and comprises at least one pressure cylinder arranged between two neighboring kidney-shaped openings, a piston being arranged in said pressure cylinder and resting against said front plate, said pressure cylinder being connected with a supply opening in a side of the pressure shoe opposite said front plate, said opening at least partly overlapping said path.
US09556732B2
A mining machine management system includes: a position information detector which is mounted on a mining machine enabled to travel on a route in a mine and detects position information about the mining machine; an operation information detector which is mounted on the mining machine and detects operation information about the mining machine; and a processor which obtains accumulated data of the operation information in a predetermined section of the route based on the position information and the operation information.
US09556731B2
An immersion probe is described that includes sensing elements that allow for hydrate inhibitor dosage to be more efficiently provided into gas and/or oil wells. The immersion probe allows for detection of first appearance of water in a multiphase flow in a well, measuring the amount of inhibitor in water within the well, determining an accurate water-cut, and measuring other property such as water salinity. Accordingly, with the known water-cut, salinity and the water flow rate inferred from the inhibitor injection flow rate and inhibitor-in-water fraction, a correct dosage of the inhibitor can be injected to the well in order to prevent hydrate formation, while reducing overdosing. Water flow rate may also be inferred from an independently measured liquid flow rate and the immersion-probe measured water cut.
US09556720B2
A system and method for performing stimulation operations at a wellsite having a subterranean formation with of a reservoir therein is provided. The method involves generating a plurality of quality indicators from a plurality of logs, and combining the plurality of quality indicators to form a composite quality indicator. The composite quality indicator may be combined with a stress log to form a combined stress and composite quality indicator, the combined stress and composite quality indicator comprising a plurality of blocks with boundaries therebetween. The method may further comprise identifying classifications for the plurality of blocks; defining stages along the combined stress and composite quality indicator based on the classifications; and selectively positioning perforations in select stages based on the classifications thereon.
US09556719B1
One or more specific embodiments herein includes a method for recovering hydrocarbon gas from a shale formation comprising injecting oxidizer through a horizontal wellbore into a fracture in the shale formation comprising pores containing hydrocarbon gas, and recovering some of the hydrocarbon gas from the shale formation. Some of the injected oxidizer combusts and increases the temperature of a portion of the shale formation and of the hydrocarbon gas contained in some of the pores in the shale formation, the pressure of some of the hydrocarbon gas increases to a point sufficient to cause formation of new fractures, and some of the hydrocarbon gas passes from the pores through some of the new fractures and is recovered. Preferably, one or more specific embodiments further comprises injecting hydraulic fracturing fluid into the first fracture after the one or more second fractures is formed, sometimes referred to as re-fracing.
US09556718B2
Provided is a method and composition for the in-situ generation of synthetic sweet spots in tight-gas formations. The composition can include nitrogen generating compounds, which upon activation, react to generate heat and nitrogen gas. The method of using the composition includes injecting the composition into a tight-gas formation such that upon activation, the heat and nitrogen gas generated.
US09556715B2
A pressure control system varies a parameter of a gas flowing out of the well to artificially generate a pressure value at a fluid mover. The fluid mover receives fluid from a conduit such as a dip tube positioned in the well. The system may also include a flow control device controlling a gas flow out of the well and a controller controlling the flow control device using information relating to at least one wellbore parameter.
US09556712B2
The present invention is directed to methods for harnessing flow-induced electrostatic energy in a tubular length and using this energy to power electrical devices (e.g., flowmeters, electrically-actuated valves, etc.). The present invention is also directed to corresponding systems through which such methods are implemented.
US09556709B2
A skin effect heating cable used to form a heat tracing circuit for heating a production pipe carrying process media. The skin effect heating cable includes a heating tube which includes a conductor, an insulating layer wrapped around the conductor and a dielectric fluid disposed between the insulating layer and the inner wall of the heating tube. The dielectric fluid increases the heat transfer characteristic from the conductor to the heating tube while providing mechanical load relief to the cable.
US09556703B2
The current application discloses compositions and methods for treating a subterranean formation. CO2 swellable elastomers can be used in a treatment fluid to at least partially block a high permeability region, therefore improving the performance of an operation such as matrix stimulation, acidizing, and acid fracturing.
US09556700B2
An expandable downhole sealing assembly in which an axial setting force is applied to radially compress and self-energize an expanding element such that stored radial forces in the expanding element effect and maintain a seal thereafter. The sealing assembly can be used to provide a seal between a casing and a mandrel in a well, among other applications.
US09556698B2
A system includes a landing system with a landing member configured to move between an extended position and a retracted position inside an axial bore of a mineral extraction system component. The landing system further includes a shaft configured to drive the landing member in a first radial direction. The landing system further includes an actuation system configured to move the shaft in the first radial direction within the axial bore to move the landing member into the extended position. The landing system further includes a spring configured to drive the shaft in a second radial direction to retract the landing member.
US09556686B1
A wet-mateable connector unit for use in vertical or substantially vertical orientation in a subsea gas well has an outer shell and a movable wall inside the shell surrounding a pressure compensated chamber containing dielectric fluid. The chamber wall is exposed to ambient pressure outside the connector unit. At least one relief valve is mounted in the connector unit and has an inlet in communication with the upper end of the chamber and an outlet in communication with the external environment surrounding the connector unit. The relief valve opens to release gas from the upper end of the chamber when the differential pressure between the chamber and external environment exceeds a predetermined valve cracking pressure. A plurality of relief valves may be provided.
US09556685B2
A riser tree controls adapter comprises an outer riser tree controls adapter, placed outside a first tubular, and an inner riser tree controls adapter placed outside a second tubular and configured to be received into the outer riser tree controls adapter. Once inserted into the outer riser tree controls adapter, one or more control signal pathways are provided between a junction plate control connection receiver and a corresponding set of inner connection interfaces.
US09556676B2
A collapsible drilling rig substructure is transported to a drilling site while in a collapsed transportation configuration wherein a raisable floor of the substructure is in a lowered transportation position relative to a fixed drill floor such that an upper surface of the raisable floor is positioned at a first height level above a base of the substructure while an upper surface of the fixed drill floor is positioned at a second height level above the base that is greater than the first height level. The substructure is positioned adjacent to a wellbore location at the drilling site and reconfigured from the lowered transportation configuration to a raised operating configuration by raising the raisable floor to an operating position laterally adjacent to the fixed drill floor while maintaining a height level of the upper surface of the fixed drill floor at the second height level.
US09556675B2
A mobile ladder support assembly provides stable lateral and rear support, and transportability for operation of a ladder. A lateral support bar restricts lateral tilting by the assembly. A pair of height adjustable rear support bars restrict backwards tilting by the assembly. A pair of caster wheels transport the assembly and the ladder. The wheels ride a pivot bar that rotates in a first direction for a stationary position. When the pivot bar is manipulated towards the second direction, the pair of wheels drop to a mobile position. Springs at the ends of the pivot bar create tension that maintains the pivot bar in the first position. Tabs selectively engage a notches to retain the wheels in the stationary position, or release the wheels to the mobile position. The free rotation and swivel of the wheels creates a center of mass that drop the wheels to the mobile position.
US09556674B2
A roof ladder construction includes a roof hook assembly and a ladder to which the roof hook assembly is pivotally mountable for movement between two operative positions, a first of the operative positions being a position in which the roof hook assembly may extend over a roof ridge for engagement with a remote roof surface at a side of the roof opposite that at which the ladder is positioned and the other, second position being one in which the roof hook assembly does not engage with the remote surface of the roof.
US09556671B1
The privacy screening and track system is a modularly constructible screen system that provides screen panels on tracks such that screen panels may be optionally opened or closed as might windows be. The system provides corner posts, center posts, and end posts joinable to top and bottom tracks wherein the modularity is continued as desired. The system also provides components that can be cut as needed, even by a novice, such that both manufactured fit and user custom fit are possible. Screens provide translucent views and alternately transparent views.
US09556670B2
A retractable screen structure to cover opening of windows. The structure has a first housing member with a coiled screen mesh therewithin. A second elongated housing member is engaged with an end of the screen mesh extending out of the first housing member. The second housing member has a releasable locking element and is parallel to the first housing member. A cooperative releasable locking element positioned on the window or window frame, is configured to cooperate with the releasable locking element of the second housing member to effect a releasable locking h, The coiled screen mesh substantially covers the opening when uncoiled and is connected to a retracting/extending mechanism contained within the first housing which allows the end of the screen mesh be drawn through an opening in the first housing and uncoiled to substantially cover the opening and to retract the screen mesh when desired.
US09556666B1
The invention provides a sealant applicator machine for dispensing sealant onto an insulating glazing unit. The insulating glazing unit may include two panes separated by a spacer having a spacer width. The sealant may be dispensed around a periphery of the insulating glazing unit. In certain embodiments, the sealant applicator machine includes both a fixed width sealant-dispensing head comprising a fixed width dispensing nozzle, and an adjustable sealant-dispensing head having a plurality of adjustable dispensing nozzles. The fixed width sealant-dispensing head and the adjustable sealant-dispensing head may be operably coupled to one or more sealant supplies.
US09556665B2
According to some embodiments, a multi-panel door system includes a fixed panel and an active panel. Both panels are secured to the astragal of the door frame by securement members driven into and through hinges connected to the active panel, through the astragal, and into the fixed panel. The securement members are driven through a middle portion of the astragal stem in order to align the fixed and active panels in a recessed position with respect to the door frame. The fixed panel and the active panel are coplanar. Hinge support plates are placed between the hinges and the astragal and communicate forces transmitted through the securement members into deeper portions of the astragal.
US09556664B2
A motorized tilting window operator and a tilting window. The motorized tilting window operator including one or more motorized drive units configured to connect with and drive one or more manual tilting window operators of the tilting window. The motorized tilting window operator including a cover.
US09556650B1
A padlock has a shackle with a short leg and a long leg and a lock body having two partial channels to accommodate the short and long legs. Each of the short and long legs has a bolt groove to receive a bolt. The lock body also has a through channel for placing a spindle having a locking area and an unlocking groove. A plurality of dials and clutches mounted on the spindle control the spindle movement. When the padlock is in the locked mode, the spindle is located within the through channel such that the locking area pushes the bolts against the bolt grooves, preventing the shackle from being pulled upward. When dials match the combination code, the spindle can move upward to allow the bolts to move away from the bolt grooves toward the unlocking groove and the shackle can be pulled upward to unlock the padlock.
US09556644B2
Disclosed herein is an apparatus for opening and closing an entrance. The apparatus includes: first and second door handles which are configured to be pushed or pulled; a moving unit which is coupled to the first and second door handles; a rotating unit which is rotatably coupled on a rotating shaft and locked to the moving unit so that when the moving unit horizontally moves, the rotating unit rotates around the rotating shaft; an actuating member which is locked to the rotating unit and moved in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the moving unit moves; a latch unit which is fixed to the actuating member so that the latch unit is ejected from or retracted into the door by the movement of the actuating member; and a restoring spring which is wrapped around the rotating shaft and fixed to the door lock housing and the rotating unit.
US09556643B2
An external handle device for a vehicle door has one end part of an operating handle supported by a support member mounted on a door having one end part supported on a vehicle body, and a holder for housing and holding an electrical component mounted on a base member. A mounting portion mounted on an end wall on the other end side of the door has a mounting hole obliquely intersecting an outer panel and is provided integrally with the base member, an engagement hole extending along the axis of the mounting hole and having one end opening in a blocked part at the inner end of the mounting hole is provided in the mounting portion so that the other end opens on the periphery of the mounting portion, and an engagement projection that engages with the other end part of the engagement hole is provided on a holder.
US09556641B2
A baluster connector for interconnecting a baluster with a hollow end to a portion of a railing system by a fastener having a shaft and a head. The body portion can have an opening of sufficient size to pass the head of the fastener toward the second end of the body to seat against a necked-down portion within the interior of the body. Biasing flanges can extend away from the body to provide resistance when the body is positioned within a hollow end of a baluster.
US09556634B2
A garage floor barrier system for installation onto a garage floor for segregating debris. The barrier system includes rail portions, connectors, and cover members. The rail portion includes a notch on a bottom side to aid in installation and provides a recess for the placement of adhesive during attachment. The connectors allow for corner, angle, and straight connection and are constructed in a shape and dimension allowing for flexion. The barrier system is installed continuous around a parked vehicle and allows a user to both contain and easily remove trapped debris.
US09556632B2
A method for providing at least a part of a building includes the steps of prefabricating a module by assembling four walls extending between a floor and a roof to form a rectangular cuboid shape; providing at least one compartment within the cuboid shape; providing waterproof layers on the interior walls and floor of the compartment for creating a wet area within the module; arranging technical installations within the cuboid shape; and providing interior equipment within the cuboid shape. The method further includes the steps of prefabricating a plurality of panels and slabs; and connecting these panels and slabs to a lateral side of the module for providing a further rectangular cuboid shape forming a panel-built room.
US09556626B2
An apparatus and method for raising a self-jacking scaffold system including extending a jacking screw and jacking screw bracket axially upward, connecting a jacking screw bracket to an overhead tank bracket for a plurality of scaffold sections coupled to a jacking assembly, detaching a plurality of scaffold mounting brackets from a plurality of tank mounting brackets, raising the continuously coupled plurality of scaffold sections, and reattaching the plurality of scaffold mounting brackets to a plurality of tank mounting brackets. Noting the plurality of scaffold sections is continuously coupled proximate a circumference of a shell tank, the continuously coupled scaffold sections and tank mounting brackets provide stiffness to the tank shell to enable it to resist external loads and can be quickly moved and restored as required during tank construction.
US09556625B2
A suspended scaffolding system (100) including a connector system (32,33) adapted to engage a track (31) which in use is in contact with the surface of a structure (30), an arm (34, 39) connects the suspended scaffolding system to the connector system, so in use the suspended scaffolding system is suspended below the structure. In a first embodiment, the connector system has connectors that permit relative movement with respect to the track in two orthogonal planes. In a second embodiment a moveable counterweight (37) is provided on the suspended scaffolding system, adapted to be displaced from a first position to a second position to change the center of gravity of the suspended scaffolding system. In a third embodiment, a track connector system is provided comprising at least three fasteners each of which is in contact with the track and adapted to be temporarily removed from the track to permit the suspended scaffolding system to negotiate obstacles.
US09556619B2
A fiber enforced sheet for use as a wall or floor covering which comprises of adhered thin bricks bonded to a fiber-reinforced, backing layer. Thin brick is adhered to the fiber enforced sheet. The fiber enforced backing increases strength and rigidity to the thin brick during handling, and installation permits the thin bricks to be adhered to proper specification and spacing to be cut using ordinary tile or thin brick tools.
US09556616B2
A light roofing system is formed of a substrate layer and a waterproof surface layer. The waterproof surface layer comprises a functional coating layer made of functional paint and a waterproof layer made of waterproof paint, the functional paint comprises a base material and functional materials, and the functional materials comprise an inorganic flaky material, an inorganic high-rigidity wear-resistant material, and polymer powder with good toughness. The addition amount of the inorganic flaky material accounts for 1% to 8% of the total weight of the functional paint, the addition amount of the inorganic high-rigidity wear-resistant material accounts for 2% to 15% of the total weight of the functional paint, and the addition amount of the polymer powder with good toughness accounts for 1% to 8% of the total weight of the functional paint.
US09556615B1
This application describes insulated panel systems with first and second encapsulated foam core panels having foam cores, coated with or otherwise encapsulated in a shell material. Front and back overlap members may be fixed to the first encapsulated foam core panel or the second encapsulated foam core panel to allow the insulated panel system to removeably cover a container around a perimeter of the container (i.e., in a lateral direction relative to the container). A drip edge and overlap member may be fixed to the first encapsulated foam core panel to allow the insulated panel system to removeably cover a container vertically along a height of the container (i.e., in a vertical direction relative to the container).
US09556612B2
Disclosed is a floor assembly for a modular building unit that avoids the need to turn the floor assembly frame over for installation of a floor subsheet, and that likewise provides a modular floor subsheet that may be fitted to the modular building unit without welding, rivets, screws, or other tooling. A floor assembly frame includes side rails that form the exterior, bottom perimeter of the modular building unit, and joists that extent between parallel side rails of the floor assembly frame. The joists are configured at their base on one side with a slot configured to receive one end of a section of a floor subsheet. An opposite end of the floor subsheet is then positioned overtop the joist element that forms the top portion of the slot on an adjacent joist, which opposite end may then be held in place with a pin, clip, or other fastener requiring minimal effort to install. Such assembly allows all components of the floor to be installed from above, thus avoiding the need to invert the frame of the floor assembly during installation. Likewise, the modular nature of the assembly allows installation to be carried out by fewer personnel than required in traditional installations.
US09556611B1
Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for removably deploying a floor assembly from a compacted state to a deployed state by varying tensioning forces to removably interconnected individual floor segments.
US09556610B2
A base (1a, 1b, 1c) for building wall (10a, 10b, 10c) comprising: a base socle (3a, 3b, 3c) interposed, in position, between a panel (2) of the wall (10a, 10b, 10c) and a foundation slab, a tubular member (5) filled with a mixture (6) including cement and water interposed, in position, between the base socle (3a, 3b, 3c) and the foundation slab, first constraint means (7a, 7c, 8, 9, 11) to rigidly constrain, in position, the base socle (3a, 3b, 3c) to the foundation slab; the planimetric position of the base socle (3a, 3b, 3c) and its distance from the foundation slab being adjustable by means of said first constraint means (7a, 7c, 8, 9, 11), second constraint means (7a, 7b, 7c, 12, 13) to rigidly constrain, in position, said panel (2) to said base socle (3a, 3b, 3c).
US09556605B2
A structural system and method of assembly comprising structural members with slots, and interior structural members. Specific structural members are sequentially interconnected in rigid alignment. A first structural member is positioned with two upward facing slots. Additional structural members are added by engaging downward facing slots of the additional structure members with upward facing slots of the prior structural member. The structural members further include engagement features in cooperating slots. A protruding features engages a recess to retain the engaged structural members. The features may be a partial sphere and a matching recess which may be disassembly, or a tapered protrusion having a squared-off rear edge which resists disassembly, or one of a variety of shapes.
US09556603B2
A waxless modular seal prevents leaks in the connection between the base of a toilet and the drain pipe. The waxless modular seal comprises a rubber portion and a resiliently compressible toroid-shaped foam ring, both of which are, in combination, designed to replace a traditional wax seal. The waxless modular seal captures the foam ring between an upper sealing ring and a lower sealing ring. Each sealing ring and the foam ring comprises a protrusion and at least one vertically disposed aperture, the apertures being sized sufficiently so as to allow a fastener to pass through the apertures. The foam ring may comprise a plurality of foam rings.
US09556602B2
A self-contained, oil flush medium toilet system is provided having a largely rectangular enclosure that separates the flush medium from collected waste and preprocesses the waste for subsequent removal. The device requires no connection to sewage or water lines, and can be installed with only electrical connections for continual operation. Waste is first received through a toilet bowl, whereafter it is consumed by the oil and falls under the surface thereof. The waste is then circulated below the oil, whereby it is continually aerated to promote aerobic digestion of the waste until it reaches a certain volume, where the processed waste exits the enclosure for further processing or storage. The oil flush medium is pumped through a particulate and carbon filter to maintain its condition, wherein the oil is immiscible with the waste to first consume it and remain above the waste within the enclosure during operation.
US09556601B2
A base connection device used to change a flapper drain valve to a barrel drain valve includes a flapper base and a first overflow pipe disposed in the external side of the flapper base; further includes a connection base and a second overflow pipe, the bottom of the connection base is sleeved on the flapper base in sealing way, and closing the bottom of the first overflow pipe, the top of the connection base is formed to a matching portion; the bottom of the second overflow pipe is connected to the outlet of the flapper base. To change a flapper drain valve to a barrel drain valve, the flapper base does not need to be disassembled. The barrel drain valve is inserted to the connection base to sleeve the connection base on the flapper base, with the second overflow pipe as an overflow pipe of the water tank.
US09556599B2
An under-sink disposal unit includes a motor, a disposal chamber, and a disposal throat. The disposal throat extends from the disposal chamber to an opening in a top of the disposal unit and defines a passageway through which objects pass into the disposal chamber for grinding. The disposal unit further includes a coil assembly including an arrangement of coils. The arrangement of coils is used to detect the passing of a metallic object in the passageway through the disposal throat. Furthermore, the arrangement of coils includes at least one coil having a loop that is oriented with respect to an axis of the passageway through the disposal throat such that objects passing through the disposal throat into the disposal chamber pass by and proximate to, but do not pass through, such loop. Preferably DC injection braking is used to stop the motor upon detection of a metallic object.
US09556597B2
Disclosed is a swivel faucet, such as one having a pull-out sprayer. In one aspect the inlet and outlet lines are formed in an integral structure with a transverse plate that faces a mixing valve. In another aspect the control handle for the faucet is provided with a concentric visible bore and hidden set screw bore combined with a bushing having a cutout to facilitate their use. In still another aspect there is provided a bearing that mounts to a pivotable sprayer and provides distinct swivel positions through the use of a detent connection to a land.
US09556596B2
A liquid distribution system having at least one liquid conduit extending from a liquid source to a liquid tap and a method for substantially retaining the temperature of a liquid in the liquid distribution system. When a tapping operation is finished, the liquid is evacuated from the liquid conduit, and a gas is brought into the liquid conduit in order to replace the liquid therein and cause the liquid to flow backwards to the liquid source. When liquid is to be tapped from the liquid tap, the gas is evacuated from the liquid conduit.
US09556586B2
A wheel loader includes: an upper exterior cover covering an upper side of an engine compartment housing an engine; an exhaust heat vent provided to the upper exterior cover; and a first gutter member and a second gutter member disposed below the exhaust heat vent, the first gutter member and the second gutter member each having a lateral surface defining a rise portion rising from a bottom, the rise portion being attached to the upper exterior cover.
US09556575B2
An adjustable self-leveling boat bumper system attaches to a nautical structure associated with a body of water, and includes a longitudinal main guide, a longitudinal adjustment guide connected to a float element, a receiver, a boat bumper connected to the receiver, and an adjustment lock. The main and adjustment guides are oriented perpendicularly to a water surface. The receiver includes a main guide aperture and an adjustment aperture. The main and adjustment guides are moveably engaged with the main guide and adjustment apertures, respectively. The lock determines whether the adjustment guide is moveable. The float element provides a buoyancy force that maintains the receiver and float at a particular position along the main guide relative to the tide level of a body of water.
US09556570B1
A device for picking up animal waste is described that use a waste bag. The pick-up device includes a first concave body and a second concave body that form a waste collection cavity. A hinge along a fixed edge allows a movable edge to move between an open position and a closed position. A spring biases the device into the closed position. An activation mechanism is provided to overcome the biasing force of the spring. Waste bag retainers retainer the waste bag within the waste collection cavity.
US09556564B2
A laminated wood and encapsulated railroad tie structure and its associated method of manufacture. A wood core of laminated wood slats is inserted into an extruded sleeve of scrap tire rubber and polyurethane. A urethane adhesive laminates the wood slats together and serves as a lubricant and bonding agent for placement and secured engagement of the sleeve about the core. End caps are securely engaged at each end of the composite sleeve, being secured to both the wood or other natural fiber core and sleeve. Longitudinal grooves or slots for engagement with a railroad bed characterize the bottom and side surfaces of the sleeve. The core may be provided with bores and grooves to receive sensors and conductors interconnected with a processor and transponder maintained in an end cap. The end case also maintains a photovoltaic device and power source for the active elements of the railroad tie structure. The core may also be manufactured of a wood or other natural fiber giving the core a desired flex modulus to provide for better control and serviceability of associated rails and railway cars.
US09556556B2
The invention relates to a method for manufacturing pile carpet or pile carpet tiles, wherein a pile yarn (8) is connected via a pile thread holder (1) to at least a primary backing (7), wherein the pile thread holder (1) comprises a plurality of pile thread guide channels (2) which perforate the pile thread holder (1) through two opposite sides, wherein the pile thread holder (1) is provided between a pile thread gripping station (14) on a first perforated side (5) and a primary backing (7) on a second perforated side (6) such that the pile yarn (8) is arranged via the first perforated side (5) through a pile thread guide channel (2) to the second perforated side (6) onto, into or through the backing (7).
US09556553B2
A spin-dryer includes an external drum, an internal drum and a spinning unit. The external drum includes a containing chamber. The internal drum is rotationally inserted in the containing chamber. The internal drum includes a spinning chamber, apertures in communication with the spinning chamber, and a lower axle rotationally inserted in the external drum. The spinning unit includes a motor inserted in the external drum, a driver gear operatively connected to the motor, and a follower gear connected to the lower axle and engaged with the driver gear.
US09556552B2
A door hinge apparatus having a coupling structure between a door and a cabinet, and a drum-type washing machine having the same. The drum type washing machine includes an inlet formed through the cabinet to allow laundry to be inserted or withdrawn therethrough, a door coupled to the cabinet to open and close the inlet, and a hinge between the door and the cabinet. The hinge includes a cabinet bracket coupled to a front surface of the cabinet, a door bracket coupled to the door, a first moving unit coupled to the door bracket to allow the door to be pivoted with respect to the cabinet, and a second moving unit coupled to the cabinet bracket to allow the door to protrude forward from the cabinet and be substantially parallel and spaced from the cabinet. The door opens the inlet by moving forward by a predetermined distance or more from the cabinet and then pivoting, so that moisture in the drum is removed to some extent before the inlet is opened and the door can open without friction between the door and the cabinet.
US09556549B2
A washing machine for treating laundry comprising a basket rotatable about a first rotational axis, having a peripheral side wall extending upwardly from a bottom wall to at least partially define a treating chamber; a clothes mover proximate the bottom wall, having a base with a centrally located hub concentric with a second rotational axis about which the clothes mover reciprocally rotates; and at least one vane having an elongated body extending away from the hub and projecting upwardly from the clothes mover to terminate in a tip.
US09556542B2
Provided is an apparatus for producing a carbon nanotube fiber. The apparatus includes: a vertical reactor having a reaction zone; an inlet through which a spinning solution is introduced into the bottom of the reaction zone of the reactor; an inlet through which a carrier gas is introduced into the bottom of the reaction zone of the reactor; heating means for heating the reaction zone; and a discharge unit disposed on the top of the reaction zone and through which a carbon nanotube fiber is discharged from the reactor. The spinning solution entering the reaction zone through the spinning solution inlet is carbonized and graphitized while ascending from the bottom of the reaction zone by the carrier gas entering through the carrier gas inlet, to form a carbon nanotube fiber consisting of continuous aggregates of carbon nanotubes. Further provided is a carbon nanotube fiber produced using the apparatus. The carbon nanotube fiber is long and exhibits high electrical conductivity, tensile strength, and elasticity. Due to these advantages, the carbon nanotube fiber is expected to find a variety of applications, including multifunctional composite materials, deformation/damage sensors, transmission cables, and electrochemical devices, for example, microelectrode materials for biological substance detection, supercapacitors, and actuators.
US09556534B2
Provided is an anode for electroplating which uses an aqueous solution as an electrolytic solution, and the anode which is low in potential when compared with a conventional anode, able to decrease an electrolytic voltage and an electric energy consumption rate and may also be used as an anode for electroplating various types of metals, and which is low in cost. Also provided is a method for electroplating which uses an aqueous solution as an electrolytic solution, in which the anode is low in potential and electrolytic voltage, thereby making it possible to decrease the electric energy consumption rate. The anode for electroplating of the present invention is an anode for electroplating which uses an aqueous solution as an electrolytic solution, in which a catalytic layer containing amorphous ruthenium oxide and amorphous tantalum oxide is formed on a conductive substrate.
US09556531B2
An article of manufacture and method of forming a borided material. An electrochemical cell is used to process a substrate to deposit a plurality of borided layers on the substrate. The plurality of layers are co-deposited such that a refractory metal boride layer is disposed on a substrate and a rare earth metal boride conforming layer is disposed on the refractory metal boride layer.
US09556525B2
The present invention relates to a method of producing a (shaped) ceramic or glass-ceramic article, involving the steps of: (a) providing a powder or a powder mixture comprising ceramic or glass-ceramic material, (b) depositing a layer of said powder or powder mixture on a surface, (d) heating at least one region of said layer by means of an energy beam or a plurality of energy beams to a maximum temperature such that at least a part of said ceramic or glass-ceramic material in said at least one region is melted and (e) cooling said at least one region of said layer so that at least part of the material melted in step (d) is solidified, such that the layer is joined with said surface in said at least one region. The invention also relates to ceramic or glass-ceramic articles and their use.
US09556515B1
Methods and systems involving a potting process for selectively coating a target surface of a component. An example method may include: (1) dispensing a masking agent into a cavity, wherein the cavity is within a holder; (2) immersing a portion of a component that has a plurality of surfaces into the masking agent, such that at least one portion of a target surface from the plurality of surfaces is not immersed; (3) curing the masking agent such that the masking agent hardens on the portion of the plurality of surfaces of the component immersed in the masking agent; (4) coating the target surface with a coating agent; and (5) separating the masking agent from the portion of the plurality of surfaces of the component immersed in the masking agent.
US09556514B2
Deposition of material is performed on a substrate by causing short-distance reciprocating motions of the substrate that improve uniformity of material on the substrate. A series of reactors for injecting material onto the substrate is arranged along the length of the substrate in a repeating manner. During each reciprocating motion, the susceptor moves a distance shorter than an entire length of the substrate. Portions of the substrate are injected with materials by a subset of reactors. Since the movement of the substrate is smaller, a linear deposition device including the susceptor may be made smaller.
US09556510B2
A method of achieving precision registration in a roll to roll process by simultaneously depositing multiple inks onto a printing roll. One of these inks prints a pattern of fiducial marks onto a substrate while another ink prints a predetermined pattern on the same substrate such that the predetermined pattern bears a predictable spatial relationship to the pattern of fiducial marks. Consequently, even if the ink forming the predetermined pattern is invisible, or has such low contrast with the substrate that it is effectively invisible, or even has been dissolved away in a subsequent processing step, it is still possible to know where the predetermined pattern is by referring to the pattern of fiducial marks.
US09556509B2
A method, comprising: generating a vapor of a material from a source of said material comprising a plurality of separate solid pieces of said material supported on a surface of a base in a configuration in which said plurality of solid pieces of said target material are arranged at two or more levels to cover the whole of said surface of said base while providing a gap between adjacent pieces at the same level; and depositing said material from said vapor onto a substrate.
US09556504B2
A bulk-glass forming Ni—Cr—Nb—P—B alloy is provided. The alloy includes Ni(100−a−b−c−d)CraTabPcBd, where the atomic percent a is between 3 and 11, the atomic percent b is between 1.75 and 4, the atomic percent c is between 14 and 17.5, and the atomic percent d is between 2.5 and 5. The alloy is capable of forming a metallic glass having a lateral dimension of at least 3 mm.
US09556500B2
There are provided processes for treating red mud. For example, the processes can comprise leaching red mud with HCl so as to obtain a leachate comprising ions of a first metal (for example aluminum) and a solid, and separating said solid from said leachate. Several other metals can be extracted from the leachate (Fe, Ni, Co, Mg, rare earth elements, rare metals, etc.). Various other components can be extracted from solid such as TiO2, SiO2 etc.
US09556495B2
A method and apparatus for locating and selecting a colony of microorganisms on a culture dish and identifying microorganisms in said selected colony using MALDI. The method comprises the automated steps of locating and selecting a colony of microorganisms on a culture dish; obtaining a sample of said selected colony of microorganisms; depositing at least some of said sample of said selected colony of microorganisms on a target plate; and transferring said target plate with said sample in an apparatus for performing MALDI for identification of said sample of said selected colony of microorganisms. A sample of a colony of microorganisms is automatically deposited on a depositing spot such that the sample covers at most approximately half of said one of the depositing spots of the target plate. A suspension of a sample of microorganisms is automatically prepared by automatically picking the sample with a picking tool and submerging the picking tool with said sample in a suspension, after which the picking tool is vibrated in vertical sense only to release the sample from the picking tool.
US09556494B2
Provided is a method for identifying human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in a sample. The invention involves use of a plurality of fluorescently labeled oligonucleotide probes and flow cytometry to detect the presence or absence of HIV in macrophages that are obtained from a mucosal surface. The invention is particularly useful for detecting HIV infection prior to seroconversion.
US09556491B2
The present invention discloses a method of detecting a wild-type or mutant B-RAF gene in a body fluid sample from a subject. Also disclosed are methods of using B-RAF as a biomarker for detecting cancer, predicting the outcome of cancer, and monitoring the treatment of cancer or the status of cancer. Furthermore, the invention discloses methods and compositions for detecting a mutant gene with a peptide nucleic acid clamp capable of hybridizing to a wild-type gene and a locked nucleic acid probe capable of hybridizing to a mutant of the gene.
US09556489B2
The present invention relates to the use (i) of a level of expression of a long RBM39 protein isoform, termed RBM39L, and (ii) of a level of expression of a short RBM39 protein isoform, termed RBM39C, as a marker for the efficacy of an active agent capable of preventing and/or treating HIV infection.
US09556478B2
A self-contained, fully automated, biological assay-performing apparatus includes a housing; a dispensing platform including a controllably-movable reagent dispensing system, disposed in the housing; a reagent supply component disposed in the housing; a pneumatic manifold removably disposed in the housing in a space shared by the dispensing platform, removably coupled to a fluidic transport layer and a plurality of reservoirs, wherein the fluidic transport layer, the reservoirs, and a test sample to be introduced therein are disposed in the housing in the space separate from the dispensing platform; a pneumatic supply system removably coupled to the pneumatic manifold in the housing in a space separate from the dispensing platform; and a control system coupled to at least one of the dispensing platform and the pneumatic supply system, disposed in the housing.
US09556469B2
Porous sol-gel material essentially consisting of units of one or more first polyalkoxysilanes chosen from the following compounds: (chloromethyl)triethoxysilane; 1,3-dimethyltetramethoxydisiloxane; ethyltrimethoxysilane; triethoxy(ethyl)silane; triethoxymethylsilane; triethoxy(vinyl)silane; trimethoxymethylsilane; trimethoxy(vinyl)silane; tetraethoxysilane or tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) and of units of one or more second polyalkoxysilanes chosen from the following compounds: (N-(3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl)ethylenediamine; 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) and 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, in a first polyalkoxysilane/second polyalkoxysilane molar ratio of 1/0.01 to 1/1, optionally comprising a probe molecule, method of preparation and applications in the trapping of monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and other pollutants or in their detection.
US09556468B2
Novel strains of microalgae belonging to the Scenedesmus genus enable the production of lipids, in particular lutein, in mixotrophic mode, as well as a method for selecting and culturing the strains using a variable and/or discontinuous supply of light, in particular in the form of flashes.
US09556460B2
Described is a method for the production of 3-hydroxy-3-methylbutyric acid by enzyme-catalyzed covalent bond formation between the carbon atom of the oxo group of acetone and the methyl group of a compound which provides an activated acetyl group. Also described are recombinant organisms which produce 3-hydroxy-3-methylbutyric acid, and related compositions and methods.
US09556448B2
The invention provides a plant cell, part, tissue culture or whole plant comprising at least one disrupted KRP gene of the present invention. The present invention also provides methods of increasing weight, size, and/or number of one or more organs, and/or yield of a plant by utilizing the disrupted KRP genes of the present invention. Furthermore, methods of breeding plants to produce new plants having increased weight, size, and/or number of one or more organs, and/or yield are provided. The present invention provides isolated Kinase Inhibitor Protein (KIP) Related Protein (KRP) polynucleotide sequences and isolated KRP polypeptide sequences and methods of their use. Exemplary plants include wheat, rice and soybean.
US09556443B2
Provided are a yeast cell in which the activity of an external mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase is decreased and a method of producing lactate by using the yeast cell.
US09556442B2
A process for obtaining an adapted strain of Pseudomonas includes the following steps: deleting the genes ExoS, ExoT, aroA and IasI in an initial Pseudomonas strain cultivated in a LB medium; progressively cultivating this strain in a chemically defined medium based on a glucose minimal medium supplemented with magnesium and calcium; wherein the adapted strain presents the same toxicity and secretion capacities than the initial strain, and its doubling time when cultivated in the chemically defined medium is less than 60 minutes. An adapted strain is furthermore treated to become ‘killed but metabolically active’.
US09556440B2
The present invention concerns a method of producing a desired gene product in a recombinant gene expression system, said method comprising expressing said gene from a Pm promoter-based expression system using at least two mutant elements selected from: (i) a mutant Pm promoter; (ii) a mutant mRNA leader; and (iii) a mutant XyIS; wherein said mutant elements each comprise one or more mutations which enhance expression of said desired gene. Particularly combinations of a mutant Pm promoter and a mutant mRNA leader are concerned. Isolated nucleic acid molecules, vectors, host cells, libraries, expression systems, methods of enhancing expression, obtaining nucleic acid molecules and identifying combination mutants which enhance expression, artificially constructed operons and their uses are also encompassed.
US09556437B2
The present invention demonstrates for the first time that FAT1 plays an important role in modulating PDCD4 expression, which in turn regulates AP-1 dependent transcription, controls processes crucial for migration and invasion in cancer cells, controls induction of a pro-inflammatory micro environment in cancer cells. The study illustrates a link between inflammation and cancer in cells or in a subject. This work highlights the importance of FAT1 in the induction of the cellular pathways of migration and invasion, proteolysis of the ECM and the expression of pro-inflammatory molecules leading to a favorable micro environment for tumor and cancer progression. The present invention also provides the use of FAT1 in regulating neoplastic phenotypes and genotypes including invasiveness and inflammatory micro environment of the cancer cells by acting as a novel apical regulator of a signaling pathway by affecting the AP1 transcriptional activity, affecting the property of both cell migration and invasion and at the same time affecting the expression of inflammatory modulators. The present invention also identifies a novel regulatory pathway for inflammatory mediators and inflammatory cellular responses via PDCD4 and AP1. The invention describes a pathway for the upregulation of inflammatory processes as such, and hence a means of regulating inflammatory pathologies in general.
US09556435B2
Provided herein are compositions and methods for the modulation of miR-214 for the treatment and/or prevention of fibrosis and fibroproliferative conditions.
US09556434B2
The present invention provides a method for treating Usher's syndrome in a human subject including administering to the human subject an oligonucleotide having 8 to 30 linked nucleosides having a nucleobase sequence comprising a complementary region comprising at least 8 contiguous nucleobases complementary to a target region of equal length within exon 3 of an Usher RNA transcript.
US09556432B2
This disclosure provides a novel role for microRNA (miR) regulation of lipid metabolism via the MTP pathway, leading to reductions in apoB secretion and blood lipid levels. MiR regulation of the MTP pathway is shown herein to reduce hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis in vivo. Therefore, inhibition of MTP expression and activity by miR regulation is identified as a new therapeutic target for treatment of cardiovascular disease and conditions or diseases associated with cardiovascular disease such as hyperlipidemia, atherosclerosis, and metabolic syndrome. Treatment of cardiovascular disease and associated conditions or diseases with the novel MTP inhibitors of the invention, such as miR-30c homologs or miR-30c agonists, reduces MTP-associated lipid production without side effects that occur with other methods of MTP inhibition.
US09556428B2
A eukaryotic expression vector capable of displaying a multi-chain polypeptide on the surface of a host cell is provided, such that the biological activity of the multi-chain polypeptide is exhibited at the surface of the host cell. Such a vector allows for the display of complex biologically active polypeptides, e.g., biologically active multi-chain polypeptides such as immunoglobulin Fab fragments. The present invention describes and enables the successful display of a multi-chain polypeptide on the surface of a eukaryotic host cell. Preferred vectors are described for expressing the chains of a multi-chain polypeptide in a host cell separately and independently (e.g., under separate vector control elements, and/or on separate expression vectors, thus forming a matched vector set). The use of such matched vector sets provides flexibility and versatility in the generation of eukaryotic display libraries, for example the ability to generate and to display multi-chain polypeptides by combining and recombining vectors that express variegations of the individual chains of a multi-chain polypeptide. Entire repertoires of novel chain combinations can be devised using such vector sets.
US09556427B2
A method for isolating genomic DNA (gDNA) from a biological material. In some embodiments, the method includes (a) contacting a sample that contains gDNA with a solution of hydroxide and a detergent under conditions and for a time sufficient to degrade a cell wall, a cell membrane, a nuclear membrane, a nucleoprotein, or combinations thereof and/or to denature the gDNA; (b) mixing into the solution resulting from step (a) a solution characterized by high salt and sufficient buffering capacity to reduce the pH of the solution to less than 10, thereby producing a neutralized solution; (c) centrifuging the sample at a speed and length of time sufficient to clarify the preparation; and (d) removing insoluble material from the neutralized and clarified preparation, whereby a solution of gDNA is produced. Also provided are method for performing a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) of a gDNA sample, methods for performing genotyping or other molecular marker analysis of a gDNA sample, and methods for determining a haplotype of a cell.
US09556420B2
Specialized (iso)eugenol 4-O-methyltransferase (s-IEMT) enzymes having increased capacity for methylation of monolignols are disclosed. The s-IEMTs have unique activity favoring methylation of coniferyl alcohol versus sinapyl alcohol. Various s-IEMTs methylate ferulic acid. Means for producing the various s-IEMTs are provided. The s-IEMTs are useful for modification of lignin content and production of aromatic compounds.
US09556412B2
An example includes an apparatus for separating cells from a fluid sample, including a plenum, defining: a centrally located top inlet, and respective side outlets disposed below the inlet and to the side of the inlet; and a bottom outlet disposed below the top inlet, to the side of the two or more outlets, wherein the plenum is configured to receive a fluid and cells suspension through the inlet, and direct it to the bottom outlet, against respective side-walls extending between the bottom outlet and the two or more side outlets, and wherein the distance between each of the two or more side outlets and the bottom outlet is selected to encourage cells to exit through the bottom outlet under a force. Lateral/vertical distance between the inlet and side outlets can provide lateral fluid travel, thereby allowing time for gravity to bias cells toward an outlet.
US09556411B2
Microorganisms such as microalgae are collected and separated from a host medium such as water. Cellular walls and membranes of the microorganisms are then ruptured to release their lipids using a lipid extraction unit. Thereafter, the lipids from the host medium are collected and separated using a lipid collection and separation unit. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described.
US09556402B2
The invention relates to a method for the hydroformnylation of triglycerides by homogeneous catalysis in the presence of at least one substituted cyclodextrin, said method comprising a step a) of combining, under agitation, at least one catalyst, waiter, at least one unsaturated triglyceride and said substituted cyclodextrin, in the presence of gaseous hydrogen and carbon monoxide, said step being carried out in reactive conditions allowing the formation of an emulsion during the agitation and a decanting of the products once the agitation has stopped.
US09556393B2
A method of inhibiting vanadic corrosion of a hot part of a gas turbine system is provided. The method includes introducing, in the combustor, a first oxide comprising magnesium oxide (MgO) and at least one second oxide from among Al2O3, Fe2O3, TiO2 and SiO2. A ratio “m” of a number of moles of MgO to a number of moles of V2O5 and a ratio “a” of a total number of moles of the at least one second oxide to the number of moles of V2O5 satisfy two conditions based on a firing temperature of the expansion turbine, an average density of one or more double oxides formed by a reaction between MgO and the at least one second oxide, and an average Knoop hardness of the one or more double oxides formed by the reaction between MgO and the at least one second oxide.
US09556392B2
This invention relates to an integrated gasification apparatus for carbonaceous fuel, wherein high-pressure steam produced during a gasification process of carbonaceous fuel is directly used to dry the carbonaceous fuel, and steam obtained through the drying process is directly used in a water gas shift process.
US09556389B2
Deep desulfurization of hydrocarbon feeds containing undesired organosulfur compounds to produce a hydrocarbon product having low levels of sulfur, i.e., 15 ppmw or less of sulfur, is achieved by hydrotreating the feed under mild conditions, and separating the hydrotreated effluent into an aromatic-rich fraction which contains a substantial amount of the aromatic refractory and sterically hindered sulfur-containing compounds, and an aromatic-lean fraction. The aromatic-rich fraction is contacted with isomerization catalyst, and the isomerized aromatic-rich fraction is recycled to the mild hydrotreating process.
US09556384B2
The invention relates to a method for extracting biochemical products obtained from a process of hydrothermal carbonization of biomass, which includes feeding an aqueous mixture of biomass from a preheating tube for the aqueous mixture of biomass to a vertical reactor with a predetermined level of floatation and an area for accumulation of steam and gases in the upper part thereof, wherein said method for extracting biochemical products is characterized in that it includes (a) heating the aqueous mixture of biomass to, or above, evaporation temperature in said vertical reactor and/or in a previous stage of preheating the aqueous mixture of biomass, increasing the generation of stream and/or gases at the predetermined flotation level of the vertical reactor, (b) extracting the steam and/or gases generated in the previous stage and accumulated in the upper part of the vertical reactor, and (c) cooling the gases and/or condensing the steam extracted in the previous stage at different levels of temperature and pressure. The invention likewise relates to the biochemical product obtainable from said method, as well as to a system for implementing said method.
US09556379B2
Certain nanocrystals possess exceptional optical properties that may make them valuable probes for biological imaging, but rendering these nanoparticles biocompatible requires that they be small enough not to perturb cellular systems. This invention describes a phosphorescent upconverting sub-10 nm nanoparticle comprising a lanthanide-doped hexagonal β-phase NaYF4 nanocrystal and methods for making the same.
US09556378B2
The present invention relates to a chelating agent precursor that contains glutamic acid N,N-diacetic acid (GLDA) and/or methylglycine N,N-diacetic acid (MGDA) wherein at least one of the carboxylic acid groups is present as a carboxylic acid derivative selected from the group of amides, anhydrides, and esters, combinations thereof, and salts thereof, provided that it is not the triethyl ester of GLDA, the triethyl mono-t-butyl ester of GLDA, the tri-t-butyl ester of GLDA, the monobenzyl tri-t-butyl ester of GLDA, any ester or amide that contains azacycloalkane groups, any amide that contains biotin groups, any amide that contains minoethylcarbamoyl based amide groups, (S)-diethyl 2,2′-(1-benzyloxy)-1,5-dioxo-5-(prop-2-ynylamino)pentan-2-ylazanediyl-diacetate, diethyl 2,2′-(5-(3-azidopropylamino)-1-(benzyloxy)-1,5-dioxo-pentan-2-ylazanediyl-diacetate, the trimethyl ester of MGDA, the monomethyl ester dimethylamide of MGDA, the dibenzyl ester of MGDA, the dibenzyl mono t-butyl ester of MGDA, the di t-butyl ester of MGDA, the di-t-butyl-monobenzyl ester of MGDA, N,N-bis(benzyloxycarbonylmethyl)-N′-methoxycarbonyl-methyl-alanine amide, or N,N-bis(tert-butoxycarbonyl)-N′-methoxycarbonylmethyl-alanine amide, and esters of GLDA immobilized on a gel, and that the amide is not the amide of ammonia, to a fluid containing the above chelating precursor and a liquid, and to the use of a chelating agent precursor of MGDA and GLDA and fluids containing them in an application wherein delayed acidity or the chelating capacity is useful, such as in descaling, bleaching, cleaning, and treating oil and/or gas-containing subterranean formations.
US09556374B2
Provided is a group of rare-earth regenerator material particles having an average particle size of 0.01 to 3 mm, wherein the proportion of particles having a ratio of a long diameter to a short diameter of 2 or less is 90% or more by number, and the proportion of particles having a depressed portion having a length of 1/10 to ½ of a circumferential length on a particle surface is 30% or more by number. By forming the depressed portion on the surface of the regenerator material particles, it is possible to increase permeability of an operating medium gas and a contact surface area with the operating medium gas.
US09556363B2
A chemical-mechanical polishing composition includes colloidal silica abrasive particles having a chemical compound incorporated therein. The chemical compound may include a nitrogen-containing compound such as an aminosilane or a phosphorus-containing compound. Methods for employing such compositions include applying the composition to a semiconductor substrate to remove at least a portion of at least one of a copper, a copper barrier, and a dielectric layer.
US09556355B2
Disclosed herein is a paint composition comprising a carboxyl group containing resin comprising two or more carboxyl groups per molecule, having an acid number of from 100 to 300 mgKOH/g and a weight average molecular weight of from 2,000 to 30,000, obtained by the copolymerization of a carboxyl group containing radically polymerizable monomer and another radically polymerizable monomer, wherein the carboxyl group containing resin comprises 5 to 50 weight percent of structural units based on a lactone compound, based on resin solids; an epoxy group containing resin, comprising two or more epoxy groups per molecule; an ultraviolet absorber; and a light stabilizer having a pKb value of at least 9; wherein the molar ratio of the carboxyl groups of the carboxyl group containing resin to the epoxy groups of the epoxy group containing resin is 3:1 to 1:3.
US09556344B2
A process for protecting a plastic substrate from ultraviolet electromagnetic radiation is provided that includes the application of a composition to the plastic substrate containing between 0.01 and 10 total weight percent of a UV absorber in a non-polymerizing oil present in an amount of greater than 50 total weight percent. The oil is allowed to form a protective layer on the plastic substrate and having said UV absorber dispersed therethrough. The composition is provided including other additives and a volatile organic solvent. The oil and additives are chosen to not produce a colored byproduct as observed by an unaided normal human eye. Compositions are also provided that are limited to the aforementioned components of a UV absorber, an oil, with or without an organic solvent and limited additive to preclude staining of the plastic substrate.
US09556342B2
Methods and compositions with anti-fouling properties that are derived from lignin are disclosed. The compositions include lignin with one or more zwitterionic functional groups. The lignin with one or more zwitterionic functional groups may be incorporated in paints and coatings to prepare biocidal coatings.
US09556341B2
Provided are a porous structure for forming anti-fingerprint coating capable of providing a self-cleaning function to a surface of a substrate, a method of forming anti-fingerprint coating using the same, an anti-fingerprint coated substrate prepared by the same method, and a product including the same. When the porous structure including a lipolytic enzyme is formed on the surface of the substrate, contaminants decomposed by an enzyme are absorbed into a pore, and thus anti-fingerprint coating may be more effectively performed to remove detectable contamination from a surface of the substrate. As a result, contamination by fingerprints on the surface of a display device, the appearance of an electronic device, or building materials can be effectively reduced.
US09556330B2
A tire tread that comprises a rubber composition based on an elastomer matrix that comprises more than 50% by weight of at least one butyl rubber, on a reinforcing filler and on a plasticizing system that comprises at least one polybutene oil having a glass transition temperature below −75° C.A tire comprising such a tread has a good compromise between the wet grip performance and the rolling resistance performance.
US09556325B2
A hydrophobized nanofibrillated cellulose foam comprising a charged hydrophobic amine, a method for providing such foam and its use.
US09556315B2
A system including a dual cure composite structure is disclosed. The system also includes a first layer comprising a resin having a first and a second functional group. The system further includes a second layer comprising the resin having the first and the second functional group. The system also includes a third layer comprising the resin having the first and the second functional group. The system further includes a first covalent bond across an interface of the first and the second layer and a second covalent bond across another interface of the second and the third layer. The system further includes more than two layers comprising the resin having the first and second functional group. A method of manufacturing a system including a dual cure composite structure is also disclosed. The method includes providing a first layer comprising a resin having a first functional group and a second functional group. The method also includes applying a first curing source to partially cure the first layer. The method further includes providing a second layer comprising the resin having the first and the second functional group onto the first layer and applying a second curing source to fully cure the first layer and partially cure the second layer simultaneously.
US09556312B2
A polyimide precursor, a polyimide using the polyimide precursor, and a polyimide film using the polyimide. The polyimide film has excellent adhesiveness to a metal layer or an adhesive, and has improved heat resistance. The polyimide solution may be used as a coating material.
US09556306B2
Methods and formulations for distortional thermosets are disclosed that display enhanced composite mechanical performances and robust sorption resistance. The composition includes an epoxy resin of formula (I): and a diamine curing agent. The resultant distortional thermoset compositions possess superior out-life requirements and advantageous reaction kinetics for preparing prepreg compositions and materials.
US09556305B2
A non-cytotoxic polyether polyurethane elastomer is made by reacting a polyether triol, polyether diol, and polyether prepolymer terminated with toluene diisocyanate. The reaction is catalyzed with a zinc based catalyst, such as zinc neodecanoate. Silicone oil is also added to the reactants. The polyurethane elastomer is a solid, soft elastomer having a hardness of from 15 Shore 00 to 50 Shore A. The elastomer is particularly suited for use as padding in sleeves, splints and braces where it is in contact with human skin.
US09556299B2
The invention relates to a copolymer whose overall structure as such and/or an optionally present segment A having at least 10 bivalent structural units in the overall structure contains surface-active bivalent structural units present in the form of long hydrocarbon chains among other forms. The copolymer is effective as a universal surface-active additive, especially also in conjunction with nonpolar media.
US09556296B2
This invention describes a process for metathesis of olefins from feedstocks obtained from the Fischer-Tropsch process, using as catalyst a ruthenium alkylidene complex comprising a saturated or unsaturated, dissymmetrical N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligand.
US09556288B2
A system and method for polymerizing olefin in the presence of a chain transfer agent in a first reactor to form a first polyolefin, discharging from the first reactor a transfer slurry having the first polyolefin and the chain transfer agent, and processing the transfer slurry in a separator to remove chain transfer agent and to provide a fluff slurry having the first polyolefin and a lower content of chain transfer agent than in the transfer slurry. The system and method provide for feeding the fluff slurry to a second reactor, polymerizing olefin in the second reactor to form a second polyolefin, and discharging from the second reactor a slurry having the second polyolefin.
US09556275B2
A method for inhibiting angiogenesis and treating angiogenesis related diseases comprising administering an anti-c-Met antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof, and an anti-Ang-2 antibody or an antigen-binding fragment thereof, in combination simultaneously or sequentially; as well as related compositions and methods.
US09556273B2
The disclosure relates to immunoglobulin single variable domains directed against human macrophage mannose receptor (MMR) and their uses in the field of oncology. More specifically, it concerns immunoglobulin single variable domains, including single-domain antibodies (sdAbs), against human MMR and their use in targeting and in vivo imaging of tumor-associated macrophages, with applications in the field of cancer diagnostics and therapeutics and monitoring of the disease.
US09556272B2
The invention relates to Anti-TEM 1 anti-bodies or antigen-binding fragments thereof, yeast libraries comprising the same, and prophylactic, diagnostic, and therapeutic methods using the same.
US09556263B2
The present disclosure relates to, inter alia, stable aqueous solutions comprising a high concentration of an antibody that binds to human complement component C5 and methods for preparing the solutions. The disclosure also provides methods for treating or preventing complement-associated disorders (for example, age-related macular degeneration or rheumatoid arthritis) using the solutions. Also featured are therapeutic kits containing one or more of the solutions and a means for administering the solutions to a patient in need such a treatment.
US09556254B2
The invention relates to a human anti-dengue virus antibody (an anti-DENV antibody) that binds to a DENV envelope protein and is cross-reactive with DENV serotype 1, DENV serotype 2, DENV serotype 3, and DENV serotype 4. The disclosure provides an anti-DENV antibody that cross-reacts with and neutralizes all four DENV serotypes. Also provided is a nucleic acid molecule that encodes such an anti-DENV antibody. Also provided is a method to produce and use such an antibody or nucleic acid molecule encoding such an antibody.
US09556253B2
The present invention discloses a preparation method for large scale production of human immunoglobulins (IgG) with high yields by an improved all-chromatography process scheme that eliminates ethanol precipitation. The process of extracting immunoglobulins is such that the other therapeutic proteins in plasma are left unaffected and are available for extraction separately from the same plasma sample. The yields obtained are in the range of 7 to 8 grams of IgG per liter of plasma. The high yielding process scheme of the present invention comprises of chromatographic steps and viral inactivation or removal steps to obtain a purified immunoglobulin protein that complies with pharmacopoeial limits and is suitable for therapeutic administration (normal intravenous immunoglobulin—IVIG).
US09556239B2
A chimeric polyvalent recombinant protein for use as a vaccine and diagnostic for Lyme disease is provided. The chimeric protein comprises epitopes of the loop 5 region and/or the alpha helix 5 region of outer surface protein C (OspC) types. The OspC types may be associated with mammaliran Borrelia infections.
US09556226B2
Compositions with antifungal activity and methods of using such compositions are provided herein. In particular the compositions are peptides of SEQ ID NO: 1 and variations thereof. The peptides may contain L or D amino acids and may be circularized, dimerized or otherwise modified to make the compositions resistant to proteolysis. The compositions may be used to inhibit microbial growth and in particular fungal growth.
US09556222B2
Disclosed herein are novel A-ring epoxidized triterpenoid compounds and derivatives thereof, including those of the formula (I), wherein the variables are defined herein. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions, kits, and articles of manufacture comprising such compounds. Methods and intermediates useful for making the compounds, and methods of using the compounds, for example as antioxidant inflammation modulators, and compositions thereof are also provided.
US09556217B2
Bringing membrane proteins into aqueous solution generally requires the use of detergents or other amphiphilic agents. The invention provides a new class of amphiphiles, each of which includes a multi-fused ring system as a lipophilic group. These new amphiphiles confer enhanced stability to a range of membrane proteins in solution relative to conventional detergents, leading to improved structural and functional stability of membrane proteins, including integral membrane proteins. Accordingly, the invention provides new amphiphiles for biochemical manipulations and characterization of membrane proteins. These amphiphiles display favorable behavior with membrane proteins and can be used to aid the solubilization, isolation, purification, stabilization, crystallization, and/or structural determination of membrane proteins.
US09556216B2
The present invention provides a compound of formula A: or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein B, Q, R1, R5, R6, R7, R8 and Z are as defined herein, which is a 2′-branched nucleoside useful for the treatment or prevention of viral infections, particularly dengue fever, yellow fever, West Nile virus, Japanese encephalitis virus, tick-borne encephalitis virus, Kunjin virus, Murray Valley encephalitis, St Louis encephalitis, Omsk hemorrhagic fever virus, bovine viral diarrhea virus, Zika virus and Hepatitis C virus.
US09556213B2
Oxygen levels in biological tissue or systems can be measured by the phosphorescence quenching method using phosphorescent porphyrin probes, also referred to as a dendritic oxygen probes, with controllable quenching parameters and defined biodistributions. Provided are a “next generation” of oxygen sensors with substantially improved phosphorescence emission for better imaging capabilities, ease of use, increasing the quantum efficiency (phosphorescence intensity) and extending their range of applicability including constructing a class of oxygen sensors for making measurements in organic media. In addition, provided are methods for synthesizing new porphyrin constructs in which the porphyrin is made less flexible and more planar, changing with decrease internal quenching, and thereby increasing the phosphorescence emission used for oxygen sensing. Additional methods are provided for structurally modifying the dendrimer used to encapsulate the porphyrin phosphor to provide internal quenching of singlet oxygen molecules formed during oxygen measurements.
US09556203B2
The invention relates to novel phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor compounds of formula (I) and (II), which are conformationally restricted, and for which the meaning of the substituents are listed in the description. Preferred compounds are those wherein X isoxygen, R1 is morpholino and R2 is substituted phenyl or heteroaryl. These compounds are useful, either alone or in combination with further therapeutic agents, for treating disorders mediated by lipid kinases.
US09556189B2
This invention relates to the discovery of novel polymorphic forms of naltrexone, including solvates, hydrates, anhydrous and other crystalline forms and combinations thereof. These novel forms of naltrexone impart advantages in pharmaceutical formulations incorporating them, including sustained release, or long acting, formulations.
US09556187B2
This disclosure relates to novel tricyclic pyrimidine compounds and tricyclic pyridine compounds having JAK inhibitory activities. A tricyclic heterocyclic compound represented by the formula (Ib), wherein the rings Ab and Bb, Xb, Yb, R1b, R2b, R3b, L1b, L2b, L3b and nb are as defined in the specification.
US09556185B2
The present invention relates to optionally substituted 4,5,7,8-tetrahydro-(optionally 4-oxo, 4-thioxo or 4-imino)-(1H or 2H)-imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazolo[4,3-e]pyrimidine or 4,5,7,8,9-pentahydro-(optionally 4-oxo, 4-thioxo or 4-imino)-(1H or 2H)-pyrimido[1,2-a]pyrazolo[4,3-e]pyrimidine compounds, and methods of using said compound, e.g., wherein the treatment relates to diseases involving disorders of the dopamine D1 receptor intracellular pathway, such as, among others, Parkinson's disease, depression, narcolepsy, damage to cognitive function, e.g., in schizophrenia.
US09556184B2
The present invention relates inter alia to a compound of formula (I) and to compositions comprising the same and to the use of the compounds and to compositions of the compounds in treatment, for example in the treatment of inflammatory diseases, in particular respiratory inflammatory disease. The invention also extends to methods of making the said compounds.
US09556179B2
The invention provides compounds of Formula (I) and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. The compounds of Formula (I) inhibit protein kinase activity thereby making them useful as anticancer agents.
US09556174B2
A process for preparation of (2S, 5R)-Sulfuric acid mono-{[(4-aminopiperidin-4-yl) carbonyl]-7-oxo-1,6-diaza-bicyclo[3.2.1]-oct-6-yl} ester is disclosed which comprises reacting a compound of Formula (II) with a compound of Formula (III) to obtain a compound of Formula (IV).
US09556172B2
According to the present invention there are provided novel processes for the manufacture of the compound of formula 1 as well as intermediates and novel synthesis routes for key intermediates used in those processes.
US09556171B2
Disclosed herein are protein kinase inhibitors, more particularly pyridazine derivatives and pharmaceutical compositions thereof, and method of use thereof.
US09556157B2
This invention relates to novel compounds according to Formula (I) which are inhibitors of Enhancer of Zeste Homolog 2 (EZH2), to pharmaceutical compositions containing them, to processes for their preparation, and to their use in therapy for the treatment of cancers.
US09556156B2
The present invention discloses novel chemical compounds obtained by causing a covalent attachment of a modifying agent of the structure provided for formula 1, to a functional group or a heteroatom of a heterocyclic ring system in chemical compound with improved chemical and biological properties. Wherein: Y is DRUG-CO; DRUG-OCO; DRUG-NRCO, and X is selected from.
US09556144B2
The present invention relates to a compound having the structure of Formula I as inhibitor of WNT signal transduction pathways, as well as a composition comprising the compound. Further, the present invention relates to the use of the compound and the method of inhibiting the WNT signal transduction pathways.
US09556140B2
A process for synthesis of enatiomerically pure or enatiomerically enriched or racemic mixture of (+ and/or −) epicatechin and its intermediates, comprising the steps of: (i) obtaining penta-protected quercetin; (ii) reducing the penta-protected quercetin obtained from step (i); (iii) optionally deprotecting the compound of step (ii); (iv) reducing the compound obtained from step (ii) or step (iii) in the presence of a chiral/achiral reducing agent to obtain a chiral intermediate; (v) deprotecting and/or hydrogenation of the chiral intermediate obtained from step (iv) to obtain (−)-epicatechin; (vi) optionally simultaneously deprotecting and by drogenation of the compound obtained from step (ii) to obtain racemic epicatechin.
US09556138B2
The present disclosure relates to an anti-acne formulation comprising at least one active ingredient selected from the group consisting of coumarin based compounds of Formula I and Formula II; or pharmaceutically acceptable salts, polymorphs and derivatives thereof, and at least one pharmaceutically acceptable excipient. The present disclosure also relates to its application for preventing/curing/treating various acne conditions.
US09556136B2
A process for the distillation of a mixture which consists to at least 90% by weight of a cyclic N-vinylamide and which comprises a stabilizer, wherein a polyether is added to the mixture before or during distillation and a product is obtained which consists to at least 99.5% by weight of the cyclic N-vinylamide.
US09556134B2
Disclosed are antioxidative natural compounds, their salts, chelates and cleavage derivatives that exhibit a superior combination of properties. The compounds can be used for a variety of purposes, including the stabilization of polymers. The compounds can be prepared by substantially cleaving a humic acid of formula I followed by esterification to provide at least one antioxidant compounds of formula V, formula VI, formula VII, formula VIII, salts thereof, or chelates thereof.
US09556128B2
The present invention relates to a method for preparing an acrylate compound. The acrylate compound has a structure as shown in formula (I). The method includes: subjecting a compound with a structure of formula (II) or a mixture of compounds with structures of formula (I) and formula (II), and a catalyst to a contact reaction in the absence of an anhydride, and removing the resulting methanol by pressure reduced distillation during the contact reaction process. In the formulas (I) and (II), R is selected from one of: an alkoxy with a carbon number of 1-5, a substituent-containing phenoxyl with a carbon number of 6-20, a substituent-containing heteroaryloxy with a carbon number of 4-20, a substituent-containing heteroaryloxymethyl with a carbon number of 4-20, a substituent-containing phenoxymethyl with a carbon number of 5-20, and a substituent-containing alkyl with a carbon number of 2-20. According to the method for preparing an acrylate compound provided in the invention, the conversion rate and selectivity of the reaction can be substantially improved.
US09556117B2
The invention relates to indole carboxamide derivatives of formula (I), wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9, R10 and n are as defined in the description, their preparation and their use as pharmaceutically active compounds.
US09556104B2
A process for the hydrogenation of substituted aromatic compounds, with particular reference to esters of aromatic carboxylic acids, for example of aromatic esters used commonly as plasticizers in polymers having wide commercial application (see, in particular, esters of phthalic acid and trimellitic acid).
US09556103B2
A biphenyl diester useful as a plasticizer having the formula (I): wherein R1 is an alkyl group having 5 to 15 carbon atoms and R2 is a methyl group or a phenyl group.
US09556101B2
Anti-cancer compositions and methods are described herein. In particular, compositions including one or more of leelamine, a leelamine derivative, abietylamine, an abietylamine derivative, and an abietic acid derivative are described. Methods for treatment of pathological conditions particularly cancer, in a subject using one or more of leelamine, a leelamine derivative, abietylamine, an abietylamine derivative, and an abietic acid derivative are described herein.
US09556098B2
With respect to reduced coenzyme Q10, there has been no report about the presence of crystal polymorphism, and it has been considered that a conventionally obtained crystal form is only one form. The present invention relates to a reduced coenzyme Q10 crystal having an endothermic peak indicating melting at 54±2° C. during temperature rise at a rate of 5° C./min by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and/or to a reduced coenzyme Q10 crystal showing characteristic peaks at diffraction angles (2θ±0.2°) of 11.5°, 18.2°, 19.3°, 22.3°, 23.0° and 33.3° by powder X-ray (Cu—Kα) diffraction. The crystal form is a novel reduced coenzyme Q10 crystal which has a higher melting point and a lower solubility in a solvent, and is more excellent in stability than the conventionally known reduced coenzyme Q10 crystal.
US09556092B2
A method includes a step of supplying a first heated hydrocarbon-containing gas stream to a reactor. An oxygen-containing gas stream is separately supplied to the reactor to partially oxidize the hydrocarbon-containing gas stream. The oxygen-containing gas is optionally prepared by passing air through one or more membranes to increase the oxygen content. One or more of the desired liquid oxygenated hydrocarbons are condensed and/or separated from the resulting product stream. Non-hydrocarbon gases are selectively removed from the product stream to enrich the gaseous hydrocarbon fraction using a scrubber and/or a membrane. The remaining gaseous hydrocarbon products from the product stream are mixed with a fresh hydrocarbon-containing gas stream after one cycle of the reaction. Characteristically, the process uses at least one membrane to increase oxygen content of the oxygen containing gas and/or to remove non-hydrocarbon gases from the product stream as set forth above.
US09556090B2
The present application relates to a method for photochlorination, and specifically to photochlorination by a photochemical reaction of an aromatic compound with gaseous chlorine so as to prepare a trichloromethyl-substituted benzene, and to a method using bis-(trichloromethyl)-benzene as the trichloromethyl-substituted benzene to prepare by further reaction bis-(chloroformyl)-benzene. Through the control of temperature, illuminance and consumption of gaseous chlorine, the method of this application can greatly improve the purity of trichloromethyl-substituted benzene and further prepare polymer-grade bis-(chloroformyl)-benzene with low cost. The present application also relates to a method for purifying trichloromethyl-substituted benzene, and specifically to a method for purifying trichloromethyl-substituted benzene via molecular distillation. The present application further relates to a photochlorination reactor for use in photochlorination reactions (such as those of the present application).
US09556083B2
Alkylation systems and methods of minimizing alkylation catalyst regeneration are described herein. The alkylation systems generally include a preliminary alkylation system adapted to receive an input stream including an alkyl aromatic hydrocarbon and contact the input stream with a preliminary alkylation catalyst disposed therein to form a first output stream. The preliminary alkylation catalyst generally includes a zeolite catalyst having a SiO2/Al2O3 ratio of less than about 25. The alkylation systems further include a first alkylation system adapted to receive the first output stream and contact the first output stream with a first alkylation catalyst disposed therein and an alkylating agent to form a second output stream.
US09556074B2
A method for the joining of ceramic pieces with a hermetically sealed joint comprising brazing a continuous layer of joining material between the two pieces. The wetting and flow of the joining material is controlled by the selection of the joining material, the joining temperature, the time at temperature, the joining atmosphere, and other factors. The ceramic pieces may be aluminum nitride and the pieces may be brazed with an aluminum alloy under controlled atmosphere. The joint material is adapted to later withstand both the environments within a process chamber during substrate processing, and the oxygenated atmosphere which may be seen within the shaft of a heater or electrostatic chuck.
US09556069B2
Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to sputtered aluminum second surface mirrors with permanent protective coatings optionally provided thereto, and/or methods of making the same. A mirror coating supported by a substrate may include, for example, first and second silicon-inclusive layers sandwiching a metallic or substantially metallic layer including aluminum, and an optional layer including Ni and/or Cr in direct contact with the metallic or substantially metallic layer comprising aluminum. A protective paint is disposed directly over and contacting an outermost layer of the mirror coating. The protective paint, once applied and cured, is adapted to survive seven day exposure to an 85 degree C. temperature at 85% relative humidity, as well as seven day exposure to a 49 degree C. temperature at 100% relative humidity.
US09556058B2
A glass that is down-drawable and ion exchangeable. The glass has a temperature T35kp which the viscosity is 35 kilopoise. T35kp is less than the breakdown temperature Tbreakdown of zircon.
US09556055B2
Provided herein is a method for producing glass-ceramic sheets. The method includes texturing at least one surface of a first glass sheet, and stacking the first glass sheet and a second glass sheet. The first glass sheet and the second glass sheet are stacked so that the textured surface of the first glass sheet contacts a surface of the second glass sheet. The first and second glass sheets are cerammed. After cooling, the cerammed first and second glass sheets are separated. Also provided is a pre-form for producing glass-ceramic sheets. The pre-form includes a first glass sheet having a textured surface, and a second glass sheet contacting the first glass sheet. The textured surface of the first glass sheet is in contact with a surface of the second glass sheet.
US09556053B2
A method for forming a glass sheet with reduced inclusions is disclosed. The method includes flowing molten glass over converging forming surfaces of a forming body positioned within an enclosure. The forming body is heated with a plurality of heating elements separated from the forming body by an inner wall of the enclosure. The temperature T2 at the bottom of the forming body is decoupled from the temperature T1 at the top of the forming body by an insulating thermal barrier positioned between two adjacent heating elements of the plurality of heating elements such that a change in T2 does not cause a substantial change in T1.
US09556048B1
A chain filter system established generally across a slope such as an agricultural field, residential area, reclamation site, industrial area, or municipal park, etc. The system comprises a series of basins oriented such that their upstream borders are aligned to capture variously directed stormwater runoff from the drainage area. Along each basin border opposite to the upstream border is extended a generally continuous berm to direct and contain stormwater movement, so as to avoid loss of runoff from and around the basins. The berm may include gates or scuppers for controlled release of captured stormwater runoff. This chain filter system serves to capture runoff for purposes of reducing pollution movement into state waters, flood control, creating wildlife habitats, enhancing aquifer levels in rural and urban settings, and avoiding downstream pollution.
US09556047B2
A device for gassing liquids, in particular for aerating sewage and the like, includes a lower housing element, which has a substantially round opening area and a gas inlet port, a disc-shaped upper housing element, corresponding to the opening area, for covering the opening area, the upper housing element having an upper side facing away from the lower housing element, a number of gas through-openings provided in the vicinity of a peripheral edge of the upper housing element, passing through the upper side, and a perforated gassing membrane, covering over the upper side of the upper housing element.
US09556042B2
A water pressure regenerated type water softener including: a timer control valve having a valve control unit rotated by a timer spring and into which raw water is supplied; a plurality of conduits into which the raw water selectively flows under the control of the timer control valve; a regeneration tank communicating with a regeneration tank inlet conduit of the conduits; and a resin tank unit receiving regeneration water flowing from the regeneration tank and containing an ion exchange resin therein. The water softener can be operated in one of stop mode, soft water mode, raw water mode and regeneration mode under the control of the valve control unit. When regeneration mode is selected, the valve control unit rotates to stop mode by the timer spring after a preset amount of time has elapsed.
US09556038B2
A system is disclosed for the treatment of wastewater as to reduce the biological oxygen demand, total nitrogen, total suspended solids, and phosphorous, as well as the reduction of liquid water discharged. A wastewater inlet allows the wastewater to enter a first vessel where wastewater is separated based on density. The wastewater is then transferred to a second vessel attached with a pump that sprays the water onto a media. Various other embodiments are also disclosed.
US09556034B2
An improved system for generating graphene involves a liquid reaction chamber configured to receive a working liquid source, a carbon atom source, and a catalyst to cause a chemical reaction in the reaction chamber and a resulting reactant liquid comprising ring structures having starved carbon atoms. The ring structures are provided to a graphene generation chamber having a magnetic structure that includes a two-dimensional array of alternating polarity magnetic sources that produce a magnetic field having a gradient sufficient to float graphene over the magnetic structure. The graphene generation chamber generates graphene from said ring structures over the magnetic structure such that the graphene floats over the magnetic structure due to said graphene being diamagnetic. The rate at which the ring structures are produced is controlled to control the rate of graphene generation. The magnetic field of the magnetic structure can be controlled to control the rate at which the generated graphene moves through the graphene generation chamber until it exits as a recovered graphene product.
US09556029B2
A method for controlling an oxygen liquefaction device includes measuring a flow rate from an oxygen concentration subsystem to a liquefaction subsystem, comparing the flow rate to a flow rate setpoint, and adjusting a cycle timing of the oxygen concentration subsystem in accordance with the comparing. A device for producing liquid oxygen, includes an oxygen concentrator, a liquefaction system, that receives oxygen enriched gas from the concentrator, and condenses it to produce a liquid product. The device further includes a liquid product storage tank, a sensor, that measures a flow rate from the oxygen concentrator to the liquefaction system and a controller that adjusts an oxygen concentrating cycle time in response to the measured flow rate.
US09556026B1
Process for producing a hydrogen-containing product gas suited for operating in regions where the ambient conditions are below freezing for extended periods of time during the winter and warm or hot during the summer months. Hot makeup water is provided to the process to avoid freezing. A portion of the hot makeup water stream is heated in a steam generator to make steam where the steam is used to heat incoming hydrocarbon feed for the process. Another portion of the hot makeup water stream may be heated by combustion product gases where the heated water stream is used to heat incoming combustion oxidant.
US09556021B2
A method creates MEMS structures by selectively etching a silicon wafer that is patterned by using a masking layer. The method comprises depositing and patterning a first mask on a silicon wafer to define desired first areas on the wafer to be etched. First trenches are etched on parts of the wafer not covered by the first mask. The first trenches are filled with a deposit layer. A part of the deposit layer is removed on desired second areas to be etched and a remainder is left on areas to function as a second mask to define final structures. Parts of the wafer on the desired second areas is etched, and the second mask is removed. A gyroscope or accelerator can be manufactured by dimensioning the structures.
US09556020B2
A wafer-level packaging method for MEMS structures that are desired to be encapsulated in a hermetic cavity and that need the transfer of at least a single or multiple electrical leads to the outside of the cavity without destroying the hermeticity of the cavity. Lead transfer is achieved using vertical feedthroughs that are patterned on the capping substrate within the same fabrication step to produce the encapsulating cavity. Furthermore, the structure of the vertical feedthroughs and via openings to reach these feedthroughs are arranged in such a way that conventional wirebonding would be sufficient to connect the vertical feedthroughs to the outer world, without a need for conductor-refill inside the via openings. The method is compatible with low-temperature thermocompression-based bonding/sealing processes using various sealing materials such as thin-film metals and alloys, and also with the silicon-glass anodic or silicon-silicon fusion bonding processes.
US09556017B2
One or more stopper features (e.g., bump structures) are formed in a standard ASIC wafer top passivation layer for preventing MEMS device stiction vertically in integrated devices having a MEMS device capped directly by an ASIC wafer. A TiN coating may be used on the stopper feature(s) for anti-stiction. An electrical potential may be applied to the TiN anti-stiction coating of one or more stopper features.
US09556014B2
A seat support device for a riding animal or a pack animal, a saddle tree, and a saddle with such a saddle tree are disclosed. The seat support device comprises a right multi-linked lug arrangement with a first link section and at least a second link section and a left multi-linked lug arrangement with a first link section and at least a second link section. A pivoting device with a pivot axis is each formed case between two adjacent link sections, so that two adjacent link sections are pivotable towards one other around a pivot axis substantially within a pivot plane which penetrates the pivot axis substantially perpendicular.
US09556010B2
A device for opening an ampoule includes an ampoule holder configured to hold a body of the ampoule along a central longitudinal axis, a head holder configured to hold a head of the ampoule, and a guide engaged with the head holder and configured to direct the head holder from a first position on the central longitudinal axis to a second position offset from the central longitudinal axis when the ampoule holder is advanced in a first direction along the central longitudinal axis from an initial position. A method for opening an ampoule includes moving the ampoule in a first direction along a central longitudinal axis, directing the head of the ampoule laterally and/or obliquely away from the central longitudinal axis to break the head of the ampoule from the body of the ampoule when the ampoule is moved in the first direction, removing material from the body of the ampoule, and removing liquid from the head of the ampoule.
US09556007B2
A system (19; 19, 35) for reducing an amount of a counterweight for a crane comprises a crane (2) having a founding structure (3) being disposed on a base (20), a coupling unit (4), and a superstructure (5) being coupled to the founding structure (3) via the coupling unit (4). The system (19; 19, 35) further comprises a suspension device (21; 21, 36) for suspending the crane (2) at the base (20), said suspension device (21; 21, 36) having a guiding structure (22; 22, 37) defining a guiding direction (23; 23, 38), said guiding structure (22; 22, 37) being attached to the base (20), a displacement device (24) being displaceably attached to the guiding structure (22; 22, 37) along the guiding direction (23; 23, 38), and at least one suspension element (29) being connected with a first end to the crane (2) and being connected with a second end to the displacement device (24).
US09556006B2
The present disclosure relates to a method for controlling the orientation of a crane load, wherein a manipulator for manipulating the load is connected by a rotator unit to a hook suspended on ropes and the skew angle ηL of the load is controlled by a control unit of the crane, characterized in that the control unit is an adaptive control unit wherein an estimated system state of the crane system is determined by use of a nonlinear model describing the skew dynamics during operation.
US09555999B2
A spool assembly includes a drum having a first axial end and an oppositely disposed second axial end. The drum includes an inner surface that defines a bore that extends through the first and second axial ends. A drum support is disposed in the bore of the drum. The drum support includes a first end and an oppositely disposed second end. The drum support has an exterior surface. The exterior surface of the drum support and the inner surface of the drum define a plurality of channels. A first flange is engaged to the first end of the drum support. A second flange is engaged to the second end of the drum support.
US09555996B2
A method and a device for trimming printed products on the front edges and/or on the lateral edges. The products are inserted into moved receiving compartments along a closed circuit, the compartments being open on at least one side, and include blades moved along in this region, which act together with stationary counter blades. The depth of insertion of the products is restricted by a support such that the front edges of the products are in the direct vicinity of the open side of the compartments, advantageously protruding with their front edges over the moved along blades for the frontal trimming. The edges of the products extending perpendicular to the folded edge are fixed prior to carrying out a trimming by way of a clamping and moving arrangement and only released for the passing on of the printed product.
US09555985B2
A sheet conveyance device includes a sheet placing portion, a guide member, a signal obtaining portion, and a notification portion. On the sheet placing portion, a sheet to be conveyed is placed. The guide member is disposed on the sheet placing portion so as to move in a width direction vertical to a sheet conveyance direction, and restricts, in the width direction, a position of the sheet on the sheet placing portion. The signal obtaining portion obtains an electric signal with a value corresponding to a position of the guide member. The notification portion, when a difference between the value and any of thresholds that are set in advance based on each sheet size in the width direction for determination of the size of the sheet, is equal to or smaller than a predetermined reference value, notifies that the sheet is separated from the guide member.
US09555982B2
A robotic carton unloader for automatic unloading of cartons from a carton pile. In various embodiments, a robotic carton unloader may comprise a mobile body, a movable robotic arm attached to the mobile body and comprising an end effector configured to unload a row of cartons in a side-by-side orientation from the carton pile, and a conveyor system mounted on the mobile body and configured to receive the row of cartons from the end effector in the side-by-side orientation. In various embodiments the conveyor system may comprise a front-end descrambler and a central descrambler coupled to the front-end descrambler. In various embodiments, the robotic arm may be configured to straddle at least a portion of the mobile body and at least a portion of the conveyor system such that the conveyor system conveys cartons from the carton pile through the robotic arm.
US09555981B2
An apparatus and a method for dispensing vehicle balancing weights are disclosed. The dispenser comprises a transport unit arranged below a cartridge for storing balancing weights. The transport unit moves a balancing weight from a selected section of the cartridge on a belt conveyor for further transporting the balancing weight to a handling device. The transport unit comprises a feeder, and a plurality of stack lifters for lifting a stack of balancing weights and allowing the feeder to push a selected balancing weight under the stack of other balancing weights towards the belt conveyor.
US09555975B2
A feed apparatus for feeding mineral material includes a first frame, a feed box fixed to the first frame and having walls for the mineral material to be loaded to the apparatus, and a feed device joined to the first frame so that the material ends up onto a transport surface of a transport member of the feed device. The transport surface and a bottom edge of the wall of the feed box form a gap therebetween. The feed apparatus includes distance adjustment members to move the transport surface and the bottom edge relative to each other. Preferably the distance adjustment members are pivoted on the first frame and the feed device. A method for adjusting the feed apparatus includes moving the transport surface of the feed device and the bottom edge of the wall of the feed box relative to each other by distance adjustment members.
US09555966B2
A control apparatus controls a circulating conveyor having areas each of which stores one of articles. A storage stores inventory information indicating a state of storage of each of the articles. A computer executes a program to perform a controlling process of controlling the conveyor. The controlling process includes a receiving process of receiving an instruction of storing or carrying out an article, a computing process of computing, in response to reception of the instruction by the receiving process, an amount of travel of the conveyor based on the inventory information, the amount of travel being necessary to move one of the areas of the conveyor to a predetermined position at which one of the articles is stored in or carried out of the one of the areas, and a first controlling process of controlling an operation of the conveyor in accordance with the computed amount of travel.
US09555965B2
Method for feeding material into a rotary shaper device in a pneumatic pipe transport system for material, in which the material is conducted along a feeder channel to the rotary shaper device, in which case the material to be handled is conducted into the shaper device and/or through it by the aid of at least partly the suction and/or a pressure difference of the pneumatic pipe transport system. In the method the material is acted upon in the feeder channel, or in the channel leading into it, with at least one guide member, which is configured to reduce the undesirable rotation of the material in the feeder channel and/or to improve the access of replacement air into the rotary shaper. The invention also relates to an apparatus.
US09555958B2
The invention relates to a method for preparing a beverage through a capsule (2) inserted in a beverage machine; the capsule (2) comprising an enclosure (20) containing one or more beverage ingredients, wherein a brewing fluid is introduced in the enclosure (20) to brew said one or more beverage ingredients, characterized in that: a discharge wall (3, 3B, 300, 310, 320, 330) is placed in association with the enclosure (20), wherein the discharge wall (3, 300, 310, 320, 330) comprises discharge means (100, 301, 311, 321, 331) which restrain the brewed liquid from being discharged from the capsule (2) or limit the liquid flow in case the pressure inside the enclosure (20) is below a predetermined value, and the discharge means (100, 301, 311, 321, 331) enable the delivery of the brewed liquid in case the pressure exceeds said predetermined value.
US09555944B2
The present invention relates to an electronic control unit for a vehicle. The electronic control unit for a vehicle can improve waterproof efficiency of a space between an upper case and a lower case in order to prevent damage to internal components, thereby improving steering stability.
US09555943B2
Cable lacing tie devices and methods of using the same are disclosed. The cable lacing tie devices include a head assembly and a cable lacing tape. The head assembly being configured to retain a first portion of the cable lacing tape within the head assembly and having a length of the cable lacing tape extending from the head assembly. The head assembly further adapted to retain a second portion of the cable lacing tape extending from the head assembly. The methods of using the cable lacing tie devices to hold together a plurality of objects with a cable lacing tie device include retaining a first portion of a cable lacing tape in a head assembly, looping the cable lacing tape around the plurality of objects and retaining a second portion of the cable lacing tape within the head assembly.
US09555937B2
A filling mechanism for use with a nozzle. The nozzle includes a nozzle body and an end cap, which are axially aligned with one another. The end cap includes a fluid opening and the nozzle body includes a closing member. In a first position, the closing member seals the opening. In a second position, the opening is spaced from the closing member so as to allow the flow of fluid through the opening. The filling mechanism includes opening/closing means, adapted to effect axial movement of the nozzle body and the end cap relative to one another between the first and second positions, and a filling tube. The filling mechanism is arranged such that the filling tube and the fluid opening in the end cap of the nozzle are brought into fluid communication with one another by relative axial movement of the nozzle body and end cap.
US09555934B2
A cover embodiment is provided to be used especially in aseptic cardboard liquid packages and to provide ease of use and it provides the flowing mouth to open in a maximum level by creating a homogeneous structure on the liquid flowing mouth thanks to the items located inside and enabling the aluminum foil part left inside the cardboard to be compressed between the package and the cover embodiment.
US09555933B2
There is a closure 1, which is, in this case, shown as closing a mouth 2 of a bottle 3, wherein the bottle is made of glass and has an external outwardly extending integral collar 4 which extends fully around an outside of the neck of the bottle and is of a constant shape and size at any location around the periphery. The seal 5 is held under compression against an uppermost rim 6 of the bottle mouth 2 and surface 7, which is adapted to engage with compression force the seal 5. Upon extraction of portion 8 from within the mouth of the bottle, a “popping” sound is achieved by having the position of the seal somewhat below the mouth prior to extraction so that there will be upon extraction an evacuation of the headspace within the bottle.
