US09690961B2

Systems and methods to determine kinematical parameters of physical objects using radio frequency identification (RFID) tags attached to the objects. In one embodiment, one of a population of RFID tags is selectively instructed by an RFID reader to backscatter the interrogating electromagnetic wave and thus allow the RFID reader to measure the position, speed, acceleration, jerk of the object to which the tag is attached. The RFID reader combines the signal representing the backscattered interrogating electromagnetic wave and the signal representing the interrogating electromagnetic wave transmitted by the RFID reader to determine or monitor one or more of the kinematical parameters of the object.
US09690958B2

An RFID registration apparatus for registering units comprising RFID tags. The registration apparatus comprises: a detector space defined by a top, a bottom and four vertical sides including a first vertical side and a second vertical side, wherein the second vertical side is opposite the first vertical side; a receiver adapted to receive a number of units and be placed inside the detector space; a first antenna configured for reading RFID tags by emitting and receiving electromagnetic radiation within a first frequency range; and at least four plane reflector surfaces. Wherein a first primary reflector surface and a first secondary reflector surface span a first angle, and a second primary reflector surface and a second secondary reflector surface span a second angle. The first angle and the second angle are in the range of 70-140 degrees.
US09690952B2

A system and method of generating an encryption key in a self-encrypting mass storage device that includes using a manual input device as input for a micro-controller that contains a cyclic counter. An input device event triggers the micro-controller to read the current state of the cyclic counter. An accumulation of cyclic counter values is used as a source of entropy to seed a deterministic random number generator. The output of the deterministic random number generator is used as an encryption key for encryption/decryption processes within the mass storage device.
US09690951B2

In the field of mobile communications, embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, a device and a system for forwarding document content in Extensible Markup Language Document Management (XDM). The method includes: receiving a forwarding request sent by a forwarding sender, where the forwarding request is used to forward the document content to a forwarding receiver; judging, according to a rights document, whether the forwarding sender has a forwarding right to the document content and whether the forwarding receiver has an access right to the document content; and when the forwarding sender has the forwarding right and the forwarding receiver has the access right, forwarding the document content to the forwarding receiver. Through the solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the forwarding sender selectively forwards the document content to the forwarding receiver according to the rights document stored in an XDM Server (XDMS).
US09690948B2

Provided are a method, system, and computer program product for a content object encapsulating content items for accessing content and access authorization information. User input of content items is received, wherein each content item indicates a network address and content type of content at the network address, content items are added to a content object. User input is received of access authorization information indicating a user having authority to access the content object. The access authorization information is added to the content object. A user request is received for the content object from. The access authorization information is processed to determine whether the user initiating the request has authorization to access the content object. The content object is processed to generate a presentation page to return to the client computer in response to determining that the user of the client computer is authorized to access the content object.
US09690941B2

One or more techniques and/or systems are provided for provisioning encrypted key blobs and client certificates. That is, a trusted execution environment on a first machine may provide a key service provider with a cryptographic encryption key. The key service provider may encrypt a key blob using the cryptographic encryption key and/or wrap the encrypted key blob with one or more policies, such as a platform policy. The key service provider may provision the encrypted key blob to a client on the first machine. The client may submit the encrypted key blob to the trusted execution environment for validation so that the client may perform key actions, such as sign an email or encrypt data. Because the key blob may be specific to a particular trusted execution environment and/or machine, the key service provider may re-wrap the key blob if the client “roams” to a second machine.
US09690940B2

An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for protecting against key logger malware. The protection includes protection form grabbing keylogger malware. In response to detecting a form submission event from a browser associated with a user entering data into a form, confidential data is prevented from being captured by malware. The protection against malware may be provided as a preventive measure that does not require detection of the key logger malware itself.
US09690938B1

Apparatus and methods describe herein, for example, a process that can include receiving a potentially malicious file, and dividing the potentially malicious file into a set of byte windows. The process can include calculating at least one attribute associated with each byte window from the set of byte windows for the potentially malicious file. In such an instance, the at least one attribute is not dependent on an order of bytes in the potentially malicious file. The process can further include identifying a probability that the potentially malicious file is malicious, based at least in part on the at least one attribute and a trained threat model.
US09690935B2

A method to identify character strings associated with potentially malicious software items. The method includes employing a visual algorithm to translate one or more characters of a character string into corresponding characters in a visual ID for use in grouping and comparing computer items having similar visual IDs, such as a reference ID for a computer item that is known to be non-malicious. The method may, among other things, elucidate an attacker's attempt to obfuscate malicious software by using file names that are very similar to those used for harmless files.
US09690934B1

The disclosed computer-implemented method for protecting computing devices from imposter accessibility services may include (1) registering a security application with the computing device as an accessibility service that has special permissions on the computing device that are not available to other applications, (2) ensuring that the security application is the first registered accessibility service on the computing device, and (3) performing, by the security application, a security action after ensuring that the security application is the first registered accessibility service. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09690932B2

A method for cyber security, including detecting, by a decoy management server, a breach by an attacker of a specific resource within a network of resources in which users access the resources based on credentials, wherein each resource has a domain name server (DNS) record stored on a DNS server, changing, by the decoy management server, the DNS record for the breached resource on the DNS server, in response to the detecting, predicting, by the decoy management server, which credentials are compromised, based on credentials stored on the breached resource, and changing, by the decoy management server, those credentials that were predicted to be compromised, in response to the predicting which credentials.
US09690929B2

A method for estimating the strength of a graphical password comprising two or more segments is disclosed. In some embodiments, this advantageous solution is achieved by implementing a multi-step process. In one step, the data processing system applies a first operation on a first segment to produce a transformed segment. In another step, the data processing system performs a comparison operation between the transformed segment and a second segment. In another step, the data processing system performs a penalty operation with respect to the first segment based on an outcome of the comparison operation. The penalty operation includes one or more of (1) calculating a penalty value, wherein the penalty value may be used in calculating a value representing the strength of the graphical password; and (2) disregarding the first or the second segment when calculating the value representing the strength of the graphical password.
US09690923B2

The present invention relates to the technical field of computer technologies. Disclosed are a verification method, apparatus and system. The method comprises: responding to a verification request sent by a terminal, and randomly selecting an image combination from pre-generated multiple image combinations; merging images in the image combination according to a preset merging mode, processing a merged image according to a second processing mode, and generating a verification code; sending the verification code and a verification question associated with the image combination to the terminal; and receiving a verification result returned by the terminal, and performing verification according to the verification result, the terminal performing image cutting on the verification code, the verification result being generated by the terminal according to a received verification answer, and the verification answer being selected from the cut verification code. The present invention improves the security.
US09690917B2

A system and computer implemented method for determining compromised passwords is disclosed. The method may include displaying, in a first set of positions, a set of entry keys of a device. The method may include collecting a first set of tracking data including the first set of positions for entry of a first password. The method may also include displaying the set of entry keys of the device in a second set of positions. The method may also include determining a second password based on the second set of positions and entry of the first password. The method may also include determining whether the second password was entered into the device.
US09690902B2

The extraction unit extracts a plurality of medical images as a list display target from an image storage unit storing a plurality of medical images and an plurality of apparatus types in association with each other. The list generation unit generates a list in which a plurality of reduced images respectively corresponding to the plurality of extracted medical images are arranged. The plurality of reduced images are arranged for each apparatus type in the list, and the list clearly indicates a reduced image corresponding to a candidate image of the plurality of extracted medical images that is more likely to be used. The display displays the generated list.
US09690895B2

A method and apparatus for matching the lengths of traces of differential signal pairs. The method includes determining that a first trace is longer than a second trace and modifying the second trace so that the length is substantially equal to the length of the first trace. In some implementations, the second trace can be modified by replacing one or more sections of the trace with two line segments that are substantially equal in length and meet at a vertex that is less than 180 degrees.
US09690890B1

Systems and techniques are described for designing an integrated circuit (IC). Some embodiments explicitly represent wide-buses as distinct objects in an IC design data model. One or more IC design representations that are used in an IC design flow may natively support such wide-bus objects. These new objects can enable rapid access and preservation of wide-buses, thereby improving the runtime and/or quality of results (QoR) of an IC design system.
US09690886B1

An embodiment may simulate a block storage system on an object storage system. An embodiment may define one or more logical parts of the block storage system and may store data included in the logical parts in a respective plurality of objects in the object storage system. In order to modify a simulation when data in the block storage system is modified, an embodiment may create a new object in the object storage system and may store the modified data in the new object. An embodiment may update a range-map to include at least one of: a reference to the new object, a logical address of the modified data, a size of the modified data and a counter.
US09690883B2

Various disclosed embodiments include a method for integrating material assignments between a computer-aided design (CAD) system and a product data management (PDM) or product lifecycle management (PLM) system, the method performed by a data processing system and comprising accessing a designed part in the CAD system, wherein the designed part includes one or more geometric entity objects. The method also comprising assigning one or more assignment objects from the PDM system to each of the one or more geometric entity objects. The method further comprising associating one or more material objects from the PDM system with the one or more assignment objects, wherein the one or more material objects identify one or more materials identified from the designed part. The method comprising generating a design object in the PDM system representing the designed part based on the one or more assignment objects and the one or more material objects.
US09690880B2

A centralized design engine receives a problem specification from an end-user and classifies that problem specification in a large database of previously received problem specifications. Upon identifying similar problem specifications in the large database, the design engine selects design strategies associated with those similar problem specifications. A given design strategy includes one or more optimization algorithms, one or more geometry kernels, and one or more analysis tools. The design engine executes an optimization algorithm to generate a set of parameters that reflect geometry. The design engine then executes a geometry kernel to generate geometry that reflects those parameters, and generates analysis results for each geometry. The optimization algorithms may then improve the generated geometries based on the analysis results in an iterative fashion. When suitable geometries are discovered, the design engine displays the geometries to the end-user, along with the analysis results.
US09690878B2

Methods for product data management and corresponding systems and computer-readable mediums. A method includes receiving a geometric model including plurality of blends and identifying a blend ribbon that includes at least two of the plurality of blends. Each blend in the blend ribbon is mutually dependent on at least one other blend in the blend ribbon. The method includes selecting a blend ribbon breaker corresponding to the blend ribbon and designating a plurality of blends in the blend ribbon as reblendable blends, based on the blend ribbon breaker. The method includes reblending the reblendable blends to produce a modified geometric model and storing the modified geometric model.
US09690875B2

Search results are provided for mobile computing devices. Search results are retrieved based on a search term. Each of the search results is assigned to one or more categories. The categories and the assigned search results are provided to the mobile computing device. The mobile computing device is adapted to display each of the categories and a partial list of the search results for each of the categories.
US09690873B2

Methods and systems for locating occurrences of a search pattern in a body of text. A processor searches the text for one or more occurrences of a pattern. Both the text and the pattern comprise symbols of some alphabet. In preparation for the search, the processor defines a respective bit-map for each alphabet symbol. Using the bit-maps, the processor carries out a highly efficient process of searching the text for occurrences of the pattern. The processor then scans the pattern backwards using the bit-maps, symbol by symbol, attempting to match the symbols of the pattern to the corresponding symbols of the text. If a match is not found, the processor calculates the size of the jump to the next position in the text based on the accumulated results of the evaluations up to the current position.
US09690870B2

Suggesting email tags. A non-transitory machine-readable storage device includes executable instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to provide a suggestion for at least one suggested tag based on content of an email, receive a selection of a selected tag, store the email in a computer database, thus creating a stored email, and associate the selected tag with the stored email in the computer database.
US09690865B2

Systems and methods for providing access to a collection of related binary files via a collection of machine-recognizable codes provided on a device or consumer item.
US09690856B2

A method for detecting an objectionable material within a plurality of items of content comprising: determining a first number for each of the plurality of items of content representing user views of said each of the plurality of items of content; determining a second number for each of the plurality of items of content representing user likes or reposts of said each of the plurality of items of content; calculating a suspicion score for each of the plurality of items of content by dividing the corresponding first number by the corresponding second number; ranking the plurality of items of content based on the calculated suspicion score; providing the ranked plurality of items of content to an administrator; and receiving a feedback from the administrator, the feedback identifying the objectionable material within at least some of the plurality of items of content.
US09690852B2

Media content associated with a playlist is provided for remote access over a packet-based network. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, a host server provides access to a user-defined playlist depicting media content available from user's media content source (e.g., at a registered user's PC). User-defined playlists and associated media content are managed to facilitate access to media in accordance with characteristics of the media content and/or playlist such as format and bitrate, and as may be related to an intended playback use of the playlist. Media content for the playlists is stored in a network storage device for remote access, with the storage managed to facilitate remote access in appropriate formats, with selective cross-referencing among playlists for different playlist types, content format and content bandwidth.
US09690850B2

Disclosed embodiments include apparatus, method and storage medium associated with recipe identification. In embodiments, an apparatus may include a recipe identification function configured to receive or retrieve a text document, analyze the text document to identify a recipe, and return the identified recipe. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US09690847B2

Methods, systems, and apparatus include computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium, including a method for responding to queries. A first user query is received. The first user query is processed including identifying one or more segments in the first user query, a segment representing a word or a phrase. A stand-alone score is determined for each segment of the first user query, wherein the stand-alone score is an indication of a likelihood that the segment represents a stand-alone query and that the segment represents a main topic of the first user query. A historical log of queries is processed to determine query-independent scores for segments that are included in queries represented by the log. The final query-independent scores are used to determine the stand-alone score for each segment of the first query.
US09690846B2

Enabling intelligent navigation is described, including: performing analysis of historical user activity data with respect to a query term to generate reference data associated with the query term; selecting a navigation recommendation model for the query term based at least in part on the reference data; using the reference data and the selected navigation recommendation model to determine a set of recommendation data associated with the query term, wherein the set of recommendation data includes at least a portion of a category system to be displayed in response to a subsequently received query including the query term.
US09690841B2

A method and apparatus for determining a class reference data record for classifying documents of value includes creating a class reference image using a multiplicity of reference images of already classified documents of value in the same class; and creating a class reference data record having at least one class reference parameter using the class reference image. The pixel and intensity values of the respective pixel in the class reference image are a function of the pixel values of the relevant pixels in the multiplicity of reference images of already classified documents of value in the same class. The method includes determining at least one quantitative property of a document of value to be classified; and classifying the document of value to be classified on the basis of a comparison between the quantitative property of the document of value to be classified and the class reference data record.
US09690840B2

A system and method of analyzing data receives a user-specified selection of a data source, a user-specified selection of a type of data representation, and a user-specified description of a view to be constructed in accordance with the user-specified selection of the type of data representation. An application program interface (API) function generates a multidimensional query based on the user-specified type of data representation and the user-specified description of the view to be constructed, and submits the multidimensional query to the an On-line Analytical Processing (OLAP) server. The application program interface (API) function receives a multidimensional response from the OLAP server containing results acquired by the multidimensional query of the data source, and generates the view based on the results contained in the multidimensional response and in accordance with the user-specified selection of the type of data representation and the user-specified description of the view.
US09690839B2

An Enterprise Service Bus (ESB) system includes a shared storage that stores data corresponding to files, a file system, and ESB infrastructure functions. The ESB system includes a metadata registry storing metadata associated with the ESB infrastructure functions, separate from the ESB infrastructure functions, and includes storage location information of the ESB infrastructure functions. The ESB system includes a processor configured to receive a request for access to the file system. The processor sends a portion of the metadata registry to a client device, the portion including a portion of the metadata and a directory structure identifying a set of the ESB infrastructure functions that the client device is authorized to access, the portion of the metadata allowing the client device to access a first infrastructure function of the set based on the storage location information. The processor further provides the first infrastructure function to the client device.
US09690838B2

Multiple instances of a computer system subscribe to a central data storage system. The central data storage system receives a set of entities that the instances wish to synchronize with one another, along with a schema representing those entities, from each instance. The central data storage system receives changes to the identified entities from the various instances, identifies conflicts, and synchronizes changes from a given instance to the other subscribing instances.
US09690832B2

A method of refreshing a materialized view includes creating a materialized view based on a first result of a database query executed against a set of tables stored in a database and discovering a set of child storage objects associated with a parent storage object. The method also includes inserting, based on discovering the set of child storage objects, an entry into one or more tables of the set of tables, the entry including a child storage object of the set of child storage objects. The method further includes delaying a refresh of the materialized view until after the entry is inserted into the set of tables and then refreshing the materialized view, which is based on a second result of the database query executed against the set of tables.
US09690819B2

The method includes generating, by one or more computer processors, a first piece of data based on a defined set of data characteristics. The method further includes generating a first bit, wherein the first bit corresponds to the first generated piece of data. The method further includes sending the first generated piece of data to a target location. The method further includes receiving the first generated piece of data from the target location. The method further includes determining whether to validate the first generated piece of data received from the target location. The method further includes adjusting the first generated bit based on the determination of whether to validate the first generated piece of data.
US09690815B2

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for implementing data upload, processing, and predictive query API exposure including means for receiving a dataset in a tabular form, the dataset having a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns; processing the dataset to generate indices representing probabilistic relationships between the rows and the columns of the dataset; storing the indices in a database; exposing an Application Programming Interface (API) to query the indices in the database; receiving a request for a predictive query or a latent structure query against the indices in the database; querying the database for a prediction based on the request via the API; and returning the prediction responsive to the request. Other related embodiments are further disclosed.
US09690807B2

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to implementing image-based retrieval of a cited reference in a written work. A unique alphanumeric identifier extracted from an image taken of a portion of a written work can be programmatically compared to stored identifiers in an authority database in response to a request received from a portable computing device. Cited reference data can be retrieved from the authority database in response to a favorably comparison of the unique alphanumeric identifier to at least one of the stored identifiers associated with a reference stored in the authority database and the cited reference data can be provided to the portable computing device for output on the display of the portable computing device.
US09690806B2

The disclosure provides a method and device for recommending a candidate word according to a geographic position. The method may include receiving a coded character string of a user by a computing device. The computing device may collect geographic position information corresponding to the coded character string, and then determine a geographic area in which the geographic position information is located. The computing device may obtain a geographic candidate word corresponding to the coded character string according to a geographic word stock of the determined geographic area. The geographic word stock of the geographic area may store the coded character strings and a corresponding geographic word according to the geographic area. As compared to current technologies, complexity of input can be reduced and intelligence of an input method can be improved.
US09690800B2

A stream of tuples can assigned identifiers to tuples to store only the nonduplicative tuples. In a streams processing environment, a stream application actor like an operator can receive a series of tuples, process them, and output another series of tuples. Each of the tuples can be assigned a tuple identifier. The tuple identifier can tag the tuple as associated with the operator. Another operator can receive the tuples, identify the duplicative tuples, and store only the nonduplicative tuples.
US09690795B1

A data repository configured for storing original content and modified content which are addressable for point-in-time retrieval thereof. The data repository comprising one or more digital files which are associated with the original content. A log is provided which records actions implemented on the one or more of the digital files. A versioned repository is generated after an action is implemented on the one or more digital files. The versioned repository comprising one or more modified digital files which are associated with the modified content. A version identifier is associated with the versioned repository for facilitating point in time retrieval thereof.
US09690782B2

The technology described herein employs techniques for overlaying (superimposing) translated text on top of (over) scanned text in realtime. The technology recognizes text in an image and identifies a first language in which the text is written. The technology translates the text into a second language and generates an overlay in the second language. The overlay is then inserted into the display over the text in the image.
US09690781B1

A language setting system, for use by a user having a native language and carrying a personal electronic device, when using an informational device having an active language setting. As the user approaches the informational device, the informational device determines that the personal electronic device is associated with the user. The system determines the native language of the user by contacting the personal electronic device and sets the active language informational device to the native language. The informational device provides messages and information to the user in the native language of the user. When the user retreats from the informational device, the active language of the informational device may be reset to a default language.
US09690779B2

The presented is a tool and method for language presentation, browsing, editing, translation and communication based on Semantic Web, to be utilized as interface for collaborating software products and services or human-machine interaction. The conceptual system is extended to further include such objects as language components, sentence patterns or syntax rules, to get solutions for semantic logic representation devices, language presentation devices, semantic-language converting devices, the registry and delegation system, in forming a language-component-based system for browsing, editing, conversion and communication. It is always allowed to bring need-based control over the conceptual system and the registry with their scope and scale being kept at appropriate level; with a widespread community participation, the establishment of semantic-language converting device ecosystem will be important guarantee of a flexible and diversified language expression system; therefore to constitute the core of those pragmatic standards or specifications for machine translation, human-machine interface and the web system.
US09690778B2

An information processing system is configured to: acquire a plurality of converted character strings one by one, each of the plurality of converted character strings having been converted from a corresponding one of a plurality of original character strings included in an original image; generate, each time a converted character string is acquired, a converted image representing the converted character string for the original image corresponding to the acquired converted character string; and change a content of a foreground of an arrangement area of the original image in an object to be displayed on a screen to the converted image.
US09690774B1

An approach is provided that improves a question answering (QA) computer system by reducing a number of vague questions submitted to the QA system. When a question is submitted to the QA system, the approach performs a vagueness question analysis on the question. The vagueness question analysis results in a vagueness score. The question is submitted to the QA system in response to the vagueness score reaching a threshold value that indicates a lack of vagueness in the question. The approach inhibits submission of the question to the QA system in response to the vagueness score failing to reach the threshold value.
US09690772B2

Systems and methods for aspect-based opinion mining including identifying the polarity (e.g., positive, negative, etc.) of different features of a product or a service as expressed in a text. This general task can be divided into four sub-tasks: identifying the aspect terms, classifying them into one of a set of predefined aspect categories, and identifying the polarity of the aspects terms and the aspect categories. A combination of systems (e.g., rule-based and machine learning based) can be employed to implement aspect category and aspect term polarity mutual annotation for aspect-based sentiment analysis.
US09690770B2

One or more computers receive input indicative of multiple files to be analyzed together, by performing one or more predetermined actions, using the contents (e.g. strings of text) of a corresponding one or more structures. The one or more structures are identified by the presence in each file, of corresponding names. The one or more structures are normally written into the files for use by an application program to layout the contents therein in a structured manner. The one or more computers are programmed to automatically parse each file, to identify therein the one or more layout structures e.g. based on the presence in each file of corresponding names of layout structures. After parsing, the one or more computer(s) perform the one or more predetermined actions, to obtain an output structure that holds the results based on the contents of each layout structure identified in each file.
US09690768B2

A system and method is provided for managing and displaying annotations in online hosted videos. To determine related annotations associated with a video, a plurality of annotations for one or more intervals of the video are collected and organized into a plurality of groups. Each group includes annotations for intervals of the video that are similar to each other. A group having related annotations is identified, and an annotated clip of the video is formed based upon the intervals in the group. This process can be used to determine any number of groups in a given video having related annotations, forming the respective annotated intervals within a single video, and can also identify and organize annotated intervals within a large number of different videos.
US09690766B2

A method for generating random content for applying said generated random content to a surface of an article and/or as content for a screen saver type of use may be described and disclosed. Randomized elements generated may be selected from one or more of the group comprising: logographs of an Asian alphabet, logographs of a Chinese alphabet, letters of a letter based alphabet, words from a dictionary, and the like. The article may comprise a tangible physical object capable of surface ornamentation. For example, and without limiting the scope of the present invention, the article may be selected from the group comprising: walls, canvas, paper, wall paper, vinyl, plastics, stickers, decals, fabric, textiles, upholstery, clothing, apparel, drinking glasses, and the like.
US09690764B1

A content server retrieves the code and other content of a page and generates a preview of the page. The page preview could be an image that depicts a snapshot of the page, such as a screenshot, or an image map that includes links selectable by a user. The content server further modifies the original code used to load the page such that the modified code instructs a browser application to render and display the page preview for a first period of time and to render and display the actual page in place of the page preview after the first period of time. The content server may use the shadow document object model (DOM) framework to provide the page preview.
US09690759B2

Linking, tying, referencing or otherwise utilizing characters, images, alphanumerical values, codes and other metadata to link content, media, information, data and other electronically transmittable matter to an application, program, process or other logically executing construct is contemplated. Such content linking may include but is not necessarily limited to enabling content linking without requiring a server or other entity posting a corresponding link to host the linked-to content.
US09690746B1

A computing device configured for sending configuration information is described. The computing device includes a processor and instructions stored in memory that is in electronic communication with the processor. The computing device obtains access information. The computing device further generates a graphic based on the access information. The computing device also receives a configuration information request associated with the graphic. Additionally, the computing device sends the configuration information.
US09690743B2

The present invention concerns an apparatus to extend a computer interface from a user inaccessible location to a user accessible location. Specifically, the apparatus of the present invention is configured to provide at least one computer port in an easily accessible location that is connected, via an adaptor, to a computer port integrated into a computer. The computer interface extender includes a hardware interface portion having a primary computer interface port, e.g., a USB port, that incorporates at least a first bidirectional electrical conduit and is configured to couple to a port located within a computer housing. The apparatus also includes a user interface portion having at least one, and preferably four, secondary computer interface ports, e.g., USB port, equipped with secondary bidirectional electrical conduit. Connecting the hardware and user interface portions is an extension member with a conduit bridge connecting the first and second bidirectional electrical conduits. The hardware and user interface portions fasten the interface extender apparatus to the computer housing.
US09690741B2

Mechanisms and techniques for configuring a configurable slave device using a high speed serial link where a different number of lanes of the high speed serial link are used to send data between the slave device and a master device, depending on whether the slave device is in configuration mode or in normal operations mode, are provided.
US09690740B2

An input control apparatus, which accepts input of data from the outside and inputs the data to a bus in a data processing system in which a plurality of communication units are connected by the bus in a ring shape and data processed by processing units are delivered via the bus, controls acceptance of data based on the number of data items which should be output outside, are suspended from output, and remain on the bus.
US09690739B2

A method for extending a Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) domain. A configuration space address can be allocated to a PCIe device in an extended domain from a memory address of a root complex endpoint device, a correspondence between the configuration space address and a bus number/device number/function number (BDF) can be established, and a bus number can be allocated from a second bus set of the extended domain to a PCIe device discovered in the extended domain, where the bus number is used for determining the BDF of the PCIe device discovered in the extended domain, so as to access, according to the correspondence between the configuration space address and the BDF and by using the BDF of the PCIe device discovered in the extended domain, a configuration space register of the PCIe device discovered in the extended domain.
US09690738B2

Aspects disclosed in the detailed description include peripheral component interconnect express (PCIe) hosts adapted to support remote PCIe endpoints. In this regard, a PCIe host is configured to determine a temporal distance to an attached PCIe endpoint and compare the temporal distance to a predetermined threshold value. In one aspect, the PCIe host defines a first configuration parameter for the attached PCIe endpoint if the temporal distance is greater than the predetermined threshold value. In another aspect, the PCIe host defines a second configuration parameter different from the first configuration parameter for the attached PCIe endpoint if the temporal distance is less than or equal to the predetermined threshold value. By differentiating the attached PCIe endpoints based on temporal distances, the PCIe host can support compatibly a plurality of attached PCIe endpoints regardless of physical connection distances with the attached PCIe endpoints.
US09690736B2

A microprocessor within a processing unit is configured to manage to operation of a finite state machine (FSM) that, in turn, manages the operation of a data connector. The FSM may be a hardwired chip component that adheres to a communication protocol associated with the data connector. The microprocessor is configured to execute a software application in order to (i) apply configuration changes to the processing unit during state transitions initiated by the FSM and (ii) cause the FSM to initiate specific state transitions.
US09690731B2

Some demonstrative embodiments include apparatuses, systems and/or methods of transitioning a device to a default state. For example, an apparatus may include a first Protocol Adaptation Layer (PAL) communication unit to communicate PAL traffic with a second PAL communication unit over a communication link, the PAL traffic comprising traffic of a PAL connection over a PAL, the PAL is above a layer of the communication link, wherein the first PAL communication unit is to communicate a device reset request and a device reset response with the second PAL communication unit over the communication link, the device reset request indicating transitioning of a peripheral device to a default state, the device reset response in response to the device reset request, the device reset response indicating whether the device reset request is successfully handled.
US09690725B2

Master and slave devices may be coupled to a control data bus. A method includes controlling data transmissions over a bus from a master device, where data bits are transcoded into symbols for transmission across two lines of the bus and a clock signal is embedded within symbol transitions of the data transmissions, and providing an interrupt period, during which one or more slave devices coupled to the bus can assert an interrupt request on a first line of the bus, within part of a heartbeat transmission by the master device over the first line and a second tine of the bus. The interrupt request may be an indicator that the asserting slave device wishes to request some action by the master device.
US09690717B2

A method and structure for a secure object, as tangibly embodied in a computer-readable storage medium. The secure object includes a cryptographically protected region containing at least one of code and data, an initial integrity tree that protects an integrity of contents of the cryptographically protected region; and an unprotected region that includes a loader, an esm (enter secure mode) instruction, and one or more communication buffers.
US09690711B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for dynamic caching module selection for optimized data deduplication. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for dynamic caching module selection for optimized data deduplication is provided. The method includes processing historically relevant byte streams in each of a multiplicity of byte caching modules to populate a table of associations between different classifications of the historically relevant byte streams and correspondingly optimal ones of the multiplicity of the byte caching modules. The method also includes receiving a request to retrieve data from a data source and classifying the request. The method yet further includes consulting the table to identify, from amongst the multiplicity of byte caching modules, a particular byte caching module associated with the classification of the request. Finally, the method includes deduplicating the data in the identified byte caching module.
US09690706B2

Resolving coherency issues inherent in sharing distributed cache is described. A chip multiprocessor may include at least first and second processing clusters, each having multiple cores of a processor, multiple cache slices co-located with the multiple cores, and a memory controller (MC). The processor stores directory information in a memory coupled to the processor to indicate cluster cache ownership of a first address space to the first cluster. In response to a request to change the cluster cache ownership of the first address space, the processor may remap first lines of first cache slices, corresponding to the first address space, to second lines in second cache slices of the second cluster, and update the directory information (e.g., a state of the first cache lines) to change the cluster cache ownership of the first address space to the second cluster. One of the MCs may manage such updating of the directory.
US09690704B2

Embodiments of an invention for paging in secure enclaves are disclosed. In one embodiment, a processor includes an instruction unit and an execution unit. The instruction unit is to receive a first instruction. The execution unit is to execute the first instruction, wherein execution of the first instruction includes evicting a first page from an enclave page cache.
US09690697B2

According to one embodiment, a memory controller controlling a nonvolatile memory which stores a code word includes a read control unit which controls reading from the nonvolatile memory and a decoding unit which obtains likelihood information of each memory cells based on a reading result from the nonvolatile memory and decodes the code word by using the likelihood information, wherein the decoding unit obtains the likelihood information of a first memory cell based on the reading result of the first memory cell and the reading results of second memory cells which are one or more of the memory cells adjacent to the first memory cell.
US09690694B2

An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for storage address translation. The method includes storing, in volatile memory, a plurality of logical-to-physical mapping entries for a non-volatile recording device. The method includes persisting a logical-to-physical mapping entry from the volatile memory to recording media of the non-volatile recording device. The logical-to-physical mapping entry may be selected for persisting based on a mapping policy indicated by a client. The method includes loading the logical-to-physical mapping entry from the recording media of the non-volatile recording device into the volatile memory in response to a storage request associated with the logical-to-physical mapping entry.
US09690682B2

A program information generating system includes an acquisition unit that acquires dependency information indicating dependency among a plurality of events generated by execution of a program and selection information identifying a selected event that is the event selected by a user; a generation unit that generates display information, on the basis of the dependency information and the selection information, such that a dependency path that is formed of the plurality of events having the dependency and includes the selected event is displayed in a distinguishable manner; and a display control unit that controls a display unit, on the basis of the display information, such that a display image indicating an execution state of the program is displayed.
US09690674B2

A method and system for maintaining clock synchronization in a communication network having multiple clocks are disclosed. According to one aspect, the invention provides a first precision time protocol (PTP) instance and second PTP service instance. Dynamic PTP parameters and tuning PTP parameters are periodically cloned from the first PTP service instance to the second PTP service instance substantially in real time.
US09690673B2

Techniques are provided for overcoming failures in a memory. One portion of the memory may operate in a single chip spare mode. Upon detection of an error in a single chip in the portion of the memory, a region of the portion of the memory may be converted to operate in a double chip spare mode. The memory may be accessed in both single and double chip spare modes.
US09690672B2

One or more processors execute one or more software commands that are capable of command failure on one or more computing devices. One or more processors detect one or more failed commands as a result of executing the one or more software commands. One or more processors determine whether the one or more failed commands are a first type of command failures that result from a first type of software commands. One or more processors reissue the one or more failed commands that are determined to be the first type of software commands at least once while at least one diagnostic program is executing. One or more processors capture diagnostic data for the one or more failed commands that are determined to be the first type of software commands.
US09690659B2

A parity-layout generating method, includes: creating a first local parity layout with a first calculation range for calculating local parity; creating a second local parity layout with a second calculation range for calculating local parity, a length of the second calculation range being different from a length of the first calculation range; and creating, by a computer, a third local parity layout with the first calculation range and the second calculation range by combining the first local parity layout and the second local parity layout.
US09690650B2

A device includes a memory array storing data and error correcting codes ECCs corresponding to the data, and a multi-level buffer structure between the memory array and an input/output data path. The memory array includes a plurality of data lines for page mode operations. The buffer structure includes a first buffer having storage cells connected to respective data lines in the plurality of data lines for a page of data, a second buffer coupled to the storage cells in the first buffer for storing at least one page of data, and a third buffer coupled to the second buffer and to the input/output data path. The device includes logic coupled to the multi-level buffer to perform a logical process over pages of data during movement between the memory array and the input/output path through the multi-level buffer for at least one of page read and page write operations.
US09690646B2

Light-weight, configurable error detection in a satellite communication system that detects invalid SerDes lanes via hash codes appended to packets of data in the lanes. An indication can be passed back upstream about the invalid lane so that the lane can be reset. Error correction can be provided by reconstructing the bit data in the invalid SerDes lane based on parity information in an optional parity lane.
US09690644B2

A cognitive computing hardware system receives an error log from an IT system. The error log comprises a record of errors currently being detected by sensors in the IT system. The cognitive computing hardware system receives an error history log, which describes a history of past errors that have occurred in the IT system. The cognitive computing hardware system receives a listing of alternative IT systems that have been predetermined to have a same functionality as the IT system that is currently experiencing the errors. The cognitive computing hardware system receives a record of real-time events that are external to the IT system, and generates a prioritized set of solutions to heal the IT system, based on the error history log, the listing of alternative IT systems, and the record of real-time events. The cognitive computing hardware system transmits a highest prioritized solution to the IT system.
US09690640B2

Mechanisms for handling multiple data errors that occur simultaneously are provided. A processing device may determine whether multiple data errors occur in memory locations that are within a range of memory locations. If the multiple memory locations are within the range of memory locations, the processing device may continue with a recovery process. If one of the multiple memory locations is outside of the range of memory locations, the processing device may halt the recovery process.
US09690639B2

A failure detecting apparatus has a storage unit that stores patterns, indicating occurrences of failures, of messages. The failure detecting apparatus executes a process that includes identifying, when a new message is output from a target to be monitored, a message to be replaced, which is output from the target to be monitored before the output of the new message and is not output from the target to be monitored after the output of the new message, extracting a pattern including the message to be replaced from the storage unit, registering a pattern resulting from substitution of the message to be replaced included in the extracted pattern in the storage unit with the new message, and detecting whether or not messages output from the target to be monitored include any of the patterns stored in the storage unit.
US09690636B2

A method and apparatus for data communication between web applications by using a web browser. The web browser includes a web application controller for executing a first web application and a second web application, and a data transferring unit for receiving the data from the first web application and transmitting the data to the second web application.
US09690635B2

Methods, systems and devices for communicating behavior analysis information using an application programming interface (API) may include receiving data/behavior models from one or more third-party network servers in a client module of a mobile device and communicating the information to a behavior observation and analysis system via a behavior API. The third-party servers may be maintained by one or more partner companies that have domain expertise in a particular area or technology that is relevant for identifying, analyzing, classifying, and/or reacting to mobile device behaviors, but that do not have access to (or knowledge of) the various mobile device sub-systems, interfaces, configurations, modules, processes, drivers, and/or hardware systems required to generate effective data/behavior models suitable for use by the mobile device. The behavior API and/or client modules allow the third-party server to quickly and efficiently access the most relevant and important information on the mobile device.
US09690634B2

An enclosure is associated with a network address. A management processor of a server device within the enclosure and an enclosure processor of a management mechanism within the enclosure share the network address. A networking switch processor of a networking switch within the enclosure is to route the packet to the enclosure processor, or directly to the management processor without the packet passing through the management mechanism.
US09690630B2

System and method for generating hardware accelerators and processor offloads. System for hardware acceleration. System and method for implementing an asynchronous offload. Method of automatically creating a hardware accelerator. Computerized method for automatically creating a test harness for a hardware accelerator from a software program. System and method for interconnecting hardware accelerators and processors. System and method for interconnecting a processor and a hardware accelerator. Computer implemented method of generating a hardware circuit logic block design for a hardware accelerator automatically from software. Computer program and computer program product stored on tangible media implementing the methods and procedures of the invention.
US09690629B1

Distribution of various processing tasks is performed for a plurality of comparison objects, such as videos and/or other media content in a matching system. The plurality of comparison objects can include at least one feature that is compared to at least one feature of a plurality of reference objects to determine whether a match occurs in the comparison. Task descriptions corresponding to the processing tasks are distributed with the different processing tasks to a task pool. Matching components select at least one task from the task pool based on the task descriptions.
US09690626B2

A computer implemented method for assigning workload slices from a workload to upcoming frames to be processed during the rendering of the upcoming frames. The processing time of upcoming frames and workload slices varies at runtime according to system resources The method determines an effective frame rate that estimates the duration of an upcoming frame and also determines an effective slice rate that estimates the time it takes to complete an upcoming workload slice. Based on the effective frame rate and the effective slice rate, the method then calculates the slice-to-frame ratio which defines the rate in which slices are assigned to upcoming frames. The slice-to-frame ratio can dynamically change to accommodate for changes to the processing time of rendered frames and completed workload slices.
US09690622B1

A service provider may provide a companion container instance associated with a mobile device in order to facilitate operation of the mobile device. The companion container instance and the mobile device may be associated in a database operated by the service provider. Furthermore, the companion container instance may execute various operation on behalf of the mobile diver based at least in part on a task definition indicating a software function to be executed by the companion container instance. The software function configured to execute the various operations on behalf of the mobile device.
US09690619B2

A thread processing method is executed by a specific apparatus included among a plurality of apparatuses, and includes assigning one thread among a plurality of threads to the apparatuses, respectively; acquiring first time information that indicates a time at which the specific apparatus receives an execution result of a corresponding thread from each of the apparatuses; and setting a priority level of an access right to access shared memory that is shared by the apparatuses and the specific apparatus, the setting being based on the first time information and second time information that indicates a time at which reception of execution results of the threads from the apparatuses ends.
US09690617B2

Embodiments of adjustment of a task execution plan at runtime by a task execution engine configured to receive a plan compilation task, the plan compilation task comprising a task execution plan, are provided. An aspect includes receiving a first plan compilation task by the task execution engine through a plan compilation interface. Another aspect includes modifying a task execution plan of the first plan compilation task in response to receiving a second plan compilation task by the task execution engine, the second plan compilation task comprising a task execution plan for modifying the task execution plan of the first plan compilation task. Yet another aspect includes reading a next task in the task execution plan of the first plan compilation task and initiating the next task by the task execution engine.
US09690612B2

One or more examples provide techniques to dynamically manage serial port interface(s) of virtualization software executing in a host device. In an example, a method of managing a serial port interface of a virtualization software executing on a host device includes: receiving input characters through the serial port interface to a serial port of the host device; parsing the input characters to detect a character sequence; and connecting the serial port interface to a first service executing in the virtualization software in response to the character sequence and during execution of the virtualization software on the host device.
US09690608B2

Embodiments of a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and a computer system are disclosed. In an embodiment, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing program instructions for managing host computers that run virtual machines into host-groups within a cluster is disclosed. When executed, the instructions cause one or more processors to perform steps including determining if a virtual machine entity needs additional resources and, if the virtual machine entity needs additional resources, mapping a host computer to a host-group with which the virtual machine entity is associated.
US09690602B2

Present disclosure relates to a system for programming and verifying backplane controller chip firmware on target backplane controller chips. The system includes a backplane controller chip validation board. In certain embodiments, the backplane controller chip validation board includes: (a) a program/verify/validate controller chip, (b) one or more backplane controller chip sockets for installing one or more target backplane controller chips, and (c) a backplane simulator. The program/verify/validate controller chip includes backplane controller chip firmware verification software, a USB interface, and a software storage. The backplane simulator is used to simulate functions of drives, LEDs, and other devices of a backplane for verifying all functions of backplane controller chip firmware. The backplane controller chip validation board is in communication with a host computer, and host computer has a user interface, a backplane controller chip programming and verifying software, a USB interface, and a software storage to store backplane controller chip firmware.
US09690601B2

A method for dynamic switching of user profiles on a computing device. The computing device is coupled to at least one image-sensing device and can be configured using a plurality of stored user profiles. The method includes receiving at least one image from the at least one image-sensing device and generating a current user value based on the at least one received image. The method further includes determining if the current user value corresponds to at least one stored user value corresponding to a stored user profile. If the current user value corresponds to at least one stored user value, the method includes retrieving the stored user profile and configuring at least some programs operating on the computing device using the retrieved user profile. If the current user value does correspond to at least one stored user value, the method includes configuring the computing device using an alternative method.
US09690593B2

One step server information handling system configuration reduces complexities associated with remote server maintenance through a management network. A configuration end state sent through the management network, such as an XML file, is parsed by a management processor to automatically initiate and complete configuration of the server to the end state without further commands through the management network.
US09690582B2

A processor includes a decoder to decode an instruction, a scheduler to schedule the instruction, and an execution unit to execute the instruction. The instruction is to load a memory operation applicable to a quantity of addresses into an execution vector. The execution vector includes a plurality of vector positions for respective addressees. The instruction is further to evaluate, for a given address in the execution vector at a vector position, whether a cache indicates that a previous memory operation was performed at a higher vector position than the vector position of the given address. The instruction is also to determine, based on the evaluation whether the cache indicates that the previous memory operation was performed at a higher vector position than the vector position of the given address, whether the memory operation will cause a memory error.
US09690580B2

A decimal floating point finite number in a decimal floating point format is composed from the number in a different format. A decimal floating point format includes fields to hold information relating to the sign, exponent and significand of the decimal floating point finite number. Other decimal floating point data, including infinities and NaNs (not a number), are also composed. Decimal floating point data are also decomposed from the decimal floating point format to a different format.
US09690578B2

Described is a processor comprising: a plurality of radiation detectors; a first logic unit to receive outputs from the plurality of radiation detectors, the logic unit to generate an output according to the received outputs, the output of the first logic unit indicating whether the processor was exposed to incoming radiations; and a second logic unit to receive the output from the first logic unit, and to cause the processor to perform an action according to the output from the first logic unit.
US09690573B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide a system, method, and program product. In an embodiment, a computing device generates a list of predetermined project templates associated with a web page, wherein the web page is new or preexisting. The computing device transmits the generated list of predetermined project templates for display that includes one or more predetermined project templates that include a preset package of web content editing actions that are associated with the web page. The computing device generates a web page action associated with the web page according to a project generated using a predetermined project template included in the transmitted list of predetermined project templates. The computing device transmits the generated web page action for display.
US09690570B2

An install request including a hierarchy of a complex computer environment is received, wherein the hierarchy comprises a first component needed on the first computer and one or more other components needed in the complex computer environment. One or more other computers on which to install the one or more components is determined. Responsive to determining the one or more other computer on which to install the one or more other components, installation of the one or more other components on the one or more other computers is initiated.
US09690569B1

A method of updating firmware of a server rack system includes: receiving, by a rack management controller (RMC), a firmware updating program; broadcasting, by the RMC, an update notification to a rack back plate (RBP); after receiving the update notification, transmitting one by one, by the RBP, request messages which are associated with respective ones of sections of the firmware updating program to the RMC; responding, by the RMC, to each of the request messages by transmitting the respective one of the sections to the RBP; and after receiving the sections of the firmware updating program, recovering, by the RBP, the firmware updating program at least from the complete sections for subsequent firmware update.
US09690560B2

A method, machine and system enable the automated transfer of software applications between mobile devices that have different operating systems. A computer receives (1004) a first image of a first display screen of a first mobile device with at least one application (app) selection icon visible within the first image. The computer analyzes (1006) the first image to identify at least one software application from the at least one selection icon. The computer initiates (1022) a download of the at least one application identified to a second mobile device for installation of the at least one application on the second mobile device.
US09690556B2

A transactional memory system controls the coalescing of outermost memory transactions. The coalescing causing committing of memory store data to memory for a first transaction to be done at transaction execution (TX) end of a second transaction. A processor of the transactional memory system executes a run-time instrumentation program for monitoring and modifying an associated program having a plurality of transactions. Based, at least in part, on an analysis of gathered instrumentation information, the processor dynamically modifies continued execution of the plurality of transactions by adding a coalescing instruction that controls, at least in part, a coalescing of one or more outermost transactions of the plurality of transactions.
US09690551B2

A computing device with an optimizing compiler is disclosed that is configured to generate optimized machine code including a vector operation corresponding to multiple scalar operations where the vector operation is a single operation on multiple pairs of operands. The optimizing compiler includes a vector guard condition generator configured to generate a vector guard condition for one or more vector operations, a mapping module to generate a mapping between elements of the vector guard condition and positions of the relevant scalar operations in the non-optimized machine code or intermediate representation of the source code, and a guard condition handler configured to initiate execution from a particular scalar operation in the non-optimized machine code or intermediate representation if the vector guard condition is triggered. The computing device may include a non-optimizing compiler and/or an interpreter to perform execution of the scalar operations if the vector guard condition is triggered.
US09690546B2

A computer system includes a processor and an electronic storage. The processor provides a service composition tree of services which are offered, wherein the tree is hierarchical and specifies relationships of the services which are offered within the service composition tree to each other; translates service composition trees and the relationships of the services represented in the trees into a directed acyclic graph (DAG) that represents the service composition trees, the DAG being redundancy-free; and performs a transitive traversal within the DAG among the services represented in the DAG to locate information, within the DAG, regarding the services, in relation to each other. The electronic storage stores the DAG accessed by the processor. A method according to the above will perform a transitive traversal service discovery of a DAG that is redundancy-free, and optionally is minimal weighted. A non-transitory computer-readable medium can perform the method.
US09690540B2

Examples provided herein are directed to social-media playback queues. In one example, a computing system may be configured to (i) receive an identifier of a media playback system, (ii) link the identifier with a social-media account, (iii) based at least on linking the identifier with the social-media account, generate a social-media playback queue that is fillable with one or more media items playable by the media playback system, (iv) establish access permissions to the social-media playback queue, where the access permissions indicate at least one additional social media account that (a) is within a social-media network of the social-media account, and (b) has access to the social-media playback queue, (v) receive, from a computing device affiliated with the at least one additional social-media account, an indication of a media item to be added to the social-media playback queue, and (vi) add the media item to the social-media playback queue.
US09690534B1

A method for displaying a view of a target comprises establishing a network including a plurality of display devices, requesting by a first display device in the network having an obstructed view of the target, at least one of position and orientation data from one or more remaining display devices in the network each having a different view of the target than the obstructed view, selecting a remaining display device as a view provider to provide the different view of the target to the first display device, requesting the different view of the target from the selected view provider; providing the different view of the target to the first display device, and displaying the different view of the target via the first display device.
US09690530B2

A computer method and system to allow reconciliation of documents that were originally part of a first mail production job, but that may have been produced as part of a different second mail production job. A database stores a first record that identifies documents in the first mail production job. The record includes one or more fields indicating a production status of the documents in the first mail production job. At some point in the production process, a document is separated from what was originally defined as the first mail production job, to be instead produced as part of a second mail production job. The database further stores a second record identifying documents in the second mail production job. These records are updated to include a pointer indicating the relationship between the document and the first mail production job and the second mail production job. During mail production the production status of a document is determined. The database records are updated to record the current status of the documents. Responsive to a query regarding the status of documents originally in the first job, the pointer is used to identify the status of the document in the second job.
US09690524B2

To make a set of set values of a plurality of print setting items added in a first execution environment usable in a second execution environment as well, an information processing apparatus comprises: a first printer driver configured to operate in a first execution environment, and add a set of set values of a plurality of print setting items to a list; and an application corresponding to a second printer driver configured to operate in a second execution environment, and obtain the set of the set values added by the first printer driver and display the set of the set values as a choice.
US09690520B2

A method begins by a processing module of a dispersed storage network (DSN) receiving a DSN retrieval request regarding a data object and performing a scoring function using properties of the DSN retrieval request and properties of DSN memory of the DSN to produce a storage scoring resultant. The method continues with the processing module identifying a set of primary storage units based on the storage scoring resultant and sending a set of retrieval requests to the set of primary storage units. When a primary storage unit does not provide a favorable response, using the storage scoring resultant to identify an alternative storage unit. When the alternative storage unit is identified, sending a corresponding retrieval request to the alternative storage unit.
US09690511B2

An apparatus includes a fuse array and a stores. The fuse array is programmed with compressed configuration data for a plurality of cores. The stores is coupled to the plurality of cores, and includes a plurality of sub-stores that each correspond to each of the plurality of cores, where one of the plurality of cores accesses the semiconductor fuse array upon power-up/reset to read and decompress the compressed configuration data, and to store a plurality of decompressed configuration data sets for one or more cache memories within the each of the plurality of cores in the plurality of sub-stores. Each of the plurality of cores has sleep logic. The sleep logic is configured to subsequently access a corresponding one of the each of the plurality of sub-stores to retrieve and employ the decompressed configuration data sets to initialize the one or more caches following a power gating event.
US09690507B2

A memory system for a network device is described. The memory system includes a main memory configured to store one or more data elements. Further, the memory system includes a link memory that is configured to maintain one or more pointers to interconnect the one or more data elements stored in the main memory. The memory system also includes a free-entry manager that is configured to generate an available bank set including one or more locations in the link memory. In addition, the memory system includes a context manager that is configured to maintain metadata for a list of the one or more data elements.
US09690501B1

Techniques for determining characteristics of data blocks being accessed in a storage system are described herein. According to one embodiment, an input/output (IO) request is received for accessing a first data block of a first file stored in a storage system. The first file is one of the files stored in the storage system and each file contains multiple data blocks. In response to the request, a block-based monitor executed in a memory by a processor accesses a set of monitoring rules to determine whether the first file should be monitored. If so, the block-based monitor captures statistics data associated with the first data block and stores the statistics data of the first data block in a statistics database maintained in a persistent storage device. The statistics database stores statistics data of the data blocks of files monitored and captured based on the set of monitoring rules.
US09690500B2

For efficient FlashCopy backup target volume allocation, a target volume is dynamically allocated for a new FlashCopy backup by reusing an existing FlashCopy target volume containing older FlashCopy backups that have been previously ingested into a repository and are not currently being used as a source for at least one of a mount task, a clone task, and a restore task.
US09690492B2

Embodiments relate to data storage media, and reading data from the media and writing data to the media. A data structure is provided to identify storage location and/or media parameters. One or more parameters of storage media is pre-loaded and conveyed to an associated media accessor prior to transferring data across the storage media in support of an associated read or write request.
US09690478B2

A method and a system for processing gestures to cause computation of measurements of an angle or a segment using a touch screen are disclosed. The system includes a processor, a touch screen coupled to the processor, and a gesture module coupled to the processor for executing a gesturing method. The method includes determining a gesture shape. For example, when the gesture shape is an arc or a line between two touching lines, the method calculates the measurement of the angle between the touching lines and behind the gestured line or arc. When the gesture is a line crossing a segment, the method calculates the measurement from the beginning of the segment to the end of the segment. The method further displays the calculated measurement of at least one of the angle or the segment.
US09690474B2

A user interface module for a device having a touch display arranged with virtual keys and at least one first area. The device is adapted to execute at least one application adapted to receive text input and the touch display is arranged to display content associated with the application. The touch display is also arranged to display a text input area upon activation of the application's receiving of text input. The text input area, at least partially, overlaps the at least one first area. The touch display is also arranged to display the content being displayed in the first area as shaded and arranged to display text input received through the text input area clearly.
US09690469B2

Embodiments include a program for transferring of data from a source computer to a location on a target computer utilizing a drag-and-drop operation and a spring-loaded portal. I/O devices are monitored for mouse input that includes coordinates of a mouse pointer. Whether an end-user is utilizing the mouse pointer to perform the drag-and-drop operation is determined. The spring-loaded portal is expanded from a closed position to an open position. A screen snapshot image of the location on the target computer is retrieved and overlaid on the spring-loaded portal. The transferring of data from the source computer to the location on the target computer is executed, wherein the location on the target computer is previewable at the source computer through the spring-loaded portal. Whether to abort the transferring of data is determined. The spring-loaded portal is minimized from the open position to the closed position.
US09690457B2

Augmented reality technology is described. The technology can detect objects in a scene, identifying one or more installed or available applications based on the detected objects, and place icons representing the identified applications proximate to the detected objects in a display of the scene, e.g., so that a user can start or install the identified applications. The technology can also facilitate interaction with an identified object, e.g., to remotely control a recognized object.
US09690450B2

An improved user interface is provided for displaying selectable software functionality controls that are relevant to a selected object and that remain visibly available for use while the selected object is being edited. Upon selection of a particular object for editing, functionality available for editing the object is presented in a ribbon-shaped user interface above the software application workspace to allow the user ready and efficient access to functionality needed for editing the selected object. The display of relevant functionality controls is persisted until the user dismisses the display, selects another top-level functionality control or selects another object for editing.
US09690449B2

The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for touch based selection of graphical elements. Embodiments of the invention improve the usability of interacting with data visualizations. When multiple graphical elements are covered by a finger touch, a gesture recognition component detects ambiguity in the selection. In response, a visualization component draws additional regions around the touched location. The additional regions correspond to the covered graphical elements covered. Thus, a user is made aware of the graphical elements covered by his or her finger. These additional regions are touch friendly and more easily selectable. A finger can be moved into one of the additional regions and released to finish the selection. The gesture recognition component interprets this gesture as if the user tapped directly and unambiguously on the corresponding graphical element.
US09690441B2

A method and apparatus are provided for conveniently managing messages that are received from or sent to external devices through a network by a mobile device. At least one message is displayed and selected by a user for a further operation. Attribute information of the selected message is checked in a message history database. Based on the checked attribute information, a message related to the selected message is displayed. The selected message may be a previously marked message and the related message may be an unmarked message.
US09690439B2

An arrangement is provided that uses the differential approach to effectively remove noise contained in a signal in a line even in a touch panel that includes some lines that are separated from each other at a larger distance. The touch panel (2) includes: a touch panel substrate (22), a plurality of Y-direction electrodes (23) provided on the touch panel substrate (22); a plurality of lines (24, 34) electrically connected with the Y-direction electrodes (23); and a floating electrode (61) located within a predetermined distance from at least one of the lines (24, 34) and another line adjacent the at least one line such that noise produced in the at least one line can be propagated to reach the other line.
US09690434B2

A touch module, a manufacturing method thereof and a display device are disclosed. The touch module includes peripheral leads, an insulating layer and a touch electrode layer sequentially arranged on a substrate in stacked layers. The touch electrode layer includes touch sensing electrodes and touch drive electrodes, which intersect and are insulated from each other, and connection terminal protection members. Patterns of the touch sensing electrode and the touch drive electrode cover overlapping parts of the peripheral leads electrically connected with the touch sensing electrodes and the touch drive electrodes at positions of first opening areas of the insulating layer. Patterns of the connection terminal protection members cover connection terminal parts of corresponding peripheral leads at positions of second opening areas of the insulating layer. The touch module can simplify the number of layers of the touch module, reduce the use number of masks and improve the productivity.
US09690420B2

A touch sensing device comprises a display panel including a plurality of data lines and a plurality of sensor interconnection lines, the plurality of data lines connected to a plurality of pixels of the display panel, and the plurality of sensor interconnection lines connected to a plurality of touch electrodes of the display panel, each pixel including a plurality of sub-pixels that each display a distinct color. A pattern of sub-pixels is arranged in the display panel such that a same number of sub-pixels for each distinct color is arranged adjacent to a first side and adjacent to a second side of one or more of the plurality of sensor interconnection lines, each of the sub-pixels for each distinct color being adjacent to either the first side or the second side of a corresponding one of the sensor interconnection lines.
US09690416B2

A touch panel includes an array of pixels, a scan drive circuit, and a touch detection circuit. The array includes a plurality of sets of scan lines and a plurality of sets of data lines that orthogonally intersect with each other. The plurality of sets of data lines includes a first type of sets and a second type of sets that are disposed apart from each other. The scan drive circuit is electrically connected with the sets of scan lines and provides each set of the scan lines with a first scan drive signal sequentially set by set. The touch detection circuit provides the first type of sets with a touch drive signal and detects a touch sense signal from the second type of sets when each set of scan lines receives the first scan drive signal.
US09690413B2

An optically transparent force sensor that may compensate for environmental effects, including, for example, variations in temperature of the device or the surroundings. In some examples, two force-sensitive layers are separated by a compliant layer. The relative electrical response of the two force-sensitive layers may be used to compute an estimate of the force of a touch that reduces the effect of variations in temperature. In some examples, piezoelectric films having anisotropic strain properties are used to reduce the effects of temperature.
US09690412B2

The invention relates to an actuator (9) for a touch interface module (1) with haptic feedback, the interface module comprising a touch surface (3) able to detect at least one property of a user's touch, the actuator (9) comprising: a frame (11); a moveable core (13) interacting with the frame (11) and intended to be driven to move between extreme positions in order to generate the haptic feedback; and a main actuator connected to the touch surface (3) and able to generate haptic feedback depending on the detected touch and comprising electromagnetic actuating means (15, 17) for driving the moveable core (13) to move, characterized in that it furthermore comprises a controlled secondary actuator (18) cooperating with the moveable core (13).
US09690410B2

According to one embodiment, a liquid crystal display apparatus includes a display region including a plurality of display pixels arrayed in a matrix, an array substrate including a plurality of first electrodes which are arrayed in a matrix, second electrodes which are arranged on the same layer as a layer of the first electrodes and connect the first electrodes to each other, and third electrodes which are arrayed in a matrix on the first electrodes and the second electrodes, a countersubstrate which is arranged to face the array substrate, and a liquid crystal layer which is interposed between the array substrate and the countersubstrate.
US09690406B2

The pixel circuit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include: a display driving module, arranged to compensate for the voltage threshold of the driving transistor by a data signal inputted by the data line and a first signal inputted by the first signal source in a time period, which is under a control of a first scanning signal inputted by the first scanning line, a second scanning signal inputted by the second scanning line, and a control signal inputted by the control line, so that a light-emitting driving signal of the OLED is independent of the voltage threshold of the driving transistor, within a fourth stage of the time period; and an in-cell touch detection module, arranged to detect a touch signal of a touch screen based on a variation of light caused by a touch operation in the time period, which is under the control of the first scanning signal and the control signal.
US09690405B2

The present invention provides a display panel, a manufacturing method thereof, and a display device. The display panel is divided into display areas and non-display areas, and comprises an upper base plate and a lower base plate which is aligned with the upper base plate to form a cell, a control structure and a display structure are arranged in the display area on the lower base plate, a sensing structure is further arranged in the display area on the upper base plate and/or the lower base plate, the sensing structure and the display structure are correspondingly arranged, and a stabilizer sub-structure is arranged in the sensing structure.
US09690400B2

A totem device accepts inputs from an end user and communicates the inputs to an information handling system through a capacitive mat by moving an interactive portion of the totem relative to a main portion. In one embodiment, the capacitive mat integrates a display that presents input images proximate the totem, such as a volume gauge or mouse keys. Interactive portions include compressible materials that alter surface area pressed against a capacitive mat when pressed upon and plungers that move independent of a main body to press. In one embodiment, a camera captures images of the totem to enhance the distinguishing of inputs.
US09690387B2

A vehicle computing system comprising at least one controller configured to communicate with a wearable device. The at least one controller may be configured to receive data defining a first gesture made using the wearable wireless device. The controller may be further configured to determine a first predefined command, for controlling a vehicle system, previously stored in association with the first gesture. The controller may be further configured to control the vehicle system in accordance with the first predefined command.
US09690382B1

An electronic device receives a plurality of requests to generate a plurality of tactile outputs, including two or more overlapping tactile outputs, using the one or more tactile output generators. In response, the device generates and outputs combined tactile outputs. If the plurality of tactile outputs exceeds a threshold number of tactile outputs that is permitted to be mixed together for concurrent output, the device mixes a subset of the plurality of tactile outputs together into a combined tactile output that excludes at least one of the plurality of tactile outputs to produce a combined tactile output that is output via the device's one or more tactile output generators.
US09690381B2

One illustrative computing device disclosed herein includes a first sensor configured to detect a position associated with a deformable surface and transmit a sensor signal associated with the position; and a processor in communication with the sensor, the processor configured to: receive the sensor signal; determine a haptic effect based at least in part on the sensor signal; and transmit a haptic signal associated with the haptic effect. The illustrative computing device also includes a haptic output device in communication with the processor, the haptic output device configured to receive the haptic signal and output the haptic effect.
US09690375B2

A ride system includes at least one ride vehicle. The at least one ride vehicle is configured to receive a ride passenger. The ride system includes electronic goggles configured to be worn by the ride passenger. The electronic goggles include a camera and a display. The ride system includes a computer graphics generation system communicatively coupled to the electronic goggles, and configured to generate streaming media of a real world environment based on image data captured via the camera of the electronic goggles, generate one or more virtual augmentations superimposed on the streaming media of the real world environment, and to transmit the streaming media of the real world environment along with the one or more superimposed virtual augmentations to be displayed on the display of the electronic goggles.
US09690373B2

Embodiments provide a system that includes a first interactive device and control logic configured to perform an operation. The operation includes receiving historical data describing historical interactions between a user and one or more interactive devices. Additionally, the operation includes configuring the first interactive device with one or more interactive events. Each interactive event includes a respective (i) stimulus event and (ii) an action to perform responsive to an occurrence of the stimulus event, and at least one of the one or more interactive events is based on the received historical data. Responsive to detecting an occurrence of a first one of the one or more stimulus events, the operation includes causing the first interactive device to perform the corresponding action. The operation also includes updating the first interactive device with a second one or more interactive events.
US09690369B2

A facial expression control system, a facial expression control method, and a computer system thereof are disclosed. The facial expression control system includes a face detection module, a database, and a processing module. The face detection module is used for determining whether a facial expression feature is detected in a captured image. The database is used for storing a control parameter table, wherein the control parameter table is corresponding to the facial expression feature. If the face detection module detects the facial expression feature, the control parameter table of the database is accessed according to the facial expression feature to get an encode signal and transmitted to the processing module. The processing module is used for generating a control signal according to the encode signal.
US09690368B2

Product and/or item customization based on physiological data is described. One or more sensors worn by a person or a group of people and/or attached with one or more items may generate sensor data. Data characterizing one or more physiological attributes of the person or group may be determined based at least in part on the generated sensor data. Item customization may include a customized design. For example, the customized design may include one or more personalized graphics generated based on the physiological data, and/or one or more customized item components with parameters set based on the physiological data. The customized design may be provided to an item customization facility for presentation, assembly and/or manufacture. Item customization may further include selecting for consideration a set of matching items based at least in part on the physiological data.
US09690367B2

A method and apparatus is disclosed for assisting a user, wearing a head mounted display (HMD) that covers a user's field of vision and has a tracker providing information regarding the position and orientation of the HMD, in locating a physical controller located on a physical base station. A processor causes the HMD to display a virtual world, including a virtual representation of the physical base station and physical controller along with a virtual hand that helps guide the user to the physical base station to allow the user to pick up the physical controller. Another embodiment allows an area in the physical world to be defined within which the user should remain, for example to avoid physical obstacles. The processor causes the HMD to display a warning, such as a virtual fence, to alert the user if the user approaches to within a preselected distance of the boundary.
US09690361B2

An analog frontend (AFE) interface is dynamically programmable based on a determined operating state. The AFE includes hardware to interface with multiple different sensors. The AFE includes analog processing hardware that can select input data from one of the multiple sensors. The analog processing hardware is coupled to a processor that computes features from the sensor, where the features represent selected operating condition information of the AFE for the sensor. The processor is to determine one of multiple discrete operating states of the AFE for the sensor based on the computed features and dynamically adjust operation of the AFE to interface with the sensor based on the determined operating state. Dynamically adjusting the operation of the AFE includes controlling a configuration of the AFE that controls how the AFE receives the input sensor data from the sensor.
US09690341B2

A heat insulation structure for hand-held device includes a holding body disposed in a hand-held device. The holding body has a frame and internally defines a receiving space, in which a holding section is provided. A heat insulation space is formed between the frame and the holding section. The frame and the holding section are connected to each other via at least one connecting member. With the heat insulation space formed between the frame and the holding section, the heat insulation structure for hand-held device provides effective heat dissipation effect to prevent a hand-held device from burning a user's hand due to heat produced by electronic elements in the had-held device.
US09690336B2

A function card fixing structure is provided, comprising a main body including a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion is perpendicular to the second portion, and the first portion comprises a plurality of trenches extending along a direction of a long axis of the main body. A sliding component is disposed at a side of the second portion, wherein the sliding component comprises a plate body and a locking portion, and one side of the plate body comprises a plurality of openings and stopping portions. A releasing component comprising a locking portion is at one side, wherein the locking portion of the releasing component is locked with the locking portion of the sliding component.
US09690327B2

A support for a pad computer and the like includes a body support strap which may be placed around the neck or shoulders of a user, and a body propping unit that positions a computer outwardly from the torso of the user. The body support strap connects to the body propping member preferably at a location proximately aligned with the center of gravity of the combined mass of the computer and computer support when the body popping member is deployed in its stand-off position. In a preferred variant the body propping member is a U-shaped strut assembly with two arms joined by a bridge. The body support strap connects to the arms. The arms are hinged at the sides of the computer. The bridge may be swung from an in-use orientation spacing the computer outwardly from a user, to a parked position wherein the bridge lies adjacent to an opposite transverse edge of the computer in the plane of the computer.
US09690314B2

Power switching circuits including an inductive load and a switching device are described. The switches devices can be either low-side or high-side switches. Some of the switches are transistors that are able to block voltages or prevent substantial current from flowing through the transistor when voltage is applied across the transistor.
US09690304B2

There is provided a gas mixer arrangement comprising a first gas source for supplying a first gas; a second gas source for supplying a second gas different from said first gas; a first valve for regulating the flow of the first gas; a second valve for regulating the flow of the second gas; a mixer located downstream of the first and second valves and arranged, in use, to mix the first and second gases to provide a mixed gas; a meter arranged to measure the average molecular weight of the mixed gas, comprising a high-frequency planar piezoelectric crystal oscillator in contact with the mixed gas and a sensor operable to determine atmospheric pressure; and a controller operable, in response to the measured average molecular weight of said mixed gas, to control at least one of said first and second valves in order to control the relative proportion of the first and second gases in said mixed gas.
US09690289B2

A mobile terminal and controlling method thereof are disclosed. The present invention includes a communication module configured to transceive data with at least one drone, a display module configured to output a screen for controlling a motion of the drone, a touch interface module configured to receive a random touch drag within the displayed screen, and a controller controlling the communication module, the display module and the touch interface module, the controller generating a 1st control data for controlling an altitude of the drone if the received touch drag is recognized as a 1st direction, the controller generating a 2nd control data for controlling right and left directions of the drone if the received touch drag is recognized as a 2nd direction.
US09690287B2

A servo system includes a motor having a stator and a movable element which moves relative to the stator, an encoder which detects at least one of a position and a speed of the movable element of the motor, and a controller including first circuitry which controls operation of the motor based on a detection result of the encoder. The first circuitry of the controller transmits a first command signal that changes a communication speed between the encoder and the controller from a first speed to a second speed which is higher than the first speed, and the encoder includes second circuitry which changes the communication speed between the encoder and the controller to the second speed when the first command signal is received from the controller.
US09690285B2

A method, field user presenting arrangement and a computer program product for enabling an operator of a process control system to determine the location of field users in the process control system are provided. The arrangement includes a presentation control unit that obtains position data of the position of a field user, obtain the positions of objects in the process control system, compares the position of the field user with the positions of the objects, determines that the field user is in the vicinity of an object if the distance between the position of the field user and the position of the object is below a proximity threshold, and presents the field user on graphics depicting the process, where a field user deemed to be in the vicinity of an object is presented at this object in the graphics.
US09690275B2

A system energy efficiency controller connected (105) to at least one of an energy generation device (101), an energy storage device (102), an energy utilization device (103) and an energy regeneration device (104) is disclosed for enabling energy utilization. Said system energy efficiency controller (105) cooperatively controls the input and output of a ubiquitous energy flow of at least one of the energy generation device (101), the energy storage device (102), the energy utilization device (103) and the energy regeneration device (104). Said ubiquitous energy flow includes at least one of an energy flow, a material flow, and an information flow. Also disclosed are an energy efficiency gain device, an energy efficiency matching station and a smart energy service system, which are connected with the controller (105). The present invention optimizes the entire process of energy utilization using the system energy efficiency controller (105), thus improving the system energy efficiency.
US09690265B2

A building automation system includes a plurality of components, with each of the plurality of components associated with point data. A method of controlling the building automation system includes establishing communications between a mobile computing device and a building automation network of the building automation system. The method further includes receiving point data from the building automation system via the building automation network. In addition, the method includes identifying a plurality of components of the building automation system based on the point data received from the at least one building automation network and generating a model of the building automation system based on the point data.
US09690261B2

Robustly stabilizing controller bandwidth for a controlled mechanical system is determined as a function of the system's estimated inertia and dominant system parameters that define constraints on the bandwidth. In one or more embodiments, a bandwidth model is derived that defines a relationship between robustly stabilizing controller bandwidth and system gain over a range of reasonable system uncertainties. Using the model, a suitable controller bandwidth can be determined for a given motion control system given only estimates of the system gain and the dominant parameters(s) that constrain the bandwidth. In an example two-inertia system, the system gain and dominant parameter can comprise system inertia and mechanical coupling stiffness, respectively. Accordingly, estimates of the system inertia and coupling stiffness can be provided to the system, which determines a suitable controller bandwidth for the motion control system characterized by the estimates.
US09690242B2

A fixing device includes a first rotary body, a second rotary body to contact the first rotary body, and a plain bearing that supports the first rotary body or the second rotary body. One rotary body of the first rotary body and the second rotary body has an outer diameter increasing, while the other rotary body has an outer diameter decreasing, in a curved line from an axial center portion to axial end portions of the first rotary body and the second rotary body at least between the first rotary body and the second rotary body. A recording medium passes between the first rotary body and the second rotary body with a circumferential component of a shear force generated between the first rotary body and the second rotary body by use of the plain bearing being in a range of from 15N to 25N.
US09690241B2

A fuser unit includes: an endless belt, which has an end portion having an end surface in a first direction; a nip member, which extends in the first direction and is arranged inside the endless belt; a belt guide, which is arranged to be in contact with the end surface of the endless belt and includes: a restraining part, which is configured to restrain the endless belt from moving in the first direction; and an inner surface guide, which extends from the restraining part into an inside of the endless belt and guides the inner circumferential surface of the endless belt; and an urging member, which is configured to urge the belt guide in a urging direction so that the inner surface guide is urged toward the inner circumferential surface of the endless belt.
US09690215B2

The invention relates to a differential interferometer module adapted for measuring a direction of displacement between a reference mirror and a measurement mirror. In an embodiment the differential interferometer module is adapted for emitting three reference beams towards a first mirror and three measurement beams towards a second mirror for determining a displacement between said first and second mirror. In a preferred embodiment the same module is adapted for measuring a relative rotation around two perpendicular axes as well. The present invention further relates to a lithography system comprising such a interferometer module and a method for measuring such a displacement and rotations.
US09690214B2

A partial section of an aerial image measuring unit is arranged at a wafer stage and part of the remaining section is arranged at a measurement stage, and the aerial image measuring unit measures an aerial image of a mark formed by a projection optical system. Therefore, for example, when the aerial image measuring unit measures a best focus position of the projection optical system, the measurement can be performed using the position of the wafer stage, at which a partial section of the aerial image measuring unit is arranged, in a direction parallel to an optical axis of the projection optical system as a datum for the best focus position. Accordingly, when exposing an object with illumination light, the position of the wafer stage in the direction parallel to the optical axis is adjusted with high accuracy based on the measurement result of the best focus position.
US09690209B2

In a measurement device, positional information of a mark of an object is measured. A holding member that holds the object, with a movable member that is supported by levitation on a base member, moves so that the mark is detected with a detection system having an optical member that irradiates the mark with a detection light, the base member being disposed below the detection system so that a surface of the base member is substantially parallel to a predetermined plane. The holding member is supported by the movable member and has a mounting area for the object on an upper surface side of the holding member in a direction orthogonal to the predetermined plane and being provided with a measurement surface on a lower surface side of the holding member, the measurement surface having a grating.
US09690203B2

Method for setting an illumination setting in an illumination optical unit comprising at least one controllable correction device, which includes a multiplicity of adjustable correction elements for influencing the transmission, wherein the illumination setting is varied for adapting a predetermined imaging parameter in the region of an image field.
US09690202B2

A developing method includes: forming a puddle of a developer on a surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding unit by a first developer nozzle; subsequently spreading the puddle of the developer over the whole substrate surface, by moving the first developer nozzle discharging the developer from a central or peripheral part to the peripheral or central part of the rotating substrate, with a contacting part of the first developer nozzle contacting with the puddle; supplying the developer from a second developer nozzle onto the rotating substrate, thereby to uniformize, in the substrate plane, distribution of a degree of progress of development by the developer spreading step; and removing the developer between the developer spreading step and the developer supplying step to remove the developer on the substrate.
US09690201B2

A charged particle beam drawing apparatus draws a plurality of cut patterns on a plurality of first linear patterns arranged to extend in a first direction and align themselves at a predetermined pitch P in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The plurality of cut patterns are drawn so that an interval Ai in the second direction between the centers of each pair of cut patterns adjacent to each other in the second direction (i is a number which specifies the pair) satisfies a relation: Ai=m1X (m1=1, 2, 3, . . . ) where X is a dimension defined by the pitch P.
US09690197B2

The present invention provides a negative-type photosensitive white composition for a touch panel, the composition including: (A) a white pigment; (B) an alkali-soluble resin; (C) a polyfunctional monomer; and (D) a photopolymerization initiator.
US09690195B2

Lithographic printing plates and processes for preparing the lithographic printing plates are provided. The plates have excellent printing durability, staining resistance and staining resistance over time. The lithographic printing plate precursor includes: a substrate; a photosensitive layer provided on the substrate; and an extra layer optionally provided between the substrate and the photosensitive layer. The photosensitive layer or the extra layer adjacent to the substrate contains (A) a copolymer. The copolymer (A) includes: (a1) a repeating unit of formula (a1-1) below in a side chain, and (a2) a repeating unit having at least one of the structures represented by formulae (a2-1) to (a2-6) shown in the specification in a side chain. L1, Z1, R1, and R21, R22 and R23 in formula (a1-1) and the variables in formulae (a2-1) to (a2-6) are as defined in the specification.
US09690193B2

Disclosed is a curable composition for nanoimprinting, which includes one or more polymerizable monomers, in which one or more monofunctional radically polymerizable monomers occupy 90 percent by weight or more of the one or more polymerizable monomers, and the one or more monofunctional radically polymerizable monomers give a polymer having a glass transition temperature of 25° C. or higher. The one or more monofunctional radically polymerizable monomers are preferably at least one compound selected from (meth)acrylic ester compounds, styrenic compounds, and vinyl ether compounds.
US09690188B2

A method for manufacturing a photomask is provided. The method includes providing a flexible substrate, forming a plurality of microstructures on the flexible substrate, coating the flexible substrate with a shading material to form a shading layer on the substrate, and solidifying the shading layer which is a single layer.
US09690186B2

An extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) process is disclosed. The process comprises receiving a mask. The mask includes a low thermal expansion material (LTEM) substrate, a reflective multilayer (ML) over one surface of the LTEM substrate, a first region having a phase-shifting layer over the reflective ML, and a second region having no phase-shifting layer over the reflective ML. The EUVL process also comprises exposing the mask by a nearly on-axis illumination with partial coherence less than 0.3 to produce diffracted light and non-diffracted light, removing at least a portion of the non-diffracted light, and collecting and directing the diffracted light and the not removed non-diffracted light by a projection optics box (POB) to expose a target.
US09690185B2

A substrate processing method performs a photolithography processing on a wafer to form a resist pattern on the wafer. Ultraviolet ray is irradiated onto the resist pattern to cut side chains of the resist pattern to improve line edge roughness of the resist pattern. A processing agent is caused to enter the resist pattern and a metal is caused to be infiltrated into the resist pattern through the processing agent. Thereafter, the wafer is heated to vaporize the processing agent from the resist pattern to form a cured resist pattern.
US09690182B2

There is provided a magnet screen device capable of satisfactorily displaying an image projected from a projector even at an edge portion of a screen sheet thereof. The magnet screen device comprises a screen sheet having a projection surface and a magnet surface opposed to the projection surface, and a roll part for rolling up the screen sheet. In non-use state of the device, the screen sheet is in a rolled-up position on the roll part such that the magnet surface is situated on the inside with respect to the projection surface in the rolled-up screen sheet.
US09690180B2

A prism group including a first, a second, and a third prisms is provided. The first prism has a first light incidence surface, a first light emitting surface, and a first connecting surface. The second prism has a second light incidence surface, a second light emitting surface, and a second connecting surface. The second light incidence surface is located between the first light emitting surface and the second light emitting surface. A first air gap is between the second light incidence surface and the first light emitting surface. The third prism has a third light incidence surface, a third light emitting surface, and a third connecting surface. The third light incidence surface is located between the second light emitting surface and the third light emitting surface. A second air gap is between the third light incidence surface and the second light emitting surface. A projection apparatus is also provided.
US09690178B2

In a light emitting device, a second electrode is provided over a ridge portion having a constant width in a plan view, a second cladding layer includes an electrical connection region electrically connected to the second electrode, the active layer constitutes a light waveguide through which light is guided in a region overlapping the ridge portion in the plan view, the light waveguide is provided with a first light emission surface and a second light emission surface from which the light is emitted, and, in the plan view, a width of the electrical connection region at a central position equidistant from the first light emission surface and the second light emission surface is smaller than a width of an end of the electrical connection region in an extending direction of the light waveguide.
US09690177B2

A lighting device includes a supporting section configured to support a light source device unit, a fan housing section in which an outflow port for causing the air discharged by a cooling fan to flow out is formed, and a circulating device supported by the light source device unit. The outflow port is opened in a direction along a second direction. The light source device unit includes an inflow port opened to a side opposed to the outflow port and a channel for leading the air flowing in from the inflow port to a light source. The circulating device includes a moving section disposed between the light source device unit and the fan housing section in a predetermined position, a ventilation hole for causing the outflow port and the inflow port to communicate being formed in the moving section, and an urging section configured to urge the moving section.
US09690176B2

In a projection optical apparatus, a refractive system includes a plurality of lens groups, one of which includes a first lens located in a position closest to a reflective system and a first lens frame having an accommodation section that accommodates the first lens. The first lens has a lens cutoff section, and the accommodation section has a wall section that is located outside the lens cutoff section and a first opening section that exposes a side surface of the first lens that is opposite the lens cutoff section. The wall section is provided with an open section that exposes the lens cutoff section. A guide barrel is so formed as to expose the first opening section and the open section. A projection optical apparatus enclosure has a second opening section that exposes the first opening section and is configured to be capable of exposing the open section.
US09690168B2

According to some aspects, a method for assisting the adjusting of a focus of an image includes providing a graphical representation of a detected image. The method can also include receiving an indication of a user selection of a region of the image and providing a magnified graphical representation of the selected image region. The method may further include providing a graphical indication of a degree of focus for at least a portion of the selected image region. The graphical indication in some instances is visually correlated with the magnified graphical representation of the selected image region. The size, shape, and/or color of the graphical indication in some instances can be correlated with the degree of focus for at least a portion of the selected image region.
US09690154B2

A liquid crystal display panel includes: a transparent insulating substrate; a signal line and a scanning line arranged in a display region on the transparent insulating substrate and crossing each other in a matrix; a protective insulating film arranged so as to cover at least the signal line and the scanning line from above; a first insulating film that covers the protective insulating film from above; and a first contact hole that penetrates at least the first insulating film and the protective insulating film to reach a surface of a common interconnect. The first contact hole has a bottom and an inner side surface covered with a first stacked film composed of a first transparent conductive film made of the same material as the lower electrode and a second transparent conductive film made of the same material as the upper electrode.
US09690149B2

Interconnects (34) include an inside interconnect section (40) and an outside interconnect section (41). The inside interconnect section (40) includes a first interconnect layer (42), a second interconnect layer (43), and a connection section (44) that connects the first interconnect layer (42) and the second interconnect layer (43). The outside interconnect section (41) includes a third interconnect layer (45). Of a plurality of interconnects (34), in one interconnect (X) of neighboring interconnects the second interconnect layer (43) and the third interconnect layer (45) are connected, and in another of the neighboring interconnects (Y), the first interconnect layer (42) and the third interconnect layer (45) are connected.
US09690148B2

The present invention provides a liquid crystal display panel and device. The liquid crystal display panel includes a first subpixel and a second subpixel each having a plurality of display domains. The first subpixel includes a first pixel electrode and a first common electrode. The second subpixel includes a second pixel electrode and a second common electrode. The display domains of the first subpixel and the display domains of the second subpixel are respectively formed by patterning the first common electrode and the second pixel electrode.
US09690136B2

A vehicular display apparatus includes a liquid crystal display unit and a display plate. The display plate includes a diffusion portion that transmits and diffuses light of a first light source, and a transmission display portion that permits light of a second light source to transmit through and illuminate a prescribed shape portion serving as a status display portion. The liquid crystal display unit provides a liquid crystal display using, as back light, the light diffused by the diffusion portion. The display plate includes a slit in a portion located in between the transmission display portion and the diffusion portion.
US09690134B2

Disclosed is a display device. The display device includes a liquid crystal panel, a backlight unit configured to include a light source that supplies light to the liquid crystal panel, and a polarizing part adhered to the liquid crystal panel. The polarizing part is formed to extend in an outer direction of the liquid crystal panel, and surrounds at least one of an outside of the liquid crystal panel and an outside of the backlight unit.
US09690125B2

A display device includes a display area and a terminal area formed outside the display area. The display area has a plurality of scanning lines and a plurality of video signal lines that cross the scanning lines. The terminal area has a first terminal having a semiconductor chip connected thereto, a first line, a second line, and an inspection thin-film transistor. The inspection thin-film transistor has a gate electrode connected to the first line, a source electrode connected to the second line, and a drain electrode. The first terminal is connected to any of the plurality of scanning lines and the plurality of video signal lines.
US09690124B2

The present disclosure provides a vacuum cell aligning device and a vacuum cell aligning method. The vacuum cell aligning device includes an upper machining platform, a lower machining platform, a plurality of first cell-pressing unit arranged in parallel in the upper machining platform, a plurality of second cell-pressing unit arranged in parallel in the lower machining platform, and an adjustment mechanism. Each first cell-pressing unit includes a first end-surface towards the lower machining platform and corresponds to a sub-region of the upper substrate. Each second cell-pressing unit includes a second end-surface towards the upper machining platform and corresponds to a sub-region of the lower substrate. The adjustment mechanism is configured to adjust the first cell-pressing units to make a shape defined by the first end-surfaces match the upper substrate, and configured to adjust the second cell-pressing units to make a shape defined by the second end-surfaces match the lower substrate.
US09690120B1

An adjustable clip-in prescription lens insert assembly for wrap around style frames used in industrial, construction, recreational activities and in the medical arts. The clip-in prescription lens insert assembly has an adjustable and pliable brow bar structure and adjustable and pliable clip members to form and fix the prescription lens insert into wrap around style frames. The brow bar and clip member structures are mounted in connector tubes fixed to the lens frames of the lens and insert assembly and are preferably constructed of a metal or metal alloy having shape memory properties.
US09690108B2

A micro-electro-mechanical (MEMS) based surveillance system and a method for using the MEMS based surveillance system are described herein for imaging an object. In one example, the MEMS based surveillance system can record images of an object from four different wavelength regions including visible light, near-infrared light, infrared light, and far infrared light.
US09690107B2

A device for wavelength coupling of laser beams (2a, . . . 2n) with different wavelengths (λ1, . . . λn), comprising: at least one laser source for generating a plurality of laser beams (2a, . . . , 2n), and an overlapping device for spatial overlapping of the plurality of laser beams (2a, . . . , 2n) for forming an overlapped laser beam with a plurality of wavelengths (λ1 . . . λn). The device has a feedback device arranged between the laser source and the overlapping device for feeding a radiation proportion of the laser beams (2a, . . . , 2n) to be overlapped back to the laser source, the feedback device comprising a partially reflecting angle-dispersive optical element, in particular a partially reflecting diffraction grating. The overlapping device may, for example, be configured as a transmitting or reflecting diffraction grating whose optical properties are adapted to the optical properties of the partially reflecting diffraction grating to overlap the laser beams (2a, . . . , 2n) in an essentially dispersion-free manner.
US09690100B1

A wireless communication system includes a transparent lens system coupled to a frame that positions the lens system in front of a user's eye when the frame is mounted on the user's head. A wireless transceiver wirelessly receives display control signals and transfers the display control signals to an LCD system that is embedded within the transparent lens system. The LCD system renders images and transparency in response to the display control signals. In some examples, an optical receiver transfers the optical information signals to the wireless transceiver, and the transceiver wirelessly transfers the optical information signals. In some examples, a wireless communication device wirelessly transfers the display control signals and receives the optical information signals.
US09690098B1

An adjustable reflector of a head-up display includes a base, an adjusting frame, a reflecting element and a control module. The adjusting frame has a first end and a second end opposite to the first end. The first end is pivoted to the base, and the second end is rotatable around the first end. The reflecting element is arranged on the adjusting frame for reflecting a light beam generated by an image source to an optical combiner. The control module includes a linkage arm and a driving unit. A first end of the linkage arm is slidably connected to the adjusting frame. The driving unit is connected to a second end of the linkage arm and configured to drive the linkage arm to rotate for adjusting an included angle between the adjusting frame and the base.
US09690095B2

An optical scanning apparatus includes a polygonal mirror configured to deflect a light beam emitted from a light source such that the laser beam scans a member to be scanned, a drive motor configured to rotate the polygonal mirror, aboard on which the polygonal mirror and the drive motor are mounted, an installation portion where the board is installed, a rubber member provided between the board and the installation portion, and an adjustment unit configured to position on the board with respect to the installation portion and to adjust inclination of the board with respect to the installation portion by deforming the rubber member.
US09690094B2

An optical device includes: an optical element having an optically functional surface which is pivotable; a base supporting the optical element; and a package housing the optical element and the base, in which the package includes: a wall that surrounds the optical element and the base; a window that closes a first opening defined by the wall, and forms an optical path to the optically functional surface, the window being transmissive to light; and a bottom plate that closes a second opening defined by the wall.
US09690082B2

A wide-angle projection lens includes a first lens group with negative refractive power, a second lens group with positive refractive power and a third lens group with positive refractive power, all of which are arranged in order from a projection side to an image source side along an optical axis. The third lens group includes a first lens, a second lens, a third lens, a fourth lens, a fifth lens and a sixth lens, all of which are arranged in order from the projection side to the image source side along the optical axis, wherein the third lens and the fourth lens are cemented together to form a cemented lens and there is no air gap between the third lens and the fourth lens.
US09690081B2

A system for displaying an anamorphic image on a viewing surface comprises a screen having a viewing surface and an image source configured to display the anamorphic image on the viewing surface such that an image viewed on the viewing surface appears undistorted from a viewing point. In addition, the system may also include a reflective lens having a convex exterior surface and a refractive lens having a plurality of surfaces to redirect light toward an image capture device. Further, the system may include an image conversion module for converting a non-anamorphic image into the anamorphic image suitable for displaying on the viewing surface and a selected portion of the anamorphic image into at least one non-anamorphic image.
US09690074B2

According to exemplary embodiments of the present invention, an imaging lens includes in an ordered way from an object side, a first lens movable and having positive (+) refractive power, a second lens having negative (−) refractive power, a third lens having positive (+) refractive power, a fourth lens having positive (+) refractive power, and a fifth lens having negative (−) refractive power, wherein, a conditional expression of 0.5
US09690067B2

Optical couplings systems, apparatus, and methods may include an optical cable coupling device, or spool, and one or more optical coupling features. The one or more optical coupling features may be configured to optically couple an optical cable and another optical cable, each of which are storable on the optical cable coupling device. The optical cable coupling device and optical cables may be used on a modular device (e.g., computing device, networking device, storage device, etc.). The optical cable coupling device may define a radius that less than about 200% the minimum bend radius of the optical cables.
US09690062B2

A flame-retardant fiber optic cable includes core elements, a film surrounding the core elements, and a jacket surrounding the film. The core elements include one or more optical fibers and at least one tube surrounding the one or more optical fibers. The material composition of the film differs from the jacket and the film is relatively thin.
US09690057B2

A connectorized fiber optic cabling assembly includes a loose tube fiber optic cable and a connector assembly. The cable has a termination end and includes: an optical fiber bundle including a plurality of optical fibers; at least one strength member; and a jacket surrounding the optical fiber bundle and the at least one strength member. The connector assembly includes a rigid portion and defines a fiber passage. The connector assembly is mounted on the termination end of the cable such that the optical fiber bundle extends through at least a portion of the fiber passage. The plurality of optical fibers of the optical fiber bundle have a ribbonized configuration in the rigid portion of the connector assembly and a loose, non-ribbonized configuration outside the rigid portion.
US09690052B2

A connector mating system that can enable the coupling and decoupling of electrical or optical communications channels, while in a deep, sub-oceanic, sea-floor environments, during which time the contacting interfaces of the said channels remain fully protected from the destructive effects of the said environment. The system features a Wet-Mate Connector (WMC) that provides a means for electrical, optical and hybrid inter-connection within an extremely hostile environments.
US09690049B2

Embodiments of present invention provide an optical signal transportation system. The system includes a first and a second optical line protection (OLP) node; a working signal transmission medium and a protection signal transmission medium between the first and second OLP nodes providing transportation paths for an optical signal from the first OLP node to the second OLP node; and at least one digital dispersion compensation module (DDCM) connected to at least one of the working and protection signal transmission media inside the second OLP node, wherein the DDCM includes a plurality of dispersion compensation units (DCUs) with each DCU being capable of providing either a positive or a negative dispersion selected by an optical switch to the optical signal, and wherein the DDCM is capable of providing the optical signal a total dispersion determined by the optical switch of each of the plurality of DCUs.
US09690037B2

A liquid crystal display device including a backlight unit and a fluorescent film, and a boundary fluorescent body is described.
US09690034B2

An illumination device (10) is provided with the following: light sources (11); a light-guide member (12 (13)) that includes a light entry region (Is) and a light exit region (Os) which emits planar light; light entry portions (13a) that are formed in the light entry region (Is) and that oppose the light sources (11); and bright line suppression portions (20) that are formed in the areas between the light entry portions (13a) at the front side of the light entry region (Is), and that include bright line suppression prisms (21) which have a shape that changes the angle of the light emitted in a direction spreading out from the light sources (11) to a direction closer to the optical axes.
US09690028B2

A backlight module, a display device and a displaying method of the backlight module are disclosed. The backlight module includes a light generation unit and a light emitting control unit. The light generation unit is configured to generate at least two light spot arrays that are spaced from each other, each light spot array includes a plurality of light spots, and projections of the respective light spots on a plane that is vertical to a light emitting direction of the light generation unit are staggered from each other; the light emitting control unit is configured to control the light generation unit to alternatively generate the at least two light spot arrays. The backlight module can be used for 3D displaying, and the depth of field in the displayed image is increased, and the structure of the backlight module is more compact.
US09690025B2

A polarizer is disclosed and it is used in combination with a reflection layer. The polarizer comprises a polarizing layer (702) and a compensation layer (704). The compensation layer (704) is disposed between the polarizing layer (702) and the reflection layer. Accordingly, a display device comprising the polarizer is also disclosed. The polarizer solves the problem of oblique light leakage of OLED displays.
US09690010B2

For providing a resin composition for an optical material which exhibits less change in birefringence due to external force and which is suitable for use in the production of an optical member; an optical film obtained by using the resin composition; and a liquid crystal display device using the same, provided is a resin composition containing a polycarbonate resin (X); and a polyester resin (Y) whose number average molecular weight is 200 to 2,000 and which is represented by General Formula (1): B-(G-A)n-G-B (wherein B represents an aryl monocarboxylic acid residue having 6 to 12 carbon atoms or an aliphatic monocarboxylic acid residue having 1 to 8 carbon atoms.
US09689998B2

A system and method may, based on a 3D seismic data set seed point, execute a seed picking algorithm, using the first point for picking a set of second points from the data set, setting each of the points in the set of second points as the first point and repeating the algorithm. An iteration number or other attribute may be assigned to the points, the iteration number corresponding to the number of times the algorithm repeated to process the point. The attribute or a number of attributes may be displayed as a visual characteristic for each point. An iterative process may be applied to a set of seismic data points, starting at a seed data point and finding a set of next iteration seed points from among the set of points neighboring the seed point, continuing only with next iteration seed points, and recording for each of a set of data points the number of points that are found by the process when the point is used as a seed data point. Attributes may include, for example, the total number of descendants of a seed point, the direction, for example, the azimuth, of propagation of the horizon picking process, or information that relates to the order in which points are picked such as an iteration number.
US09689982B2

An object detection device for a vehicle monitors the surroundings at the rear of the vehicle. The object detection device has a radar sensor for generating a radar signal containing information about a distance between the vehicle and a vehicle user or another object in the surroundings. The radar sensor mounts on a vehicle component pointing toward the surroundings to the rear of the vehicle. Furthermore, the object detection device contains a control and evaluation unit for determining a movement pattern of the vehicle user on the basis of the radar signal, and to compare the movement pattern with a predefined reference pattern and to actuate a servomotor which has the purpose of actuating the tailgate between an open position and a closed position when the movement pattern corresponds to the reference pattern. Furthermore, a vehicle ideally has such an object detection device.
US09689979B2

A radar apparatus using a pulse pair method to quickly measure a relative speed of an object. The radar apparatus includes: A data acquirer that acquires data relating to a pulse width, a repetition frequency, and a highest staggered ratio; A staggered pattern output unit that outputs a specific staggered pattern in which a total of phase changes within a sweep range of the target of the pulse pairing can be approximated to zero, wherein each phase change is caused by the pulse pairing on a target object at a constant speed due to a difference between an average transmission interval and a transmission interval between transmissions within the sweep range; And a setter that sets the transmission interval of a pulse signal by using the pulse width, the repetition frequency, the highest staggered ratio, and the specific staggered pattern.
US09689968B2

A wholly optically controlled phased array transmitter with integrated tunable optoelectronic oscillators, which are based on multi-wavelength optical sources and optical true time delay units, and optical time delay networks, having a multi-wavelength optical source, a first wavelength division multiplexer, a first optical splitter, a first electro-optic modulator, a second optical splitter, a first optical amplifier, a first optical time delay network, a photodetector, an electric amplifier, a DC-block, a second electro-optic modulator, a second optical amplifier, a second optical time delay network, an optical combiner, a second wavelength division multiplexer, an optical fibers, a photodetector array, a T/R component array, a microwave antenna array, a 1×2 optical switch, a 2×2 optical switch, a circulator, a third wavelength division multiplexer, a bundle of optical fibers with precise lengths, and a Faraday rotation mirror.
US09689966B2

A system and method for identifying the location of gunfire from a moving object in which at least two spaced apart microphones are positioned on the moving object. The output from the microphones is decomposed into intrinsic mode functions by using empirical mode decomposition. A transient pulse is then identified in the intrinsic mode function representative of the gunfire. The location of the origin of the gunfire is then determined from the transient pulses through multilateration using time difference of arrival of the transient pulses by the microphones.
US09689964B2

A super regenerative receiver detection system and method that includes a computing system that stores and executes a cross modulation correlation component to modulate a radio-frequency (RF) stimulation signal that is transmitted in an area using a modulating signal having a first modulating mode, and receive a response UEE signal from the area in which the response UEE signal includes a cross modulated signal emitted from a super regenerative receiver (SRR). The cross modulated signal having a second modulation mode that is different from the first modulation mode. Using this information, the cross modulation correlation component processes the received UEE signal to determine a cross modulation correlation level of a cross modulation signal relative to the modulating signal, and generates an alert signal when the determined cross modulation correlation level exceeds a specified threshold.
US09689959B2

The present invention discloses a method, apparatus and computer program product for determining the location of a plurality of speech sources in an area of interest, comprising performing an algorithm on a signal issued by either one of said plurality of speech sources in the area to for iteratively recover data characteristic to said signal, wherein the algorithm is an iterative model-based sparse recovery algorithm, and wherein for each of a plurality of points in said area, the iteratively recovered data is indicative of a presence of a plurality of speech sources contributing to the signal received at each of a plurality of points in the area.
US09689956B2

A light detection system may include a light detecting assembly including a plurality of light detectors. Each light detector may include a substrate, a mirror coupled to the substrate, and a light-receiving tube coupled to the substrate. The light-receiving tube may include a sensor positioned at a first end, a light-transmissive opening at a second end that is opposite from the first end, and a plurality of partitions that are configured to block transmission of light energy. A central light path extends through the light-receiving tube. The system may also include a control unit in communication with the light detecting assembly. The control unit is configured to determine one or more of a direction of light emitted from a light source, a position of the light source, or an intensity of light emitted from the light source based on one or more light detection signals received from the light detecting assembly.
US09689952B2

In order to detect a magnetic resonance (MR) signal in an examination region of an examination subject in a measurement field of an MR system with an MR imaging sequence, a magnetization in the examination subject is generated with a polarization field B0. The MR system has a magnet to generate the polarization field B0 with a first field inhomogeneity across the measurement field. At least one RF pulse is radiated into the examination region. At least one first magnetic field gradient is activated for spatial coding of the MR signal. At least one pulsed compensation magnetic field gradient is activated that is generated by a temporally variable current that varies over the duration of the MR imaging sequence and that is activated over a compensation time period that is shorter than the total duration of the imaging sequence so that, during the compensation time period, the first field inhomogeneity is reduced to a second, lower field inhomogeneity across the measurement field.
US09689948B2

A system and method for producing images depicting a plurality of slice locations in a subject using a magnetic resonance imaging (“MRI”} system is provided. In particular, the system and method utilize time-shifted multiband radio frequency (“RF”} pulses to lower peak voltage and peak power requirements when using conventional multiband RF pulses. A time-shifted multiband RF pulse includes at least two component RF pulses, which may be single-band or multiband pulses. The component RF pulses are designed such that they do not have temporal footprints that completely overlap; although, they may have temporal foot-prints that partially overlap or do not overlap at all. The MRI system is used to acquire magnetic resonance signals formed in response to a time-shifted multiband RF pulse and, from these acquired signals, images depicting each of the plurality of slice locations in the subject are reconstructed.
US09689947B2

A computer-implemented method of selecting a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) sampling strategy includes selecting a base variable-density sampling pattern and determining a scan time associated with the base variable-density sampling pattern. A modified variable-density sampling pattern is created by modifying one or more parameters of the base variable-density sampling pattern to maximize a sampled k-space area without increasing the scan time. Next, a scan is performed on an object of interest using the modified variable-density sampling pattern to obtain a sparse MRI dataset. Then a sparse reconstruction process is applied to the sparse MRI dataset to yield an image of the object of interest.
US09689941B2

Coil elements (18) generate a B1 excitation field in an examination region (14), which B1 excitation field is distorted by patient loading (e.g., wavelength effects). Passive shimming elements (22, 24) are disposed between the coil elements and the subject in order to improve the B1 field uniformity. In one embodiment, passive shimming elements include one or more dielectric rods (55) disposed below the subject which generate no substantial MR proton signal and which have a permittivity of at least 100 and preferably greater than 500. In another embodiment, tubes (24) adjacent each coil element are supplied with a dielectric liquid, a thickness of the dielectric liquid between the coil element and the subject adjusting a phase of the B1 field generated by the coil element. Active B1 shimming may be combined with passive shimming elements (22, 24) to effect an improved RF field homogeneity result.
US09689939B2

This disclosure describes, in one aspect, a device that includes a dual-tuned birdcage coil. The dual-tuned birdcage coil generally includes an inner multinuclear coil and a plurality of outer 1H coils separated from the inner coil. Also, the dual-tuned birdcage coil is generally configured so that the inner coil may be tuned independently of one or more of the outer coils. In some embodiments, the device may be configured to provide inductive coupling between the inner coil and the plurality of outer coils. In some embodiments, the multinuclear coil can include 31P, 13C, 23Na, 15N, 17O, or 19F, etc. In another aspect, this disclosure describes using the device to a generate magnetic resonance in a target. In some of cases, the method can further include creating an image of the target from the magnetic resonance generated by the device.
US09689928B2

According to an embodiment, a system includes a switching regulator and an electrochemical storage test circuit. The switching regulator is coupled to a power supply input and configured to supply a regulated voltage to a regulated supply terminal that is configured to be coupled to a device. The electrochemical storage test circuit is configured to be coupled to an electrochemical storage unit. The electrochemical storage test circuit includes a bidirectional switch with a first switch terminal coupled to the regulated supply terminal, a second switch terminal configured to be coupled to the electrochemical storage unit, and a switch control terminal. The electrochemical storage test circuit also includes a built-in self-test (BIST) circuit configured to be coupled to the electrochemical storage unit and to the switch control terminal.
US09689925B2

An arc fault circuit interrupter test circuit is disclosed. The test circuit incorporates a controller along with at least one power transistor, a current sense circuit and a voltage sense circuit. When the power transistor is operated, the current flowing through the transistor is sensed, and if the current is not at least equal to a threshold value, the voltage at which the power transistor is operated is increased.
US09689921B2

A method for testing a system-on-a-chip (SoC) is described. The method includes parsing a file to determine functions to be performed components of the SoC. The method further includes receiving a desired output of the SoC and generating a test scenario model based on the desired output of the SoC. The test scenario model includes a plurality of module representations of the functions and includes one or more connections between two of the module representations. The desired output acts as a performance constraint for the test scenario model. The test scenario model further includes an input of the SoC that is generated based on the desired output, the module representations, and the one or more connections. The test scenario model includes a path from the input via the module representations and the connections to the desired output.
US09689915B2

A probe card apparatus can comprise a tester interface to a test controller, probes for contacting terminals of electronic devices to be tested, and electrical connections there between. The probe card apparatus can comprise a primary sub-assembly, which can include the tester interface. The probe card apparatus can also comprise an interchangeable probe head, which can include the probes. The interchangeable probe head can be attached to and detached from the primary sub-assembly while the primary sub-assembly is secured to or in a housing of a test system. Different probe heads each having probes disposed in different patterns to test different types of electronic devices can thus be interchanged while the primary sub-assembly is secured to or in a housing of the test system.
US09689910B2

An apparatus and method for detecting faults in a two-wire electric power line isolated from ground includes substantially identical high impedance voltage dividers connected between each of the two wires of the power line and ground, circuits for carrying the output voltages from each voltage divider, a circuit for comparing the output voltages, and outputting a fault signal indicative of a ground fault.
US09689899B2

A power monitoring system includes a plurality of current sensors suitable to sense respective changing electrical current within a respective conductor to a respective load and a conductor sensing a respective voltage potential provided to the respective load. A power monitors determines a type of circuit based upon a signal from at least one of the current sensors and a signal from the conductor, wherein the type of circuit includes at least one of a single phase circuit, a two phase circuit, and a three phase circuit. The power meter configures a set of registers corresponding to the determined type of circuit in a manner such that the configuring is different based upon each of the single phase circuit, two phase circuit, and three phase circuit suitable to provide data corresponding to the determined type of circuit.
US09689897B2

A test socket for IC devices includes a multi-layered socket housing with at least one center layer and first and second surface layers. The first and second surface layers have a thickness and dielectric constant less than that of the center layers. A plurality of contact members are located in center openings in the center layer with distal ends extending into openings in the first and second layers. The distal ends of the contact members having at least one dimension greater than the openings in the first and second surface layers to retain the contact members in the socket housing. The contact members include center portions with major diameters less than the diameters of the center openings, such that an air gap is maintained between the contact members and the center layer.
US09689868B2

The invention provides compounds and methods for site-specifically labeling proteins with cyanobenzothiazole derivatives of formula I. For example, the invention provides methods for labeling the N-terminus of a protein that terminates with a cysteine residue. The invention also provides methods for isolating an N-terminally labeled protein and methods for detecting an N-terminally labeled protein.
US09689861B1

A concrete test cylinder mold formed of expandable polystyrene and which is used to form geometrically uniform concrete test cylinders that accurately reflect the structural properties of the concrete mix used to form the test cylinders despite fluctuations in temperature to which the test cylinder may be exposed during formation within the mold. The mold is constructed and configured such that compression testing of the concrete test cylinder may be conducted while the cylinder is still in the mold. A specially designed heat shield may be used in unison with the concrete test mold to form, at least in part, a system by which heat further may be retained within the system during formation of the concrete test cylinder.
US09689858B2

A method for determining an asphaltene onset condition of a crude oil is provided. The method includes receiving a crude oil within a downhole tool inside a well and taking a first measurement of an optical property of the received crude oil. The method also includes lowering the pressure or temperature of the crude oil after taking the first measurement of the optical property to cause aggregation of asphaltenes in the crude oil, and then separating aggregated asphaltenes from the crude oil. Further, the method includes taking a second measurement of the optical property of the crude oil within the downhole tool after separating aggregated asphaltenes from the crude oil and determining an asphaltene onset condition of the crude oil through comparison of the first and second measurements of the optical property. Additional methods, systems, and devices are also disclosed.
US09689857B1

The present disclosure is directed to methods and systems for detecting a chemical substance. The methods and systems include chemically modifying a sample of a substance of interest through combination with a reagent to increase the volatility of the substance of interest. The systems and methods further include performing an analysis of the substance of interest.
US09689855B2

Provided are multi-parameter sonde systems having a unique form-factor, wherein the plurality of sensors are arranged in a tight-fit configuration. This provides a single distal sensing surface and minimal separation distance between adjacent sensors. The sensors may be pie shaped with an interlocking feature to tightly hold the sensors together, with a sensor guard disposed over the outer surface of the interlocked sensors. Sensor-guards disclosed herein may have an integrated sensor storage and sensor guard configuration, thereby avoiding a need for a separate storage cup and that are configured to minimize unwanted biological growth. Also provided are uniquely shaped individual sensors having interlocking features to hold several sensors together in a sonde.
US09689848B2

Provided is a chromatography column stored in a storage container. The storage container for the column includes: a container body for storing the chromatography column; and a cover threadedly engaging with the container body. A groove for threaded engagement with the cover is formed in an inner wall of the container body. Sealing members are arranged on an inner bottom surface of the container body and a lower surface of the cover, respectively. When the container body and the cover are threadedly engaged with each other, the cover enters the container body to cause the sealing members on the inner bottom surface of the container body and the lower surface of the cover to press both a lower surface and an upper surface of the column, to thereby fix the column inside the container body and seal a fluid passage hole of the column.
US09689847B2

A gas chromatography equipment includes a sample introducer, a detector, a column module, and an oven including a housing. A sub-space is provided in a projection section projecting downward from a portion of a bottom face of the housing communicates with a main space of the housing. A column module attaching section is provided outside the housing and below the main space. A fixed side face, which faces the column module attaching section, of the projection section serves as an attachment face for attaching the column module. The column module is attached to the housing in such a way that the main flat surface of the column module is horizontally positioned with an end face of the column module being the attachment face.
US09689846B2

A device for determining properties of a medium, comprising a carrier which can be brought in contact with the medium; at least one transmitter arranged on the carrier for exciting acoustic waves in the carrier; at least one receiver arranged on the carrier for receiving acoustic waves which originate from waves excited in the carrier by means of the transmitter; and first and second material regions arranged on the carrier, wherein the second material region absorbs sound waves with the frequency of the acoustic waves excited in the carrier more strongly than the first material region. The carrier has a first surface with which it is to be brought in con-tact with the medium and a second surface which faces away from the first surface, wherein the transmitter as well as the first and the second material region are arranged on the second surface.
US09689845B2

A tool for inspecting the integrity of fasteners in their environment of use and methods of performing such inspections are disclosed and claimed. The tool includes a probe that matches the internal socket by which the fastener is coupled to the workpiece. The probe contains ultrasonic transducers on flat portions corresponding to flat portions of the socket. The transducers induce angled ultrasonic beams into the fastener to detect flaws therein. The beams are angled so they can be directed to the areas of interest at the head to shank region of the fastener. The presence of a defect such as a crack is determined based on the reply/echoes of the imparted ultrasonic beams.
US09689838B2

An analytical cell includes a first substrate with a first through hole formed therein, and a second substrate with first and second through holes formed therein. First and second solid portions protruding respectively from the first and second substrates are solid-state bonded together to form a solid state joint. By the solid state joint, the first and second substrates are joined together such that transmission membranes of the first and second substrates are mutually spaced by a predetermined distance, to form an overlapping portion. In the overlapping portion, an observation window is formed at a position where the first through holes face each other, and an accommodating part is formed between a lid member and the first substrate through the second through hole. One of negative and positive electrode active materials is provided in the accommodating part, and the other is provided between the transmission membranes of the observation window.
US09689837B2

Provided is a small-sized device for measuring an oxidation-reduction potential, whereby an oxidation-reduction current and an oxidation-reduction potential can be measured by reducing noise even when a signal from a solution being measured is small. A device for measuring an oxidation-reduction potential is provided with a substrate (10), a working electrode (15) mounted on a surface of the substrate (10), and a bipolar transistor (21) for amplifying the output of the working electrode (15) also provided on the surface of the substrate (10), and the signal amplified by the bipolar transistor (21) is inputted to a processing circuit (18).
US09689833B2

A gas sensor includes known types of electrodes such as sensing electrodes, counter electrodes or reference electrodes to sense the presence of a predetermined gas. In addition, at least one diagnostic electrode is carried in the sensor. The diagnostic electrode implements at least one diagnostic function without substantially impairing the gas sensing function. The diagnostic electrode is immersed in sensor electrolyte.
US09689831B2

An engagement component that engages with the rear part of a sensor mounted to a sensor connector, and a manipulation body that moves this engagement component to a sensor insertion opening side are provided. In addition, there are provided a manipulation rod that is engaged at one end with the manipulation body and whose other end is pulled out of a main body case through a through-hole provided to the main body case, and a manipulation component that is linked to the other end side of this manipulation rod. The device further comprises an annular wall that is provided outside the main body case and around a through-hole, and a metal slide bearing that covers this annular wall, and a resin sliding member that is slid with respect to a metal slide bearing is provided on the metal slide bearing side of the manipulation component.
US09689830B2

A monitor system to monitor a characteristic of a user is disclosed. A monitor system includes a sensor producing signals indicative of glucose characteristics within the user. The sensor has a connector with a plurality of contacts, at least two contacts being shorted by a fuse trace. The monitor system further includes an electronics package with a package housing. The package housing contains a battery, a package port interfaced with the connector to receive signals from the sensor, and a package processor to process the signals from the sensor. Further included in the monitor system is a fuse system controlled by the package processor that includes a fuse timer, wherein the fuse trace is destroyed after the fuse timer reaches a threshold value.
US09689823B2

A steam quality meter includes a pipe with an inlet and an outlet. A rod is located within the pipe between the inlet and the outlet. The rod defines an annular flow passage between an outer wall of the rod and an inner wall of the pipe. A mixing device is located within the pipe between the inlet and an upstream end of the rod. Spaced sensors are located within the annular flow passage. Each sensor is configured to sense capacitance and/or impedance of steam flowing through the annular flow passage.
US09689822B2

A system and a method for characterizing a dielectric material are provided. The system and method generally include applying an excitation signal to electrodes on opposing sides of the dielectric material to evaluate a property of the dielectric material. The method can further include measuring the capacitive impedance across the dielectric material, and determining a variation in the capacitive impedance with respect to either or both of a time domain and a frequency domain. The measured property can include pore size and surface imperfections. The method can still further include modifying a processing parameter as the dielectric material is formed in response to the detected variations in the capacitive impedance, which can correspond to a non-uniformity in the dielectric material.
US09689818B2

A thermoanalysis device, including a controllable temperature regulating device for the controlled change in the temperature of a sample to be investigated, a detection device for the continuous detection of at least one signal characteristic of a property of the sample during the change in the temperature, and a gas analysis device for investigating gases which are liberated from the sample. In order to enable an improved time- and temperature-resolved investigation of volatile components and decomposition products, provision is made according to the invention such that, during the change in the temperature of the sample, the temperature regulating device is controlled according to a control algorithm taking account of the detected signal and/or the gas analysis device is constituted so as to be controllable and is controlled according to a control algorithm taking account of the detected signal.
US09689817B2

A system for margin assessment of an ex-vivo tissue (25) is provided, including a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner (14) controlled by a control unit (12), and a tissue container (24) for holding a sample of an ex-vivo tissue (25). The MRI scanner (14) includes a coil-magnet assembly (31) including magnets (34), wherein the tissue (25), placed in the container (24), is placed under a constant static magnetic field (Bo), which is induced by the magnets (34), and the container (24) is positioned so the sensitive region is within a measured field of view (FOV) excited by one or more transmit/receive coils (38) operative to generate a time-varying RF B1 electro-magnetic field pointing towards the tissue (25), and wherein the container (24) is fixed on a moving table (40).
US09689808B1

Aspects of the disclosure relate to systems and techniques for inspecting seals for high altitude balloons. In one example, a system may include a reflective surface, a translucent material on the reflective surface, and a movable light source configured to move along the reflective surface and provide light to the reflective surface. The light is provided such that it is reflected from the reflective surface and through the translucent material in order to backlight a balloon envelope seal for inspection. A method for inspecting a balloon envelope seal may include placing balloon envelope material on a table, forming a seal between portions of the material, moving a light over the seal, shining light onto a reflective portion of the table below the seal to backlight the seal, and inspecting the seal using the backlighting of the seal.
US09689805B2

A method for inspecting a manufactured product includes applying a first test regimen to the manufactured product to identify product defects. The first test regimen produces a first set of defect candidates. The method further includes applying a second test regimen to the manufactured product to identify product defects. The second test regimen produces a second set of defect candidates, and the second test regimen is different from the first test regimen. The method also includes generating a first filtered defect set by eliminating ones of the first set of defect candidates that are not identified in the second set of defect candidates.
US09689804B2

A system for inspecting a backside surface of a wafer with multi-channel focus control includes a set of inspection sub-systems including a first inspection sub-system positioned and an additional inspection sub-system. The first and additional inspection sub-systems include an optical assembly, an actuation assembly, where the optical assembly is disposed on the actuation assembly, and a positional sensor configured to sense a position characteristic between a portion of the optical assembly and the backside surface of the wafer. The system also includes a controller configured to acquire one or more wafer profile maps of the backside surface of the wafer and adjust a first focus position of the first inspection sub-system or an additional focus position of the additional inspection sub-system based on the received one or more wafer profile maps.
US09689803B1

A chemical characteristic of a material is measured using a calibration unit and container for holding a sample of the material. The calibration unit has a front portion and an imaging background positioned behind the sample and viewable through the container and the sample of the material, wherein a portion of the sample of the material is positioned in front of the imaging background so as to form a sample imaging region. A calibration strip extends along the front portion, which includes a location marker and a plurality of calibration indicia of differing colors. A computing device captures an image of the calibration strip and the sample imaging region. A calibration step is performed using the calibration strip to generate a calibration model, which is applied to the sample color vector to generate a calibrated sample color vector.
US09689800B2

Processes for making high multiplex arrays for use in analyzing discrete reactions at ultra high multiplex with reduced optical noise, and increased system flexibility. The high multiplex arrays include substrates having integrated optical components that increase multiplex capability by one or more of increasing density of reaction regions, improving transmission of light to or collection of light from discrete reactions regions. Integrated optical components include reflective optical elements which re-direct illumination light and light emitted from the discrete regions to more efficiently collect emitted light. Particularly preferred applications include single molecule reaction analysis, such as polymerase mediated template dependent nucleic acid synthesis and sequence determination.
US09689792B1

A particle detection apparatus and method includes an excitation source having a first emission band that excites a sample and a second emission band; a first optical device connected to the excitation source and attenuates radiation emitted in the second emission band; an optical cavity adjacent to the first optical device, which includes a sample excited by radiation from the excitation source; a substrate coupled to the optical cavity and exposed to the radiation from the excitation source; a binding compound coupled to the substrate, which includes a ligand coupled to the substrate; and a capture material coupled to the ligand and capturing the sample; a second optical device connected to the substrate and attenuates radiation emitted in the first emission band; and an optical detector connected to the second optical device and detects radiation emitted in the second emission band.
US09689790B2

Environmental control systems and techniques for monitoring heat exchanger fouling are provided herein. In an embodiment, a technique for monitoring heat exchanger fouling includes providing a correlation of heat exchanger fouling to an operating variable. The correlation is programmed into a maintenance system that includes a processor that is adapted to receive data regarding the operating variable. The operating variable is chosen from inlet temperatures of input streams into the heat exchanger and outlet temperatures of output streams out of the heat exchanger, heat exchanger pressure drop, overall heat transfer coefficient value, speed of rotation of an air conditioning machine that includes the heat exchanger, and combinations thereof. Data regarding the operating variable is gathered via a sensor that is adapted to measure the operating variable. The measured operating variable is determined to correspond to excessive heat exchanger fouling in accordance with the correlation using the processor.
US09689789B2

A first measured value of a specific physical quantity at a target portion is correlated with a damage evaluation index to calculate a damage degree corresponding to the first measured value. The specific physical quantity is measured at least once at a position corresponding to the first measurement position in another time period having a different usage elapsed time from that of the first measurement, and these second and subsequent measured values are correlated with damage degrees calculated based on temporal changes corresponding to the second and subsequent measurements. A new damage evaluation index is approximately calculated based on a relationship between the first, second, and subsequent measured values and the damage degrees corresponding to the first, second, and subsequent measured values.
US09689787B2

Technical system and method for online measuring and monitoring of the particle content in an injection water flow (6′) in an underwater line (8). The system comprises a data gathering means, a data communication link (48) and a data receiving means comprising an image analysis apparatus (2) provided with: a water sample line (18) for throughput of a partial flow (6″) of the injection water flow (6′); a means of conveyance (24) connected to the water sample line (18) for transport of the partial flow (6″); a light-transparent flow portion (18′) disposed along the water sample line (18); a camera (26) at the flow portion (18′); at least one light source (30, 32) for emission of light (34) via the flow portion (18′) and into the camera (26); an electronic control means (36) for (a) control of the image recording of the camera (26); (b) reception of image material from the camera (26); and (c) transmission of the image material to the data receiving means; and at least one energy supply. The image analysis apparatus (2) is disposed in a water-tight housing (4) under water (6); wherein the water sample line (18) is connected to the underwater line (8) at a connection site (62) between a shipment site (50: 64) for the injection water (6′) and an injection well (56); wherein the data receiving means is located at a distance from the image analysis apparatus (2); and wherein the control means (36) of the image analysis apparatus (2) is connected to the remote data receiving means.
US09689781B2

Sample taking device for extracting a fluid sample from a vessel comprising: a cover portion for closing the vessel such that, in use a headspace is defined between the cover portion and fluid held in the vessel, a sampling chamber comprising a sampling inlet and a sampling outlet, a cannula adapted to provide, in use, fluid communication between the fluid held in the vessel and the sampling chamber through the sampling inlet, and ports to operate the device in at least two operating conditions: a sample preparing condition in which a pressure in the headspace is greater than that of the sampling chamber such that fluid flows through the cannula towards the sampling chamber and can be retained therein, and a sample dispensing condition in which fluid retained in the sampling chamber can be delivered through the sampling outlet and fluid remaining inside the cannula can return to the vessel.
US09689779B2

A method for testing a tire's resistance to pressure loss following a puncture includes inserting a plurality of puncturing objects through a wall of the tire, running the tire with the puncturing objects therein over a given distance with a regulated inflation pressure, stopping the running of the tire, and determining a pressure loss resistance index for each puncture based on an estimate of a leak rate of the puncture. In a first phase of the method, the puncturing objects are made up of pointed smooth-walled objects, such as nails, and the running is performed in such a way that the puncturing objects are not ejected during running. In a second phase of the method, the puncturing objects are made up of objects that are pointed but have walls bearing a screw thread, such as screws, and the running is performed at speeds of below 80 km/h.
US09689776B2

An apparatus including a piston bore, exhibiting a longitudinal axis, and a piston, including a piston head and a piston shaft. The piston being axially displace-able within the piston bore along the longitudinal axis. The piston bore and a first surface of the piston head form a first working volume and displacement of the piston alters the first working volume. The apparatus also includes a first plurality of injectors coupled to the first working volume and a first common rail. The first plurality of injectors are configured to inject a hydraulic fluid from the common rail into the first working volume. The first common rail is configured to store the hydraulic fluid at an elevated pressure of 1,000 bar or greater. The apparatus includes a flow path between the first working volume and a reservoir for the hydraulic fluid.
US09689773B2

A method for diagnosing abrasion of an electric oil pump rotor includes sensing a driving duty of an oil pump control unit, and determining whether the sensed driving duty of the oil pump control unit is below a set reference value, wherein as a result of the determining, when the driving duty of the oil pump control unit is below the set reference value, it is determined that the electric oil pump rotor is in a worn out state.
US09689766B2

A pressure sensor, comprising: a substrate having a measuring membrane, and an electrically conductive cover layer, which has electrical contact elements and is electrically isolated from the substrate by an insulating layer. The cover layer is divided in such a manner that two independent measurements of the respective resistance between two contact elements are possible in two regions electrically isolated from one another. The regions of the cover layer serve to shield external electromagnetic influences from the sensor elements of the measuring membrane, to detect damage to the measuring membrane, as well as for determining exact temperature.
US09689763B2

A cutout portion is formed in a substrate of a magnetic detection device, the cutout portion opening at an outer edge of the substrate. Magnetic detection elements of a magnetic sensor detects magnetic field formed by first and second collector portions. A mold section encapsulates the magnetic detection elements. The magnetic sensor is surface mounted such that a portion of the mold section overlaps with the cutout portion. The first collector portion faces a front surface of the magnetic sensor. A portion of the second collector portion is positioned in the cutout portion to face a rear surface of the magnetic sensor. Accordingly, compared to a case where a cutout portion is not provided, a magnetic circuit gap between the first and second collector portions is reduced.
US09689759B2

A fiber-optic force sensor, comprising an FBG fiber that has a force sensor region, to which bracing means to eliminate or decouple laterally effective forces and bending moments are assigned in such a way that the force sensor has a predominantly single-axis response characteristic to detect merely the magnitude of a force acting axially in the fiber direction.
US09689748B2

An infrared detection element includes a substrate, a lower electrode layer, a pyroelectric layer, and an upper electrode layer. The lower electrode layer is fixed to the substrate, and the pyroelectric layer is formed on the lower electrode layer. The upper electrode layer is formed on pyroelectric layer. The lower electrode layer contains pores therein and has a larger thermal expansion coefficient than the pyroelectric layer.
US09689747B1

Systems that enable observing celestial bodies during daylight or in under cloudy conditions.
US09689739B2

Microelectromechanical (MEMS) sensors and control interfaces, control, interface components, protocols, systems, and methods are described. An exemplary control interface can comprise one or more predefined symbols that facilitate control of a MEMS sensor over an existing pin of a package comprising one or more MEMS sensors. Provided implementations described read/write protocols that enable reading and/or writing internal registers associated with MEMS sensors and/or other electronic components or portions thereof. Embodiments of the subject disclosure can provide flexible and reusable control interfaces for MEMS sensors and associated protocols.
US09689731B2

Meters are described. In one example, a meter includes a totalizer including an electronic circuit and a metering screen, a cap at least partially covering the totalizer, the cap including a window to facilitate viewing of data of the metering screen, and a screen cover mounted on the cap and movable between an open position and a closed position in order to cover the metering screen. In such an arrangement the electronic circuit includes a device for detection of the open position or the closed position of the screen cover, and the detection of the open position or the closed position controls scrolling of data of the metering screen.
US09689721B2

An indicator device for motor vehicles includes a dial, an indicator unit with needle, and a motor device. The indicator device with needle is capable of being rotationally driven around an axis of rotation of the indicator device. The indicator unit with needle is designed to be rotationally driven by a torque generated by the motor device. The indicator device is capable of being operated with a motor device of a first type and with a motor device of a second type. The indicator device includes minimum time information matched with the motor device of the first type and with the motor device of the second type such that the position of the indicator unit with needle is identical for cases where the motor device of the first type or the motor device of the second type is used, and for different preceding displacements of the indicator unit with needle.
US09689716B2

To provide a linear encoder including a scale unit and a slider that slides along the scale unit, wherein the slider includes a slider enclosure including a slider holding unit, a detection head holding unit mounted inside a scale enclosure of the scale unit, and a pillar extending between the outside and inside of the scale enclosure to connect these two holding units, and a part of the pillar closer to the detection head holding unit and a part of the detection head holding unit closer to the pillar are bored by a thickness larger than a thickness of the pillar.
US09689712B2

A position detection device for detecting a position of a movable element in a drive device comprises a carrier having two detecting modules for detecting a position of the movable element, the detecting modules being arranged side-by-side at a predetermined distance and without overlapping. Each detecting module comprises an energizing coil and a receiving coil assigned to the energizing coil and comprising a geometry having one period. The detecting modules are configured to output a position signal when detecting the movable element, so that during a shift of the movable element along the two detecting modules over the predefined distance this distance may be measured as a reference distance on the basis of the position signals.
US09689704B2

One particular example includes a system, comprising a processor and a memory to store instructions that when executed by the processor performs operations, comprising displaying a map of a first area on a display; receiving an instruction to designate a second area on the map to be avoided; displaying the second area to be avoided on the map; and generating a route from a first point to a second point, where the route does not go through the second area to be avoided.
US09689699B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for internationalization of real-world features during navigation. The method includes receiving a request for navigation to a landmark in a particular language. The method further includes retrieving keywords from a database associated with the landmark, and scoring the keywords based on their level of recognition to a user. The highest ranked keywords are then sent to the user to navigate to the landmark.
US09689697B2

The invention relates to a method for operating a navigation system of a motor vehicle by receiving an input by means of an input device of the navigation system, a destination being indicated by way of the input; as well as by determining at least one conceivable route from a starting position to the destination by an arithmetic device of the navigation system by means of filed map data, wherein, for at least one route section of the at least one conceivable route, at least one parameter of at least one wireless communication network is determined by the arithmetic device.
US09689691B2

A method and system for generating a location identification grid and for using a location identification grid. The location identification grid can include a first geographic area that correspond to a pre-existing area. This pre-existing area can correspond to a postal code such as a zip code, a telephone code such as, an area code, or any other desired pre-existing area. The location identification grid can be subdivided into smaller geographic areas to allow more accurate identification of a location. The location identification grid can include a second geographic area. The second geographic area can be a subdivision of the first geographic area. The location identification grid can be used with signals that identify a location within a location identification grid. These signals can include a first component corresponding to the first geographic area and the second component corresponding to one or more second geographic areas.
US09689681B2

A system includes an energy management processing unit that includes a trip planning module, a plurality of estimator modules, and an arbiter module. The trip planning module plans a trip profile specifying power settings based on trip data including a plurality of parameters having expected values. Each of the estimator modules generates an estimation re-plan request when the difference between an expected and experienced respective trip planning parameter value exceeds a threshold. The arbiter module receives at least one estimation re-plan request from the plurality of estimator modules, determines whether a re-plan is to be performed based on at least one of a state of the vehicle system or additional estimation re-plan requests, and provides an arbitrated re-plan request to the trip planning module for re-planning the trip profile when it is determined that a re-plan is to be performed.
US09689679B2

A solid-state gyroscope apparatus based on ensembles of negatively charged nitrogen-vacancy (NV−) centers in diamond and methods of detection are provided. In one method, rotation of the NV− symmetry axis will induce Berry phase shifts in the NV− electronic ground-state coherences proportional to the solid angle subtended by the symmetry axis. A second method uses a modified Ramsey scheme where Berry phase shifts in the 14N hyperfine sublevels are employed.
US09689677B2

A MEMS device includes a drive spring system coupling a pair of drive masses and a sense spring system coupling a pair of sense masses. The drive spring system includes a constrained stiff beam and flexures interconnecting the pair of drive masses. In response to drive movement of the drive masses the flexures enable pivotal movement of the constrained stiff beam about its center hinge point to enable anti-phase drive motion of the drive masses and to suppress in-phase motion of the drive masses. The sense spring system includes diagonally oriented stiff beams and a spring system that enable anti-phase sense motion of the sense masses while suppressing in-phase motion of the sense masses. Coupling masses interposed between the drive and sense masses decouple the drive motion of the drive masses from the sense motion of the sense masses.
US09689670B2

The invention relates to a device for detecting the thickness and crown of plates and strips, belonging to the field of nuclear technology applications. The device comprises a C-frame; two ray source mounted in an upper arm of the C-frame and distributed at an interval along the width direction of a steel plate/strip; two rows of gas-pressurized ionization chamber detector arrays mounted in a lower arm of the C-frame and distributed at an interval along the moving direction of the plate/strip; collimators mounted below the two ray source, the collimators enabling the rays of each ray source to only irradiate to a corresponding row of detectors; pre-amplifier modules connected with the detector arrays; a data collector connected with the pre-amplifier modules; a data processing and displaying computer connected with the data collector; and a cooling water and pressurized air service system and a control system for ensuring system operation and monitoring. The device of the invention is simple in structure and high in dynamic measurement accuracy, and the detectors have the advantages of small temperature drift, irradiation resistance, high spatial resolution, high cost performance and the like.
US09689668B2

A projection pattern as an image obtained by compositing the first two-dimensional pattern image and the second two-dimensional pattern image is projected onto an object, and the object onto which the projection pattern has been projected is captured. The three-dimensional shape information of the object is measured based on the projection pattern and the captured image. When a region formed from one or a plurality of pixels is set as the first unit area, and a region having a size larger than that of the first unit area is set as the second unit area, each first unit area of the first two-dimensional pattern image is assigned with one of a plurality of pixel values, and each second unit area of the second two-dimensional pattern image is assigned with one of the plurality of pixel values.
US09689667B2

The invention relates to a system (21) for receiving a light beam, comprising an array of light sensors (26). The system also comprises a pixelated light switch array (24), in which each switch is adapted to receive at least one portion of the light beam and direct it to the array of light sensors (26), and the pixelated light switch array (24) comprises a higher number of switches than the number of light sensors comprised in the array of light sensors (26).
US09689660B2

An object of this invention is to sense a transient displacement of the blade position to thereby detect abnormalities early. The invention includes: one or more first sensors mounted so as to be removable from an outer surface of a casing opposed to blade tips; a second sensor for acquiring a signal from a fixed point on a rotor shaft of the blades; a section configured to extract data groups from an output signal of the first sensor on the basis of information acquired by the second sensor; a section configured to average the data groups; a section configured to determine thresholds from averaged data obtained under a healthy condition; and an assessing section configured to compare magnitude of the thresholds and sensor signals obtained during blade status monitoring. Since a transient displacement of blade position can be sensed, abnormalities can be detected early in this invention. This early detection, in turn, enables a rotation to be stopped during an initial phase of blade damage. The invention is therefore advantageous in minimizing impacts on other devices.
US09689659B2

The disclosure relates to a method of detecting an object using a detection signal supplied by a proximity sensor. The method comprises the steps of generating a reference signal by filtering the value of the detection signal, defining a first detection threshold, and going from an object non-detecting state to an object detecting state when the value of the detection signal becomes greater than the first detection threshold. When the value of the detection signal becomes greater than the first detection threshold, the value of the reference signal is readjusted in a manner such that the value of the detection signal again becomes less than or respectively greater than, the first detection threshold.
US09689653B2

Systems, devices, and methods are provided for quickly and accurately measuring fastener sizes as disclosed.
US09689650B2

Wing deployment mechanism for deploying a pair of wings from an airborne body, wherein their deployment in motion, each one around an axis, defines the wings' deployment plane relative to the airborne body, and wherein the mechanism is characterized by that it comprises a propelable assembly mounted in the airborne body and suited to a rotational motion around an axis that is substantially orthogonal in its direction to the wings' deployment plane, a pair of arms that are linked, each one, on its one side to the assembly and at distance from the assembly's rotation axis, and on its other side to an end of one of the wings and at a distance from the axis around which the rotational motion of the wing in the wings' deployment plane is enabled, and wherein the link of each one of the arms is performed in a manner that enables angular motion of each of the arms relative to the assembly and to the end of the wing unto which it is linked, and wherein propelling the assembly to rotational motion and actuating a momentum for turning the wing as a result by the arm that is connected to it bring about concurrent rotational motion of the pair of wings in opposing directions and to their deployment on the wings' deployment plane, a method for deploying a pair of wings from an airborne body that is implementable in such mechanism and an airborne body equipped with such mechanism.
US09689648B1

A large caliber, frangible, training projectile imitates, for training purposes, the corresponding tactical projectile. To enable fragmentation of the training projectile at impact, some embodiments of the frangible projectile are partially or entirely made of a material with a lower yield strength than the material used in the counterpart tactical projectile. Some embodiments of the frangible projectile may include portions that are sectioned, welded, or provided with stress risers. Some embodiments of the frangible projectile may include high density particles suspended in a weaker medium. The fragmentation methods may be applied to the overall mass of the projectile, or to a portion of the projectile.
US09689646B1

An adapter system for attaching one or more accessories to an object comprising a first segment and a second segment, the first segment having a first bottom wherein the first bottom further comprises a first bottom chamfered recess having a central pin, the second segment having a second top wherein the second top further comprises a second top chamfered surface configured to be received into the first bottom chamfered recess and having an opening to receive the central pin, wherein one of the first top and second bottom have means of removably or slidably attaching to one or more rails and one of the first top and second bottom have means of removably attaching to one or more devices and wherein one or more of the first bottom chamfered recess and second top chamfered surface further comprises one or more strong magnets or electromagnetic field generating objects.
US09689641B2

A hands free carrier system that enables a hunter to easily and quickly accessed a hunting bow that is carried in a protected, hands-free manner. The system includes a bow with a mounting peg, a waist belt or chest harness mounted holster with an interior pocket that includes a vertically receiver slot. The mounting peg is attached to the bow in an offset location from its center axis so the bow automatically hangs with its longitudinal axis vertically aligned adjacent to the hunter's waist or back when attached to the holster. The peg includes a wide head attached to a narrow post. During use, the bow is positioned over the holster so the peg is oriented over the receiver slot in the holster. When the bow is moved downward, the peg slides into the receiver slot and captures the wide head. In another embodiment, the holster includes a rotating locking disc that engages the wide head that requires a combination movement of rotation and lifting of the bow in order to bow from the holster.
US09689639B1

A crossbow includes a barrel, a fixing member and a limb. The barrel includes a recess defined between the first and second ends of the barrel. The fixing member is engaged with the recess. A pin extends through the barrel and the fixing member to restrict the fixing member from disengaging from the recess. The pin includes a head and a shank which has a groove, a first notch and a second notch. The groove is located between the first and second notches. A positioning unit positions the pin to the barrel. A string is connected between two ends of the limb. The fixing member is able to quickly engaged with or disengaged from the recess of the barrel to quickly assemble or dis-assemble the limb relative to the barrel.
US09689637B1

A padded brace for a firearm includes a body which is arranged for mounting to the underside of the muzzle end of a firearm stock. The padded brace includes a body which presents a forward facing brace portion which presents a surface which is suitable for gripping upright surfaces. A padded portion is fixed underneath the body. The padded portion is suitable for supporting the muzzle end of the firearm on a ledge such as a window sill. In a second embodiment, retractable, folding legs may be mounted to opposite sides of the body of the padded brace.
US09689635B2

The invention relates to a device for prevention of the tensioning of a firing pin spring in the disarming of a hammerless self-loading pistol (1) provided with a lock slide (7), wherein the device can assume a disarming position and a locking position, with: a spring-loadable firing pin (17) with a lug (17a) formed on it for active engagement with a sear (19), which in the cocking position for cocking the firing pin spring protrudes into the path of motion of the lug (17a) and in the disarming position is disengaged from the lug (17a), a trigger bar (27) coupled with a trigger which in the disarming position disengages the sear (19) from the lug (17a), and is characterized by a disarming shaft (15), which in the disarming position enables a movement of the trigger (5) and thus the trigger bar (27) to the front, and a disconnector bar (21) that can be coupled to the trigger bar (27), said disconnector bar being impacted in the disarming position by the lock slide (7) moved to the front and as a result operatively disengaging the sear (19) from the lug (17a) by means of the trigger bar (27). The invention also relates to a self-loading pistol equipped with such a device.
US09689617B2

A pre-chill system for reducing the temperature of air entering a cooling system includes a wicking material sheet and a series of frame segments. The frame segments are operable to secure the wicking material sheet to an outer casing of the cooling system in a path along which air enters the cooling system, each of the series of frame segments including one or more magnets magnetically attachable to the cooling system. A misting system is capable of directing moisture adjacent an outer face of the wicking material sheet. The frame segments are magnetically attachable to the outer casing of the cooling system over the wicking material sheet so as to retain the wicking material sheet against the outer casing with the wicking material sheet held between the frame segments and the outer casing.
US09689611B2

A locking cam stop conducts rotation from a driving part, such as a tire ring, to a driven part, such as a rotary dryer or kiln. The device utilizes clamping cams with logarithmic profiles to secure the tire ring without welding or direct attachment, only frictional force. The cams provide immediate, powerful holding force in the desired direction, while allowing free counter-rotation when necessary. The device utilizes a tension link to maintain sufficient contact with the tire ring, ensuring that the cams will engage and hold the tire ring when necessary.
US09689609B2

Disclosed herein is a portable bag assembly having a drying and sterilization function. The portable bag assembly includes a bag main body configured to form an inner space enabling an article to be received in and removed from the inner space, the partition unit having an openable surface so that access to the inner space is made; a partition unit contained in the bag main body to partition the inner space into multiple regions; a management unit provided in a portion of the bag main body to sterilize an article or to dry a wet article; a controller provided in a portion of the bag main body and electrically connected to the management unit, the controller controlling operation of the management unit; and a wireless communication module electrically connected to the controller to receive a control signal from a wireless terminal and transfer it to the controller.
US09689606B2

A frozen beverage device to convert a liquid beverage into a semi-frozen or frozen form has inner and outer walls forming at least one refrigerant cavity containing a refrigerant material with a freezing point below the freezing point of the liquid, the refrigerant material occupying at least 60% of the volume of the refrigerant cavity. The walls of the device can be squeezed to accelerate the heat transfer from the liquid to the refrigerant material; and the device may be placed in a squeezing apparatus. Where the device is to be disposable, the device can be placed in a flexible sheath or outer container before being squeezed to protect the device and/or insulate the user from the refrigerant material. A freezing spoon or stirrer can be used to assist, or accelerate, the freezing process.
US09689602B2

Embodiments of the subject invention relate to a method and apparatus for thermally protecting a product, such as when storing and/or shipping a product, so as to control the temperatures the products are exposed to. Embodiments can increased the amount of time the product and/or portions of the product experience a desired temperature range and/or reduce the amount of time the product and/or portions of the product experience temperatures outside of the desired temperature range and/or experience an undesirable temperature range. Embodiments can incorporate thermally conductive materials, such as aluminum sheets, positioned around and/or near the product positioned inside a packaging container, such that the conductive materials conduct heat from one or more locations in the interior of the package to one or more other locations in the interior of the package. These thermally conductive materials can be referred to as conductive equalizers. The conductive equalizers can conductively transfer heat from the hotter portions of the interior of the container to cooler portions of the interior of the container and/or from portions of the interior desired to be cooled to the cold bank. Conducting heat from hotter portions to cooler portions, or from portions to be cooled to the cold bank can result in a more uniform temperature distribution around the product.
US09689597B2

An aircraft air conditioning system comprises a plurality of temperature zones and at least one door. Comprises an air-conditioning unit configured to condition and provide air to at least one of the plurality of temperature zones, temperature zone sensors each associated with a temperature zone for measuring the temperature therein, and a control unit. The control unit receives information representing the closing state of a cabin door, and is coupled to the temperature zone sensors and configured to control the temperature of the conditioned air provided to at least one of the plurality of temperature zones in two operation modes. In a first mode, when doors are closed, the temperature control depends on the measured temperatures in the temperature zones. In the second mode, it depends on a set-temperature, independent of the measured temperature in a temperature zone affected by an open door.
US09689592B2

An in-vehicle absorption heat pump device comprises a regenerator; an in-vehicle heat source heating absorbent in the regenerator; a gas-liquid separator; a condenser condensing gas phase separated from the absorbent; an evaporator evaporating a condensate to form vapor; an absorber for bringing the relatively concentrated absorbent in liquid phase in contact with the gas phase to cause the absorbent to absorb the gas phase and be relatively diluted; an absorbent circulation source circulating the absorbent; a bypass passage connecting a liquid-phase storing portion of the gas-liquid separator and the regenerator while bypassing the absorber; and a bypass transfer source in the bypass passage returning the absorbent in the gas-liquid separator to the regenerator. To dilute absorbent in the absorber, a diluent passage allows the condenser and the absorber to communicate and the condensate in the condenser to be supplied to the absorber through the diluent passage by a dilution element.
US09689584B2

Disclosed are exemplary embodiments of system controllers and methods for controlling a climate control system. In an exemplary embodiment, a wireless-enabled climate system controller receives power from one or more power sources. A processor and memory of the controller are configured to monitor power budget availability from the power source(s) for performance of wireless communication by the climate control system controller. The processor and memory are further configured to determine power budget requirements for combinations of communication modes in which the controller is capable of performing wireless communication, and based on the monitoring and determining, configure the controller to perform wireless communication using a selected one of the communication mode combinations. A thermostat can optimize levels of operation and battery life, by determining an appropriate operating mode that could offer the most functionality while not exceeding the power budget available.
US09689572B2

The present application provides a variable volume combustor for use with a gas turbine engine. The variable volume combustor may include a liner, a number of micro-mixer fuel nozzles positioned within the liner, and a conical liner support supporting the liner.
US09689570B2

The present invention relates to a heater including a heating element of which a main component is V, Nb, Ta, Mo, or W, leads bonded to respective ends of the heating element, and an insulating base in which the heating element and the lead are embedded, in which the heating element and the insulating base are formed of a sintered body which is integrally sintered, the heating element includes a compound including at least one of V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W, Mn, or Fe, which is an element different from the element used as the main component of the heating element, and the element is substantially not included around the heating element in the insulating base.
US09689568B2

A solid particle distribution controller includes a plurality of division plates proximate a division between an upstream solid particle conveyance pipe and a plurality of downstream pipes. The solid particle distribution controller also includes a plurality of extension plates. Each of the extension plates is movably mounted proximate to a respective division plate for movement in an upstream and downstream direction with respect to the division plate. The plurality of extension plates are configured and adapted for motion in the upstream and downstream direction independent of one another to extend upstream of the division plates as needed to improve solid particle distribution among the downstream pipes.
US09689563B2

A light-emitting display system has an alignment mechanism to align or angle light-emitting tiles of the display. A first tile connects to a second tile by joining a first clamp portion on the first tile with a second clamp portion on the second tile. In an implementation, the alignment mechanism includes a replaceable angle adjustment insert that is inserted into at least one of the clamp portions, such as the first clamp portion. When the first and second clamp portions are joined, a surface of the second clamp portion presses against the insert and a desired angle between the first and second tile is formed. The insert can have any angle so that any desired angle can be formed between the first and second tiles.
US09689562B2

A lighting module includes a ribbon-like containment body with a web wall having a first and a second face opposite to each other and a pair of side walls extending sidewise of the first face of the web wall to define a channel-like shape of the containment body, a ribbon-like mounting board for mounting light radiation sources, the mounting board being arranged in the channel-like shape of the containment body with a mounting surface facing away from the first face of the web wall of the containment body, and a light radiation source mounted on the mounting surface of the board for projecting light radiation from the channel-like shape of the containment body. The lighting module includes a pair of hook-like profiles protruding from and along the second face of the web wall of the containment body to permit mounting of the lighting module by hooking to a mounting element.
US09689561B2

A lighting unit for a large electrical household appliance includes a base part configured to receive a luminous element and having positive engagement elements, and a top part configured for attachment to the base part through displacement of the top part longitudinally in a connection plane relative to the base part. The top part has in displacement direction a front region which is provided with two gripping hooks for engagement with the positive engagement elements of the base part, with the gripping hooks engaging below the positive engagement elements.
US09689554B1

A lens for distributing light from a light emitter in a desired asymmetric illumination profile includes a lens body having an input side and an output side. The input side receives light from an emitter, and the output side includes primary refractive surface, total internal reflection surfaces, and a secondary refractive surface associated with the total internal refection surfaces. A primary emission axis associated with the emitter is defined through the lens body, and a transverse reference plane is positioned parallel to the primary emission axis. A desired illumination region is located on a first side of the reference plane, and a desired dark region is located on a second side of the reference plane. The primary refractive surface, the total internal reflection surfaces and the secondary refractive surface direct a substantial portion of the light from the emitter to the desired illumination region.
US09689541B2

A hanger bar assembly for a recessed luminaire is disclosed. The hanger bar assembly includes a first hanger bar member having a first attachment structure disposed on an end thereof, and a second hanger bar member having a second attachment structure disposed on an end thereof, the second hanger bar member being adjacent to the first hanger bar member. The first and the second attachment structures each include a first wall having a first fastener aperture and a second wall having a second fastener aperture, the first and second fastener apertures being formed about a common central longitudinal axis.
US09689525B2

Installation of a removable tripod foot is facilitated by a cross-axis aperture in the foot and loosening of the threaded connection of the foot and the tripod's leg is resisted by a resilient element engaging interfacing surfaces of the foot and the leg.
US09689524B2

A panel support (24, 424, 824) comprises an arm (26, 826) having a first portion coupled to a panel (22, 422, 822) and a second portion movable to an extended panel supporting position. A pliable member (28, 828) extends from the panel (22, 422, 822) and is coupled to the arm (26, 826). The pliable member (28, 828) is maintained in tension despite movement of the arm (26, 826).
US09689521B2

A fastening device for fastening an elastic hang-on part for hanging at least a part of an exhaust system on a motor vehicle is provided. The fastening device includes a flange part having a first holding pin, and a mounting part having a second holding pin, wherein the first holding pin and the second holding pin are adapted to, together, hold the elastic hang-on part, wherein the flange part includes a first side portion and a flange plate, wherein the first holding pin extends substantially perpendicular away from the first side portion and the flange plate extends substantially perpendicular in the same direction as the first holding pin away from the first side portion, and wherein the mounting part includes a second side portion and a mounting plate.
US09689518B2

A split retaining ring for a connection assembly adapted for connecting an instrument or other device to a vessel, such as a pressure vessel. The connection assembly includes a base, an instrument or device, and a split retaining ring wherein the split retaining ring includes overlapping end portions. The split retaining ring also includes an annular rib adapted for engaging a ferrule of the instrument or device in order to substantially sealing engage the instrument or device to the base.
US09689516B2

The present invention provides a quick connect coupling with a retention feature that resists inadvertent disconnection of the coupling in a pressurized state.
US09689514B2

A method for making a metal to composite tube joint including selecting an elongated interior fitting constructed with an exterior barrel, reduced in exterior diameter to form a distally facing annular shoulder and then projecting still further distally to form an interior sleeve having a radially outwardly facing bonding surface. Selecting an elongated metal outer sleeve formed proximally with a collar constructed for receipt over the barrel and increased in interior diameter and projecting distally to form an exterior sleeve having a radially inwardly facing bonding surface cooperating with the first bonding surface to form an annulus receiving an extremity of a composite tube and a bond bonding the extremity of the tube to the bonding surfaces.
US09689505B2

It is to realize a valve remote control apparatus capable of driving and controlling, with wireless signals, an air motor configuring an automatic switch to be attached to a manual valve.A valve remote control apparatus is configured to mechanically connect, to a manual operating portion 11 of an existing manual valve 10, an output shaft 21a of an air motor 21 using an air pressure as a drive source, and to remotely control the manual value 10. The valve remote control apparatus includes a solenoid valve (operating valve 53) operated by an operation signal transmitted and received wirelessly between a contact information terminal portion 51 and a contact information operating portion 52. The air pressure for driving and rotating the air motor 21 is supplied via the solenoid valve (operating valve 53).
US09689504B2

An electronic expansion valve and a connector assembly thereof are provided. The connector assembly includes a connector seat hermetically connected to a housing of the electronic expansion valve, and contact pins configured to connect an external control component. The housing has a valve cavity in which an electrical motor is arranged, the connector seat has a sealing cavity in communication with the valve cavity, an insulation sleeve is provided inside the sealing cavity and provided with mounting positions corresponding to terminals of the electrical motor, and the mounting positions are electrically insulated from each other and spaced from each other, the insulation sleeve is further provided with connecting holes, and each contact pin has one end passing through the respective connecting hole to be connected to the respective terminal, and another end extending out of the sealing cavity to form a connecting end to connect the external control component.
US09689502B2

According to one aspect, a rotary exhaust valve system includes an arcuate ring having a first plurality of apertures and a rotary valve ring disposed in an overlapping relation with the arcuate ring. The rotary valve ring has a second plurality of apertures forming therein corresponding to at least some of the first plurality of apertures. A first crank is disposed in a first side of the rotary exhaust valve system, and a second crank is disposed in a second side of the rotary exhaust valve system. The second crank is connected to the first crank and the rotary valve ring, and the first crank actuates the second crank and moves the rotary valve ring such that openings of the first plurality of apertures are closed and opened.
US09689501B2

A slide valve having a valve slide which can be acted on by an actuator in a first direction, and by an impingement device in a second direction which is opposite the first direction, and which may hydraulically connect a first working connection to an inlet connection or to an outlet connection, and a second working connection to the inlet connection or to the outlet connection, with the aid of control sections. A control section associated with the first working connection has a diameter stage and/or an axially extending groove and/or an axially extending flattened portion, so that when the actuator does not act on the valve slide, the first working connection is hydraulically connected to the outlet connection with the aid of the diameter stage and/or the groove and/or the flattened portion.
US09689498B2

A Flush Valve is provided that comprises a plug valve located between a first cleanout and a second cleanout. The plug valve further comprises a plug assembly inserted in a pipe fitting. The Flush Valve may be placed in a drain line of a HVAC system resulting in a first section line and a second section line. A force is applied to a knob of the plug valve closing the plug valve, and a cleanout cap removed from each of the first cleanout and the second cleanout, and suction or a pressure applied to dislodge any debris in the first section line connected to the first cleanout and the second section line connected to the second cleanout. The cleanout caps may then be replaced and the force removed decompressing a spring in the plug valve and opening the plug valve allowing the HVAC system to drain.
US09689497B2

The present invention is to provide a brush seal device capable of following displacement in a radial direction of a rotational shaft appropriately. The brush seal device prevents leakage of process fluid, wear of a brush seal etc., and leakage of process fluid from an outer circumferential side. The brush seal device 100 of the present invention integrally includes an inner circumferential brush seal 120 and an outer circumferential brush seal 140. The inner circumferential brush seal 120 has a brush portion 123 and an inner-circumferential-side free end portion 125 at the inner circumferential side. The outer circumferential brush seal 140 has a brush portion 143 and an outer-circumferential-side free end portion 145 at the outer circumferential side.
US09689494B2

A hydraulic control unit configured to improve energy efficiency is provided. The hydraulic control unit is comprised of: a feeding passage that delivers fluid from at least any of an oil pump and an accumulator storing hydraulic pressure to an actuator; a draining passage that discharge the fluid from the actuator to a drain spot; and a discharging means that is configured to selectively discharge the fluid from the actuator to the accumulator through the feeding passage, if the fluid has to be discharged from the actuator and a pressure of the accumulator is lower than that of the actuator.
US09689493B2

A hydraulic control system for a transmission is provided. The hydraulic control system provides a latching system to retain CVT clutch pressure and/or pulley pressure for one or more CVT torque transmitting mechanisms and/or CVT pulleys in a CVT transmission. Components of the hydraulic control system of the present disclosure may include blow off valves, such as ball check-valves, on the exhaust of the pulley control valves and the exhaust of the CVT clutch control valve(s), and a one-way valve, such as a supply ball check-valve, disposed adjacent to each of the fluid supply inlets of the pulley control valves and the fluid supply inlet of the CVT clutch control valve(s).
US09689490B2

Methods for machine velocity change gear selection and shift execution are disclosed. A current velocity and a maximum velocity change for a work machine from the current velocity may be determined. The maximum velocity change may be based on a maximum amount of energy expended to change the velocity of the work machine without exceeding an operational limit of a work machine component. A selected machine velocity change target gear may be a highest one of the available gears that will not cause a difference between the current velocity and an end of shift velocity of the work machine that is greater than the maximum velocity change so that the maximum amount of energy will not be exceeded. Factors affecting the maximum velocity change may include the grade, the mass of the work machine, and a transmission oil temperature.
US09689488B2

An integrated apparatus for detecting a gear shifting is provide that has a switch and a gear shifting detection controller for detecting a sports mode of a vehicle that are integrally implemented. The apparatus is configured to detect whether the mode is converted in to the sports mode based on a non-contact recognition manner. Therefore, production and assembly processes are simplified for providing the gear shifting detection controller and the switch to a gear shifting detection configuration, thereby reducing production costs, minimizing noise generated when a general gear shifting mode is converted into the sports mode, or the sports mode is converted into the general gear shifting mode. In addition, a lifespan of the switch configured to detect whether the mode is converted into the sports mode is increased.
US09689483B2

A torque converter including a stator, a one way clutch permitting rotation of the stator in a first direction and preventing rotation of the stator in a second opposite direction, and an adapter device including a first adapter portion connected to the stator and a second adapter portion connected to the one way clutch, so that the one way clutch is positioned offset and remote from the stator.
US09689480B2

A linear actuator for moving a load includes a tubular actuator housing, which has an end-side housing bottom and an end-side housing head, a rotatably drivable threaded spindle which is mounted rotatably in the housing bottom of the actuator housing and extends in an interior of the actuator housing from the housing bottom in a direction of the housing head, a piston which comprises a spindle nut, which is in engagement with the threaded spindle, and is guided longitudinally in the actuator housing, and a hollow actuator rod which is assembled with the piston, into which actuator rod the threaded spindle dips, and which actuator rod protrudes out of the actuator housing on the housing head. The linear actuator is configured such that the actuator housing is filled with pressurized oil and gas, the oil and gas being situated in a single volume.
US09689478B2

A brake pedal apparatus with a variable pedal ratio includes a pedal shaft rotatably disposed in a pedal plate. A brake pedal is coupled to the pedal shaft A slider is coupled to the pedal shaft so as to be axially movable relative to the pedal shaft while being capable of rotating together with the pedal shaft. A drive unit may axially move the slider in accordance with a driver's actuation. An adjusting rod is fixed to the slider and is obliquely disposed. A transmission shaft is coupled to the adjusting rod so as to be movable and is coupled to a dual brake valve to operate the dual brake valve. A pedal ratio is adjusted while the adjusting rod moves together with the slider during axial movement of the slider while the transmission shaft is coupled to the dual brake valve.
US09689474B2

Provided is a chain tensioner that is capable of restricting the movement of a plunger at an engagement position, hardly causes its breakage and abrasion even if receiving a great force applied to the plunger, needs no setting for a backlash amount, and allows the engagement position of the plunger to be freely shifted forward and backward. The tensioner body has an engagement member that extends toward and retracts from engagement grooves provided on the outer periphery of the plunger, a press member that presses, in one direction, a cam member which maintains and releases the extending state of the engagement member, and a hydraulic supply path through which oil is supplied to press the cam member in a direction opposite to the pressing direction of the press member.
US09689471B2

A first retaining ring is disposed between a first outer circumferential groove provided in an outer circumferential surface of a radial bearing, and an inner circumferential groove of a cylindrical portion of a transmission case. A ring piece is provided with an outer ring of the radial bearing. The ring piece protrudes outward in a radial direction and is in contact with an output gear side end surface of the cylindrical portion in the axial direction. A return spring urges the piston in a direction opposite to a direction in which the pressure is applied by the piston. The return spring is retained in the axial direction by a second retaining ring. The second retaining ring is locked in a second outer circumferential groove of the ring piece.
US09689469B2

A transmission for a vehicle includes first, second, third and fourth planetary gear set, and a plurality of friction members. Each planetary gear set includes three rotating elements. The friction elements selectively and operably connect the rotating elements of the planetary gear sets to control rotation of the rotating elements. The transmission improves fuel efficiency by increasing the number of gears and enhances driving stability of the vehicle using an operating point in a low RPM range of the engine.
US09689462B2

A centrifugal pendulum device for vibration isolation of a power take-off system of a drive unit, having a first pendulum element with a first mass and a second pendulum element with a second mass, which are set up to counteract vibrations of the drive unit in a resonance range. The first pendulum element has a first resonance range and the second pendulum element has a second resonance range, where the first and the second resonance ranges differ. Using the centrifugal pendulum device it is possible in a small construction space using efficient means to isolate an extended frequency range of vibrations from the drivetrain. In particular, with drive units which are designed as internal combustion engines having activatable cylinders, it is possible, using the centrifugal pendulum device proposed here to achieve a vibration isolation for many states of the drive unit.
US09689452B2

A method for assembling a pendulum-type damping device (1) includes the steps of force-fitting a first end of the spacer (17) into an opening (26) of a first part (3a) of a pendulum mass (3). A support (2) is positioned so that the spacer (17) spans a corresponding opening of the support (2). A roller is positioned between the spacer (17) and the edge of the opening of the support (2). The second end (17b) of the spacer (17) is force fit into an opening (26) of a second part (3b) of the mass (3).
US09689451B2

End mounts are used to secure a helical tension spring to end fixtures with various shapes and sizes. These end mounts contain an inner hole to encase the inner spring end mount and secure the end mount making it like a cap. There is also a keyhole created in the top surface that goes through the end mount allowing it to fit over the fixtures but not over the inner end mount, holding it in place. Grooves are machined in a helical pattern on the cylindrical side wall of the end mount. The spring is wound onto the grooves of the end mount.
US09689444B2

A damped anti-rotational system is provided comprising a pawl carrier having an axis of rotation, a pawl pivotably mounted to the pawl carrier on a pivot joint, the pawl having a contact portion and a counterweight portion, a stop pin axially disposed in the pawl carrier and configured to contact the contact portion of the pawl in response to radially inward movement of the pawl, wherein the stop pin is mounted to the pawl carrier at a forward portion of the stop pin and an aft portion of the stop pin, wherein a forward O ring is disposed on the forward portion of the stop pin and an aft O ring is disposed on the aft portion of the stop pin.
US09689439B2

A clutch device includes a slipper cam mechanism which releases a back torque by moving a clutch center in an axial direction, and a plunger mechanism provided to the clutch center. The plunger mechanism engages with a movement restricting portion until a rotational speed of the clutch center reaches a threshold value thus restricting the movement of the clutch center in the clutch axial direction, and the plunger mechanism is operated by a centrifugal force when the rotational speed of the clutch center exceeds the threshold value such that it disengages from the movement restricting portion.
US09689432B2

A bearing arrangement includes a bearing cover and a bearing block fitting thereon. The bearing block has a recess in the area of the arrangement of the bearing cover, in which the bearing cover can be arranged. The bearing cover has vertically running positioning elements. The bearing cover can be positioned on the bearing block via the vertically running positioning elements.
US09689430B2

A carrier is supported by a case via a bearing. The bearing comprises an inner race, an outer race, rollers, and a retainer. The inner race has a tapered outer peripheral surface, and is fixed to a carrier. The outer race has a tapered inner peripheral surface facing the outer peripheral surface of the inner race, and is fixed to the case. The rollers is disposed between the inner race and the outer race. An end part of the retainer having a larger diameter makes contact with the case via a first member. The larger diameter end part of the retainer makes contact with the case via a second member. By the retainer making contact with the case and the carrier via the first member and the second member, the retainer can reduce friction compared to when making direct contact with the case and the carrier.
US09689429B2

According to a method of assembling a shell type needle roller bearing 10, after both flange portions 11b and 11c of a shell outer ring 11 are formed and a heat treatment 5 is applied to the shell outer ring 11, and either a retainer 13 or a retainer 18 and needles 12 are assembled with the shell outer ring 11, and thus a plating step in the related art is not required. In addition, the retainers 13 and 18 are not thermally affected by the heat treatment, and thus a resin material can be used as the material of the retainers 13 and 18.
US09689428B2

A bearing ring includes a temperature compensation ring made from an elastic material vulcanized or otherwise materially bonded onto an outer surface of the bearing ring, the outer surface being oriented in a radial direction. The bearing ring includes a radially encircling groove, and in an unloaded state of the temperature compensation ring, that is, independently of an application of axial pressure against the temperature compensation ring, the temperature compensation ring fills the groove in an interference-fit manner.
US09689427B2

A tilting pad, preferably for a radial plain bearing which supports a shaft, with a spaced position in relation to a bearing axis and comprising a supporting surface and a bearing surface opposite the supporting surface, whereby the supporting surface is delimited in an axial direction by two lateral surfaces when viewed transversely, and in a circumferential direction by a run-in edge and a run-out edge when viewed in an installation position, and whereby structures aiding removal of lubricant and coolant are provided on the run-out edge; wherein the structures aiding removal of lubricant and coolant on the run-out edge comprise open-edged recesses arranged on the run-out edge spaced apart from one another in an axial direction.
US09689423B2

A cage has a small-diameter annular portion provided between an inner ring and an outer ring on a first side of a bearing in an axial direction and a plurality of cage bars extending from the small-diameter annular portion toward a second side of the bearing in the axial direction. In each of an inner peripheral surface and an outer peripheral surface of the small-diameter annular portion, recessed portions are formed which is each open toward a bearing exterior on the first side of the bearing in the axial direction. An inner wall of each recessed portion has an inclined surface that serves to enlarge a cross section of the recessed portion toward the bearing exterior on the first side of the bearing in the axial direction.
US09689409B2

A hydraulic device having: a housing; a bore of the housing having a first piston positioned therein for a first reciprocal motion within the bore along a bore axis; a mechanical element coupled to the first piston for either driving the first reciprocal motion or being driven by the first reciprocal motion; a second piston positioned in the bore for a second reciprocal motion within the bore along the bore axis; a hydraulic fluid chamber of the bore positioned between the first piston and the second piston, the hydraulic fluid chamber having a hydraulic fluid inlet and a hydraulic fluid outlet; a chamber of the bore positioned between the second piston and a wall of the housing, the chamber for having a resilient element therein; a separator partition dividing the hydraulic fluid chamber into a first hydraulic fluid chamber and a second hydraulic fluid chamber, the separator partition positioned in the bore between the hydraulic fluid inlet and the second piston, the separator partition having a first fluid passageway for fluidly coupling the first hydraulic fluid chamber with the second hydraulic fluid chamber; and a valve for controlling flow in the first fluid passageway of hydraulic fluid between the first hydraulic fluid chamber and the second hydraulic fluid chamber.
US09689402B2

A centrifugal pump impellor includes balancing holes that reduce axial thrust while minimizing the loss of pump efficiency. In one general aspect, the balancing holes penetrate the rear shroud between the blades, and are angled in both axial and rotational directions so as to direct the leakage fluid approximately parallel to the primary process fluid, so that it causes minimal interference with the primary fluid flow. In a second general aspect, the balancing holes extend from the rear cavity within the impellor blades and through the leading edges of the blades, thereby entering the primary flow in locations where the process fluid is almost static relative to the blades. This minimizes the impact on the flow of the process fluid past the blades, and thereby minimizes the loss of pump efficiency caused by the balance holes. In embodiments, each blade leading edge includes a plurality of balancing hole outlets.
US09689398B2

A magnetic bearing body supports a rotating shaft using a combined electromagnetic force of a pair of control electromagnets without contact. A controller detects a control index value based on a first coil current passed through a coil of a first control electromagnet of the pair of control electromagnets which generates an electromagnetic force in the same direction as that of a load exerted on the rotating shaft, the control index value being an index of the degree of margin for error in control depending on a value of the first coil current. And the controller controls a middle value of a pair of coil currents passed through the respective corresponding coils of the pair of control electromagnets so that the control index value approaches a predetermined target index value.
US09689394B2

A coolant pump includes a rotatable rotor shaft, a pulley wheel which co-rotates with and is supported by the rotor shaft, a pump wheel rotatably supported at the rotor shaft, and an electrically switched wedge-coupled wet friction clutch. The wedge-coupled wet friction clutch comprises a clutch support fixed to the rotor shaft, a clutch ring arranged at a proximal side of the pump wheel, a clutch disk comprising a ferromagnetic element, a static electromagnet which axially pulls the clutch disk to the clutch support into a disengaged position when the static electromagnet is energized, and a wedge coupling mechanism. The wedge coupling mechanism comprises a wedge element and a counter-wedge element which are configured to generate an axial wedge force which axially pushes the clutch disk into an engaged position against the clutch ring when the static electromagnet is not energized and the rotor shaft rotates.
US09689391B2

Scroll compressor designs are provided to minimize vibration, sound, and noise transmission. The scroll compressor has a bearing housing, and orbiting and non-orbiting scroll members. The non-orbiting scroll member has a radially extending flanged portion with at least one aperture substantially aligned with the axially extending bore. At least one fastener is disposed within the aperture and the bore. A sound isolation member contacts at least one of the non-orbiting scroll member, the fastener, or the bearing housing, to reduce or eliminate noise transmission. The sound isolation member may be formed of a polymeric composite having an acoustic impedance value greater than the surrounding materials. The sound isolation member may be an annular washer, an O-ring, or a biasing member, by way of non-limiting example. In other variations, fluid passages are provided within the fastener and/or bearing housing to facilitate entry of lubricant oil to further dampen sound and noise.
US09689389B2

Devices and methods for maintaining lubrication of a shaft seal of an open-drive compressor that is operating in a vacuum condition. The external side of the shaft seal allows retention of a volume of lubricant for extending the lifespan of the shaft seal for the open-drive compressor. The devices can also reduce and/or prevent deterioration of the shaft seal regardless of the operation condition of the open-drive compressor. The devices can further reduce and/or prevent leakage of a lubricant and/or refrigerant that can cause deterioration of components within a transport refrigeration unit (TRU).
US09689384B2

A recess into which a protrusion of a plunger seal is to be fitted is provided at a part of a pump head where a plunger is to be inserted into a pump chamber. The plunger seal seals the pump chamber by an outer circumferential surface of the protrusion coming into close contact with an inner circumferential surface of the recess and a surface of a flange on the side of the protrusion coming into close contact with a circumferential edge surface of the recess of the pump head due to the protrusion being fitted into the recess and being pressed by a backup ring toward the pump chamber. The inner circumferential surface of the recess of the pump head and the circumferential edge surface of the recess are covered by a film of an acid-resistant material.
US09689381B2

A system for the recovery of parasitic energy loss in a vehicle includes a magnet and coil arrangement operatively and movable coupled with respect to one another, such that motion of the drive train of the vehicle with respect to the frame components causes relative motion therebetween to thereby induce an electrical current in the coil which may be used or stored in the vehicle.
US09689373B2

Pocket and cup sails formed from flexible materials, especially such sails formed with excess material, have spar like supports attached at their deepest point to maintain the depth of the said sails when the wind fills them so that the sails expand to maximize resistance to the wind coming into the openings of the sails and so that the sails deflate when the wind is coming from the back of the sails to minimize resistance to the wind, the said sails being attached to rotor arms on rotary devices to provide torque, the torque being used to rotate decorative structures including the sails themselves, generate electricity, bring airplane tires up to speed before landing, and/or measure wind speed, and sails optionally having cuffs on the inside to help the sails inflate and/or maintain inflation by minimizing spillage of air.
US09689372B2

A vertical-axis wind turbine apparatus is disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the apparatus provides a substantially vertically-oriented main shaft. A blade assembly is coaxially aligned with and rotatably engaged about the main shaft. The blade assembly provides an at least one blade radially projecting therefrom. A housing is rotatably engaged with the main shaft and configured for selectively encompassing the blade assembly. A first screen is integral with the housing and configured for shielding a return portion of the blade assembly. A second screen is rotatably engaged with the housing and configured for selectively moving between a retracted position, wherein the second screen is positioned substantially adjacent to the first screen such that a catch portion of the blade assembly is exposed, and a deployed position, wherein the second screen is rotated away from the first screen for at least partially shielding the catch portion from the wind.
US09689369B2

The present invention relates to a way to convert energy from a fluid flow, using a fluid-flow transducer, having a frame anchorable against the flow, an elongated conveyor supported by the frame, and a plurality of vanes distributed along the conveyor, adapted to engage the fluid flow and to drive the conveyor in response to urging of the fluid flow, in combination with a power take-off coupled to be driven by the conveyor and adapted to drive a load.
US09689358B2

A second sensor includes a lead wire and is exposed to intake air flowing through a passage outside a housing. A conduction body is conductively-joined to the wire. A lead hole opens on an exposed surface, and the wire or the conduction body is pulled out of the passage through the hole. A predetermined terminal is conductively-joined to the wire or the conduction body which is pulled out through the hole. A mold part is provided by injection-molding from resin fluid to seal a conductively-joined part between the wire or the conduction body and the predetermined terminal. The hole is filled up with a filler material to limit leakage of intake air from the passage. A high resilient part has higher resilience than the filler material and is located between the filler material and the mold part to receive injection pressure at time of the injection-molding of the mold part.
US09689340B2

A controller integrated fuel pump module may include a receiving part formed on an outer surface of a flange assembled in a fuel tank, a PCB assembly configured by mounting elements of a controller to a PCB, wherein the PCB assembly is molded by a molding part while being received in the receiving part, and a convexo-concave portion having a shape in which recesses and bosses, the convexo-concave portion being repeatedly formed on an inner surface of the receiving part, such that a bonding force between the receiving part and the molding part is increased by the convexo-concave portion.
US09689325B2

A purge pump is installed in a purge conduit, which forms a purge passage that communicates between an inside of a canister and an air intake passage. When a pressure of the air intake passage is equal to or smaller than a predetermined pressure, a large quantity of evaporative fuel, which is larger than a predetermined purge quantity, is introduced into the air intake passage. At this time, a pump electric power supply device supplies a relatively small amount of the electric power to the purge pump to run the purge pump. When the pressure of the air intake passage is larger than the predetermined pressure, the purge pump is driven to pump the evaporative fuel into the air intake passage. At that time, the pump electric power supply device supplies a relatively large amount of the electric power to the purge pump.
US09689317B2

A system and method for operating a gas turbine include a controller that determines, for at least one combustion instability, a frequency; a quantification of the frequency or a quantification of the frequency through time; and, optionally, a phase and/or an amplitude. The logic also causes the controller to compare the frequency, the quantification of the frequency or the quantification of the frequency through time, the phase, and/or the amplitude of the at least one combustion instability to an associated predetermined limit. When the frequency is actionable relative to its predetermined limit and one of the quantification of the frequency or the quantification of the frequency through time is actionable relative to its respective predetermined limit, at least one parameter of the gas turbine is adjusted. The quantification of the frequency is one of the standard deviation, the coefficient of variation, the index of dispersion, and the variance.
US09689312B2

The invention concerns a gas turbine engine component (27) comprising an outer ring (21), an inner ring (20), a plurality of circumferentially spaced elements (22) extending between the inner ring (20) and the outer ring (21), wherein an annular load transfer structure (23) extends circumferentially along an inner side of the inner ring (20) and also inwards in a radial direction of the component (27). The first portion (23a), at least along a part of the circumference, is inclined in the radial direction in relation to a second portion (23b), wherein the two inclined portions (23a, 23b) are connected in a connection zone (26) between the inclined portions (23a, 23b), and wherein a radial and/or axial position of the connection zone (26) varies along the circumference such that the radial/axial position of the connection zone in a location that circumferentially corresponds to a first element (22a), i.e. in a first circumferential location (A), is radially and/or axially different from the radial/axial position of the connection zone (26) in-between the first element (22a) and an adjacent second element (22b), i.e. in a second circumferential location (B).
US09689311B2

The present invention relates to a method for detecting performance of the lubricant cooler in aircraft auxiliary power unit APU, comprising: acquiring APU-related messages within a time period; obtaining the operation parameters of the APU lubricant cooler, the operation parameters comprise: lubricant temperature OT and load compressor inlet temperature LCIT; the revised lubricant temperature OT is obtained by the following formula: the revised lubricant temperature=lubricant temperature OTA−the load compressor inlet temperature LCIT; determining the performance of the APU lubricant cooler is in stable phase, decline phase or malfunction phase according to the change trend of the revised lubricant temperature OT with respect to time.
US09689309B2

Systems, methods, and apparatus are provided for generating power in combined low emission turbine systems and capturing and recovering carbon dioxide from the exhaust. In one or more embodiments, the exhaust from multiple turbine systems is combined, cooled, compressed, and separated to yield a carbon dioxide-containing effluent stream and a nitrogen-containing product stream. Portions of the recycled exhaust streams and the product streams may be used as diluents to regulate combustion in each combustor of the turbine systems.
US09689294B2

A rotary exhaust heat recovery apparatus may include an exhaust gas pipe including a bypass path into which a high-temperature exhaust gas is introduced and bypassed and an extension part extending from a side of the bypass path in a semi-cylindrical shape to allow the exhaust gas to pass and a semi-cylindrical heat exchanger rotatably accommodated within the exhaust gas pipe, allowing heat exchange to be performed between the high-temperature exhaust gas supplied from the bypass path and a low-temperature coolant introduced through a coolant inlet, in which a side surface of the heat exchanger includes a diameter surface formed as a flat surface and an arc surface formed as a curved surface, and the diameter surface of the heat exchanger has a surface with a rotation axis of the heat exchanger as a reference thereof which is closed and another surface provided with exhaust gas inlets.
US09689283B2

A valve opening/closing timing control device is configured to be capable of appropriately setting a valve opening/closing timing within a short period of time from start-up of an internal combustion engine. An advancing chamber and a retarding chamber for relative phase control are formed between a driving rotating body that rotates synchronously with a drive shaft of an internal combustion engine and a driven rotating body that rotates integrally with a valve opening/closing camshaft, and a lock mechanism that locks the relative rotation phase at a locked phase is provided. During start-up of the internal combustion engine, a controller starts fluid-filling control for filling the advancing chamber and the retarding chamber with a fluid, and performs unlock control for releasing a locked state of the lock mechanism before filling of the fluid by the fluid-filling control is completed.
US09689281B2

An Organic Rankine Cycle system includes a turbine driven by a working fluid and a generator driven by the turbine. The turbine includes a rotor volume that is at sub-atmospheric pressure, and the working fluid is sprayed into the rotor volume. The turbine can be arranged in a primary circuit that also includes, in flow series from the turbine, a condenser, a first pump, and an evaporator. The rotor volume can be arranged in a secondary cooling circuit that includes, in flow series from the rotor volume, a heat exchanger, a second pump, and a restriction valve located downstream of the second pump and upstream of the rotor volume.
US09689280B2

A gas turbine plant including a gas turbine and a compressor is provided with a steam turbine plant including a steam turbine and a condenser, and, an exhaust heat recovery boiler. Steam from the exhaust heat recovery boiler is directly flown to the condenser of the steam turbine plant through a bypass control valve. A pressure sensor detects pressure in a turbine bypass system. A controller outputs, based on a set value from an input device and a process value from the pressure sensor, an open level instruction value to the control value so as to make the process value consistent with the set value in a predetermined sampling cycle. A corrector corrects the set value from the input device in a direction in which the open level instruction value decreases when the open level instruction value from the controller becomes a value that substantially fully opens the control valve.
US09689272B2

A gas turbine includes a turbine blade, a turbine vane, a ring segment circumferentially surrounding the turbine blade, an outer shroud circumferentially surrounding the turbine vane, and a combustion gas flow-path provided in the ring segment and the outer shroud. The outer shroud is positioned on an upstream side of the ring segment in a gas flow direction of the combustion gas. Seal gas, of which temperature is lower than that of the combustion gas, is fed between the ring segment- and the outer shroud into the combustion gas flow-path. The outer shroud has a guide surface that is provided on an inner circumference thereof on a downstream side of the gas flow direction. The guide surface is formed such that a flow passage area of the combustion gas flow-path is gradually increased.
US09689258B2

A water-preserved-mining roof-contacted filling method for controlling fissure of overlying strata and surface subsidence. The method is suitable for controlling fissure of overlying strata and surface subsidence in water-preserved-mining of a mine. A sensor is mounted at the top of a goaf of a filling working face where water-preserved-mining is carried out, and a filling body that is filled is monitored through a stress display device so as to determine whether the goaf is roof-contacted or separated. When the filling body is separated after roof-contacted, the goaf is filled for the second time so as to be roof-contacted fully, so that the purpose of controlling fissure of overlying strata and surface subsidence can be achieved, and protective mining of water resources of the mine can be realized at last. The method is simple and targeted, and has strong operability and high efficiency.
US09689257B2

A guide rail rope deflection inhibition mechanism and method for a parallel soft cable suspension system in ultradeep vertical shaft construction. The guide rail rope deflection inhibition mechanism comprises a T-shaped installation support base, a rotating frame, a hydraulic support rod, and a chuck. The T-shaped installation support base comprises a vertical support rod and a horizontal support rod. The hydraulic support rod comprises an upper hydraulic support rod and a lower hydraulic support rod. The rotating frame comprises an upper Y-shaped frame and a lower Y-shaped frame. The chuck comprises an upper chuck and a lower chuck. The guide rail rope deflection inhibition method treats two guide rail rope deflection inhibition mechanisms as one group, and arranges at least two groups along the vertical direction on the shaft wall. While guaranteeing the smooth sliding of a direction guiding frame, the freedom of the guide rail rope part is restrained by the chuck, thereby enhancing the stability and safety of hoisting containers.
US09689252B2

A system and method utilizing a painted joint simulator to reduce the time required to conduct a dummy run in order to space out subsea test equipment within a blow-out preventer. In certain embodiments, a heavy weight fluid is injected into a chamber of the joint in order to assist in its downhole descent speed. In other embodiment, a high pressure fluid is injected into a second chamber of the joint in order to force the heavy weight fluid out of the joint in order to assists in the assent back to the surface. Other embodiments include an umbrella assembly that assists in the descent or assent of the painted joint.
US09689244B2

Process for water-wetting oil-wet surfaces by applying an aqueous formulation comprising at least one wettability modifier which is a water-soluble ester of an alkoxylated saccharide to the oil-wet surface. The oil-wet surfaces may be any hydrophobic surfaces such as the rocks of subterranean oil-bearing formations.
US09689243B2

In a production apparatus for pumping production fluid to the surface of a well, a progressive cavity pump with a stator and a rotor in which the rotor has an extension which rests on a thrust bearing, lubricated by production fluid.
US09689235B1

A well structure for providing drinking water. The well structure includes slotted horizontal collectors connected laterally to a fitting connector. A well casing is connected to a top of the fitting connector. The fitting connector is positioned in a bottom of the well bore such that the horizontal collectors are perpendicular to groundwater flow. Crushed stones are deposited in a lower portion of the well bore and allow groundwater to flow down and into the slots of the horizontal collectors. A geotextile filter fabric is placed over the crushed-stone fill. A pump is placed in the well casing to pump the groundwater to the land surface. A loam soil fill is deposited over the geotextile filter fabric. A seal is placed around the well casing under the land surface. A vented, removable cap with a rubber seal is placed over a top of the well casing and secured.
US09689226B2

An improved method and apparatus for dropping a ball, plug or dart during oil and gas well operations (e.g., cementing operations) employs a specially configured tool body assembly having valving members (e.g., safety or kelly values) and valving members holding plugs, balls, or darts to be dropped. In one embodiment, the ball(s), dart(s) or plug(s) are contained in a sliding sleeve that shifts position responsive to valve rotation. An optional indicator indicates to a user or operator that a ball or plug has passed a selected one of the valving members. A transmitter (or transceiver) provides an ability to generate a wireless signal that is received by receivers (or transceivers) on the tool body assembly. Each receiver (or transceiver) controls an electrical actuator that engages a valving member or the indicator. Wireless signals can be used to open or close a valve or to reset a “tripped” indicator.
US09689221B2

A setting tool comprises a centralizer section, a latching section configured to selectively engage the packer, and a setting section configured to provide a setting force to the packer through the setting sleeve. The centralizer section is configured to centralize a setting sleeve within a packer, and the centralizer section is configured to control the rate at which the setting sleeve engages the packer.
US09689219B2

A method for activating a shifting tool comprises introducing a shifting tool in a desired wellbore zone where it is exposed to a pre-determined hydrostatic pressure. The shifting tool comprises at least one key that is configured to be expanded and released from a retracted position when the shifting tool is subjected to the pre-determined hydrostatic pressure.
US09689215B2

The present invention is a computer controlled reel apparatus, system and method of using same that may generally maintain constant tension on a reel umbilical.
US09689211B2

A wireline connector device (10) for use in wireline intervention operations comprises a housing (18) connected to a first wireline conduit (L), a piston sleeve (46) located within the housing, and a collet device (60) configured to receive and retain a second wireline conduit, the collet device having a plurality of collet fingers (58) arranged within the piston sleeve, which is movable within the housing to open and close the collet fingers. Optionally a restrictor (57) can be configured to control the movement of the piston sleeve, and can be adjustable to lock the piston sleeve in the second position when the collet fingers are closed around the second wireline conduit. Typically at least one indicator rod (55) projects from the housing, and the piston sleeve engages indictor rod in the second position.
US09689195B2

Vacuum insulating glass (VIG) units and edge seals for VIG units are provided. The VIG units include an edge seal that includes a viscous material, and is configured to allow the glass sheets to move laterally relative to one another when the glass sheets experience differential thermal strain and further configured such that viscous shear occurs within at least a portion of the viscous material when there is relative lateral movement between the glass sheets. The edge seals comprise a cavity that contains at least a portion of the viscous material, wherein at least a portion of a boundary defining the cavity is reversibly expandable and collapsible such that the viscous material and the cavity are configured to maintain volume compatibility when one or both of the viscous material and the cavity undergo a temperature-induced volume change.
US09689182B2

A vehicle door latch controller is provided in which the operation of a latch release electric motor for driving a ratchet is controlled so as to pivot the ratchet from the ratchet engagement position to the ratchet release position in response to detecting a latch release intention of the vehicle driver in a fully-latched state, wherein a control unit actuates the latch release electric motor so as to pivot the ratchet to the ratchet engagement position after a predetermined time has elapsed since it has detected that the ratchet is at the ratchet release position and actuation of the latch release electric motor has been stopped after the latch release electric motor has started actuating so as to pivot the ratchet from the ratchet engagement position to the ratchet release position. Such controller prevents opening a door undesirably, even if releasing of a latched state is erroneously carried out.
US09689179B2

A padlock including a lock body, a shackle having two shanks with grooves for receipt of respective locking elements, and a pin which can be rotated by a lock cylinder core for moving the locking elements into their locking position. The pin has an engagement element configured to cooperate with an entrainer formation on the lock cylinder core. The padlock also includes a blocking plate located between the pin and the lock cylinder core and which is fastened in the lock body. The blocking plate has an opening through which the entrainer formation projects into the plane of the engagement element. The opening is configured such that, on the one hand, rotational movement of the lock cylinder core is possible and, on the other hand, a marginal region of the opening forms an abutment engageable with the entrainer formation for restricting rotational movement of the lock cylinder core.
US09689177B2

A rackable fence is provided with a rail, picket carrier, and plurality of pickets. The rail defines a rigid inverted U-shaped cross-section. The picket carrier includes a top span residing within and extending across the interior of the rail. The pickets are pivotally attached to the picket carrier and pivotable toward the rail.
US09689172B1

A movement assistance device for a spa cover is described and which includes a moveable spa cover portion, and a pair of pneumatic cylinders which cooperate with a housing mounted on one of the spa cover portions, and which further assists in the movement of one of the spa cover portions relative to the other spa cover portion, and a third pneumatic cylinder is provided and which allows movement of each of the respective spa cover portions to a non-occluding position relative to the spa so as to allow use of the spa.
US09689167B2

A tile leveler contains a pressing seat, a retainer, and a direction changing unit. The pressing seat includes a protruded post extending upwardly from a top thereof, a threaded orifice defined in the protruded post, and a rotary extension extending outwardly from the protruded post. The retainer includes a connecting column formed on a top thereof, a connection rod defined on a middle section thereof, an inserting plate arranged on a bottom thereof, and two retaining portions, wherein each retaining portion is formed on each of two sides of a top of the inserting plate. The direction changing unit includes a first direction changer and a second direction changer which contact with each other. The first direction changer has a first recess, a first slot, and first outer threads. The second direction changer has a second recess, a second slot, and second outer threads.
US09689153B2

A seamless undermount stainless steel sink system includes a solid countertop constructed of granite, marble, quartz stone, quartzite, porcelain, glass, engineered stone, multi-layered and/or composite materials, and having a sink mounting aperture defining an inner periphery disposed therethrough. The system also includes a stainless steel sink having a sidewall with a rimless upper edge defining an outer periphery therearound. A mounting assembly is attached to a portion of the stainless steel sink at a predetermined mounting depth below the rimless upper edge, and an interface is formed between the stainless steel sink and the solid countertop. A sealing assembly is disposed in the interface between the rimless upper edge of the stainless steel sink and the solid countertop to prevent water, food, or other debris from getting in between the stainless steel sink and the solid countertop.
US09689149B2

A flow control valve includes a valve inlet configured to receive a fluid, a valve outlet configured to output the fluid, and a valve member assembly for controlling the fluid flow through the flow control valve. The valve member assembly and the valve inlet are configured such that, when in use, fluid flowing through the flow control valve exerts substantially no net force on the valve member assembly.
US09689140B2

A construction machine control system for a construction machine that includes a work machine including a boom, an arm, and a bucket includes: an adjusting device having a movable spool and being capable of adjusting an amount of operating oil supplied to a hydraulic cylinder that drives the work machine with movement of the spool; an operation command unit adjusting the spool; a storage unit storing a plurality of pieces of correlation data indicating a relation between a cylinder speed of the hydraulic cylinder and an operation command value of operating the hydraulic cylinder according to a type of the bucket; an acquiring unit acquiring type data indicating the type of the bucket; and a control unit selecting one piece of correlation data from the plurality of pieces of correlation data based on the type data and controlling the operation command value based on the selected correlation data.
US09689127B2

A snow melting assembly includes a cart that may contain snow thereby facilitating the snow to be melted. A lid is hingedly coupled to the cart such that the lid is positionable between an open position and a closed position. An agitation unit is coupled to the cart such that the agitation unit may stir the snow within the cart. A heating unit is coupled to the cart such that the heating unit may melt the snow within the cart. A plurality of wheels is coupled to the cart such that the cart may be rolled along a support surface. A handle is movably coupled to the cart such that the handle may be manipulated.
US09689123B2

A safety warning device includes an integrally formed telescopic warning body which is a flexible bellows-shaped tube having a bottom end, a top end, and a bellows section connecting the top end and the bottom end. As a result, the telescopic warning body can be compressed and elongated by an external force, thereby minimizing the volume and facilitating the moving of the safety warning device, as well as achieving the goal of extending the usage life and having better safety.
US09689113B2

An object is to obtain a pattern-transferred product excellent in fastness to washing. To achieve the object, the invention provides: a transfer film (10) including a transfer sheet (11) and a solvent UV ink layer (2) formed on the transfer sheet (11); and a transfer method including a hot-pressing step of sticking the transfer film (10) to the print object (20) and then hot-pressing the transfer film (10).
US09689112B2

Polyurethane floor covering products are formed from a web layer containing at least 30% by weight fibers. A cooled polyurethane foam formulation which includes at least one polyisocyanate, water and at least one polyol having an equivalent weight of at least 500 is applied to the web layer. The wetted web layer is then compressed to mechanically wet out the fibers, gauged and heated to cure the foam formulation.
US09689111B2

Described herein are modification of fabrics using a microwave initiation technique to produce a porous coating on the fibers providing adsorbent properties as well as the potential for further modification. In embodiments, the fabric incorporates a periodic mesoporous organosilica compound (PMO) optionally bound to a porphyrin or other functional group, and/or a catalyst or optical indicator.
US09689106B2

An antimicrobial supply system employs a process water supply and incorporates a metallic ion supply connected to the process water supply to provide a high ion concentrate to an output. A dilution reservoir is connected to the metallic ion supply output and has an input from the process water supply. A pump is connected to an output of the reservoir. A manifold connected to the pump provides a dilute concentrate to at least one washing system. An electronics control module is connected to a first flow controller between the process water supply and the metallic ion supply and a second flow controller between the metallic ion supply and the reservoir for dilution control establishing a desired metallic ion concentration.
US09689105B2

An additive dispenser for an automatic washing machine includes a container with a compartment for a wash additive. The compartment has a siphon system and a water fall on a wall of the compartment. A flow homogenizing system at the entrance of the dispenser includes: (a) a connection nozzle with an inner part, where the connection nozzle allows communication with a source of wash water, and the inner part of the connection nozzle has two areas with a different size to produce a Venturi effect; and (b) a damping tank with a container and a cover. The homogenizing system homogenize the wash water flow which enters. A perimeter pathway for the transfer of the wash water is formed by the container and the cover; and a deflector to direct the wash water flow which travels through the perimeter pathway.
US09689103B2

This disclosure is directed to a washer that will not start the wash sequence until each door is securely fastened shut. In exemplary embodiment, the washer may include at least one door having a locking mechanism that has at least one locking pin. The locking pin may be moved from an unlocked position to a locked position. When the door is shut, the locking pin may be received in a locking pin slot that is disposed in the body of the washer. The locking mechanism may also include a locking bracket that may be engaged with a locking hasp only when the locking pin is in the locked position. The washer may also include a sensor in communication with the controller. The controller only permits the operation of the washer when the sensor detects the locking bracket is engaged with the locking hasp.
US09689102B2

A washing machine is disclosed. The washing machine includes a casing, and a state sensing unit for sensing tilt of a predetermined angle or more of the casing or vibration of a predetermined magnitude or more applied to the casing. The state sensing unit includes a switching conductive element configured to move according to the tilt or the vibration, a contact electrode, and a guide electrode configured to guide movement of the switching conductive element and to be electrically connected to the contact electrode through the switching conductive element when the switching conductive element contacts the contact electrode.
US09689098B2

The method of producing a spunbond nonwoven fabric promotes the bleed out of the additive, which has pleasant texture such as tactile feel and excellent flexibility. The spunbond nonwoven fabric is obtained by this method. Specifically, (1) the method of producing a spunbond nonwoven fabric includes annealing a spunbond nonwoven fabric formed by using a crystalline resin composition (I) containing a low crystalline olefin polymer (a) with an elastic modulus of 10 to 450 MPa in a content of 1 to 50% by mass, a high crystalline olefin polymer (b) with an elastic modulus of 500 to 2,000 MPa, the content of the component (b) being the rest, and an additive (c) in a content of 1 to 20,000 ppm by mass. Furthermore, (2) the method of producing a spunbond nonwoven fabric includes annealing a spunbond nonwoven fabric formed by using a core-sheath composite fiber containing a crystalline resin composition (I) as the sheath component; and a crystalline resin composition (II) as the core component containing a high crystalline olefin polymer (b′) with an elastic modulus of 500 to 2,000 MPa.
US09689084B2

Disclosed are electrodeposition systems and methods wherein at least three electrodes are placed in a container containing a plating solution. The electrodes are connected to a polarity-switching unit and include a first electrode, a second electrode and a third electrode. The polarity-switching unit establishes a constant polarity state between the first and second electrodes in the solution during an active plating mode, wherein the first electrode has a negative polarity and the second electrode has a positive polarity, thereby allowing a plated layer to form on a workpiece at the first electrode. The polarity-switching unit further establishes an oscillating polarity state between the second and third electrodes during a non-plating mode (i.e., when the first electrode is removed from the plating solution), wherein the second electrode and the third electrode have opposite polarities that switch at regular, relatively fast, intervals, thereby limiting degradation of the second electrode and/or the plating solution.
US09689081B2

The invention relates to methods and plating baths for electrodepositing a dark chromium layer on a workpiece. The trivalent chromium electroplating baths comprise sulphur compounds and the methods for electrodepositing a dark chromium layer employ these trivalent chromium electroplating baths. The dark chromium deposits and workpieces carrying dark chromium deposits are suited for application for decorative purposes.
US09689073B2

A roll-to-roll electroless plating system, including a plating tank containing plating solution, and a web advance system for advancing a web of media along a web-transport path that passes through the plating tank. One or more fluid guides are positioned within the plating tank to redirect plating fluid containing gas bubbles introduced by a gas bubble source away from the web of media as it is advanced through the plating solution in the plating tank.
US09689067B2

Provided is a method by which a low-oxygen and high-density molybdenum target can be efficiently obtained, while fully utilizing the characteristics of each molybdenum (Mo) starting material powder. The present invention provides a method for producing a molybdenum target, wherein a mixed powder that is obtained by mixing a molybdenum powder A, which is prepared by reducing molybdenum oxide and then crushing the resulting so as to have an average particle diameter of 2-15 μm, and a molybdenum powder B, which is prepared by crushing a molybdenum bulk starting material having a density of not less than 6.64×10 (kg/m3) so as to have an average particle diameter of 50-2,000 μm, is sintered under pressure.
US09689060B2

This high-strength hot-rolled steel plate contains specific amounts of C, Si, Mn, Al, V and also Ti and/or Nb so as to fulfill C−12(V/51+Ti/48+Nb/93)>0.03, and the rest consists of iron and unavoidable impurities. Ferrite is the main microstructure, the remaining microstructure is one or more selected from the group consisting of bainite, martensite and retained austenite, wherein the average particle diameter of precipitated carbides (the total content of V, Ti and Nb is 0.02% or greater) in the ferrite is less than 6 nm.
US09689046B2

Methods that may be used for the electrochemical detection of multiple parameters, including chemical compounds. Further provided are cells that may be used in the electrochemical detection of multiple parameters, including chemical compounds, as well as a kit for the electrochemical detection of multiple parameters, including chemical compounds.
US09689044B2

Provided herein are MiIP-Seq assays and methods for detecting and/or identifying an immune-stimulating microbe in a patient sample. Also provided herein are methods for diagnosing an infectious disease or identifying a previously uncharacterized microbe in a patient sample. The methods and assays described herein are advantageous over existing methods in that they (i) do not require a culture step for microbe expansion, (ii) are not specific for a particular microbe and can be used to identify a previously uncharacterized microbe, and (iii) permits rapid processing due to the lack of a microbe culture step.
US09689038B2

Described herein is a treatment comprising the following step: (a) injecting a therapeutically effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition into the celiac artery of an individual, wherein the pharmaceutical composition reverses recent onset Type 1 Diabetes (T1D). Also described is a method for identifying an individual who will be responsive to this treatment. In addition there is described a device containing the pharmaceutical composition for injecting the pharmaceutical composition into the celiac artery.
US09689036B2

Methods for diagnosing inflammatory bowel disease and ulcerative colitis using miRNA biomarkers for these diseases are provided. Differential expression of the miRNA biomarkers in blood fractions, e.g., platelets, of diseased individuals as compared to expression levels in normal individuals indicates the presence of IBD or ulcerative colitis. Also provided are microarrays for use in the diagnostic methods, wherein the features of the microarray consist essentially of nucleic acid sequences that hybridize to the miRNA biomarkers and normalization controls.
US09689035B2

The present invention relates generally to 3′-OH unblocked nucleotides and nucleosides labeled and unlabeled with 5-methoxy-substituted nitrobenzyl-based photocleavable terminating groups for use in methods and systems related to DNA and RNA sequencing and analysis. These compounds may be used as reversible terminators as they exhibit fast nucleotide incorporation kinetics, single-base termination, high nucleotide selectivity, and rapid terminating group cleavage that results in a naturally occurring nucleotide.
US09689033B2

Methods and compositions for characterizing a target polynucleotide, including, characterizing the sequence of the target polynucleotide, using the fractional translocation steps of the target polynucleotide's translocation through a pore.
US09689031B2

The invention is in general directed to the rapid exponential amplification of short DNA or RNA sequences at a constant temperature.
US09689024B2

This disclosure provides microwell capsule array devices. The microwell capsule array devices are generally capable of performing one or more sample preparation operations. Such sample preparation operations may be used as a prelude to one more or more analysis operations. For example, a device of this disclosure can achieve physical partitioning and discrete mixing of samples with unique molecular identifiers within a single unit in preparation for various analysis operations. The device may be useful in a variety of applications and most notably nucleic-acid-based sequencing, detection and quantification of gene expression and single-cell analysis.
US09689023B2

This invention relates to methods for molecular detection, particularly to methods utilizing target-specific molecular probes. In exemplary embodiments, target-specific molecular probes include single-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or ribonucleic acid (RNA) aptamers. In general, the molecular probe may bind with relatively high specificity to a given target. In one aspect, a method for molecular detection comprises a molecular probe paired to a reporter molecule wherein the molecular probe impairs the amplification of the reporter molecule in the absence of the target molecule.
US09689021B2

The present invention relates to methods for determining the concentration of a free beta-lactam antibiotic in a biological sample. In particular, the present invention relates to methods for measuring a free beta-lactam antibiotic in a biological sample, comprising the steps of: (a) providing at least one class C beta-lactamase, a functional fragment or variant thereof; (b) providing at least one biological sample; (c) contacting said at least one class C beta-lactamase with said at least one biological sample; and (d) determining the concentration of said free beta-lactam antibiotic in said at least one biological sample.
US09689019B2

Disclosed is a biomarker composition for diagnosing the toxicity of nanoparticles, which shows a change in expression by exposure to the nanoparticles, the biomarker composition comprising at least one gene selected from the group consisting of aldehyde dehydrogenase, glutamic-pyruvate transaminase, glutamate dehydrogenase, glutamicoxaloacetic transaminase, glutamic acid decarboxylase and glutamate-ammonia ligase, and to a method for evaluating the toxicity of nanoparticles using the same. The biomarker is a gene marker having a high correlation with the toxicity of nanoparticles, and the use of the biomarker can determine whether nanoparticles have toxicity, with high detection sensitivity. Also, the method is useful in monitoring or evaluating the toxicity of nanoparticles by analyzing factors having a high correlation with toxicity of nanoparticles. Furthermore, the method can be effectively used as a tool for studying various diseases caused by exposure to nanoparticles or evaluating the effects of nanoparticles on health.
US09689018B2

The present invention generally relates to the field of diagnostic microbiology, and, more particularly, to compositions and methods for detecting and differentiating one or more viruses or other intracellular parasites present in a specimen. The present invention also provides compositions and methods to evaluate the susceptibility of organisms to antimicrobial agents.
US09689010B2

Described is chondroitin sulfate obtained from microbial sources, and related compositions and methods.
US09689006B2

A non-naturally occurring eukaryotic or prokaryotic organism includes one or more gene disruptions occurring in genes encoding enzymes imparting increased fumarate, malate or acrylate production in the organism when the gene disruption reduces an activity of the enzyme. The one or more gene disruptions confers increased production of acrylate onto the organism. Organisms that produce acrylate have an acrylate pathway that at least one exogenous nucleic acid encoding an acrylate pathway enzyme expressed in a sufficient amount to produce acrylate, the acrylate pathway comprising a decarboxylase. Methods of producing fumarate, malate or acrylate include culturing these organisms.
US09689003B2

A dry grind ethanol production process and system with front end milling method is provided for improving alcohol and/or by-product yields, such as oil and/or protein yields. In one example, the process includes grinding corn kernels into particles then mixing the corn particles with a liquid to produce a slurry including oil, protein, starch, fiber, germ, and grit. Thereafter, the slurry is subjected to a front end milling method, which includes separating the slurry into a solids portion, including fiber, grit, and germ, and a liquid portion, including oil, protein, and starch, then milling the separated solids portion to reduce the size of the germ and grit and release bound starch, oil, and protein from the solids portion. The starch is converted to sugar, and alcohol is produced therefrom then recovered. Also, the fiber can be separated and recovered. Oil and protein may be separated and recovered as well.
US09689001B2

Isolated polynucleotides comprising a NOV mini-promoter are provided. The mini-promoter may be operably linked to an expressible sequence, including, but not limited to, reporter genes, genes encoding a polypeptide of interest, and regulatory RNA sequences such as miRNA, siRNA, and anti-sense RNA. In some embodiments a cell comprising a stable integrant of an expression vector is provided, which may be integrated in the genome of the cell. The promoter may also be provided in a vector, for example in combination with an expressible sequence. The polynucleotides find use in a method of expressing a sequence of interest, including, but not limited to, for identifying or labeling cells, monitoring or tracking the expression of cells and gene therapy.
US09688999B2

The present invention relates to a method of increasing resistance against fungal pathogens of the family Phacosporaceae in plants and/or plant cells. This is achieved by increasing the expression of an ACD protein or fragment thereof in a plant, plant part and/or plant cell in comparison to wild type plants, wild type plant parts and/or wild type plant cells. Furthermore, the invention relates to transgenic plants, plant parts, and/or plant cells having an increased resistance against fungal pathogens, in particular, pathogens of the family Phacopsoraceae, and to recombinant expression vectors comprising a sequence that is identical or homologous to a sequence encoding an ACD protein.
US09688998B2

The present invention relates to powdery mildew resistance providing genes of the Cucumis family, and especially Cucumis melo, wherein said resistance is provided by impairment of the present genes. Further, the present invention relates plants comprising the present impaired resistance conferring genes and seeds, embryos or other propagation material thereof. Especially, the present invention relates to powdery mildew resistance conferring genes, wherein the amino acid sequence encoded by said resistance conferring gene is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID No. 2, SEQ ID No. 4, SEQ ID No. 6, SEQ ID No. 8, SEQ ID No. 10, SEQ ID No. 12 and SEQ ID No. 14, and amino acid sequences with more than 70% identity, preferably more than 80% identity, more preferably more than 90% identity, and most preferably more than 95% identity.
US09688989B2

The invention relates to Histamine type 4 receptor (H4R) inhibitors for treating tinnitus.
US09688974B2

An Aspergillus mutant strain characterized in that it is an auxotrophic mutant strain of Aspergillus oryzae strain AOK27L.
US09688972B2

The present disclosure provides DNA-guided CRISPR systems; polynucleotides comprising DNA, RNA and mixtures thereof for use with CRISPR systems; and methods of use involving such polynucleotides and DNA-guided CRISPR systems.
US09688970B2

A new, reliable, easily scalable and reproducible method for the production of recombinant butyrylcholinesterase (rBuChE) is provided. Through the utilization of a plant transfection procedure, various plant strains have been shown to generate effective and scalable amounts of rBuChE under acceptable manufacturing processes to permit reliable levels of such enzymes for desired nerve agent protection requirements (including tetrameric products). As well, such methods in engineered plant lines have shown suitable production of these enzymes in tetramer form with glycan formation and sialyalation (for terminal groups) to allow for optimal potency against organophosphorus agent exposure as well as proper immunogenic response within the plant sources. The overall production method, including the transfection and production within mammalian cells, as well as the process steps involved for such a reliable sourcing platform from plants is thus encompassed within the invention.
US09688969B2

The invention provides novel compositions with polymerase activity and methods of using the compositions.
US09688968B2

The invention relates to an isolated polypeptide with an glycosyl transferase enzymatic activity for producing dextrans with .alpha.(1.fwdarw.2) sidechains, comprising at least one region for bonding to glucan and a catalytically active region situated beyond the region bonding to glucan. The invention further relates to polynucleotides coding for said enzymes and vectors containing the same.
US09688963B2

Adhesive culture cells cultured by using a culture container made of a flexible film can selectively be released from the culture container without causing damage to the cells. A cell release method for releasing, from a culture container, adhesive culture cells cultured adhering to the culture container made of a flexible film includes bringing a surface of the film of the culture container into contact with the adhesive culture cells, applying a pressure to the adhesive culture cells, and releasing the adhesive culture cells from the culture container, wherein the surface of the film faces a surface of the film of the culture container to which the adhesive culture cells adhere.
US09688959B2

In certain embodiments, this disclosure describes compositions comprising platelet lysates depleted of fibrinogen. In a further embodiment, the composition further comprises a cell culture medium component. This disclosure also provides a method for preparing the composition, comprising the steps of (a) lysing platelets providing a lysate; (b) removing cell debris; and (c) depleting fibrinogen by forming a removable mass by adding a metal salt such as calcium chloride. Furthermore, the disclosure also describes the product produced using said method.
US09688957B2

Hydrogel Compositions and methods of using hydrogel compositions are disclosed. Advantageously, the hydrogel compositions offer the ability to rapidly screen substrate components for influencing cell attachment, spreading, proliferation, migration, and differentiation. In particularly suitable embodiments, the hydrogel compositions of the present disclosure may be used to promote tubulogenesis of endothelial cells.
US09688947B2

A polymeric dispersant comprising: (a) from 50 to 95 wt % polymerized residues of monomer (A): wherein R1 is hydrogen, methyl, ethyl or COOX; R2 is hydrogen, methyl or ethyl; R3 is hydrogen, methyl or ethyl; and X is hydrogen, sodium, potassium, ammonium or a combination thereof; (b) from 1 to 20 wt % polymerized residues of monomer (B): wherein R4, R5, and R6 are independently hydrogen, methyl or ethyl; R7 is C8-C30 alkyl or C8-C30 aralkyl; and (c) from 3 to 30 wt % polymerized residues of monomer (C): wherein R8, R9, and R10 are independently hydrogen, methyl or ethyl; R11 and R12 are independently hydrogen, C1-C8 alkyl or hydroxymethyl; and n is an integer from 1 to 3.
US09688931B2

Disclosed are novel engineered fuel feed stocks, feed stocks produced by the described processes, and methods of making the fuel feed stocks. Components derived from processed MSW waste streams can be used to make such feed stocks which are substantially free of glass, metals, grit and noncombustibles. These feed stocks are useful for a variety of purposes including as gasification and combustion fuels.
US09688930B2

A method for marking a petroleum hydrocarbon or a liquid biologically derived fuel by adding to the petroleum hydrocarbon or liquid biologically derived fuel at least one compound having formula Ar(R2)m(OR1)n, wherein Ar is an aromatic ring system having from six to twenty carbon atoms, R1 is C1-C12 alkyl or C2-C12 alkenyl, R2 is C1-C12 alkyl or C3-C12 alkenyl, m is an integer from zero to five and n is an integer from one to three; wherein each compound of formula Ar(R2)m(OR1)n is present at a level from 0.01 ppm to 100 ppm.
US09688929B2

Additive composition mixtures and methods for synergistically maintaining low surface voltages of distillate fuels that include a synergistic conductivity improver additive composition for a distillate fuel. The additive composition includes: A) a mixture of (i) alkenyl polysulfone polymer, (ii) C16-C24 substituted maleic/polyamine copolymer, (iii) sulfonic acid, and (iv) aromatic solvent; and B) a mixture of (i) alkenyl polysulfone polymer, (v) polymeric reaction product of a C8-C18 aliphatic amine or diamine with epichlorohydrin; (iii) sulfonic acid, (iv) aromatic solvent; and optionally (vi) a quaternary ammonium compound. The additive composition contains from 30 to 60 wt. % component (A) and from 30 to 60 wt. % component (B) based on a total weight of the additive composition.
US09688921B2

The present invention includes methods and systems for improving oil quality of a contaminated oil mixture by removing contaminants from a contaminated oil comprising the steps of: pretreating a membrane contactor system having a first and a second surface with an hydrophobic liquid, wherein the hydrophobic liquid is contacted to at least one of the first and second surfaces; obtaining a contaminated oil that comprises oil and lipophobic contaminants; contacting the contaminated oil onto a first surface of one or more membrane contactors to coalesce the oil on the first surface; and collecting the coalesced oil from the contaminated oil on the second surface of the membrane contactor.
US09688905B2

Various embodiments disclosed relate to methods of treating a subterranean formations that provide enhanced fracture conductivity over other methods. In various embodiments, the present invention provides a method of treating a subterranean formation. The method can include obtaining or providing a composition including a tackifier. The composition can have a viscosity less than about 20 cP. The method can include placing the composition in a subterranean formation downhole. The method can also include fracturing the subterranean formation with the composition.
US09688904B2

Disclosed herein is a fracturing fluid comprising a carrier fluid; a polymer that is soluble in the carrier fluid; the polymer being a synthetic polymer, wherein the synthetic polymer comprises a labile group that is operative to facilitate decomposition of the synthetic polymer upon activation of the labile group; the synthetic polymer being operative to increase the viscosity of the carrier fluid to about 5 to about 50 centipoise; the fracturing fluid being operative to reduce friction during a downhole fracturing operation and to transport a proppant during the downhole fracturing operation; and an oxidizing agent. A method for treating a hydrocarbon-bearing formation is also disclosed herein.
US09688895B2

Crosslinked polyolefins for use in recovering or containing hydrocarbons such as hydrocarbons contained in oil, are disclosed. Advantageously, the crosslinked polyolefins absorb the hydrocarbon to form a gel that can be collected and processed by heat to release the collected hydrocarbons.
US09688894B2

A composition comprising a silicone oil or fluorosilicone fluid infused in a cross-linked silicone resin matrix. The silicone oil or fluorosilicone fluid may comprise a linear or branched polymeric siloxane that may be functionalized with one or more of: alkyl, fluoroalkyl, aryl, benzyl, halo, hydride, hydroxyl, -alkyl-OH, -alkyl-SH, halo, -aryl-halogen, -alkyl-COOH, -alkyl(COOH)-alkyl-COO-alkyl, alkenyl, vinyl, -alkyl-acryloyl, -alkylamino, -alkyl-NH-alkyl-NH2, -alkyl-OOC-NH-alkyl-NCO, -alkyl-O-oxiranyl, monofluoromethyl, difluoromethyl, trifluoromethyl, or alkeneoxide co-polymer.
US09688887B2

A building material comprising a substrate layer and a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, where the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer includes expandable graphite.
US09688883B2

A method for forming a coating composition for coating a substrate comprising: blending an asphalt material; a polymer that is not a polyol; and a polyol wherein the polyol has a molecular weight of about 1000 to about 5000. Also, included are coated articles that comprise a substrate coated with a layer of the coating composition.
US09688882B2

A shingle coating asphalt composition is provided that is produced from a paving grade asphalt. The shingle coating asphalt composition comprise a paving grade asphalt that has been overblown to achieve a first penetration value that is at or below about 15 dmm and a first softening point that is at least about 210° F. The shingle coating composition may further include an additive that is included in an amount to achieve a second softening point that is less than about 230° F. and a second penetration value that is between about 15 and 20 dmm. The additive may comprise at least one ester. The inventive shingle coating asphalt composition may be thermally stable at processing temperatures of at least 450° F.
US09688879B2

The present invention provides a cross-linking non-fluoro hydrophobic aqueous polyurethane dispersion, which is produced by selecting a compound comprising alcohols, amines, acids, saturated or unsaturated (double-bonded or epoxidized) aliphatic long chain carbon-carbon groups or polydimethylsiloxane comprising alcohol groups, amines, oxosilane to be reacted with IPDI to obtain a PU prepolymer; adding a compound having tertiary amines to neutralize the carboxylic acid of PU prepolymer and adding water to disperse the PU prepolymer; and adding a ambient temperature cross-linking agent to obtain a cross-linking hydrophobic aqueous PU dispersion of the present invention. The hydrophobic aqueous-based PU resin has no fluorine which is friendly to the environment, and may further self cross-links on its applications on fabric, paper, wood, glass and metal surfaces, respectively on drying at ambient temperature which is energy saving process. Its cross-linking reaction of this hydrophobic PU system that will achieve a long-lasting water repellent surface treatment.
US09688878B2

A coating composition having a solids content of greater than 70% by weight and/or a Volatile Organic Content (VOC) of less than 250 g/l, comprising a novel polyester polyol and a curing agent, wherein the coating composition is capable of curing at ambient temperature, and which provides a coating having excellent durability.
US09688863B2

Disclosed herein are polysilsesquioxane-based anti-reflective coating (ARC) compositions, methods of preparation, and methods of deposition on a substrate. In one embodiment, the polysilsesquioxane of this disclosure is prepared in a two-step process of acid catalyzed hydrolysis of organoalkoxysilane followed by addition of tetralkoxysilane that generates silicone polymers with >40 mol % silanol based on Si-NMR. These high silanol siloxane polymers are stable and have a long shelf-life in polar organic solvents at room temperature. Also disclosed are low refractive index ARC made from these compositions with and without additives such as porogens, templates, thermal radical initiator, photo radical initiators, crosslinkers, Si—OH condensation catalyst and nano-fillers. Also disclosed are methods and apparatus for applying coatings to flat substrates including substrate pre-treatment processes, coating processes and coating curing processes including skin-curing using hot-air knives. Also disclosed are coating compositions and formulations for highly tunable, durable, highly abrasion-resistant functionalized anti-reflective coatings.
US09688854B2

There is provided a material for molding including: carbon fiber bundles which are easily impregnated including carbon fibers and at least one impregnation aid in an amount of 3 to 15 parts by mass based on 100 parts by mass of the carbon fibers, the at least one impregnation aid satisfying specific requirements; and a polycarbonate is adhered thereto in an amount of 50 to 2000 parts by mass.
US09688853B2

In an example, a process includes combining a methyl methacrylate monomer, a butadiene monomer, a styrene monomer, and an organophosphate monomer. The process includes initiating a polymerization reaction to form a flame-retardant copolymer.
US09688851B2

The present invention aims to provide a polysiloxane composition which exhibits high heat and light resistance, and excellent gas-barrier properties. The polysiloxane composition of the present invention includes: (A) a modified polyhedral polysiloxane which is obtained by modifying (a) an alkenyl group-containing polyhedral polysiloxane compound with (b) a hydrosilyl group-containing compound; and (B) an organopolysiloxane containing at least two alkenyl groups in a molecule, wherein the polysiloxane composition after curing has a water vapor permeability of not more than 30 g/m2/24 h, and the polysiloxane composition includes (B1) an aryl group-containing organopolysiloxane as the organopolysiloxane (B), and/or (C) a component which is (C1) an organosilicon compound that contains one alkenyl or hydrosilyl group in a molecule, or (C2) a cyclic olefin compound that contains one carbon-carbon double bond in a molecule.
US09688849B1

Curable rubber compositions and cured articles are based on the use of zinc activator compositions for the sulfur cure. Activator compositions contain zinc and a polymeric component having a plurality of COOH groups, at least some of which are neutralized with the zinc. With polymeric zinc activators, sulfur cure can be activated at levels of zinc below those used in conventional systems.
US09688844B2

A xylylenediamine-based polyamide resin/fiber composite material and molding are provided that do not exhibit a decline in properties under high temperatures and high humidities, and that exhibit a high elastic modulus and present little warping, and exhibit better recycle characteristics, a better moldability, and a better productivity than for thermosetting resins. The polyamide resin-type composite material comprises a fibrous material (B) impregnated with a polyamide resin (A) wherein at least 50 mole % of diamine structural units derived from xylylenediamine, and having a number-average molecular weight (Mn) of 6,000 to 30,000, and containing a component of a molecular weight of not more than 1,000 at 0.5 to 5 mass %.
US09688840B2

An adhesive composition is provided which is excellent in adhesion rate on non-polar hard-to-bond materials and bond gap curability, and further is good in storage stability. It is a 2-cyanoacrylate-based adhesive composition which includes (a) a 2-cyanoacrylic acid ester and (b) an onium salt represented by the following general formula (1): nC+A−n-X  (1) wherein, in formula (1), C+ represents an onium cation, A− represents at least one anion selected from the group consisting of —SO3−, —OSO3− and a specific imide anion, X represents a linking group which connects at least two anions together, and n is an integer of 2 or more.
US09688837B2

The present invention is directed to a functionalized elastomer comprising the reaction product of a living anionic elastomeric polymer and a polymerization terminator of formula I wherein R1 is C1 to C4 linear alkyl, or C1 to C4 branched alkanediyl; X1, X2, X3 are independently O, S, or a group of formula (II) or (III) where R2 is C1 to C18 linear or branched alkyl; Z is R3, —OR4, or —R5—X4; R3, R4 are independently C1 to C18 linear or branched alkyl; R5 is C1 to C18 alkanediyl or dialkyl ether diyl; X4 is halogen or a group of structure IV, V, VI, VII or VIII wherein R6, R7, R8, R9, and R10 are independently H or C1 to C8 alkyl; R11 is C2 to C8 alkanediyl; R12 and R13 are independently H, aryl or C1 to C8 alkyl; Q is N or a group of structure IX wherein R14 is C1 to C8 alkyl.
US09688835B2

A thermoplastic composition including a) a thermoplastic resin and b) a laser direct structuring (LDS) additive in an amount of at least 1 wt. % with respect to the weight of the total composition, wherein the LDS additive includes a mixed metal oxide including at least tin and a second metal selected from the group consisting of antimony, bismuth, aluminum and molybdenum, wherein the LDS additive includes at least 40 wt. % of tin and wherein the weight ratio of the second metal to tin is at least 0.02:1.
US09688829B2

Provided is a composition for a foam tire. The composition includes 100 parts by weight of a blend of an olefin block copolymer and a rubber as a polymer matrix, 0.02 to 4 parts by weight of a crosslinking agent, and 1 to 6 parts by weight of a foaming agent. The olefin block copolymer and the rubber are present in amounts of 50 to 80% by weight and 20 to 50% by weight, respectively, based on the total weight of the polymer matrix.
US09688826B2

It is provided that a biaxially stretched polyester film suitable for uses for which nylon films and other flexible films have conventionally been used and a method for producing the film. A biaxially stretched polyester film made of a polyester resin composition (A) containing not less than 60 mass % of polybutylene terephthalate and having yield stress in a MD of not more than 70 MPa, yield stress in a TD of not more than 70 MPa, rupture strength in the MD of not less than 160 MPa, rupture strength in the TD of not less than 160 MPa, and rupture elongation in the MD and TD of not less than 100%.
US09688818B2

Poly(ether sulfones) (PES) and poly(ether amide sulfones) (PEAS) were prepared from post-consumer polycarbonates and polyesters, respectively, using a single vessel in batch mode (all reactants present when heating was initiated). The depolymerization of the initial polymer occurs concurrently with step growth polymerization to form a product polymer having a number average molecular weight of at least 5000.
US09688817B2

A problem is to provide a method for producing a polyarylene sulfide resin having excellent reactivity to other compounds and resins, such as an impact resistance improver such as an epoxysilane coupling agent, a functional group-containing thermoplastic elastomer, or the like, and also provide a polyarylene sulfide resin composition produced by the production method, not containing chlorine atoms, and having the excellent reactivity. A method for producing a polyarylene sulfide resin includes performing polymerization reaction of a mixture containing a diiodo aromatic compound, a sulfur compound, and a polymerization inhibitor having a specified functional group. The problem can be solved by using a polyarylene sulfide resin composition containing a polyarylene sulfide resin having a specified terminal functional group and iodine atoms within a range of 0.01 to 10,000 ppm relative to the polyarylene sulfide resin.
US09688815B2

A method for producing a polyimide precursor, including: reacting tetracarboxylic dianhydride represented by the following General Formula (1) with a diamine compound represented by the following General Formula (2) in a compressive fluid to thereby produce a polyimide precursor represented by the following Formula (3): where, X in the General Formulae (1) and (3) denotes a tetravalent aromatic group or a tetravalent alicyclic group, Y in the General Formulae (2) and (3) denotes a divalent organic group, and n denotes the number of repetitions.
US09688812B2

A method includes producing libraries of nanoparticles having highly controlled properties, which can be formed by mixing together two or more macromolecules in different ratios. One or more of the macromolecules may be a polymeric conjugate of a moiety to a biocompatible polymer. The nanoparticle may contain a drug. The moiety may include a polypeptide or a polynucleotide, such as an aptamer. The moiety may be a targeting moiety, an imaging moiety, a chelating moiety, a charged moiety, or a therapeutic moiety. Another aspect is directed to systems and methods of producing such polymeric conjugates. In some embodiments, a solution containing a polymer is contacted with a liquid, such as an immiscible liquid, to form nanoparticles containing the polymeric conjugate. Other methods use such libraries, use or administer such polymeric conjugates, or promote the use of such polymeric conjugates. Kits involving such polymeric conjugates are also described.
US09688803B2

The present disclosure is directed to a pressure sensitive adhesive composition. The pressure sensitive adhesive composition includes an olefin block copolymer, a silane-grafted olefin block copolymer, a tackifier, and an oil. The pressure sensitive adhesive composition has a shear adhesion greater than 60 minutes. The pressure sensitive adhesive composition exhibits improved shear adhesion while simultaneously maintaining loop tack greater than 4.0 N/25 mm.
US09688801B2

Disclosed is a vinyl polymer powder which is superior to dispersibility to curable resin compositions, which immediately gives a gel state for curable resin compositions by short-time heating with predetermined temperature, which is with high ion concentration, and which is useful as a pre-gel agent suitable for fields of electronic materials, to provide a curable resin composition comprising the vinyl polymer powder, and to provide a cured substance of the curable resin composition. The vinyl polymer powder of the present invention has an acetone-soluble component of 30% by mass or more, mass average molecular weight of the acetone-soluble component of 100,000 or more, a content of an alkali metal ion of 10 ppm or less, and a volume average primary particle size (Dv) of 200 nm or more.
US09688800B2

The present invention relates to a hybrid latex composition containing polymer particles that are polymerized in at least two stages including a first phase acrylic core polymer, and a second phase vinyl acrylic shell polymer including a monomer that is crosslinkable under ambient conditions. Paint compositions and architectural coatings containing the latex composition according to the invention are also described herein, as well as methods for making the same.
US09688792B2

A process may include contacting an olefin monomer and a racemic bridged metallocene catalyst at a temperature of 80° C. to 150° C. in the presence of hydrogen. The racemic bridged metallocene catalyst may include a metallocene compound (A) and an activator component (B). The process may include recovering an effluent containing polyalpha-olefins (PAOs). The metallocene compound (A) may be represented by the formula R(Cp1)(Cp2)MX1X2. In the formula, R may be a C1-C20 alkylene bridging group; Cp1 and Cp2 may be the same or different substituted or unsubstituted tetrahydroindenyl rings; M may be a transition metal; and X1 and X2 may be independently selected from hydrogen, halogen, hydride radicals, hydrocarbyl radicals, substituted hydrocarbyl radicals, halocarbyl radicals, substituted halocarbyl radicals, silylcarbyl radicals, substituted silylcarbyl radicals, germylcarbyl radicals, substituted germylcarbyl radicals.
US09688790B2

The present invention relates to a catalyst composition comprising the compound represented by the Fischer projection of formula (I) as an internal electron donor, (I) wherein: R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 and R6 are the same or different and are independently selected from a group consisting of hydrogen, straight, branched and cyclic alkyl and aromatic substituted and unsubstituted hydrocarbyl having 1 to 20 carbon atoms; R7 is selected from a group consisting of straight, branched and cyclic alkyl and aromatic substituted and unsubstituted hydrocarbyl having 1 to 20 carbon atoms; and R8 is selected from a group consisting of aromatic substituted and unsubstituted hydrocarbyl having 6 to 20 carbon atoms; N is nitrogen atom; O is oxygen atom; and C is carbon atom. The present invention also relates to a process for preparing said polymerization catalyst composition and to a polymerization catalyst system comprising said catalyst composition, a cocatalyst and optionally an external electron donor. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a polyolefin obtainable by the process according to the present invention and to the use of the compound of formula (I) as in internal electron donor in catalysts for polymerization of olefins.
US09688787B2

An object of the invention is to provide a polymerizable compound having small refractive index anisotropy and having high storage stability and high alignment properties when constituting a polymerizable liquid crystal composition, and provide a polymerizable liquid crystal composition containing the polymerizable compound. Further, the object is to provide a polymer produced by polymerizing the polymerizable liquid crystal composition and an optically anisotropic body including the polymer. The present invention provides a polymerizable compound represented by general formula (I), a polymerizable liquid crystal composition containing the compound as a constituent component, and further provides a polymer produced by polymerizing the polymerizable liquid crystal composition and an optically anisotropic body including the polymer.
US09688774B2

The present invention relates to antibodies that specifically bind to the human c-Met receptor protein and that act as strict antagonists of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)-mediated activation of the c-Met receptor and also inhibit HGF-independent activation of the human c-Met protein.
US09688773B2

The invention provides a product combination or composition, and also multispecific antibodies comprising two or more antigen-binding sites (as antibodies or antigen binding fragments thereof), wherein two the antigen-binding bind to distinct non-overlapping epitopes of the human c-Met protein. The product combination or composition or multispecific antibody inhibits HGF-independent activation of the human c-Met receptor protein.
US09688761B2

Provided are methods for optimizing therapy of, treating a patient having, or selecting (identifying) patients who will benefit from treatment for, a cancer (e.g., a non-hematological cancer; e.g., a gynecological cancer). The methods comprise determining whether the patient will benefit from treatment with an ErbB3 inhibitor (e.g., an anti-ErbB3 antibody), with or without either a taxane or an aromatase inhibitor, or with a taxane or an aromatase inhibitor in the absence of an ErbB3 inhibitor, based on levels of particular biomarkers and combinations of biomarkers measured in a biological sample obtained from the patient. The methods further comprise optimizing the patient's therapy, selecting the patient for treatment, or treating the patient accordingly. In various aspects the biological samples are sections of a biopsy (e.g., a formalin fixed paraffin embedded biopsy). In other aspects the biomarkers are proteins and/or nucleic acids. In other aspects the biomarkers function in ErbB-mediated signal transduction.
US09688758B2

The invention provides engineered heteromultimeric protein complexes constructed using one, two, or three tethers and methods for making, using, and purifying such complexes, such as antibodies with different binding properties.
US09688756B2

Described herein are variant Fc-fragments that contain an insertion within or adjacent to a loop that bind to the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) with higher affinity and/or higher binding activity at pH 5-6 and approximately the same or lower affinity at a physiologic pH as compared to a control Fc-fragment, that is, little or no binding activity at a physiologic pH. Also described are variant Fc-polypeptides that comprise these variant Fc-fragments. Further described are methods of making and identifying such Fc-fragments and methods for making and using such Fc-polypeptides.
US09688753B2

The present invention provides an antibody that binds to the p19 subunit of human IL-23 and is characterized as having high affinity, selective, and neutralizing properties. The antibody is useful in the treatment or prevention of an autoimmune or inflammatory condition selected from the group consisting of consisting of multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, inflammatory bowel diseases, ankylosing spondylitis, graft-versus-host disease, lupus and metabolic syndrome. The antibody is also useful in the treatment of cancer.
US09688752B2

The present invention relates to low acidic species (AR) compositions comprising a protein, e.g., an antibody, or antigen-binding portion thereof, and methods for producing such low AR compositions using displacement chromatography. Methods for using such compositions to treat a disorder, e.g., a disorder in which TNFα is detrimental, are also provided.
US09688750B2

The present invention relates to anti-Nodal antibodies and use of the anti-Nodal antibodies for diagnosing, preventing, and treating a Nodal-related disorder or disease.
US09688740B2

A transformed T-cell for T-cell therapy, and a composition including the same for anticancer immunotherapy. More particularly, the transformed T-cell is characterized by the transfection of a gene for coding a chimera protein. The T-cell, to which the gene for coding the chimera protein is transected, may improve the therapeutic effects induced by immune tolerance of cancer cells, and furthermore maximize anti-cancer effects by activating signal transduction to induce the activation of T-cells. Also, the disclosure allows treatments that minimize side effects such as the development of autoimmune diseases due to systematic T-cell activation.
US09688739B2

The invention provides T cell receptors (TCRs) having antigenic specificity for a cancer antigen, e.g., tyrosinase. Also provided are related polypeptides, proteins, nucleic acids, recombinant expression vectors, isolated host cells, populations of cells, and pharmaceutical compositions. The invention further provides a method of detecting the presence of cancer in a host and a method of treating or preventing cancer in a host using the inventive TCRs or related materials.
US09688730B2

Compositions and methods for controlling pests are provided. The methods involve transforming organisms with a nucleic acid sequence encoding an insecticidal protein. In particular, the nucleic acid sequences are useful for preparing plants and microorganisms that possess insecticidal activity. Thus, transformed bacteria, plants, plant cells, plant tissues and seeds are provided. Compositions are insecticidal nucleic acids and proteins of bacterial species. The sequences find use in the construction of expression vectors for subsequent transformation into organisms of interest, as probes for the isolation of other homologous (or partially homologous) genes. The insecticidal proteins find use in controlling, inhibiting growth or killing lepidopteran, coleopteran, dipteran, fungal, hemipteran, and nematode pest populations and for producing compositions with insecticidal activity.
US09688729B2

The present invention relates to an mRNA sequence, comprising a coding region, encoding at least one antigenic peptide or protein of RSV infections Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) or a fragment, variant or derivative thereof. Additionally the present invention relates to a composition comprising a plurality of mRNA sequences comprising a coding region, encoding at least one antigenic peptide or protein of RSV infections Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) or a fragment, variant or derivative thereof. Furthermore it also discloses the use of the mRNA sequence or the composition comprising a plurality of mRNA sequences for the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition, especially a vaccine, e.g. for use in the prophylaxis or treatment of RSV infections Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections. The present invention further describes a method of treatment or prophylaxis of RSV infections using the mRNA sequence.
US09688726B2

The present invention provides a polypeptide that is rich in leucine and used for preventing and restraining inflammation, and an application of same. The present invention further provides a method for preparing the polypeptide and a pharmaceutical composition containing the polypeptide. The advantage of the polypeptide comprises: small molecular weight, so as to permeate various eye tissue barriers; high water solubility, so as to have high dissolubility in neutral tears, aqueous humor and vitreous humor; and simple synthesis, so as to have a low preparation cost.
US09688724B2

The present invention provides methods for limiting development of skin wounds, and also for treatment of one or more of erythemas, blisters, rashes, pruritis, contact dermatitis, psoriasis, eczema, acne, and athlete's foot.
US09688723B2

The present invention relates to isolated molecules, peptides, and polypeptides of specific consensus sequences or structures, and to compounds comprising or consisting of such molecules, peptides and polypeptides, which may act as transporter molecules that specifically recognize proteoglycans, in particular, chondroitin-4-sulfate (C4S). The isolated molecules, peptides, polypeptides and compounds of the invention may be conjugated or otherwise linked to a biologically active moiety (BAM). Thus the BAM conjugates allow the specific targeting and delivery of the BAM, which may be, for example, a peptide, chemical entity or nucleic acid, into the cytoplasm and/or nuclei of C4S expressing cells in vitro and in vivo.
US09688714B2

The present invention relates to substituted purine compounds. The present invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions containing these compounds and methods of treating disorders in which DOT1-mediated protein methylation plays a part, such as cancer, by administering these compounds and pharmaceutical compositions to subjects in need thereof.
US09688709B2

Stable monomeric phosphaplatins, namely, (pyrophosphato)platinum(II) or platinum(IV) complexes containing a cis-cyclohexanediamine ligand or enantiomerically enriched or enantiopure trans-cyclohexanediamine ligands, and synthesis of these complexes, are provided. Efficacies and toxicities of the phosphaplatin compounds are determined toward a variety of cancers, including sensitive and resistant ovarian cancers, head and neck, and colon cancers. Compositions comprising the platinum complexes, and methods for treatment of proliferative diseases or disorders by means of the complexes or the compositions comprising them are disclosed.
US09688705B2

Embodiments describe methods of synthesizing metal mesoporphyrin compounds. In embodiments, a metal mesoporphyrin compound may be formed by hemin transmetallation and subsequent hydrogenation of the tin protoporphyrin IX to form a metal mesoporphyrin. In other embodiments, a method of synthesizing a metal mesoporphyrin compound comprises forming a protoporphyrin methyl ester from hemin and converting the protoporphyrin methyl ester intermediate to a metal mesoporphyrin compound through metal insertion and hydrogenation. In other embodiments, a metal mesoporphyrin compound may be formed from hemin by a hydrogen-free hydrogenation method to form a mesoporphyrin IX intermediate followed by metal insertion and hydrogenation. In embodiments, a method of synthesizing a metal mesoporphyrin compound comprises forming a mesoporphyrin IX dihydrochloride intermediate compound and converting the mesoporphyrin IX intermediate to a metal mesoporphyrin compound through metal insertion. In embodiments, a metal mesoporphyrin compound may be formed directly from hemin without isolation of any intermediates.
US09688697B2

Provided are novel compounds which are capable of inhibiting an activity of RNA polymerase I, and uses thereof in treating diseases or disorders modulated by RNA polymerase I, preferably autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis and proliferative diseases.
US09688696B2

The invention further relates to a DGAT inhibitor of formula including any stereochemically isomeric form thereof, wherein A represents CH or N; the dotted line represents an optional bond in case A represents a carbon atom; X represents —NRx—C(═O)—; —Z—C(═O)—; —Z—NRx—C(═O)—; —S(═O)p-; —C(═S)—; —NRx—C(═S)—; —Z—C(═S)—; —Z—NRx—C(═S)—; —O—C(═O)—; —C(═O)—C(═O)—; R1 represents a 5-membered monocyclic heterocycle containing at least 2 heteroatoms; a 6-membered aromatic monocyclic heterocycle; or a 5-membered heterocycle containing at least 2 heteroatoms fused with phenyl, cyclohexyl or a 5- or 6-membered heterocycle; wherein each of said heterocycles may optionally be substituted; R2 represents R3; R3 represents C3-6cycloalkyl, phenyl, naphtalenyl, 2,3-dihydro-1,4-benzodioxinyl, 1,3-benzodioxolyl, 2,3-dihydrobenzofuranyl or a 6-membered aromatic heterocycle containing 1 or 2 N atoms, wherein said C3-6cycloalkyl, phenyl, naphtalenyl, 2,3-dihydro-1,4-benzodioxinyl, 1,3-benzodioxolyl, 2,3-dihydrobenzofuranyl or 6-membered aromatic heterocycle may optionally be substituted; a N-oxide thereof, a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof or a solvate thereof. The invention further relates to methods for preparing such compounds, pharmaceutical compositions comprising said compounds as well as the use as a medicine of said compounds.
US09688692B2

In one aspect, the invention relates to compounds having the formula: where R1-R6, a, b, and X are as defined in the specification, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. These compounds have neprilysin inhibition activity. In another aspect, the invention relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds; methods of using such compounds; and processes and intermediates for preparing such compounds.
US09688691B2

The present invention concerns the compounds of formula the N-oxide forms, the pharmaceutically acceptable addition salts and the stereochemically isomeric forms thereof, wherein Z represents NH; Y represents —C3-9alkyl-, —C1-5alkyl-NR13—C1-5alkyl-, —C1-5alkyl-NR14—CO—C1-5alkyl-, —C1-2alkyl-NR21—H2—CO—NH—C1-3alkyl- or —C1-2alkyl-NR23—CO—CR16R17—NH—; X1 represents O or —O—C1-2alkyl-; X2 represents a direct bond, C1-2alkyl, —CO—C1-2alkyl or NR12—C1-2alkyl; R1 represents hydrogen or halo; R2 represents halo, acetylene or Het1 R3 represents hydrogen or cyano; R4 represents Ar4—C1-4alkyloxy-, C1-4alkyloxy- or C1-4alkyloxy substituted with one or where possible two or more substituents selected from Het2, NR7R8, hydroxy and C1-4alkyloxy—C1-4alkyloxy-; R7 represents hydrogen or C1-4alkyl; R8 represents C1-4alkyl substituted with NR25R26 or C1-4alkylsulfonyl; R12 represents hydrogen or C1-4alkyl-; R13 represents Ar6-sulfonyl or C1-6alkyloxycarbonyl optionally substituted with phenyl; R16 and R17 represents hydrogen, C1-4alkyl or R16 and R17 taken together with the carbon atom to which they are attached from a C3-6cycloalkyl; R23 represents C1-4alkyl and R23 represents hydrogen when R16 and R17 taken together with the carbon atom to which they are attached from a C3-6cycloalkyl; R25, R26, R27 and R28 each independently represent hydrogen or C1-4alkylcarbonyl; Het1 represents 2-bora-1,3-dioxolanyl; Het2 represents piperidinyl, piperazinyl, morpholinyl, thiomorpholinyl or 1,1-dioxothiomorpholinyl wherein said Het2 is optionally substituted with C1-4alkyloxycarbonyl or NR27R28—C1-4alkyl; Ar4 and Ar5 represents phenyl; Ar6 represents phenyl optionally substituted with nitro.
US09688687B2

Disclosed is Icotinib phosphate (i.e., the compound of Formula (I)) and polymorph forms thereof, and methods of preparing and using them.
US09688683B2

Novel substituted condensed pyrimidine compounds of general formula (I) in which the chemical groupings, substituents and indices are as defined in the description, and to their use as medicaments, in particular as medicaments for the treatment of conditions and diseases that can be treated by inhibition of the PDE4 enzyme.
US09688681B2

The present application relates to the use of known and novel heterocyclic compounds for controlling animal pests, to novel heterocyclic compounds, to processes for preparation thereof and to the use thereof for controlling animal pests. The compounds are of formula (Ib)
US09688680B2

Compounds and compositions useful for treating disorders related to Kit are described herein.
US09688679B2

This disclosure relates, at least in part, to a method of treatment. In one embodiment, the method of treatment comprises administering to a subject in need of such treatment a first therapeutic agent including compound (1): (structurally represented) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof in combination with a second therapeutic agent, wherein the first therapeutic agent and the second therapeutic agent are administered either simultaneously or sequentially.
US09688677B1

A process for preparation of a compound of Formula (I) is disclosed.
US09688676B2

The present disclosure provides compounds that are tyrosine kinase inhibitors, in particular Bruton tyrosine kinase (“BTK”) inhibitors, and are therefore useful for the treatment of diseases treatable by inhibition of BTK such as cancer, autoimmune, inflammatory, and thromboembolic diseases. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds and processes for preparing such compounds.
US09688664B2

4-(2,2-Difluoro-benzo[1,3]dioxol-5-ylmethyl)-piperazine-1-carboxylic acid (4-chloro-pyridin-3-yl)-amide is described, which is useful as a FAAH modulator. 4-(2,2-Difluoro-benzo[1,3]dioxol-5-ylmethyl)-piperazine-1-carboxylic acid (4-chloro-pyridin-3-yl)-amide may be used in pharmaceutical compositions and methods for the treatment of disease states, disorders, and conditions mediated by fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) activity, such as anxiety, pain, inflammation, sleep disorders, eating disorders, energy metabolism disorders, and movement disorders (e.g., multiple sclerosis). A method of synthesizing 4-(2,2-difluoro-benzo[1,3]dioxol-5-ylmethyl)-piperazine-1-carboxylic acid (4-chloro-pyridin-3-yl)-amide is also disclosed.
US09688660B2

The disclosures herein relate to novel compounds of formula wherein Ar1 and R1 are as defined herein, and their use in treating, preventing, ameliorating, controlling or reducing cerebrovascular or vascular disorders associated with CGRP receptor function.
US09688655B2

Disclosed are processes and intermediates for the preparation of compound (X), which is currently being investigated for the treatment of prostate cancer.
US09688648B2

A continuous process for the preparation of propylene oxide, comprising (i) providing a liquid feed stream comprising propene, hydrogen peroxide, acetonitrile, water, dissolved potassium dihydrogen phosphate, and optionally propane; (ii) passing the liquid feed stream provided in (i) into an epoxidation reactor comprising a catalyst comprising a titanium zeolite of structure type MWW, and subjecting the liquid feed stream to epoxidation reaction conditions; (iii) removing an effluent stream from the epoxidation reactor; wherein the concentration of the dissolved potassium dihydrogen phosphate in the liquid feed stream is at least 10% of the solubility limit of the potassium dihydrogen phosphate in the liquid feed stream.
US09688643B2

The present invention provides a novel P2X3 and/or P2X2/3 receptor antagonist.A compound represented by the formula (I): wherein Ra, Rb and Rc are, (a) Ra and Rb are taken together ═Z; and Rc is a group represented by R1c; or (b) Rb and Rc are taken together to form a bond; and Ra is a group represented by —Y—R1a; R1a and R1c are each independently hydrogen, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, etc.; R2 and R3 are each independently substituted or unsubstituted aryl, etc.; R4a and R4b are each independently hydrogen, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, etc.; X is —N(R5)—, etc.; R5 is hydrogen, substituted or unsubstituted lower alkyl, etc.; —Y— is —O—, etc.; ═Z is ═O, etc.; and n is an integer of 0 to 4.
US09688642B2

Disclosed are compounds, compositions and methods for treating of disorders that are affected by the modulation of the GPR40 receptor. Such compounds are represented by Formula (I) as follows: wherein R1, G, and R2 are defined herein.
US09688622B1

Provided is a 1-(2-acyloxyethyl)cyclopropyl sulfonate compound of General Formula (2): wherein R1 is a monovalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms and optionally containing one or more unsaturated bonds and Z is a monovalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms and optionally containing one or more unsaturated bonds.
US09688615B2

The invention relates to compounds useful in treating conditions associated with voltage-gated ion channel function, particularly conditions associated with sodium channel activity. More specifically, the invention concerns compounds (e.g., compounds according to any of Formulas (I)-(XIII) or Compounds (1)-(236) of Table 1) that are useful in treatment of a variety of diseases and conditions.
US09688606B2

Process for scrubbing a crude mixture which is obtained in the nitration of toluene after separating off the nitrating acid and comprises dinitrotoluene, nitric acid, nitrogen oxides and sulfuric acid, which comprises two scrubbing steps (WS-I) and (WS-II), whereini) in a first scrubbing step (WS-I), the crude mixture is extracted with a scrubbing acid I comprising nitric acid, nitrogen oxides and sulfuric acid in a scrub comprising at least one extraction stage, where the scrubbing acid discharged from the first extraction stage (WS-I-1) of the first scrubbing step (WS-I) has a total acid content of from 10 to 40% by weight and a content of from 80 to 350 ppm of hydrocyanic acid, giving a prescrubbed crude mixture,ii) in a second scrubbing step (WS-II), the prescrubbed crude mixture comprising dinitrotoluene is extracted with a scrubbing acid II in a scrub comprising at least one, preferably at least 2, extraction stage(s), where the scrubbing acid discharged from the first extraction stage (WS-II-1) of the second scrubbing step (WS-II) has a pH of less than or equal to 4, giving a dinitrotoluene-comprising mixture which is essentially free of nitric acid, sulfuric acid, nitrogen oxides and hydrocyanic acid and has a content of not more than 300 ppm of nitric acid and nitrogen oxides, not more than 3 ppm of sulfate and not more than 50 ppm of hydrocyanic acid.
US09688588B2

A continuous flow process for the oligomerization of ethylene using a chromium catalyst having a phosphorus-nitrogen-phosphorus (“P—N—P”) ligand provides high selectivity to the desired tetramer (1-octene) with reduced production of coproduct C10+ oligomers. Prior art processes that maximize catalyst activity have provided comparatively poor product selectivity. In particular, the production of larger amounts of C10+ oligomers have been observed under conditions that maximize activity. The present process resolves this problem through the use of a combination of low catalyst concentration and by limiting the octene concentration in the reactor.
US09688574B2

A process for correcting defects in a primary coating on a glass optical fiber involves providing an optical fiber configured for propagation of an optical signal, coating the optical fiber with a composition comprising a thermoplastic polyurethane and at least one acrylate monomer, curing the composition to form a relatively soft primary coating covering an outer surface of the optical fiber, the primary coating being a thermoplastic product of the polyurethane and the at least one acrylate monomer, coating the optical fiber with at least one relatively harder secondary coating layer disposed over the primary coating, heating the coated fiber to a temperature above the melting temperature of the thermoplastic product to cause the primary coating to flow and correct defects, and cooling the coated fiber to a temperature below the melting temperature of the thermoplastic product to provide a substantially defect free primary coating.
US09688570B2

Transparent conductive oxide thin films having a plurality of layers with voids located at each interface. Smooth TCO surfaces with no post growth processing and a largely tunable haze value. Methods of making include applying multiple layers of a conductive oxide onto a surface of a substrate, and interrupting the application between the multiple layers to form a plurality of voids at the interfaces.
US09688569B2

An etchant is supplied to a workpiece. Furthermore, the workpiece is irradiated with spatially modulated light to adjust a temperature profile of the workpiece while etchant is supplied.
US09688562B2

In a method of making shaped glass articles, a glass sheet is placed on a mold having a shaping surface with a desired surface profile of a shaped glass article. The glass sheet is preferentially and rapidly heated by radiation while in the vicinity of the mold so that the mold remains substantially cooler than the glass sheet during the heating. The glass sheet is sagged onto the shaping surface of the mold so that at least a portion of the sagged sheet assumes the desired surface profile of the shaped glass article. After sagging and shaping, the sagged and shaped glass sheet is removed from the mold.
US09688554B2

In some embodiments, a wastewater treatment system may reduce contaminants in water. A system may include one or more bioreactors which include a substrate that supports a biofilm. The bacteria used to form the biofilm may be selected to maximize the reduction of contaminants in water. Various components of the wastewater treatment system may be optimized to improve the efficiency and energy consumption of the wastewater system.
US09688541B2

The present invention provides a beta zeolite that is useful as a catalyst, adsorbent agent, or the like, and that is both microporous and mesoporous. The beta zeolite is characterized by (i) the SiO2/Al2O3 ratio being 8-30, and the SiO2/ZnO ratio being 8-1000, (ii) the micropore surface area being 300-800 m2/g, (iii) the micropore volume being 0.1-0.3 cm3/g, and (iv) having mesopores having, in the state as synthesized, a diameter of 2-6 nm and a volume of 0.001-0.3 cm3/g. The beta zeolite is favorably produced by means of adding and reacting a zinc silicate beta zeolite as a seed crystal with a reaction mixture containing a silica source, an alumina source, an alkali source, and water.
US09688539B1

The green synthesis of reduced graphene oxide nanoparticles using Nigella sativa seed extract comprises the steps of mixing a quantity of soot or other carbon source in an acid solution while stirring to obtain a solution; adding a first oxidant gradually into the solution to oxidize the soot and obtain a suspension; stirring the suspension while maintaining the temperature of the suspension at about 35° C.; adding Nigella sativa seed extract to the suspension while raising the temperature of the suspension to about 60° C.; adding hydrogen peroxide to the suspension; and isolating the reduced graphene oxide nanoparticles by centrifugation.
US09688534B1

Methods for producing nanostructures, particularly Group III-V semiconductor nanostructures, are provided. The methods include use of novel Group III and/or Group V precursors, novel surfactants, oxide acceptors, high temperature, and/or stable co-products. Related compositions are also described. Methods and compositions for producing Group III inorganic compounds that can be used as precursors for nanostructure synthesis are provided. Methods for increasing the yield of nanostructures from a synthesis reaction by removal of a vaporous by-product are also described.
US09688530B2

An integrated circuit (“IC”) package comprising an IC die having a top surface and a bottom surface, an elongate member having opposite first and second end portions and a mid portion. The mid portion is positioned proximate the top surface of the IC die. The IC package also includes an encapsulant block having a top surface, a bottom surface and opposite first and second lateral side surfaces. The encapsulant block encapsulates the IC die and the elongate member. Either or both of the first and second end portions of the elongate member are exposed.
US09688526B2

A tailset crupper for an animal, such as a horse, may be made from a solid casting without lightening features, such as to produce a heavier, less easily dislodged object, such as may have a lower center of gravity, and a center of gravity located closer to the surface of the animal. The trough of the crupper may be predominantly open from below. The distal end of the crupper may have a large curl the bends on a large angle partially back toward the horse. The crupper may be substantially spoonless. That is, the protrusion at the front end of the crupper may be small, and may by shy of the cushioning on either side.
US09688519B2

A telescopic boom extension device includes a driving mechanism. The driving mechanism that drives B pins and a C pin includes a hydraulic supply part and a drive source generation part. The drive source generation part generates a predetermined hydraulic pressure at the hydraulic supply part based on a pneumatic pressure. The hydraulic supply part has an accumulator and AOHs and supplies a hydraulic pressure to a cylinder-boom coupling mechanism and an inter-boom fixing mechanism. The drive source generation part uses a pneumatic supply part to send compressed air to the hydraulic supply part.
US09688513B2

An elevator anti-fall buffer based on flexible guidance. The anti-fall buffer is used for connecting and fixing an end part of a braking steel rope of an elevator. The anti-fall buffer has an upper support plate and a lower support plate, wherein a pulley set is provided on the upper support plate and the lower support plate, and a hydraulic damping buffer is provided at two sides of the pulley set. The anti-fall buffer uses the energy consumption principle of a hydraulic damping hole, and while protecting the braking steel rope from the force of impact created thereon by the elevator, prevents the force of impact from a spring on the elevator post-braking, improving the safety and reliability of elevator braking, thereby improving safety of an elevator, while also using a pulley set can increase the braking distance of the braking steel rope, thereby lengthening life of the steel rope.
US09688505B2

Provided are a filament winding method and a filament winding apparatus, in which, when a new bobbin is mounted on a bobbin rotation driving device, the control device is programmed to rotate the bobbin and oscillate a dancer while maintaining a state where a distal end of filament unwound through the dancer is fixed further beyond the dancer and the filament is stretched. The control device is programmed to obtain a bobbin diameter of the bobbin mounted on the bobbin rotation driving device based on a length of the dancer, an oscillation angle of the dancer, and a rotation angle of the bobbin.
US09688500B2

A document bundler for a bill validator includes a document path, a transportation unit, and a clamp mechanism. The transportation unit is adapted to move a plurality of documents in series through the document path. The clamp mechanism includes a pushing member. The clamp mechanism is adapted to clamp a first document of the plurality of documents with the pushing member to inhibit movement of the first document by the transportation unit while a second document of the plurality of documents is transported substantially alongside the first document in the document path. The second document residing substantially alongside the first document forms a document bundle. Related apparatus, systems, techniques, and articles are also described.
US09688495B2

An image forming apparatus includes a conveying guide and a sheet member. The conveying guide is provided in a joining section and guides a sheet to a conveying roller pair along a main conveying path. The sheet member is provided in the joining section and configured to form a lower conveying path with the conveying guide and to guide the sheet from an upper conveying path toward the main conveying path. The conveying guide has a convex guide part and planer guide parts. The convex guide is provided at a center portion and projects toward the sheet member. The planer guide parts are provided on both sides of the convex guide part. A first gap formed between the convex guide part and the sheet member is narrower than a second gap formed between the planer guide part and the sheet member.
US09688494B2

A vacuum table (18) includes an introduction section (102) in fluid communication with a vacuum chamber (120) and a compartment (139) dividable by an adjustment partition (156) into primary and secondary vacuum chambers (139a, 139b). Adjustment plates (130) having adjustment apertures (138) are positionable over apertures (128) of the conveying surface (100) of the vacuum table (18) generally perpendicular to the conveying direction. Film (20) extends from between the nip of pinch rollers (12, 13) to the conveying surface (100) and is tensioned therebetween to be cut in excess of 105 cuts per minute by a servo motor controlled rotary cutter (30) which stops after each cut. The shaft (32) of the rotary cutter (30) includes a bore (310) extending from the idle end to provide servo-control loop stability.
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