US09701212B2

A charging system for an electric vehicle that assists in aligning a primary charging coil and a secondary coil. The system may include a wheel chock that raises the primary coil into alignment with the secondary coil when a tire enters the wheel chock. The system may include a primary that is recessed below the surface supporting the vehicle and is protected by a cover. The secondary coil may be protected and supported by a skid plate mounted to the vehicle. The system may include a charging circuit that is controlled by signals transmitted by a garage door opener transmitter or a garage door opener. The system may include sensors that detect the presence of an animal or object in the space between the primary coil and the secondary coil.
US09701211B2

A resonant wireless energy transfer system comprises first and second antennas made up of dual parallel wire helixes wherein the wires are terminated by short wires. Voltage controlled variable capacitors are connected into the antennas to permit progressive variation between folded dipole and normal dipole operating modes such that optimum energy transfer can be achieved between the antennas over a wide range of antenna separation distances. A vehicle battery charging system using the above-described antennas is provided including an installation which allows purchase of battery charging power by members of the general public. In-vehicle energy transfer for sensors, computers, cell phones and the like is also described.
US09701206B2

A regenerative braking control method of a hybrid vehicle may include determining whether to perform regenerative braking in a regenerative braking determining step, determining whether to stop an engine in an engine stopping determining step, and performing shifting to a lowest gear stage driven by a motor in a preceding shifting step if it is determined in the engine stopping determining step that the engine stops.
US09701201B2

An input apparatus for a vehicle includes a cover member for covering an upper part of an input unit installed in a center plate provided between a driver seat and a passenger seat, wherein the cover member moves forward from a center console located in a back part of the center plate to cover the upper part of the input unit.
US09701187B2

A drive device which can use a hybrid drive as well as a torque distribution using the same electric motor and which can also have a simple structure. The drive device (1) can be coupled or is coupled to a first and a second motor (6, 7), the second motor (7) can be used in accordance with the shift state of a shifting device (13) for a drive or for an active torque distribution.
US09701185B1

An automobile cover is adapted to protectively cover the windows, the hood, the roof, and some portion of the trunk of an automobile to obviate the need to manually remove frost, snow, or ice which may have accumulated on those surfaces while the automobile is parked. The automobile cover can be deployed from a storage area attached to the interior of a trunk in anticipation of frigid weather precipitation, and removably secured to the automobile. Prior to the subsequent operation of the automobile, the automobile cover would be retracted to the storage configuration, whereupon the accumulated precipitation would be shed from both the automobile cover and the automobile.
US09701184B2

A sunshade device includes guide rails slidably supporting a shade panel so as to open and close an opening formed on a vehicle roof; and a shade stopper attached to each guide rail, regulating an opening action by allowing the shade panel to abut on the shade stopper, wherein the guide rail includes a rail-side flange or flanges arranged side by side in a height direction which extend toward an inner side in a width direction, the shade stopper includes retaining pieces extending toward an outer side in the width direction and sandwiching the rail-side flange in the height direction, and rail-side and retaining-piece side engaging projections projecting in the height direction to face each other and regulating a movement of the retaining piece in the inner side in the width direction are respectively formed in the rail-side flange and the retaining piece in one side.
US09701170B2

A damper rod bushing operatively connects an end member of a gas spring and a damper rod of a damper to at least partially form a gas spring and damper assembly. The damper rod bushing is constructed for exposure to gas pressure within a spring chamber of a gas spring and damper assembly such that pre-load forces due to gas pressure within said spring chamber act on said damper rod bushing. The damper rod bushing can include an outer support element, an inner support element and an elastomeric connector element operatively connected between the outer and inner support elements such that a substantially fluid-tight seal is formed therebetween. A gas spring and damper assembly including such a damper rod bushing, as well as a suspension system including one or more of such gas spring and damper assemblies and a method of assembly are also included.
US09701168B2

A variable rigidity tow cable for attaching a first vehicle with a second vehicle. The tow cable includes a tension control cable having a first end and a second end. Tension on at least one of the ends of the tension control cable can be controlled to increase or decrease the length of the tension control cable. A plurality of beads are slidingly disposed on the tension control cable between the first end and the second end. The beads are free to move relative to one another on the tension control cable when the tension control cable is slack, and the beads are engaged with each other to form a rigid structure around the tension control cable when tension is applied to the tension control cable.
US09701165B2

A tire pressure monitor system tool that stores information regarding a plurality of tire pressure monitor systems. The information may include procedures for resetting and diagnosing the tire pressure monitor system. The tool may include a storing module that stores the information and a displaying module that causes the information to be displayed on a display of the tool. The tool may enable a user to input data regarding a vehicle. Based on the vehicle data input by the user, the tool may determine a tire pressure monitor system installed on the vehicle using the information stored. Based on the tire pressure monitoring system installed on the vehicle, the tool may determine one or more reset or diagnostic procedures that may be performed by the tool. The tool may also reference the owner's manual of the vehicle. The tool may also include an updating module that updates the information stored by the tool. The tool may also include an update interface that may be, for example, an RS232 port. The tool may interface with an electronic control unit of a vehicle.
US09701158B2

A variable track wheel (1) comprises a rim (2) suitable for receiving a tire, and a disc (3) through which said wheel (1) is mountable on a hub (37), said disc (3) being removably secured by fastenings (6) to a connecting member (4) provided in said rim (2), said connecting member (4) projecting towards a rotation axis (X) of said wheel (1), said wheel further comprising a plurality of spacers (15) interposed between an annular perimeter zone (36) of said disc (3) and said connecting member (4) of said rim (2), said disc (3) and said rim (2) being mountable in a plurality of reciprocal axial positions and in a plurality of reciprocal orientations to obtain a variation in the track of said wheel (1), said wheel (1) further comprising at least one centring device (8; 9) for mutual positioning of said disc (3) and of said rim (2), said centring device (8; 9) comprising a hole (10; 10a; 10b) and a pin (11), said hole (10; 10a; 10b) or said pin (11) being provided in said connecting member (4) or in said disc (3), said centring device (8; 9) further comprising a coupling element (21) so conformed as to cooperate with said hole (10; 10a; 10b) and with said pin (11) for reciprocally coupling said pin (11) and said hole (10; 10a; 10b).
US09701150B2

A visual display assembly adapted for use as an anti-counterfeiting device on paper currency, product labels, and other objects. The assembly includes a film of transparent material including a first surface including an array of lenses and a second surface opposite the first surface. The assembly also includes a printed image proximate to the second surface. The printed image includes pixels of frames of one or more images interlaced relative to two orthogonal axes. The lenses of the array are nested in a plurality of parallel rows, and adjacent ones of the lenses in columns of the array are aligned to be in a single one of the rows with no offset of lenses in adjacent columns/rows. The lenses may be round-based lenses or are square-based lenses, and the lenses may be provided at 200 lenses per inch (LPI) or a higher LPI in both directions.
US09701145B2

A covert label. A substrate comprises a field of ink. Disposed within the field of ink, is ink that can be preferentially removed according to a preconfigured pattern. The preconfigured pattern comprises information associable with at least one object.
US09701141B2

Provided are recording sections which record onto recording media which are supported on pallets, a first transport section which transports the recording media by moving the pallets in a first region which does not include recording positions according to the recording sections, and second transport section which transports the recording media with higher precision than the first transport section in a second region which includes the recording positions.
US09701135B2

A terminal receives contents to be written on a note by a user, a server stores and manages print data generated by a plurality of users and outputs the print data to an image forming apparatus which outputs the print data in the form of an adhesive note. The image forming apparatus includes a de-curl unit for correcting the curl of a recording medium and causes the recording medium on which printing is performed to be popped out through an outlet. The server communicates with a plurality of terminals and includes a control unit which generates a virtual conference space by assigning a storage address to the virtual conference space when a request of generating a virtual conference space and identification information on an image forming apparatus to be used in the virtual conference space from among the plurality of terminals is received.
US09701134B2

A medium supporting unit includes a supporting portion that includes a first surface supporting a medium, a second surface recessed more than the first surface, and a first side surface connecting the first surface to the second surface, and a pressing portion that includes a pressing surface pressing the medium supported by the first surface at a position facing the second surface, and a facing side surface which faces the first side surface, in which in the supporting portion and the pressing portion, at the time of a holding state in which the medium is supported by the first surface and is pressed by the pressing surface, a part of the medium positioned between the first side surface and the facing side surface is capable of being held in a state of being separated from the second surface.
US09701127B2

A liquid container that is detachably mountable on a liquid consuming device comprises a liquid container body that is at least partly formed from a material having flexibility and is configured to contain a liquid; an operation member that is located at one end of the liquid container body and is configured to include a holdable grip surface; and a liquid supply portion that is configured to have a liquid supply port at one end. The operation member is configured such that the grip surface is offset relative to the liquid supply port in an axial direction of the liquid supply portion.
US09701126B2

A fluid ejection system is disclosed, and comprises a fluid ejection device and an adapter. The fluid ejection device comprises a body defining an interior bore, a fluid reservoir, and a fluid ejection chip. The fluid reservoir defines an interior passage that receives a fluid and is in fluid communication with the interior bore of the body. The fluid ejection chip is coupled with the body and comprises one or more fluid ejection actuators. The fluid ejection chip has one or more interior fluid paths in fluid communication with the interior bore of the body so that the fluid ejection chip ejects the fluid upon activation of the one or more fluid ejection actuators. The adapter is coupled with the fluid reservoir and defines an interior passage in fluid communication with the interior passage of the fluid reservoir. The adapter is configured to interengage a fluid storage device.
US09701125B2

A printing apparatus includes an ink discharge head that discharges ink, a wiper that wipes the ink discharge head, a sub tank that stores the ink to be supplied to the ink discharge head, an ink circulation flow path, a circulation pump that causes the ink to circulate in the ink circulation flow path, and a first pressurizing unit that pressurizes the inside of the sub tank in the wiping operation in which the ink discharge head is wiped with the wiper to a first pressure that is higher than the pressure in the sub tank in the print operation for discharging the ink toward a print medium with the ink discharge head. The circulation pump stops the operation in the wiping operation.
US09701121B2

A liquid ejecting head including a head main unit having L (L is an integer of 2 or more) nozzle rows parallel to one another in a first direction in which, for each nozzle row, in a case in which one side in a second direction that intersects the first direction at a predetermined angle in a range of 0 degrees to 90 degrees is the first side, the nozzle row furthest to the first side among the L nozzle rows does not have a nozzle positioned at a distance M or more further to the first side in the second direction than the nozzle furthest to the first side of a nozzle row neighboring in the second direction.
US09701112B2

An ink jet recording apparatus including: a head that ejects droplets of ink; a flow passage portion; and a temperature adjustment unit. The flow passage portion supplies the ink to the head. The flow passage portion includes, in a part thereof, a reservoir unit that reserves the ink. The temperature adjustment unit is capable of adjusting temperatures of the flow passage portion and the head independently of each other. The temperature adjustment unit controls the temperatures of the flow passage portion and the head so that the ink in the head becomes liquid from solid after ink in the flow passage portion is turned to liquid from solid.
US09701111B2

A printhead including one or more fluid vias in fluid communication with a fluid supply, each of the one or more fluid vias being associated with a first number of heating elements, the heating elements being divided into groups of a second number of heating elements so as to form a number of primitive groups, and an electrical interface having at least one shift register that receives primitive address data to allow for selective application of electrical signals to the heating elements so that fluid is ejected from the printhead in accordance with image data, the number of primitive groups being dependent on the print resolution of the printhead so that a number of bits required for the at least one shift register to address each heater is independent of the print resolution of the printhead.
US09701108B2

A printing plate holding apparatus is provided which during a high speed printing operation reduces vibrations and noises caused in a groove for having a grip leading end and a grip trailing end of a printing plate inserted therein, which can fasten the printing plate with greater certainty, and which is suitable for the printing plate to be held securely on such as a sleeve cylinder whose weight reduction is demanded.It is a printing plate holding apparatus in which a printing plate 5 wound on a plate cylinder 2 is to be held securely thereon in a rotary press, the apparatus having a plate insertion groove 4 formed on an outer peripheral surface of the plate cylinder 2 and extending axially of the plate cylinder 2 for receiving a grip leading end 5a and a grip trailing end 5b of the printing plate 2, and comprising a printing plate retainer plate 6 and a tap bolt 7 for bringing both widthwise lateral end portions of the grip leading and trailing ends 5a and 5b of the printing plate into overlapping each other in the plate insertion groove 2 and for pressing and fastening them against a constraint surface 4b with which the grip trailing end 5b is in contact, in the plate insertion groove 4.
US09701107B2

A printing machine has a printing tower with a plurality of printing units arranged one above the other and a printing form changeover system having at least one vertically movable storage device for printing forms. A first machine plane, which is associated with one or a plurality of first printing units, is provided. A storage is associated with the printing tower. The storage can be moved between a removal position located in the region of the first machine plane and a loading position which is vertically spaced apart therefrom by a conveyor system. The loading position is associated with the second printing unit of the printing tower with a view to feeding printing forms. During the changeover of the printing forms, received printing forms are transported by the vertically movable storage.
US09701101B2

Embossed multi-ply fibrous structures and methods for making such embossed multi-ply fibrous structures are provided.
US09701093B2

A method for making an activatable material having a handling film layer thereon, comprising the steps of providing a continuous mass of a polymeric material having a longitudinal axis and being capable of adhering to a metal surface; applying a handling layer (e.g., film) over at least one side of the mass; forming stress relief indentations in the mass, with the handling layer at least partially extending into the indentations, wherein the stress relief indentations allow a resulting part to be applied in conforming geometry with a surface to which it is applied. The teachings also contemplate parts made by the above method and use thereof to bond to surfaces having a non-planar portion.
US09701092B2

A method for removing matrix from a composite material comprising reinforcement embedded in a matrix and having a thickness bounded by the first surface and a second surface of the composite material. A laser is oriented with a beam axis of the laser approximately perpendicular to the first surface of the composite material. The laser travels over a region of the first surface of the composite material, wherein the laser removes a portion of or the entire thickness of the composite matrix at the region while leaving the reinforcement of the composite material intact.
US09701087B2

A machine for forming a container from a blank of sheet material includes a frame, a mandrel assembly mounted to the frame, a pre-folding assembly, and a transfer assembly. The mandrel assembly includes a first mandrel and a second mandrel. The first mandrel has an external shape complementary to an internal shape of at least a first portion of the container. The second mandrel is positioned downstream from the first mandrel, and has an external shape complementary to an internal shape of at least a second portion of the container. The pre-folding assembly is configured to fold a first portion of the blank around the first mandrel to form a partially formed container. The first portion of the blank corresponds to the first portion of the container. The transfer assembly is for transferring the partially formed container from the first mandrel to the second mandrel.
US09701085B1

A radial press is provided for the radial deformation of a workpiece centrically to a pressing axis, having two yokes and a pressing tool that comprises a pressing jaw set received in a tool installation space defined between the yokes with pressing jaws arranged concentrically round the pressing axis, wherein both yokes are movable relative to one another by means of a drive system along a drive axis arranged perpendicularly to the pressing axis and the spacing of the pressing jaws from the pressing axis depends on the position of the two yokes relative to one another.
US09701082B2

During building of tires, at least one first forming drum is employed which has a deposition surface and includes sectors radially movable relative to a geometric rotation axis, and circumferentially distributed one after the other. A plurality of strip-like elements is deposited in circumferential side by side relationship on the deposition surface set in the first deposition configuration, to form at least one component of at least one first crown structure. Setting of the deposition surface includes the actions of radially moving the sectors to give the deposition surface a predetermined diameter and carry out a relative movement between a central portion and axially external end portions of each sector to shape the deposition surface according to a predetermined curvature outline.
US09701075B2

A mold block includes a tool body with a contoured finished surface adapted to receive a tool insert having a forming surface for forming a bottle neck in a molding operation. The tool body defines an internal channel for heat transfer with the forming surface. At least a portion of the channel is offset generally equidistant from the finished surface to provide a path contoured for conformal cooling of the insert. The tool body has a pair of ports intersecting the channel. Several methods for forming a mold block are disclosed and include machining a contoured finished surface adapted to receive a tool insert on a tool body, forming a heat transfer channel within the tool body, and forming a pair of ports into the tool body. At least a portion of the channel is offset generally equidistant from the finished surface for conformal cooling of the insert.
US09701066B2

Provided is a curing agent for a three-dimensional shaped product including a compatible material that is compatible with a molded article forming agent for forming a three-dimensional shaped product, and a curing material that cures the molded article forming agent.
US09701064B2

A printer forms a three-dimensional object on a rotating substrate. The printer includes a frame that supports a cylindrical member and at least one printhead such that the first printhead is positioned to eject material onto an outer surface of the cylindrical member. The frame is movable between a first position that rotatably supports the cylindrical member and a second position that enables transfer of the cylindrical member to and from the frame. A controller operates the printhead to eject material onto the rotating cylindrical member to form the object. The controller interpolates a periodic signal generated from a position encoder to adjust the operation of the printhead based on the rotational position and velocity of the cylindrical member. The controller operates a driver to move the frame to the second position to enable removal of the cylindrical member from the printer.
US09701047B2

Disclosed herein are methods and systems for the preparation of a co-injection molded multilayer plastic article. Some methods include co-extruding a combined polymeric stream having an interior core stream encased by an inner stream and an outer stream. One or more pulses in a thickness of the interior core stream create portions of an edge of the outer flow stream flowing along different streamlines. A first portion of an outer edge of the interior core stream flows beyond a second portion of the outer edge thereby forming one or more cohesion members that physically interlock the interior layer with the inner layer, with the outer layer or with both. Some embodiments reduce or eliminate a need for addition of an adhesive in the composite stream to prevent delamination of layers of the resulting multilayer plastic article. In some embodiments, cohesion members may be employed to produce a desired cosmetic effect in a resulting article.
US09701046B2

An apparatus and method for manufacturing masonry blocks using a face mix shuttle comprising an angled shovel for depositing a controllable amount of face mix onto a surface of a masonry block.
US09701044B2

A fine concavo-convex structure product (10) is provided with an etching layer (11), and a resist layer (12) comprised of a heat-reactive resist material for dry etching provided on the etching layer (11), a concavo-convex structure associated with opening portions (12a) formed in the resist layer (12) is formed in the etching layer (11), a pattern pitch P of a fine pattern of the concavo-convex structure ranges from 1 nm to 10 μm, a pattern depth H of the fine pattern ranges from 1 nm to 10 μm, and a pattern cross-sectional shape of the fine pattern is a trapezoid, a triangle or a mixed shape thereof. The heat-reactive resist material for dry etching has, as a principal constituent element, at least one species selected from the group consisting of Cu, Nb, Sn, Mn, oxides thereof, nitrides thereof and NiBi.
US09701043B2

An object of the present invention is to provide a dicing blade which does not cause cracking and breaking even in a workpiece formed from a brittle material, and can stably perform cutting process in a ductile mode on the workpiece with high precision. A dicing blade 26 which performs the cutting process on the workpiece is integrally formed of a diamond sintered body 80 which is formed by sintering diamond abrasive grains 82 so as to have a discoid shape, and a content of the diamond abrasive grains 82 of the diamond sintered body 80 is 80 vol % or more. It is preferable that recessed parts which are formed on a surface of the diamond sintered body 80 are continuously provided in an outer circumferential part of the dicing blade 26 along a circumferential direction.
US09701042B2

A method of making a combination tool including a mining drill bit and reamer. The combination tool includes drill bit body having a plurality of cutting segments attached thereto, a reamer body having a plurality of reaming segments attached thereto, and the drill bit body and the reamer body being configured to selectively attach to the one another. The cutting segments and reamer segments being attached by laser welding to the drill bit body and reamer body, respectively.
US09701029B2

A manipulator includes an arm, a plurality of servo motors, a plurality of servo amplifiers, and at least one bellows container. The arm includes a plurality of joints and links. The plurality of the servo motors are disposed in a first space in the arm and capable of driving each of the plurality of the joints. The plurality of the servo amplifiers are disposed in the first space and each of the plurality of the servo amplifiers controls each of the plurality of the servo motors. The at least one bellows container with one closed end which is positioned away from the arm and another open end includes a second space which is connected to the first space at the open end. In the manipulator, each of the first space and the second space is filled with oil, and each of the plurality of the servo amplifiers is connected with a cable for serial communication or power-line carrier communication.
US09701028B2

A robot according to an aspect of the invention includes an enclosure having an opening formed therein, a lid section that is provided on the enclosure in a detachable manner and blocks at least part of the opening, an attachment and detachment section which is provided on the lid section on the side facing the opening of the enclosure and to and from which a replaceable part is attached and detached, and a holding mechanism that allows the enclosure to hold the lid section when the lid section is detached from the enclosure.
US09701024B2

An integrated grip arm for transfer reticles and carrier boxes is disclosed for improving throughput, yield and reliability of transport equipment. The integrated grip arm comprises a plurality of grippers to accommodate a plurality of reticles and carrier boxes without the need of separate arm or gripper changes. The integrated grip arm can further comprise sensor or means to select the right gripper for the right reticles or carrier boxes.
US09701015B2

Via intuitive interactions with a user, robots may be trained to perform tasks such as visually detecting and identifying physical objects and/or manipulating objects. In some embodiments, training is facilitated by the robot's simulation of task-execution using augmented-reality techniques.
US09701011B2

Systems and a method for robotic energy saving tool search. The systems and method include receiving inputs including one or more of robot information, tooling information, operation information, and position information. Using the information received, a list of tooling candidates of a robot required to complete one or more tasks for a complex operation and a task location for each of the one or more tasks in the complex operation is generated. Tooling candidate are then removed from the list of tooling candidates when the robot cannot reach every task location on a path required by the complex task. The path is adjusted to remove one or more collision events. The total energy consumption value for each remaining tooling candidate is calculated, and returning the tooling candidate with the lowest energy consumed.
US09701010B2

The invention comprises a cart for reducing and alleviating ergonomic stresses on the musculoskeletal system of workers in a variety of building trades, including tile setting and grouting, concrete staining, wood floor refinishing, finish carpentry, electrical finishing, plumbing, and others, that require workers to spend extended periods of the working day in compromising and unsupported kneeling positions. The cart is designed to distribute forces along the shinbone of the worker and redirect them from the back, pelvis, keens, ankles and other joints. A further advantage of the cart is the ability to maneuver around the work surface using pivoting shin supports and without the need for repeated standing and kneeling.
US09701005B2

A biaxial foldout tool includes a body with opposing ends and one or more sets of tool drivers. The opposing ends are rotated 90° from each other. A first set of tool drivers is positioned on/near a first end and rotates about a first hinge; a second set of tool drivers is positioned on/near a second end and rotates about a second hinge. A first portion of the first set opens in a direction counter to an open direction of a second portion of the first set of tool drivers. A first portion of the second set opens in a direction counter to an open direction of a second portion of the second set of tool drivers. When tool drivers are in an open position, internal stops prevent the tool drivers from opening past a predetermined angle. The tool drivers are contained within channels of the body when in a closed position.
US09701002B2

Hammering device functioning with pressure fluid of a hydraulic arrangement which hammering device comprises a body (16), (19) which can be attached to a working machine on which machine a hammering mass (3) is adjusted to be resting and to be moving which hammering mass is moved into a hammering position with the help of hydraulic pressure by directing the pressurized fluid into the ring-shaped, first chamber space (6) wherein the hammering mass (3) when it is moving into a hammering position compresses gas in the chamber space (K1) located at the first side of the hammering mass (3) and in order to perform the hammering movement with the hammering mass (3) to the hammering element (5), (27) the flow of hydraulic pressure is blocked to the first chamber space (6) and the access for pressure fluid is allowed away from the first chamber space (6) with the help of the valve (2). In order to remove the pressure fluid fast from the first chamber space (6) the ring-shaped, second chamber space (7) is adjusted to be an extension for the first chamber space (6) and a ring-shaped valve (2) which comprises a closing ring is adjusted between the mentioned chamber spaces (6), (7) the port of which valve is formed of a group of holes which holes are located in the mentioned closing ring.
US09700999B2

A torque-adjustable torque wrench includes: a tubular body; a flexible bar, an abutment member and a compression spring disposed in the tubular body, a front end of the compression spring abutting against the abutment member; a head section connected with a front end of the flexible bar; an adjustment rod disposed in the tubular body; and an adjustment switch rotatably fitted on a rear end of the tubular body and connected with a rear end of the adjustment rod. The elastic force of the compression spring against the abutment member is adjustable by rotating the adjustment switch. The adjustment switch is only rotatable within a rotational range of one circle, in such rotational range, the ratio of the maximum adjustable torque value to the minimum adjustable torque value of the wrench ranges from 1.2 to 10 times.
US09700993B2

An abrasive segment can include an inner segment portion, an outer segment portion, and a central segment portion connected thereto. The inner segment portion can include an inner circumferential wall and an outer circumferential wall. Leading and trailing radial sidewalls can extend between the inner circumferential wall and the outer circumferential wall opposite each other. The outer segment portion can include an inner circumferential wall and an outer circumferential wall. Leading and trailing radial sidewalls can extend between the inner circumferential wall and the outer circumferential wall opposite each other. The central segment portion can include a leading radial sidewall and a trailing radial sidewall. The leading radial sidewall of the central segment portion can establish an acute angle, α, with respect to the outer circumferential wall of the inner segment portion and an obtuse angle, β, with respect the inner circumferential wall of the outer segment portion.
US09700987B1

An invention is provided for creating smoothed, heat-treated glass fragments. The invention includes placing a plurality of heat-treated glass fragments into a tumbling or vibrating apparatus. Each heat-treated glass fragment is formed from glass that has been heated to a temperature of at least 1000° Fahrenheit and rapidly cooled to a temperature below 700° Fahrenheit. The plurality of glass fragments are then tumbled or vibrated for a predetermined period of time such that surfaces of the heat-treated glass fragments are smoother than prior to tumbling. The glass fragments are thereafter removed from the tumbling apparatus, resulting in smoothed, heat-treated glass fragments that are suitable for direct handling without hand protection.
US09700981B2

The invention concerns a method for the chip-removing generation or machining of internal gear teeth on a workpiece which is rotatable about its rotary axis and radially delimits a free space that extends axially to one side beyond the internally toothed region and whose radial width narrows in the direction of its axial extension in at least one location. An externally toothed tool which is driven in rotary movement about its axis of rotation is brought from the opposite side into rolling engagement with the internally toothed region with the rotary axes crossed at an angle. Through the application of a mechanical force, the chips which are produced in the process and which are subject to a centrifugal force are caused to change their movement in the zone of narrowing width in a manner directed against the origin of the centrifugal force.
US09700977B2

A motor-driven machine tool includes a drive unit and a tool changing magazine with tool chambers that are placed into a transfer position adjacent to a tool receptacle to be loaded. The machine tool includes a tool changing device with a slide element that is arranged in operative connection with a tool. The slide element is moved by an operating element into a first position for accepting a tool from or transferring a tool to the tool chamber and into a second position to drive the tool. The slide element is fixed in the second position by a blocking element that is brought out of operative connection with the slide element by a transfer element to move the slide element from the second position to the first position. The slide element is arranged in indirect contact with the blocking element to move the blocking element by the transfer element.
US09700954B2

This disclosure relates generally to welding, and more specifically, to submerged arc welding (SAW). In an embodiment, a welding system includes a gas supply system configured to provide a gas flow. The system also includes a wire supply system configured to provide welding wire, and a flux supply system configured to provide flux near a welding arc during submerged arc welding (SAW). The system further includes a welding torch assembly configured to receive the gas flow and the welding wire and to deliver the gas flow and the welding wire near the welding arc during SAW.
US09700948B2

A height adjustment apparatus that can reduce a load to trim a can body is provided. The height adjustment apparatus 1 is adapted to adjust a height of a can body to a desired height by trimming one of opening ends of the can body. The height adjustment apparatus comprises: mandrels on which the can body is individually mounted and which revolve along a predetermined orbit while rotating; outer blades arranged around the revolution orbit of the mandrels; an inner blade fitted onto each mandrel to trim the opening end of the can body together with the outer blade; and a vertical reciprocator that gradually changes a level of the opening end of the can body with respect to a level at which the outer blade and the inner blade are situated from an upstream side toward a downstream side in a revolution direction of the mandrel.
US09700943B2

The invention relates to an anti-vibration plug for machining tubes and to a method for placing said plug inside a tube, wherein the plug comprises a central body (2) with arms (3) that open radially outwards intended to come into contact with the inside of the tube (1), a blocking screen (4) being arranged between the central body (2) and the arms (3), which blocks the inside of the tube (1) in the open position of the arms (3), whereas the central body (2) has an axial hole (5) wherein there is housed a piston (6) which movably acts on a peripheral part (8) which surrounds the central body (2) and generates the movement of the arms (3), the peripheral part (8) being subjected to a pushing force exerted by an elastic element (10) in the opposite direction to that in which the piston (6) pushes.
US09700941B2

A removed damaged portion of a fully consolidated turbine engine component is replaced with a powder coupon that includes powder particles that are at most partially sintered or are bonded together with a binder. A bonding agent is applied to the component and/or the powder coupon. The powder coupon is then positioned over the component and heat is applied to fully sinter the powder particles, thus causing the powder coupon to shrink onto the component. The heat also activates the bonding agent to bond the shrunken powder coupon to the component, but the heat does not sinter the material forming the fully consolidated component.
US09700940B2

Metal nanoparticles and compositions derived therefrom can be used in a number of different applications. Methods for making metal nanoparticles can include providing a first metal salt in a solvent; converting the first metal salt into an insoluble compound that constitutes a plurality of nanoparticle seeds; and after forming the plurality of nanoparticle seeds, reacting a reducing agent with at least a portion of a second metal salt in the presence of at least one surfactant and the plurality of nanoparticle seeds to form a plurality of metal nanoparticles. Each metal nanoparticle can include a metal shell formed around a nucleus derived from a nanoparticle seed, and the metal shell can include a metal from the second metal salt. The methods can be readily scaled to produce bulk quantities of metal nanoparticles.
US09700934B2

A cast steel railway wheel includes a hub that has an axial bore. A rim is concentric with the bore. A plate extends substantially radially from the hub to the rim. The plate has a front face and a rear face. The plate has a plurality of spokes that extend between the hub and the rim. Adjacent spokes have different thicknesses defined between the front face and the rear face.
US09700927B2

An apparatus for moving a workpiece in a press installation has a transfer bar extending along a longitudinal bar axis and having longitudinally opposite bar ends. A plurality of tool assemblies on the transfer bar are adapted to grip and hold the workpiece; A pair of stationary frames spaced apart along a Y axis generally parallel to the bar axis are juxtaposed with the bar ends and longitudinally flank the bar. A pair of X slides are each displaceable in a horizontal X direction perpendicular to the Y axis on a respective one of the frames. Respective primary mounts on the X slides each carry a respective end of the bar with the bar longitudinally movable in each of the primary mounts.
US09700926B2

An industrial machine (1) for bending metallic flat elements (E) comprising a support framework (2) which insists on a reference surface (T), a working plan (3), connected to the support framework (2) and accessible to the operator, adapted to receive the metallic flat element (E) to be folded, bending means (4), arranged frontally to the working plan (3) and coupled to the support frame (2), suitable to bend upwards and/or downwards at least one side edge of the metallic flat element (E), handling and supply means (5), operatively connected to the working plan (3), suitable for supplying/removing the metallic flat element (E) to/from the bending means (4), and actuation means (6), operatively connected to the handling and supply means (5) to move them along a vertical direction (Y) and/or horizontal direction (X) determining the displacement with respect to the working plan (3).
US09700919B1

A method and system for removing foreign grains from oat grains to establish gluten-free oats, i.e., oat grains having gluten levels below 20 ppm and, more preferably, below 10 ppm, relies upon performing a series of mechanical differentiation operations on a combination of grains, including oats and foreign, or gluten containing, grains. The various operations include aspiration, width grading and length grading steps, as well as a late stage density separating step. The resulting oats can be used to make a wide range of gluten-free oat food products, including cereal and granola products.
US09700917B2

There is provided a vibration generating device including: a piezoelectric element which is deformed when power is applied thereto; an installation member below which the piezoelectric element is installed; a weight fixedly installed below the installation member to be disposed below the piezoelectric element; a plurality of elastic members connected to the installation member to change a displacement direction by deformation of the installation member and disposed to face each other; and a damper member fixedly installed on a lower surface of the weight, wherein a thickness of the damper member is determined to allow the damper member to be disposed in a space formed by the plurality of elastic members when the elastic members are driven normally.
US09700905B2

A mobile cart includes a cart frame, wheels rotatably attached to the frame and feet projecting from the frame to an underlying support surface. A carrier tray is fixedly secured atop the cart frame, having a generally planar tray base, a front wall extending upwardly from the front end of the tray base and a cavity. A first container, containing a first material, and a second container, containing a second material, are positioned in the cavity. A combination mixer and dispenser is releasably secured to the frame and releasably fluidly coupled to the first and second containers. The cart is tiltable between a generally horizontal position and a generally vertical position. The front wall of the tray is angled from the tray base such that the front wall lies against the support surface in the generally vertical position, stabilizing the cart for container loading and unloading.
US09700902B2

Dispensing head (1) intended to be fitted on a container that contains at least one product to be dispensed, this dispensing head comprising: a body (3), an engaging part (10), in particular a core (10), that defines with the body (3), at rest, a dispensing orifice (12) having an annular section.
US09700897B2

An adjusting apparatus of a feed opening of a crushing chamber of a crusher includes one or more adjusting parts arranged in connection with the feed opening, which one or more adjusting parts is/are movable during crushing for adjusting a flow area of material which is to be crushed and is flowing through the feed opening to the crushing chamber. The front edges of the adjusting parts form a unitary flow opening, the flow area of which is adjustable by moving one or more adjusting parts. An adjusting system includes the adjusting apparatus for a feed opening of a crushing chamber of a crusher. A method for adjusting a pressing crusher or a crushing plant suitable for mineral material crushing. A method for avoiding a start peak of a crusher. A method for limiting power intake and/or crushing pressure of a crusher.
US09700894B2

A journal transport and storage device for moving, transporting and storage of a pulverizer journal assembly is provided. The device includes a base and a frame extending from the base defining a shaped configuration to support at least a portion of the pulverizer journal assembly.
US09700893B2

A method and apparatus for breaking mineral particles comprising suspending the particles in a liquid flowing in a conduction path, the liquid comprising a dielectric constant higher than the particles and wherein an electric voltage pulse is sent to electrodes to pass an electric field in the mineral particles with sufficient stress to fracture the mineral particles.
US09700892B2

A kit for performing long term storage of biological matter is provided. The kit includes an elongate rod, extending between opposed first and second ends, and at least one holding point disposed upon the rod between the first and second ends, the holding point comprising a recess defined within a wall. A cryovial with an internal volume is configured to receive a biological sample therein, the cryovial comprising at least one finger that extends radially outward from an outer circumference thereof, wherein the finger is configured to releaseably mate with the at least one holding point upon the rod.
US09700889B2

A method of flowing a fluid with a tracer in a microfluidic channel of an assay device and detecting the tracer for determining the channel location or condition of the channel.
US09700888B1

Disclosed is a microfluidic cartridge that can perform highly accurate lab quality DNA tests and other amplification based tests at the point of care. The cartridge may have slanted channels that angle downward from the inlet well, where the sample is deposited, to the reaction well, where the sample will flow down to and initiate the reaction. In some examples, the cartridge may be fabricated from specific materials that enhance passive flow through the channels. Additionally, the reaction wells have an access port that allows ventilation to the reaction wells that enhances the flow of the sample from the inlet to the reaction well. The access ports allow convenient access for depositing the reaction mixture into the reaction wells after the cartridge is fabricated.
US09700872B1

A superpolar sorbent network is a sol-gel network of at least one metal oxide precursor condensed and at least one polyhydroxy molecule. The metal oxide precursor is a silicate precursor, aluminate precursor, titanate precursor, zirconate precursor, germinate precursor, or any combinations thereof, and the polyhydroxy molecule has a multiplicity of hydroxyl groups. The polyhydroxy molecule can be an organic molecule derived from nature. The superpolar sorbent network can be used as a particulate or bulk sorbent for sampling or removal of analytes or contaminants from an environment or can be coated on a tube or particulate substrate for use as a chromatographic stationary phase.
US09700868B2

Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) is processed to produce useful products, such as fuels. For example, systems can use feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials and/or starchy materials, to produce ethanol and/or butanol, e.g., by fermentation.
US09700862B2

A novel canister storage system, mixing system, canister assembly, dispensing system, and tracking system. In one or more embodiments, the systems are used for storing, mixing and dispensing fluids.
US09700853B2

This invention provides a microscopic bubble generator that can stably/efficiently generate a large amount of microscopic bubbles in liquid in a short time and can be easily cleaned in an assembled state and in a disassembled state, and a gas-liquid dissolving tank that can be suitably used for the apparatus.In the gas-liquid dissolving tank that promotes dissolution of gas mixed with liquid in the liquid, openings that pass the flowing gas-liquid are formed at an upper portion and a lower portion of a container of the tank, a plurality of separation walls that vertically divide a plurality of chambers are disposed in the container, openings that connect upper and lower chambers are formed through the separation walls, the upper ends of the openings of the separation walls extend predetermined distances upward from the separation walls, and the lower ends of the openings of the separation walls extend predetermined distances downward from the separation walls.
US09700832B2

Amine compositions comprising sterically hindered amines and associated methods are provided. In some embodiments, amine compositions of the present disclosure may be useful for selective removal of H2S from an acidic gas stream.
US09700818B2

A filter apparatus and filter element therefore are provided. The filter apparatus includes a filter head including an inlet port, a main flow outlet port and a drain flow outlet port. The filter element includes a ring of filter media defining an internal cavity. The filter element defines a main flow passage and a drain flow passage through the internal cavity. Each flow passage has an inlet on a clean side of the filter media directly fluidly communicating with the internal cavity. The main flow passage is fluidly coupled to the main flow outlet port. The drain flow passage (or air bleed passage) is fluidly coupled to the drain flow outlet port and includes (i) a restriction 154 sized large enough to allow air flow and small enough to prevent substantial liquid flow and (ii) a check valve 912 limiting flow to a single direction. The filter media separates the inlet port from the main flow and drain flow outlet ports.
US09700813B2

The present disclosure relates to methods for the chromatographic separation of two or more sample components using a column while applying a time-pulsed pressure differential to the column and to apparatus for use in the same.
US09700811B2

Condensing apparatuses and their use in various heat and mass exchange systems are generally described. The condensing apparatuses, such as bubble column condensers, may employ a heat exchanger positioned external to the condensing vessel to remove heat from a bubble column condenser outlet stream to produce a heat exchanger outlet stream. In certain cases, the condensing apparatus may also include a cooling device positioned external to the vessel configured and positioned to remove heat from the heat exchanger outlet stream to produce a cooling device outlet stream. The condensing apparatus may be configured to include various internal features, such as a vapor distribution region and/or a plurality of liquid flow control weirs and/or chambers within the apparatus having an aspect ratio of at least 1.5. A condensing apparatus may be coupled with a humidifier to form part of a desalination system, in certain cases.
US09700810B2

A hoist system having a drum primarily self-contained within a batten, for raising and lowering lighting, sound equipment, curtains and the like in a performance environment. The hoist system may be adapted with safety mechanisms including an overload sensor and/or a slack line detector. The system may be provided in the form of a point hoist. The compact system is highly scalable to a variety of spaces and applications, including school and public theaters and concert halls, as well as some homes, private business, etc.
US09700805B2

A system and method for automated fantasy drafting are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method comprises receiving one or more user-defined rules with respect to a list of players, wherein each player on the list is associated with one or more characteristics from a set of predefined characteristics and wherein at least one of the user-defined rules specifies a particular characteristic and selecting a player from the list of players satisfying the one or more user-defined rules.
US09700804B2

A method and system applies a rating adjustment to ratings by avatars in a virtual universe. The rating adjustment offsets mutual rating collusion between avatars. The ratings may be adjusted based on a weighted value of indicia of association, and may also be adjusted based on rating frequencies between the same avatars. In a rating system having a fee structure, the ratings may be adjusted by scaling the rating/fee payoff to favor higher fees. Where indicia of association are weighted, the weightings are mapped to discrete levels of association between avatars, from no association to close association, with greater reduction of ratings for closer association.
US09700802B2

In some aspects, an application is provided that is adapted to execute on at least a first mobile device. The application is adapted to (a) track information regarding a user of the mobile device; (b) create an avatar based on the tracked information; and (c) employ the avatar to provide pre-emptive warnings to assist in avoidance of unwanted behavior by the user. Numerous other aspects are provided.
US09700794B2

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, computer-readable storage medium having computer instructions to receive from a media processor one or more scaling characteristics of a three-dimensional (3D) image, present a user interface (UI) for controlling a presentation of the 3D image at a presentation device communicatively coupled to the media processor, wherein the UI is adapted to the scaling characteristics of the 3D image, detect a manipulation of the UI, and transmit to the media processor instructions for adapting the presentation of the 3D image at the presentation device according to the detected manipulation of the UI. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09700791B2

Embodiments are directed towards providing an interactive game experience whereby a game player may combine game play with a user interface overlaid onto the game that is useable to interact and communicate with other players inside and/or outside of the current game. Through the use of the user interface, a player may select different game sets to play, and rapidly switch between games with different players, while maintaining a real-time interactive chat session, or similar communication session, including, without limit, voice communication sessions. A game client component may launch a game, and then hooks into the game to intercept various input and video functions.
US09700788B2

A video object detecting apparatus enables a user to not only simply watch the video but also to explore a video using a motion and a posture of the user. In addition, the user may manipulate the video using body motion instead of general input units such as a mouse and a touch system. Also, a video object deforming apparatus enables the user to recognize a difference in motions between an interactive video and the user, and provides the user with a video reflecting the difference.
US09700783B2

A drop target bank assembly including: a plurality of drop target units mounted next to each other on a drop target bank bracket; wherein each of the plurality of drop target units includes: a target; a trip mechanism; a reset mechanism; and a sensor; wherein the trip mechanism is configured to move the target from a first position to a second position; wherein the reset mechanism is configured to move the target from the second position to the first position; wherein the sensor is configured to detect whether the target is at the first or second position; and wherein the trip mechanism and the reset mechanism in a drop target unit are individually activated independent of other drop target units.
US09700780B2

Athletic performance sensing and/or tracking systems include components for measuring or sensing athletic performance data and/or for storing and/or displaying desired information associated with the athletic performance to the user (or others). Such systems can allow users a wide variety of options in creating workouts, selecting and presenting media content during the athletic performance, etc., e.g., to help keep users entertained and motivated. In some instances, user feedback may be used, optionally in combination with objective data relating to a workout, to control features of the workout routine, to control the music or other media content selected and/or presented, and/or to control features of future workout routines and/or the presented media content.
US09700776B2

A handle weighted bat according to various embodiments can include an elongated barrel portion. A handle weighted portion is included such that the largest concentration of mass is provided in the handle portion and for positioning the center of gravity within the handle portion of the bat. The handle weighted portion is configured as a one-piece, solid body construction that forms an integral knob and rod portion.
US09700769B2

A golf club head includes a body defining an interior cavity. The body includes a sole positioned at a bottom portion of the golf club head, a crown positioned at a top portion, and a skirt positioned around a periphery between the sole and crown. The body has a forward portion and a rearward portion. The club head includes a face positioned at the forward portion of the body. The face defines a striking surface having an ideal impact location at a golf club head origin. Embodiments include club heads for a fairway wood that at least one of a high moment of inertia, a low center-of-gravity, a thin crown and a high coefficient of restitution. A sleeve for easily disconnecting a shaft to the club head allows for selective adjustment of the head's loft and lie angle.
US09700765B2

A golf club head including a crown, a sole, a hosel, a face and a flexure. The flexure provides compliance during an impact between the golf club head and a golf ball, and is tuned to vibrate, immediately after impact, at a predetermined frequency to improve the performance of the golf club head. More specifically, the present invention decouples the flexure from the remainder of the golf club head.
US09700761B2

A functional training rig kit includes a box and a plurality of components adapted to fit within the box. At least some of the components and the box include elements by which the components are adapted to be attached to the outside of the box to provide at least one functional training rig attached to the outside of the box.
US09700759B2

Athletic performance monitoring and tracking may provide multiple ways in which to track athletic movement and activity. In one example, an athletic monitoring device may include or be associated with multiple types of movement sensors and switch between the sensors or use both depending on various factors including type of workout. Workouts may also be tagged with various parameters including mood, weather, terrain, athletic equipment used and the like. In one or more examples, the parameters may be automatically determined based on location. User workouts and accomplishments may also be celebrated through messages from celebrities, family, friends and other users. In some cases, the messages may be triggered by various conditions. Coaching may also be provided to the user to help improve workouts and overall athletic performance. Running routes may also be automatically tracked, stored and shared.
US09700749B2

Exerciser for strengthening the grip of the hand having a pair of handles which are removably mounted on the arms of a helical torsion spring in a manner permitting springs having different strengths or resistances to be used interchangeably with the handles. The handles can be constrained against rotation on the spring arms, allowed to rotate freely, or allowed to rotate to a limited degree, depending upon the needs of the user.
US09700746B2

A gas purging valve is operative to be connected to piping in a Fire Protection System (FPS) and to bleed gas at a predetermined rate. The valve includes an inlet in gas flow relationship with the FPS piping and a central passage in gas flow relationship with the inlet. The valve also includes a calibrated orifice removeably disposed in the central passage, in gas flow relationship with the passage and operative to allow a maximum predetermined gas flow rate therethrough. The valve further includes an outlet in gas flow relationship with the calibrated orifice. A ball is disposed upstream of the central passage. The ball is operative to allow gas flow through the gas purging valve but operative to impede the flow of water through the gas purging valve.
US09700745B1

A fire-extinguishing system adapted to be installed above a stove top and to automatically extinguish a fire emanating from a stove top, the fire-extinguishing system including a fire-extinguishing device comprising a pressurized container body adapted to store a fire-extinguishing agent under pressure, a discharge outlet and a discharge head in fluid communication with the discharge outlet. Disposed within the discharge head is a plunger member configured to be retained within the discharge outlet, and a heat sensing element which is adapted to release the plunger element from the discharge outlet when a fire is detected. Once the release plunger is released from the discharge outlet, the fire-extinguishing agent exits the container body through the discharge valve and through a sprinkler head onto the fire emanating from the stove top. The fire-extinguishing system also includes a cut-off control mechanism for terminating power to either a gas or electric stove top by utilization of a thereto-sensitive disc which is activated by excessive heat.
US09700740B2

A radiation treatment apparatus is described. The radiation treatment apparatus may include a gantry frame and a rotatable gantry structure rotatably coupled to the gantry frame, the rotatable gantry structure being rotatable around a rotation axis passing through an isocenter, with the rotatable gantry structure including a first beam member extending between first and second ends of the rotatable gantry structure. The radiation treatment apparatus may also include a radiation treatment head movably mounted to the first beam member in a manner that allows (i) translation of the radiation treatment head along the first beam member between the first and second ends, and (ii) gimballing of the radiation treatment head relative to the first beam member, the gimballing being characterized by pivotable movement in at least two independent pivot directions defined with respect to the first beam member. Non-coplanar radiation treatment of a tissue volume positioned near or around the isocenter may be achievable with the radiation treatment apparatus.
US09700739B2

The present invention concerns an inverse treatment planning system. The system includes, at least a data bus system (102), a memory (106) coupled to the data bus system (102), and a processing unit (104) coupled to the data bus system (102). The processing unit (104) is configured to execute the instructions to pre-compute (10) a set of individual dose shots (aj), each individual dose shot having a predetermined location inside and/or outside a target area, a size and a shape. The processing unit also associates (40) a weight (sj) to each individual dose shot (aj), based on one or more constraints (20). The processing unit (104) further executes the instructions to find (30) the sparsest subset of individual dose shots, so as to satisfy said one or more constraints (20).
US09700735B2

A device having medical and veterinary applications of light to antimicrobial and antineoplastic chemicals includes a solution retainer adapted to retain a therapeutic solution against a user, the therapeutic solution including an antimicrobial chemical, an antineoplastic chemical, or both; a fiber optic cable; a light termination on the fiber optic cable that provides light from the fiber optic cable to the therapeutic solution in the solution retainer; and a light source that provides a light of a predetermined wavelength to the fiber optic cable; wherein the light provides a synergistic effect in the therapeutic solution that inhibits microbial or neoplastic growth.
US09700729B2

Generally, the disclosure is directed one or more methods or systems of cardiac pacing employing a right ventricular electrode and a plurality of left ventricular electrodes. Pacing using the right ventricular electrode and a first one of the left ventricular electrodes and measuring activation times at other ones of the left ventricular electrodes. Pacing using the right ventricular electrode and a second one of the ventricular electrodes and measuring activation times at other ones of the left ventricular electrodes. Computing a first degree of resynchronization based on a sum of differences of activation times and corresponding activation times. Pacing using the right ventricular electrode and a second one of the ventricular electrodes and measuring activation times at other ones of the left ventricular electrodes. Computing a second degree of resynchronization based on the sum of differences of activation times and corresponding activation times. Selecting one of the left ventricular electrodes for delivery of subsequent pacing pulses based on the computed degrees of resynchronization.
US09700728B2

A system and method select a pacing site for a cardiac pacing therapy. A change from a baseline mechanical activity is extracted from a signal of mechanical heart activity during pacing at each one of multiple pacing sites along a heart chamber. A change from a baseline electrical activity is extracted from a signal of electrical heart activity during pacing at each of the of pacing sites. The pacing sites are sorted in a first order based upon the changes in mechanical heart activity and in a second order based upon the changes in electrical heart activity. A pacing site is selected from the multiple pacing sites as a common pacing site between the first order and the second order.
US09700726B2

A system and method to sense heart sounds with one or more implantable medical devices according to one or more signal processing parameters. The method alters one or more of the parameters as a function of one or more physiologic triggering events. The method then senses heart sounds with the one or more implantable medical devices according to at least the one or more altered signal processing parameters.
US09700723B2

A method includes determining sleep cycle information related to a sleep cycle of a patient based on body parameter data. The method also includes adjusting a cranial nerve stimulation parameter based on the sleep cycle information.
US09700716B2

An extravascular nerve cuff that is configured to hold a leadless, integral, implantable microstimulator. The nerve cuff may include a cuff body having a pocket or pouch for removably receiving the implantable device within. The nerve cuff can be secured around the nerve such that the electrodes of the device are stably positioned relative to the nerve. Furthermore, the nerve cuff drives the majority of the current from the stimulation device into the nerve, while shielding surrounding tissues from unwanted stimulation.
US09700712B2

Some embodiments include a dipolar antenna system to electrically power an implantable miniature device and/or to stimulate bioelectrically excitable tissue, such as, for example, through microelectronic neurostimulation. Other related systems and methods are also disclosed.
US09700701B2

Some embodiments are directed to a catheter system comprising an introducer having a main body, an introducer sheath projecting from the main body, and a first seal supported within the introducer and a catheter having a main body, an outer sheath projecting from the main body, a second seal supported within the catheter, and an inner core configured to be advanced axially through the main body, the second seal, and the outer sheath. The introducer can be configured to be selectively engageable with the catheter so that the catheter can be selectively and removably linked with the introducer in the axial direction. The catheter system can also be configured such that, when the introducer and the catheter are linked, the catheter can be rotatable relative to the introducer. The introducer can be configured to radially restrain an endoluminal prosthesis.
US09700699B2

A modular handle assembly for supporting and controlling a steerable catheter having at least one deflection wires includes a handle extending along an axis for being secured about a portion of the steerable catheter. The modular handle assembly includes at least one barrel rotatably connected to the handle for rotation about the axis, and at least one spindle disposed in and connected with said barrel for rotation about the axis with the barrel. At least one guide cable extends from an anchored end being anchored to the spindle to a distant end for connection with one of the deflection wires of the steerable catheter. The guide cable is wrapped about the spindle for axially moving the deflection wires in response to rotation of the first spindle about the axis by the barrel to curl the distal tip of the elongated body of the steerable catheter.
US09700696B2

A catheter sheath comprises a tubular member connected to a catheter handle, the tubular sheath including one or more electrical conductors and one or more electrode rings attached to the tip of the tubular member. The tubular member further includes at least one opening that allows the one or more electrical conductors to be electrically connected to the one or more electrode rings. The electrode ring is slid over the tubular member so as to cover the at least one opening. The tubular member and the electrode ring are subjected to heat treatment by induction heating so that the material of the tubular member melts locally around the electrode ring to form a seal between the tubular member and the electrode ring.
US09700692B2

The present invention provides a voice assist apparatus capable of vocalization in a near-natural voice by correctly flowing and blocking voice assist gas during expiration and inspiration, respectively, of a patient even when the pressure inside the operation tube relatively slightly increases and decreases. In the voice assist apparatus, the main body has a first chamber connected with a second end of the voice assist gas-inlet tube, a second chamber connected with a second end of the voice assist tube, a third chamber connected with a second end of the operation tube, a dividing wall dividing between the first chamber and the second chamber except an opening communicating the first chamber with the second chamber, and a membrane formed elastically deformably to open and close the opening and isolates the third chamber from the first chamber and the second chamber.
US09700691B2

A flavor inhalation pipe includes a hollow cylindrical pipe body (10), a tobacco cartridge (12) accommodated, as a flavor generation cartridge, in the pipe body (10), a mouthpiece (30) coupled to the tobacco cartridge (12) and projecting from the pipe body (10), and a coupling device (40) coupling the pipe body (10) and the mouthpiece (30) to each other. The coupling device (40) has a coupling position in which the mouthpiece (30) is pressed against the pipe body (10) with a predetermined urging force to elastically coupled the two, and a release position which is assumed after the mouthpiece (30) in the coupling position is pushed into the pipe body (10) and then rotated and in which the coupling of the mouthpiece (30) to the pipe body (10) is released.
US09700690B2

An inhaler is instantly activated upon its removal from a cover or cover unit, and by rotating a cartridge component of the inhaler with respect to a mouthpiece portion, so as to create a flow pathway for ambient air and particles. The cartridge component includes a chamber, whose contents typically include dry powders or the like. Upon creation of the flow pathway, the contents of the chamber are instantly accessible for immediate inhalation by a user through the mouthpiece portion.
US09700688B2

A delivery device includes a toroidal shaped housing defining an interior chamber and a central open space. The housing includes an input port communicating with the interior chamber and a delivery port positioned on an inner periphery of the housing. The delivery port is in fluid communication between the interior chamber and the central open space. The delivery port is spaced from the input port, which is adapted to receive an aerosolized medicament. In another aspect, a kit includes an outer ring-like housing component and a plurality of differently configured inner ring-like housing components mateable with the outer ring-like housing to form a holding chamber. A method of delivering an inhalable substance includes positioning a nose and a mouth of a user in a central opening defined by a ring-like housing, inhaling through the nose, and orally soothing the user with a soothing device located in the central opening.
US09700684B2

Some embodiments of a system or method for applying a barrier composition to a targeted skin surface can be used to as a preventative measure to reduce the likelihood of transmission of microbial entities from an external source (e.g., a floor surface or another surface) to the targeted skin surface.
US09700677B2

A syringe assembly including: (1) a syringe barrel defining a chamber; (2) a plunger mounted in the chamber and moveable with respect to the barrel; and (3) a cap assembly containing a cap and an absorbent material is removably attached to the plunger.
US09700676B2

A syringe assembly including: (1) a syringe barrel defining a chamber; (2) a plunger mounted in the chamber and moveable with respect to the barrel; and (3) a cap assembly containing a cap and an absorbent material is removably attached to the plunger.
US09700662B2

A device for extracorporeal blood treatment is disclosed that includes a detection equipment for detecting uremic toxins in a used dialysis liquid by measuring the absorbance, the detection equipment being provided at such a position downstream the outflow of the dialysis liquid from a filter element that at least one of the following requirements is fulfilled: a) the filling volume of the fluid line and of the components starting from the outflow of the used dialysis liquid from the filter element to the detection equipment is less than or equal to 100 ml; and b) the length of the fluid line starting from the outflow of the used dialysis liquid from the filter element to the detection equipment is at most 250 cm.
US09700658B2

A treatment strategy for treatment of elevated pressure in a body conduit, such as a pulmonary vein, with a prosthetic partitioning device for placement in and/or about pulmonary veins is described, as well as delivery systems, and strategies for use thereof. A control device is configured to transmit signals to the prosthetic device to effectuate the repetitive transition between a first, less restricted flow configuration and a second, restricted flow configuration are described. A sensor device may be provided for monitoring physiological parameters of the patient, and can provide signals to the control device for effectuating the transition between the first and second configuration.
US09700654B2

A multi-sheet extracellular matrix (ECM) structure for tissue regeneration, the ECM structure having joined first and second ECM sheet members and an agent dispersal network disposed between the sheets, the dispersal network being configured to receive and transfer a bioactive agent through the network and, when the ECM structure is attached to tissue, administer the bioactive agent to the tissue.
US09700650B2

Polysaccharide based hydrogel compositions and methods of making and using the same are provided. The subject polysaccharide based hydrogel compositions are prepared by combining a polysaccharide component with a hydrophilic polymer and a cross-linking agent. Also provided are kits and systems for use in preparing the subject compositions.
US09700647B2

A modular germicidal light grid system for use inside an air treatment apparatus that has a plenum in which a stream of air is enclosed. The system comprises at least one elongate member and at least one lamp assembly. Each lamp assembly comprises a housing defining at least one socket and is mounted to one elongate member at a predetermined position. The system further comprises at least one linear germicidal light source. Each light source has a longitudinal axis and a distal end constructed and arranged to mount within one socket of the housing. The elongate member is mounted within the plenum and the lamp assembly is mounted to the elongate member such that the longitudinal axis of the light source extends therein the stream of air and is positioned at an acute light angle relative to the direction of flow of the stream of air.
US09700635B2

A polymer is described herein that includes a plurality of N-J-N or N—C—S repeating units, wherein each J is independently a carbon atom, an alkyl group, or an aryl group; a plurality of hydrophilic groups bonded with the repeating units; and a plurality of hydrophobic groups bonded with the hydrophilic groups and the repeating units. Such polymers may be made into hydrogels by exposure to water, and the hydrogels may be used as delivery vehicles for various payloads.
US09700630B2

The present invention relates to a parenteral drug delivery carrier and a drug delivery system that use a thermosensitive gel based on methyl cellulose alone as a low molecular weight polysaccharide without a salting-out salt. The single use of the low molecular weight methyl cellulose as a natural polymer increases the biocompatibility and biodegradability of the drug delivery system. Therefore, the drug delivery system is suitable for use in the preparation of a sustained release composition for parenteral drug delivery.
US09700626B2

The present invention generally relates to compositions and methods for topical or transdermal delivery and treatment of wounds and/or promoting wound healing. In some cases, the composition may include nitric oxide and/or peptides such as thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) and/or GnRH (gonadotropin-releasing hormone). The nitric oxide and/or peptide may be present within a first phase comprising a lecithin, such as phosphatidylcholine. In certain embodiments, the lecithin is present in liposomes, micelles, or other structures containing nitric oxide, peptides, or both. The composition can take the form of a gel, a cream, a lotion, an ointment, a solution, a solid “stick,” etc., that can be rubbed or sprayed onto the skin, e.g., wounded skin. Other aspects of the present invention are generally directed to methods of making or using such compositions, methods of promoting such compositions, kits including such compositions, or the like.
US09700625B2

The present invention provides a liquid antiseptic composition including (A) parahydroxybenzoic acid ester and (B) water-miscible organic solvent, wherein the (A) parahydroxybenzoic acid ester are two or more esters selected from the group consisting of methyl parahydroxybenzoate, ethyl parahydroxybenzoate, propyl parahydroxybenzoate, isopropyl parahydroxybenzoate, butyl parahydroxybenzoate, isobutyl parahydroxybenzoate and benzyl parahydroxybenzoate; the (B) water-miscible organic solvent contains (B-1) at least one organic solvent selected from the group consisting of propylene glycol, butylene glycol, ethanol and polyethylene glycol, and (B-2) 2-phenoxyethanol; and a weight ratio of (A) and (B) is 1:1 to 1:3, and a weight ratio of (B-1) and (B-2) is 1:1 to 1:3.
US09700621B2

The present application relates to activable nanoparticles which can be used in the health sector, in particular in human health, to disturb, alter or destroy target cells, tissues or organs. It more particularly relates to nanoparticles which can generate a significantly efficient therapeutic effect, when exposed to ionizing radiations. The inventive nanoparticle is a metallic nanoparticle having, as the largest size, a size comprised between about 80 and 105 nm, the metal having preferably an atomic number (Z) of at least 25. The invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising a population of nanoparticles as defined previously, as well as to their uses.
US09700599B2

The invention relates to a composition in aqueous solution, including insulin and at least one substituted anionic compound chosen from substituted anionic compounds consisting of a backbone formed from a discrete number u of between 1 and 8 (1≦u≦8) of identical or different saccharide units, linked via identical or different glycoside bonds, said saccharide units being chosen from the group consisting of hexoses, in cyclic form or in open reduced form, said compound comprising partially substituted carboxyl functional groups, the unsubstituted carboxyl functional groups being salifiable. The invention also relates to a pharmaceutical formulation comprising a composition as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.
US09700593B2

The present disclosure provides methods and uses of Slit protein and nucleic acid for inhibiting fibrosis and fibrotic-related disorders, for example, of the kidney, lung, heart, liver, or a wound. The Slit protein can be, for example, Slit2 or Slit2-N, or a Slit variant that can bind the Robo receptor and induce signalling. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions comprising the Slit protein or nucleic acid and an additional anti-fibrotic agent.
US09700586B2

The present invention relates to probiotic compositions and methods of using such compositions. In particular, the present invention provides method of using Faecalibacterium spp. to improve weight gain, provide prophylaxis against diarrhea and/or improve feed efficiency in an animal.
US09700573B2

A method for treatment of malignant cells includes administering to the malignant cells nanoparticles and etoposide. The nanoparticles are selected from the group consisting of single wall carbon nanotubes, silver nanoparticles, gold nanoparticles and combinations thereof.
US09700567B2

Effective treatments of acute pain for extended periods of time are provided. Through the administration of an effective amount of dexamethasone at or near a target site, one can relieve pain cause by diverse sources, including but not limited to spinal disc herniation (i.e. sciatica), spondilothesis, stenosis, discongenic back pain and joint pain as well as pain that is incidental to surgery. When appropriate formulations are provided within biodegradable polymers, this relief can be continued for at least twenty-five days. In some embodiments, the relief can be for at least fifty days, at least one hundred days, at least one hundred and thirty-five days or at least one hundred and eighty days.
US09700563B2

The invention is directed to a method of treatment for chronic pain, the method comprising administering to a mammal in need of such treatment a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of formula I, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
US09700560B2

The present invention relates to 2′-Fluoro-6′-methylene carbocyclic nucleosides, pharmaceutical compositions containing these nucleosides and their use in the treatment or prophylaxis of a number of viral infections and secondary disease states and conditions thereof, especially including Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and secondary disease states and conditions thereof (cirrhosis and liver cancer), Hepatitis C virus (HCV), Herpes Simplex virus I and II (HSV-1 and HSV-2), cytomegalovirus (CMV), Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV) and Epstein Barr virus (EBV) and secondary cancers which occur thereof (lymphoma, nasopharyngeal cancer, including drug resistant (especially including lamivudine and/or adefovir resistant) and other mutant forms of these viruses, especially HBV.
US09700555B2

The present application describes pharmaceutical formulations of bromocriptine mesylate and methods of manufacturing and using such formulations. The formulations are useful for improving glycemic control in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
US09700544B2

Oral preparations of microcapsules and nanoparticles including an inhibitor of the mammalian target of rapamycin. The preparations are intended to assist with the treatment and prevention of cancer neurocognitive dysfunction, genetically predisposed disorders, and age-related disorders. The embodiments discussed address the present need for alternative preparations or manufacturing processes that ensure efficacy while improving other performance characteristics such as storage stability, biodistribution, dosage cost, etc.
US09700538B2

The present invention provides the following: a cardiovascular disease primary prevention agent, which comprises as the active ingredient at least one selected from the group consisting of EPA, salts thereof, and esters thereof and is for lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease by administration to subjects having a blood (serum or plasma) hs-CRP level of 1.0 mg/L or higher in spite of no history of cardiovascular disease; a combination marker comprising the blood hs-CRP value and serum EPA/AA ratio for evaluating the primary risk of cardiovascular disease in subjects having no history of cardiovascular disease; and a method for extracting subjects with high risk of cardiovascular disease and/or a method for preventing cardiovascular disease.
US09700534B2

Nitro oleic acid and related metabolites are agonists of PPAR-γ. Surprisingly, nitro oleic acid is a more potent agonist of PPAR-γ, relative to nitro linoleic acid. Thus, nitro oleic acid and its metabolites, as well as their pharmaceutically acceptable salts and prodrug forms, are candidate therapeutics for the treatment of type-2 diabetes, which results from insulin resistance accompanying the improper functioning of PPAR-γ.
US09700529B2

The present invention relates to active substances in particulate form, to methods for preparing them and to their uses. The present invention provides particulate powders, such as might be of use for delivery using a dry powder inhaler (DPI) or similar delivery device, having properties which may be beneficial to the DPI delivery process.
US09700523B2

An oxygen therapeutic composition, which includes a perfluorocarbon material having a boiling point of about 4 degrees Celsius to about 60 degrees Celsius, a lipid; a viscosity modifier; a buffer.
US09700507B1

This invention is a natural scalp lotion that exploits the benefits of Dead Sea salt by adding it to a base of organic aloe vera juice, organic coconut oil, castor oil, sweet almond oil, olive oil, NF emulsified wax (vegetable based), potato starch, and apple cider vinegar. It also includes several 100% pure essential oils/extracts, and preservatives.
US09700505B2

The present invention relates to the use in a sunscreen formulation containing pigment particles as UV-filtering mineral agents, new additives as agents improving the UV-absorbing capacities of said formulations, as well as sunscreen formulations including such agents.
US09700500B1

Disposable wipes comprising of warming lubricants, glycerol and capsaicin, vitamin E oil, essential oils, Lavender and Lemon, and propyl paraben. The fragrance free disposable wipes comprises of 85% purified water, 0.4.% glycerol, 0.1% capsaicin, 0.9% vitamin E oil, and 0.1% propyl paraben. The disposable wipes with fragrance comprises of 80% purified water, 0.4.% glycerol, 0.1% capsaicin, 0.9% vitamin E oil, 0.5% of either the essential oils, Lavender or Lemon, and 0.1% propyl paraben. The warming effect is achieved by having one or more additives in the lubricant which are either always active or activated by your body.
US09700497B2

The present invention relates to improved powderous formulations comprising organic acid amides having an aromatic ring system as well as to the production of such formulations.
US09700474B2

Disclosed is a new sling bar for use with an overhead lift system to lift a load suspended in a lift sling there below. The sling bar comprises a cross bar having first and second ends, a pair of lift loop retention ears extending from each of the first and second ends of the cross bar. Each pair of ears includes a first ear in the pair being disposed adjacent a first face of the cross bar and a second ear in the pair disposed adjacent a second opposite face of said cross bar, the pair of retention ears defining a space there between. A lift hook is disposed at each of the first and second ends of the cross bar in the space defined between the pair of retention ears, the pair of ears extending at least up to an inner surface of a bend portion of the lift hook.
US09700472B2

The invention relates to an adjustment device for vehicle seats, in particular for power driven wheelchairs or rehabilitation vehicles, comprising at least one mounting plate and one bearing plate with a lifting device. In order to allow for an individual adjustment of the seat, the lifting device consists of two to four scissor fittings, which are adjustable in height by driving means. Depending on the height setting of each scissor fitting, a lateral inclination or a tilting forwards or backwards can be achieved in addition to the lifting and lowering.
US09700470B2

A wheelchair suspension includes a frame, a drive assembly pivot arm, a drive assembly, a front caster pivot arm, a front caster, and a spring and shock absorbing assembly. The drive assembly pivot arm is pivotally connected to the frame. The drive assembly includes a drive wheel and is mounted to the drive assembly pivot arm. The front caster pivot arm is pivotally mounted to the frame and coupled to the drive assembly pivot arm. The front caster is coupled to the at least one front caster pivot arm. The spring and shock absorbing assembly is pivotally connected to the drive assembly pivot arm at a first pivotal connection and pivotally connected to the front caster pivot arm at a second pivotal connection. The first and second pivotal connections are positioned such that a majority of the force applied by the spring and shock absorbing assembly is applied to the drive wheel when the suspension is on a flat, horizontal support surface.
US09700468B2

A hand rim or push rim for a wheelchair wheel. The hand rim includes a rim structure with a convex bearing surface on a circumference of the rim structure, wherein the convex bearing surface is off-centered with respect to a center of the rim and tilted in an outer direction with respect to the wheelchair. Also provided is a wheelchair wheel hand rim cover, wherein the cover is made of ethylene vinyl acetate. There is also provided a fastening system for fastening a hand rim to a wheel. The fastening system includes fixing elements selectively and slideably interfacing with a plurality of anchor elements for selectively setting a separation distance between the hand rim and the wheel.
US09700461B2

Systems, devices, and methods for treating a glaucomatous eye are provided. Embodiments may provide a treatment probe for treating an eye of a patient. The treatment probe may have an elongate body with a contact surface at a distal end of the elongate body. A treatment fiber or light source may be housed in the treatment probe and may be configured to direct treatment energy from the contact surface. The contact surface may be configured to couple to a surface of the eye to deliver the energy into the target area. In many embodiments the contact surface may have a convex configuration with a rounded outer shape and edge that facilitates the sweeping of the probe surface across the eye during treatment delivery. In some embodiments the probe may be swept in arc motions while delivering treatment energy to the eye.
US09700459B2

Apparatuses, tools and kits are directed to fluid manipulations in relation to a paranasal sinus through a paranasal sinus access implant device (906) that provides fluid communication between the lacrimal apparatus in the orbit and a paranasal sinus. An implant device has a proximal head and a conduit distal of the head, with the conduit having a first longitudinal portion having a larger minimum wall thickness than a minimum wall thickness of a second a second longitudinal portion of the conduit located distal of the first longitudinal portion. A paranasal sinus fluid manipulation tool (900) has an engagement structure (904) insertable into the palpebral fissure to engage a head of the implant device.
US09700447B2

A method for improving the retention between the surfaces of medical devices. The method includes coating a surface of one medical device such as a stent with a coating that includes a functional group and coating a surface of another medical device such as a balloon with a coating that includes an identical or different functional group. The method further includes interacting the coated surfaces to produce a plurality of bonds between the surfaces, thereby improving retention.
US09700445B2

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to apparatuses, systems, and methods for safely delivering and deploying an intravascular device. An apparatus for controlling an intravascular device may include a body having rotating assembly disposed through the body. The rotating assembly may be configured to hold a proximal end of an elongate mandrel. The rotating assembly may be rotationally connected to the body by a one-way bearing.
US09700431B2

An orthopedic implant includes an implant body having a first surface with a first peak, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a cavity formed therein that extends through the first surface and second surface. The implant body is substantially non-porous. A load bearing member comprising a substantially porous material is held within the cavity. The load bearing member has a first contact surface that extends out of the cavity past the first peak of the first surface.
US09700416B2

An acetabular hip implant includes an acetabular shell component having a first feature and a first insert having a second feature that cooperates with the first feature of the acetabular shell component and further includes a third feature. The implant further includes a second insert having a fourth feature that cooperates with the third feature of the first insert and further includes a fifth feature. A femoral head component includes a sixth feature that cooperates with the fifth feature. Interaction between the first and second features, between the third and fourth features, and between the fifth and sixth features mechanically constrains the acetabular hip implant to prevent dislocation of the femoral head during rotation.
US09700412B2

Devices and methods for the repair of the functioning of heart valves are provided. A device may comprise a ventricular winding having a generally spiral shape, wherein the device is free of any atrial stabilizing section. A method involves positioning the device such that chords associated with the heart valve are positioned within the path of the generally spiral shape of the ventricular winding and turning the ventricular winding such that the chords move closer to the center of the ventricular winding. The ventricular winding draws the chords closer together, thereby pulling the valve leaflets closer together in order to facilitate their coaptation and proper closing. A delivery system for maneuvering and releasing a heart valve repair device comprises an applicator tube and internal rod.
US09700410B2

A catheter adapted for placement in the ascending aorta comprises a central catheter mechanism and a balloon structure or other occluding structure at its distal end. The catheter may be placed over the aortic arch such that the occluding structure is placed in the ascending aorta just above the Sinus of Valsalva and coronary ostia. Once in place, the occluding structure is inflated to control blood flow through the aorta during aortic valve ablation and replacement protocols.
US09700408B1

An adjustable thyroplasty implant comprising at least one inflatable bladder to apply pressure against the vocal folds to adjust vocal medialization easily in the operating room. The implant may contain at least one injection port corresponding with each bladder for injection of a substance into each bladder using a standard syringe. The implant allows for easy adjustment during initial thyroplasty surgery. Further, the implant permits easy adjustment of the implant after surgery by injection or withdraw of the substance within the bladder utilizing a syringe without the need for additional surgery. The implant may contain a means of detecting a means of detecting the injection port post-surgery using x-ray or fluoroscopic examination.
US09700402B2

Endoprosthesis assemblies and methods for using the same. In at least one embodiment, the endoprosthesis assembly comprises an endoprosthesis comprising an impermeable inner wall defining an endoprosthesis lumen sized and shaped to permit fluid to flow therethrough, a distal balloon positioned at or near a distal end of the endoprosthesis and capable of inflation to anchor the distal end of the endoprosthesis within a luminal organ, and a proximal balloon positioned at or near a proximal end of the endoprosthesis and capable of inflation to anchor the proximal end of the endoprosthesis within the luminal organ, wherein when the endoprosthesis assembly is positioned within the luminal organ at or near an aneurysm sac, inflation of the distal balloon and the proximal balloon effectively isolates the aneurysm sac and prevents fluid within the aneurysm sac from flowing past the distal balloon and the proximal balloon.
US09700399B2

A stent-graft has a closed web configuration in which end stent crowns or apexes do not extend beyond an end of a tubular graft. In order to permit interaction of the endmost crowns with tip capture fingers or prongs of a delivery system, the graft covers the endmost crowns but the endmost crowns are not coupled to the graft material and thus free to interact with the delivery system. In order to prevent slippage of the graft material at the endmost crowns and secure the longitudinal position of the graft material, one of a pair of stoppers is coupled on each of the opposing struts between which the unattached endmost crown is formed. In an embodiment, the stoppers are cylindrical tubes of a radiopaque material having a longitudinally-extending slit in a wall thereof.
US09700391B2

A process for preparing a prosthetic element comprising a glass-ceramic body. including the steps of a) providing a basic body comprising an amorphous glass phase and containing the components of the glass-ceramic body to be prepared, and b) transferring energy to the basic body to induce conversion of a starting phase of the material of the basic body into at least one crystalline phase in a confined region. According to the invention, energy is transferred to the confined region of the basic body by laser irradiating said region with a laser beam having a wavelength of at least 500 nm.
US09700388B2

The present invention relates to a mounting element (10) for fixing removable tooth prostheses which are anchored by an implant, comprising a lower end (13) for fastening the mounting elements (10) having an implant (21) or abutment; and an upper end for connecting the mounting element having a tooth prosthesis, optionally a friction insert; characterised in that the main body of the mounting element (10) has an outer ring (11).
US09700383B2

The invention relates to a method for planning a bracket system (1) for the correction of malpositions of teeth (2), comprising a plurality of brackets (3) and an arch (4) wherein at least one platelet (6) per tooth is mounted on certain tooth surfaces (5) of the teeth to be corrected (2), a three-dimensional optical image (50) of the tooth region to be treated is created, the platelets (6) have registration elements (10) comprising registration points (11) and the registration points (11) have a characteristic form for registration in the three-dimensional optical image (50).
US09700382B2

The present disclosure provides a device having a circuit. The circuit includes at least one boost converter receiving power from an energy source, a square wave driver in series with the boost converter, an inductor in series with the square wave driver for converting a square wave to a sinusoidal wave, and a piezoelectric transducer in series with the inductor, the piezoelectric transducer connectable to a load. The device further includes a phase-locked loop coupled to the circuit to determine a resonance frequency of the piezoelectric transducer when the piezoelectric transducer is connected to the load.
US09700381B2

Laparoscopic surgical pliers include jaws mounted on a rotating body and first and second transmissions each including at least one tendon including several cables, and each transmission adapted to transmit movement of the jaws and the rotating body, respectively. The tendons of the first and second transmissions are each respectively formed of several cables arranged so that a cross-section of at least one tendon associated with the first transmission has a variable geometry therealong formed by a first arrangement in which the cables are arranged, in cross-section, with their longitudinal axes in a radial distribution, a second arrangement in which said axes are arranged in a first orientation, and a third arrangement in which said axes are arranged in a second orientation, perpendicular to the first orientation.
US09700379B2

An apparatus for determining a status of a medical device component is disclosed. The apparatus includes at least one fusible component to indicate whether the medical device component has been used, and at least one reference component having at least one reference property that is representative of the presence, identity or type of the medical device component. The reference component is non-fusible under ordinary operating conditions.
US09700369B2

There are provided a system for ablation utilizing multiple electrodes and a method for controlling the system. The system includes: a main amplification unit providing main radio frequency (RF) power by amplifying received power; a sub-amplification unit providing sub-RF power by amplifying received power; a first switching unit transmitting the main RF power provided by the main amplification unit to one of first to third electrodes; a second switching unit transmitting the sub-RF power provided by the sub-amplification unit to one of the first to third electrodes; and a control unit controlling the first and second switching units to apply the main RF power and the sub-RF power to a pair of respective electrodes previously selected from the first to third electrodes.
US09700360B2

The channeled bone plate includes a substantially rigid and elongated member for use in stabilizing and splinting fractured sections of a broken bone. This elongated member includes a bottom surface and a top surface, with at least one transverse channel formed from the bottom surface. The transverse channel has a size and shape to at least partially accommodate selective insertion of a cable to permit flush mounting of the bottom surface of the elongated member to the fractured sections of the broken bone simultaneously with flush wrapping of the cable around an external surface of the fractured sections of the broken bone. The elongated member and the cable cooperate to support the broken bone as an implant splint.
US09700357B2

A device for use as a portal in percutaneous minimally invasive surgery performed within a patient's body cavity includes a first elongated hollow tube having a length adjusted with a self-contained mechanism. The first elongated tube includes an inner hollow tube and an outer hollow tube and the inner tube is adapted to slide within the outer tube thereby providing the self-contained length adjusting mechanism. This length-adjustment feature is advantageous for percutaneous access surgery in any body cavity. Two or more elongated tubes with adjustable lengths can be placed into two or more adjacent body cavities, respectively. Paths are opened within the tissue areas between the two or more body cavities, and are used to transfer devices and tools between the adjacent body cavities. This system of two or more elongated tubes with adjustable lengths is particularly advantageous in percutaneous minimally invasive spinal surgeries, and provides the benefits of minimizing long incisions, recovery time and post-operative complications.
US09700352B2

A device for retrieving calculus in a lumen of a living body includes an elongated member possessing an outer dimension configured to be positioned in the lumen of the living body, wherein the tubular body includes an inlet, an outlet and a retrieval space in the interior at a position between the inlet and the outlet. A foldable sealing member is positioned in the tubular body interior and is axially movable in distal and proximal directions, and a plunger is connected to the sealing member so that axial movement of the plunger axially moves the sealing member in the interior of the tubular body. The foldable sealing member is folded into a folded configuration when the plunger is axially moved in a distal direction toward the inlet and being spread out in a spread-out configuration when the plunger is axially moved in a proximal direction away from the inlet.
US09700351B2

Apparatus and methods are described, including apparatus for puncturing a fossa ovalis of a heart. The apparatus comprises a catheter shaped to define a catheter lumen. A puncturing element is slidably disposed within the catheter lumen, and is configured to be deployed from a distal portion of the catheter and to puncture the fossa ovalis. One or more flexible longitudinal members are configured to be deployed from the distal portion of the catheter, and upon being deployed, facilitate the puncturing of the fossa ovalis by the puncturing element, by contacting tissue at a perimeter of the fossa ovalis. Other applications are also described.
US09700340B2

A non-invasive ultra-high frequency ultrasound treatment method and system are provided. An exemplary method and system comprise a high-frequency ultrasound transducer system configured for providing ultrasound treatment to a patient such that the superficial and/or subcutaneous regions of the patient can be treated. An exemplary high-frequency ultrasound transducer system comprises a control system and a transducer configured to provide treatment to the superficial and/or subcutaneous regions of interest. The high-frequency ultrasound transducer may be configured to operate at higher frequencies and controlled power levels to provide treatment to the superficial and/or subcutaneous regions of interest. For example, higher frequencies within the range from approximately 20 MHz to 500 MHz or more may be utilized.
US09700333B2

Surgical instruments and methods for applying variable compression to tissue are described herein and can have particular utility when cutting and sealing tissue. In one embodiment, a surgical instrument end effector is described that includes first and second jaw members movable relative to one another between an open position and a closed position to clamp tissue therebetween. The end effector can include a compression member configured to translate along the end effector to move the first and second jaw members and apply a variable compression force to the tissue. The variable compression force can have different profiles along the length of the end effector, including, for example, a continuously increasing profile or a profile that alternates between different values. The provided variable compression can reduce the force required to actuate the surgical instrument and increase the quality of a tissue seal formed thereby.
US09700331B2

Devices including, but not limited to, a self-expandable member having a proximal end portion and a main body portion. The self-expandable member is movable from a first delivery position to a second placement position, in the first delivery position the expandable member being in an unexpanded position and having a nominal first diameter and in the second position the expandable member being in a radially expanded position and having a second nominal diameter greater than the first nominal diameter for deployment within a vessel or duct of a patient. The expandable member includes a plurality of cell structures with the cell structures in the main body portion extending circumferentially around a longitudinal axis of the expandable member and the cell structures in the proximal end portion extending less than circumferentially around the longitudinal axis of the expandable member.
US09700322B2

Mechanical delivery system for neurovascular embolization apparatus and method of use. A mechanical system for delivery of implants, such as coils for endovascular embolization of intracranial aneurysms and other neurovascular abnormalities such as arteriovenous malformations and ateriovenous fistulae, may include a detachment system for the release of a coil that deforms a detent to release (or eject) the implant.
US09700319B2

A surgical stapling device is configured for use in open and/or laparoscopic surgical procedures. The device includes a handle assembly, a shaft assembly coupled to the handle assembly, and an end-effector coupled to the shaft assembly. The end-effector comprises of a jaw assembly configured to clamp, staple, and/or cut a target tissue. The handle assembly comprises of a trigger element that can activate a drive assembly to advance a clamp drive assembly to clamp the aforementioned target tissue. The clamp drive assembly comprises of a clamp slide member to either advance the clamp drive assembly in a first direction or retreat the clamp drive assembly in a second direction. The clamp drive assembly is movably coupled to a clamp driver member. Movement of the clamp driver member operates clamping operations of a jaw assembly of the surgical stapling device.
US09700307B2

A suturing nail includes a first nail body a second nail body being intertwined mutually to form a helix portion; a first nail crown extending from an end of the first nail body; a second nail crown extending from an end of the second nail body and opposite to the first nail crown, the first and the second nail crown being located on the same side of the helix portion and perpendicular to the helix portion; a first nail leg extending from the other end of the first nail body; a second nail leg extending from the other end of the second nail body and being spaced from the first nail, the first and the second nail leg are located on the same side of the helix portion, the first nail leg and the second nail leg are parallel to the helix portion. The suturing nail is not deformed easily.
US09700300B2

An instrument for performing thorascopic repair of heart valves includes a shaft for extending through the chest cavity and into a heart chamber providing access to a valve needing repair. A movable tip on the shaft is operable to capture a valve leaflet and a needle is operable to penetrate a capture valve leaflet and draw the suture therethrough. The suture is thus fastened to the valve leaflet and the instrument is withdrawn from the heart chamber transporting the suture outside the heart chamber. The suture is anchored to the heart wall with proper tension as determined by observing valve operation with an ultrasonic imaging system.
US09700292B2

Various systems and methods are provided for surgical and interventional planning, support, post-operative follow-up, and functional recovery tracking. In general, a patient can be tracked throughout medical treatment including through initial onset of symptoms, diagnosis, non-surgical treatment, surgical treatment, and recovery from the surgical treatment. In one embodiment, a patient and one or more medical professionals involved with treating the patient can electronically access a comprehensive treatment planning, support, and review system. The system can provide recommendations regarding diagnosis, non-surgical treatment, surgical treatment, and recovery from the surgical treatment based on data gathered from the patient and the medical professional(s). The system can manage the tracking of multiple patients, thereby allowing for data comparison between similar aspects of medical treatments and for learning over time through continual data gathering, analysis, and assimilation to decision-making algorithms.
US09700289B2

A handle for a medical instrument includes an actuation element, which is arranged on the handle and which is displaceable into at least a first and a second functional position. The actuation element can be moved in a plane transverse to its displacement direction, in each of the first and second functional positions, for carrying out a function. A pivotable actuation lever is arranged in the handle, the actuation lever being coupled in movement to the actuation element for displacing the actuation element into the at least two functional positions.
US09700284B2

For simpler scanning in 3D ultrasound imaging, free hand 3D ultrasound imaging is used. Various registration techniques, such as filtering of position signals based on density of scanning and/or counteracting depth deformation due to pressure, may be used for aligning frames relative to each other in 3D space. To deal with curvature of the skin surface resulting in different frames of data representing the same locations, the frames are grouped by orientation. Data representing the same locations in frames of the same or similar orientation are combined. Frame groups of different orientations but of a same sweep of the transducer along the skin are combined into a volume. Volumes from different sweeps are combined. For combining data representing a same location, the values are weighted based on the likelihoods of ultrasound values representing different locations being accurate or correct.
US09700279B2

Embodiments are directed to detecting the effect of external auditory sounds on a subject using a hands-free stethoscope, and further playing back those external auditory sounds as they are experienced inside a subject's body. A system is provided which includes a microphone that detects auditory sounds that are external to the system, and a stethoscope diaphragm that detects sound waves emitted within or as experienced in a subject's body. The stethoscope diaphragm also transfers a representation of those sound waves to a processor or to a headphone jack for playback. The processor of the system receives the representation of sound waves and also receives the detected external auditory sounds to determine what effect the detected external auditory sounds are having on the subject or on a second subject. The system also includes a communications module configured to communicate the results of the determination with other electronic devices.
US09700276B2

A computer-implemented method for tracking one or more objects in a sequence of images includes generating a dictionary based on object locations in a first image included in the sequence of images. One or more object landmark candidates are identified in the sequence of images and a plurality of tracking hypothesis for the object landmark candidates are generated. A first tracking hypothesis is selected from the plurality of tracking hypothesis based on the dictionary.
US09700262B2

Plural medical device formed from one or more layers of thin film polymer are assembled from a single polymer coupon. Initially the coupon is bonded to a rigid substrate. Force, heat and a suction are selectively applied to the coupon to ensure that it has a consistent height across its exposed surface. Once the polymer coupon is bonded the components forming the medical device are attached to the coupon and the coupon is shaped to form the individual medical devices. Shaped sections of the coupon are then lifted off the rigid backing. The lifted off sections on which the components were attached are the medical devices.
US09700261B2

The application relates to a hearing assistance system comprising first and second spatially separated parts adapted for being mounted fully or partially at a first ear and on the head of a user, respectively, the first and second parts comprising a number of first and second electrodes located at a surface of first and second housings, respectively, to allow said first and second electrodes to contact the skin of the user when said parts are operationally mounted on the user's head. The first and second electrodes are adapted to pick up low-voltage electric signals from the user's brain and a reference voltage, respectively, to provide voltage difference signals. An improved binaural hearing assistance system further comprising a comparison unit for determining the voltage difference signal, and an electric interface allowing the reference voltage or a measure representative thereof to be transferred from said second part to said comparison unit is provided.
US09700259B1

The present invention is a method of creating custom surgical guides based on the patient's unique anatomy that can be quickly and accurately applied intra-operatively without navigation are disclosed. The device is created using preoperative MRI images and uniquely conforms to the bone in the region of the desired tunnel. The images are filtered and used to generate computerized three dimensional models of surgical guides that conform to the patient's anatomy. The surgical guides can be introduced through a portal and applied to the bone denuded of soft tissue.
US09700254B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide magnetic lancet devices and methods for driving a lancet. For example, a magnetic lancet device may include a driving mechanism having a plurality of magnets and a lancet coupled to the driving mechanism. A magnetic interaction between the plurality of magnets is configured to drive the lancet from an engaged position to a penetrating position.
US09700250B2

A blood glucose sensing device is provided that comprises a house having an exterior surface and that defines an interior space. The housing is configures to be located within a cardiovascular pathway of a patient. A resonant antenna is located within the interior space defined by the housing. The resonant antenna comprises an inductive reactance and a capacitive reactance. The inductive and capacitive reactance have values that define a blood glucose sensitive resonant frequency such that a resonant frequency of the resonant antenna varies in response to changes in blood glucose levels within the blood in the cardiovascular pathway surrounding the housing.
US09700249B2

An apparatus includes a sensor body, a circuit board, a cable, at least one light emitting device, and at least one photodetector. The circuit board is enclosed within the sensor body and includes at least one conductive trace and at least one aperture. The cable is coupled to the at least one conductive trace. The cable includes a shield conductor and a signal conductor. The at least one light emitting device is coupled to the circuit board and is configured to emit light into a tissue. The at least one photodetector includes a planar active area coupled to the circuit board and is configured to provide an output signal based on light detected by the active area. The planar active area is aligned with the aperture. The output signal is coupled to the cable.
US09700246B2

The invention relates to a method for the controlled delivery of a drug as a function of bioavailable drug concentration, a sensor device for detecting bioavailable drug concentration, and a delivery device that controls delivery of the drug based on the real-time detection of bioavailable drug concentration.
US09700241B2

A system for gait analysis may include a mobile data recording device configured to record accelerations associated with user motion and a data processing device in communication with the mobile data recording device. The data processing device can be configured to receive acceleration data from the mobile data recording device and process the acceleration data to extract stride data sequences from the acceleration data through use of bounding boxes on one or more points of the acceleration data. Each of the stride data sequences comprising data for a corresponding stride. The bounding boxes may define time and acceleration bounds. The data processing system may further determine one or more stride metrics. According to one embodiment, the data recording device may be a smartphone or other device having an accelerometer with a limited range that is inadequate to capture the full range of accelerations experienced by a runner.
US09700237B2

An apparatus for measuring a physiological parameter of a user is disclosed. The apparatus comprises at least one processor and at least one memory comprising a computer program code comprising program instructions of a first algorithm modelling acquisition of the physiological parameter from motion of a user's arm and program instructions of a second algorithm modelling acquisition of the physiological parameter from motion of the user's torso. The at least one memory and the computer program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to: acquire torso acceleration data representing motion of the torso of the user; process the torso acceleration data with the second algorithm; and acquire, from the acceleration data processed with the second algorithm, reference parameters for the first algorithm.
US09700235B2

A peak expiratory flow rate measuring apparatus (PFM) having at least one measurement channel and at least one bypass flow channel including at least one entrance, at least one exit, at least an inner wall and an outer wall, and wherein at least a portion of said at least one bypass flow channel has a variable cross-sectional area, is provided herein. Further disclosed is a PFM having at least one measurement channel comprising at least one first flow entrance, at least one bypass flow channel comprising at least one second flow entrance, and at least one guide wall, having an axially forward portion adjacent to the second flow entrance and an axially aft portion adjacent to the first flow entrance is provided.
US09700234B2

A method of storing information relating, to a medical implant device having a number of implant elements includes receiving a first image, the first image showing a surgical site and the medical implant device, creating a second image using the first image and a stored list of possible implant elements, the second image showing the surgical site and the medical implant device with a number of labels associated therewith, wherein each of the labels is associated with a respective one of the implant elements and indicates one of the possible implant. elements from the stored list, and storing the second image on an transponder device structured to be attached to the medical implant device or at a medically appropriate site on or within a patient's body.
US09700230B2

MRI k-space data is acquired for a patient ROI during data acquisition sequences including a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) signal readout period using a late gadolinium enhanced (LGE) data acquisition sequence including at least one fat-specific RF NMR magnetization inversion pulse imposed (a) after a water-specific RF NMR magnetization inversion pulse timed to cause a substantial null in NMR magnetization of normal tissue protons near a center of the readout period and (b) before the readout period center, which fat-specific inversion pulse is also timed to cause a substantial null in NMR magnetization of fat tissue protons near the readout period center. The acquired MR image data is reconstructed into a contrast enhanced LGE image of tissues within the ROI but having substantially suppressed normal and fat components therein.
US09700219B2

A method and system for determining fractional flow reserve (FFR) for a coronary artery stenosis of a patient is disclosed. In one embodiment, medical image data of the patient including the stenosis is received, a set of features for the stenosis is extracted from the medical image data of the patient, and an FFR value for the stenosis is determined based on the extracted set of features using a trained machine-learning based mapping. In another embodiment, a medical image of the patient including the stenosis of interest is received, image patches corresponding to the stenosis of interest and a coronary tree of the patient are detected, an FFR value for the stenosis of interest is determined using a trained deep neural network regressor applied directly to the detected image patches.
US09700215B2

A system and method for determining a pH level of blood in a vessel of a patient including a flexible elongated member configured and dimensioned for insertion in the vessel of the patient, a sensor positioned at the distal portion of the elongated member, and a connector connecting the elongated member to an indicator. The sensor measures the pH level of blood downstream of the blood clot. A system and method are also provided for determining a density of a blood clot in a vessel of a patient for subsequent selection of a treatment method. The system includes a sensor positioned at the distal portion of the elongated member, and a connector connecting the elongated member to an indicator, wherein the sensor determines the density of the blood clot and the indicator provides an indication of the density of the clot.
US09700207B2

Methods, systems, and products measure health data related to a user. A time-stamped device identifier is received that uniquely identifies a communications device. A time-stamped sensor measurement is separately received. A difference in time between the time-stamped device identifier and the time-stamped sensor measurement is determined. When the difference in time is within a window of time, then the sensor measurement is associated with the device identifier.
US09700206B2

Methods for improved acquisition and processing of optical coherence tomography (OCT) angiography data are presented. One embodiment involves improving the acquisition of the data by evaluating the quality of different portions of the data to identify sections having non-uniform acquisition parameters or non-uniformities due to opacities in the eye such as floaters. The identified sections can then be brought to the attention of the user or automatically reacquired. In another embodiment, segmentation of layers in the retina includes both structural and flow information derived from motion contrast processing. In a further embodiment, the health of the eye is evaluating by comparing a metric reflecting the density of vessels at a particular location in the eye determined by OCT angiography to a database of values calculated on normal eyes.
US09700200B2

A method, system or computer usable program product for detecting visual interaction factors indicative of visual impairment through normal use of a mobile device including monitoring and recording in memory visual interaction of a user with content presented by the mobile device during normal use of the mobile device in accordance with predetermined parameters; establishing a baseline pattern of visual interaction factors in accordance with the predetermined parameters; utilizing a processor to compare the visual interaction of the user with the baseline factors to determine a set of differences; and responsive to the set of differences exceeding a predetermined threshold, providing a notification of visual impairment.
US09700195B2

A conveyor dishwasher has at least one wash zone, at least one final rinse zone, and conveyor apparatus. In order to reduce the consumption of disinfection chemical and energy, but to nevertheless maintain a desired final rinse result, the final rinse liquid which is sprayed in the final rinse zone has a metered disinfection chemical, and at least one additional final rinse zone arranged downstream of the final rinse zone provided for spraying fresh water without a disinfection chemical onto the washware to be treated. The at least one additional final rinse zone has an associated collection device for collecting liquid which is sprayed in the additional final rinse zone. Furthermore, a liquid transfer system is provided, it being possible to supply the liquid which is collected in the collection device directly to the wash zone by means of said liquid transfer system.
US09700190B2

An apparatus is provided having a scrubbing disc that includes sacrificial electrodes of an electrolysis cell.
US09700182B2

A sanitary liquid dispenser having a spherical housing with a discharge port and a fluid reservoir positioned within the dispenser. The fluid reservoir includes a disposable deformable bag with a nozzle projecting downwardly from the bag. The dispenser includes a proximity detector for activating a discharge mechanism when detecting the proximity of an object beneath the dispenser. The discharge mechanism includes a valve within the nozzle.
US09700181B1

A dispenser assembly capable of dispensing gel, liquid, and foam products includes a container to be filled with the product, a pump connected to the container and configured to control dispensing of the product from the container, and a pump actuator assembly configured to actuate the pump and retain the container and the pump. The pump actuator assembly includes a first actuator including a lower ramp, and a second actuator comprising an upper ramp engaged with the lower ramp. The lower ramp of the first actuator and the upper ramp of the second actuator cooperate to actuate at least a portion of the pump along a first axis in response to a force applied along a second axis.
US09700172B2

A heating cooker includes a container for containing an object to be heated, a stirrer for stirring the object inside the container, and a stirring controller for controlling a stirring operation of the stirrer. In cooking the object under stirring by the stirrer, the stirring controller determines a state of the object from at least one of a cooking menu to be executed and a heating time, and controls at least one of a stirring speed, a stirring-operation timing and a stirring direction of the stirrer in accordance with the state of the object. Thus, the heating cooker can perform proper stirring suited to a mixed state and/or viscosity of ingredients during the cooking process.
US09700169B2

The utility model belongs to the technical field of Christmas trees and particularly relates to a modularized artificial light tree. The present utility model aims to solve the technical problem about providing the artificial light tree which is convenient to use and maintain and on which the adjacent simulative boles are supplied with the power together. In order to solve the aforementioned problem, the present modularized artificial light tree at least comprises a first simulative bole and a second simulative bole, the top of the outer wall of the first simulative bole is fixedly connected with an electric socket I, and the bottom of the outer wall of the second simulative bole is provided with an electric plug II matched with the electric socket I and is fixedly connected with the electric plug II. The electric socket I and the electric plug II are supplied with the power together. The modularized artificial light tree has the advantages of convenience in use and maintenance and that the two adjacent simulative boles can be supplied with the power together and string lights can be conveniently replaced.
US09700156B1

Disclosed are various embodiments of an extendable divider system. In one embodiment, such a divider system includes a base. A shelf divider extends from a surface of the base, the shelf divider having an extension connector component on at least one free end. A divider extension having a divider connector component configured to mate with the extension connector component is also disclosed. The divider connector component is configured to removably attach the divider extension to the extension connector component of the shelf divider.
US09700154B2

A showcase for preservation and display of objects is described. The showcase has a fixed casing and at least one openable panel made of glass mounted on the fixed casing through opening supports, which have a pair of upper rods and a pair of lower rods, all having the same length as each other, pivoted to the fixed casing at respective first upper and lower rod pins, and an intermediate structure, pivoted to the upper and lower rods at respective second upper and lower rod pins. A hinging system is provided along the main direction, between the openable panel and the intermediate structure, so as to allow the openable panel to rotate with respect to the intermediate structure. The opening is divided substantially into two steps, with a first roto-translational movement of the intermediate structure and with it of the openable panel with respect to the case, and a second step, in which the hinging system is used to allow the openable panel to rotate with respect to the intermediate structure, until a completely open position is reached.
US09700140B2

A seating unit that includes a linkage mechanism adapted to adjust between closed, extended, and reclined positions is provided. The linkage mechanism includes an adjustment mechanism having a motor and a track that is coupled to the motor and that extends from a front portion of the seating unit to a rear portion of the seating unit. The linkage mechanism also includes a motor activator block slidably coupled to the track and movable along the track using the motor, as well as a single drive link that is attached to the motor activator block. The motor activator block includes a carriage body that slidably attaches the motor activator block to the track and one or more mounting tabs that extend from the carriage body toward the rear portion of the seating unit and that are coupled to the single drive link.
US09700125B2

An assembly is disclosed, the assembly for providing release structure to a lanyard or strap adapted to be worn on the body, such as a neck strap. The release structure consists of a snap button assembly configured such that the release pull generated by tension in the strap is directed along an axis perpendicular to the closure and rotation plane of the male and female portion of the snap button assemblies. With structure to configure a release pull in such an axis, a safety feature is provided to the wearer such that tension in the strap, when it reaches a sufficient force to overcome the closure forces of the snap button assembly, will release the closed snap button and allow the strap to fall away from the body. Also, as in the case of a firefighter wearing an SCBA fire mask, it prevents the firefighter from being entangled or tethered if the strap were to get accidentally hooked or caught on something. The breakaway will allow the firefighter to continue using the mask with no interruption of breathing air from the mask. In lanyards and tool holders, those fall away from the body. In the case of a firefighter, the mask does not fall away from the body.
US09700121B2

A connection device between a distributor head for cosmetic product and a cosmetic product applicator, the device comprising a part for fixing to said distributor head. The fixing part being configured to be immovable relative to said distributor head, and a part movable relative to said fixing part. The device further comprising a connection zone between the fixing part and the movable part, said connection zone being configured so that said movable part is movable in rotation about at least two axes (X, Y, Z) of a orthonormal coordinate system (X, Y, Z) relative to said fixing part. An applicator head comprising such a connection device, a tube comprising such an applicator head and an associated applicator.
US09700107B1

Disclosed herein is a fastening structure which enables objects to be easily removeably coupled, and enables a smooth slideable coupling and decoupling. The fastening structure includes a male and female component. The male component is cross shaped with a wing member and cross bar member. The female component has a complementary structure with an elongate slot and cross groove, such that the male component is slideably received and mated.
US09700105B2

A surface fastener which includes a hook surface fastener (A) and a loop surface fastener (B), or a mixed surface fastener (C). The hook surface fastener (A) has hook fastener elements made of monofilaments on a surface of a base fabric. The loop surface fastener (B) has loop fastener elements made of multifilaments and capable of engaging with the hook fastener elements on a surface of a base fabric. The mixed surface fastener (C) has hook fastener elements made of monofilaments and loop fastener elements made of multifilaments on the same surface of a base fabric. The monofilaments are made from a polyethylene terephthalate-based polyester resin, and the multifilaments are made of a polybutylene terephthalate-based polyester resin.
US09700098B2

An article of footwear that includes an upper that secures the article of footwear to a wearer. The footwear also includes a sole assembly that is operably coupled to the upper. The sole assembly includes an outsole having a plurality of cleats and a groove. The groove includes a first internal surface and a second internal surface. The first and second internal surfaces move away from each other as the sole assembly flexes in a first direction, and the first and second internal surfaces abut each other to limit movement of the sole assembly in a second direction opposite the first direction.
US09700087B2

An illuminated glove assembly includes a glove and an illumination data controller. The glove has a body portion, a longitudinal glove axis, a pointer extension, a pinky extension, a wrist strap and a pocket portion. The wrist strap is positioned at a proximal end of the body portion. A securing mechanism is connected to the wrist strap and the pointer extension and pinky extension extend from a distal end of the body portion. The pointer extension is positioned on a first side of the longitudinal axis and the pinky extension is positioned on a second side of the longitudinal axis. The pocket portion is secured to and defines a pocket with the body portion. An opening of the pocket is defined proximate the distal end of the body. The illumination data controller is configured for selective mounting in the pocket and includes a housing with a front face.
US09700083B2

An improved strapless bra having the capabilities of desired tightness that is resealable and reusable and not limited to set back closure hooks. The adjustable band replaces the typical hooks for fastening material of opposing pieces of fabric one with hook closure and one with loop closure that interlock when pressed together used to fasten bra. It enables users to adjust and fasten their band as tight as desired in order for it to stay secure and in its intended position to ensure support no matter what activity they are engaging in.
US09700076B2

The disclosure discloses an atomizer assembly, an electronic cigarette equipped with such atomizer assembly and a method for assembling the atomizer assembly. Wherein, an atomizer assembly configured to be connected with a battery assembly to form an electronic cigarette comprises an atomizer base, wherein, the atomizer assembly further comprises a marking element sheathed on the atomizer base and fixedly connected to the atomizer base, and the marking element is configured to be twisted off when the electronic cigarette is used. In this way, users can judge whether the electronic cigarette has been used or not. Therefore, the using process of the electronic cigarette is more healthy and can avoid diseases transmitting reciprocally between different users.
US09700073B2

The invention pertains to powdered nutritional compositions comprising large lipid globules and micronized carbohydrate or carbohydrate microcrystals. Preferably the nutritional composition is an infant or follow on formula or a growing up milk. The invention also pertains to the use of micronized carbohydrate or carbohydrate microcrystals for improving flow and reducing cohesiveness of a powdered nutritional composition with large lipid globules.
US09700068B2

A formulation of complex carbohydrates for fodder, fodder comprising the same, and application, the fodder comprising of the following ingredients: corn, bean pulp, whey powder, fish meal, soymilk, wheat middling, piglet premix, glucose and a formulation of complex carbohydrates, and the formulation of complex carbohydrates consisting of flucose, galactose, N-acetylgalactosamine, glucosamine, acetylglucosamine, glucuronic acid, mannose, sialic acid and xylose.
US09700065B2

A dough-like confectionery material contains a solid particulate, a liquid, and a diffusion controller. The dough-like confectionery material is an effective replacement for panned coatings, and it can be applied to an edible substrate, such as candy or chewing gum to form a layered confection. Methods and apparatus for forming layered confections are also described.
US09700058B2

Compositions comprising a protein or isolated peptide, and methods using the same for preventing, dispersing or detaching a biofilm, are disclosed.
US09700050B2

The present invention relates to a method of controlling weeds in a crop field, the method including treating the crop field with crystal of flumioxazin described in the specification, before sowing or planting, at the same time of sowing or planting, or after sowing or planting crop seeds or vegetative organs such as tubers, bulbs, or stem fragments which are treated with one or more compounds selected from the following group B; Group B: neonicotinoid type compounds, diamide type compounds, carbamate type compounds, organic phosphorous type compounds, biological nematicidal compounds, other insecticidal compounds and nematicidal compounds, azole type compounds, strobilurin type compounds, metalaxyl type compounds, SDHI compounds, and other fungicidal compounds and plant growth regulators. According to the method of controlling pests of the present invention, weeds in clop fields can be efficiently controlled.
US09700049B2

The present invention relates to novel active compound combinations which include of the insecticidally active compounds of the formula (I) in combination with fungicidally active compounds (II) and are highly suitable for controlling unwanted animal pests, such as insects, and unwanted phytopathogenic fungi.
US09700048B2

The present invention provides a composition comprising a pesticide and a copolymer, which contains in polymerized form a N-vinyllactam (monomer A); an acrylamide (monomer B) selected from N—C1-C6-alkyl acrylamide and N,N-di-C1-C6-alkyl acrylamide; and a C1-C4-alkyl (meth)acrylate (monomer C). Further on, it provides a process for preparing said composition by contacting the pesticide and the copolymer; a method for controlling phytopathogenic fungi and/or unwanted plant growth and/or unwanted insect or mite infestation and/or for regulating the growth of plants, wherein said composition is caused to act on the respective pests, their habitat or the plants to be protected from the respective pest, to the soil and/or to unwanted plants and/or the crop plants and/or their habitat; and a plant propagation material comprising said composition.
US09700042B2

The composition of the Nano carrier or Nano polymers composed of Hyaluronic Acid (15-25%) and fatty acids (50-70%) cross linked with ultra-Low molecular weight chitosan (15-25%) encapsulating isolated compounds from musk and their combinations for cosmetic use as anti-aging, anti-microbial, and fragrance. Additionally, these nano-encapsulated Musk bioactive compounds (MBC) at 0.1-10% (w/w MBC/Nano polymers) could be used in textile manufacturing (carpet/rugs and clothes) to provide anti-microbial and fragrance properties. Furthermore, Musk derived products are chemically conjugated to HA polymer, FA polymer, CH polymer, HA-CH co-polymer, FA-CH co-polymer or HA-CH-FA co-polymer to be incorporated into the fabric of the textile products (carpet/rugs or clothes).
US09700041B2

An insect repellent patch is disclosed of a size and weight compatible for wearing on the clothing or skin of a user. The patch has a gross area not in excess of 232 cm2 and bearing one or more insect repellents having a vapor pressure at 25° C. of not less than about 1×10−6 mm Hg. The total amount of insect repellent is in an amount effective to provide practical mosquito personal area repellency. Kits of such patches, with instructions for use, and methods of providing practical personal area insect repellency are also disclosed.
US09700039B2

Rodenticidal soft bait compositions are provided which consist of a mixture, in the form of a paste, comprising vegetable flour, a fat which is not completely liquid at a temperature of 35° C. and at least one rodenticidally-active substance. The vegetable flour is present in the mixture in an amount of at least 60%, preferably 62 to 78%, by weight based on the total weight of the mixture. The weight ratio of the vegetable flour to fat in the mixture is 4:1 to 8:1, preferably 5:1 to 7.5:1. The soft bait compositions are extremely palatable to rodents such that rodents are encouraged to consume a sufficient amount to deliver a lethal dose of rodenticide in a single sitting. Also provided is a method for manufacturing the soft bait composition of the invention.
US09700036B1

A duck decoy device with a hollow body joined to a base with an interior u-shaped housing. An insert has a platform capable of partial disassembly. The platform has a left half and a right half that are selectively divisible. The platform also has a front platform and a rear platform that are pivotal and divisible. A collar selectively joins the left half to the right half. A spool with line is removably contained between a pair of stilted arches, one of each stilted arch disposed on each of the left half and the right half. The stilted arches are selectively disposed within the u-shaped housing. A weight with surrounding shell is selectively held and alternately released from the insert, and is fastened to the insert via the line. The insert provides for the decoy to be serviceable and to have various parts repaired and replaced.
US09700033B2

A coiled wave spring includes a first and second coiled portions. The first coiled portion has a plurality of first valley parts and a plurality of first peak parts. The first valley parts and the first peak parts are alternately disposed in a circumferential direction. The second coiled portion has a plurality of second peak parts and a plurality of second valley parts. The second peak parts respectively correspond to the first valley parts, whereas the second valley parts respectively correspond to the first peak parts. The second coiled portion extends continuously from the first coiled portion. The first peak parts are disposed away from the corresponding second valley parts at an interval in an axial direction. The first valley parts contact the corresponding second peak parts. Apices of the first valley parts are shifted from apices of the corresponding second peak parts in the circumferential direction.
US09700018B2

An automatically retractable pet leash, comprises a casing or guard (10) inside which is a winding device of a cord or ribbon that protrudes from the casing or guard (10) through an aperture (13), and a braking mechanism operated by a pushbutton (12), and also comprises a handle (11) for gripping the leash with one hand. It also comprises a protective shell (14) designed to protect the casing or guard (10) from knocks or blows that can damage it; the casing or guard comprises at least one housing designed to accommodate by snap-fitting, when used, at least one coupling or ribbing element foreseen on the body of the protective shell (14) in such a way as to hold the protective shell (14) locked against the casing or guard (10).
US09700017B2

A hair grooming tool including a housing defining a cavity and including a grooming end, a vibratory motor assembly positioned within the cavity and configured to vibrate the housing, and a pet-engaging member coupled to the housing at the grooming end. Vibration of the housing enables constant motion of the hair tool and movement of the pet-engaging member as the pet-engaging member is pulled through hair to remove loose hair without cutting the hair.
US09700015B2

A method for measuring feed flow, feed is moved through a flexible pipe using a flexible auger operably positioned within the pipe. Feed flow through a metered section (309) of the flexible pipe is metered using a feed meter (304) attached to the flexible pipe. The feed meter includes load cell (312) configured to detect strain induced by feed mass within the metered section (309). Metering feed includes providing a measure of mass flow of the feed, using the load cell (312), when the feed moves through the metered section (309).
US09700011B1

The present invention provides an inbred corn line designated LJL6799, methods for producing a corn plant by crossing plants of the inbred line LJL6799 with plants of another corn plant. The invention further encompasses all parts of inbred corn line LJL6799, including culturable cells. Additionally provided herein are methods for introducing transgenes into inbred corn line LJL6799, and plants produced according to these methods.
US09700010B1

The invention relates to the soybean variety designated 01063871. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety 01063871. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety 01063871 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety 01063871 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US09700003B1

According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV455328. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV455328, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV455328 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to corn seeds and plants produced by crossing plants of variety CV455328 with plants of another variety, such as another inbred line. The invention further relates to the inbred and hybrid genetic complements of plants of variety CV455328.
US09699996B2

In an embodiment, the invention relates to the seeds, plants, and plant parts of canola variety SCV403642 and to methods for producing a canola plant produced by crossing canola variety SCV403642 with itself or with another canola variety. The invention also relates to methods for producing a canola plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic canola plants and plant parts produced by those methods. This invention also relates to canola varieties or breeding lines and plant parts derived from canola variety SCV403642, to methods for producing other canola varieties, lines or plant parts derived from canola variety SCV403642 and to the canola plants, varieties, and their parts derived from use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid canola seeds, plants and plant parts produced by crossing the variety SCV403642 with another canola variety.
US09699989B1

A novel maize variety designated X90F449 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof are produced by crossing inbred maize varieties. Methods for producing a maize plant by crossing hybrid maize variety X90F449 with another maize plant are disclosed. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into X90F449 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety X90F449, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety X90F449. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety X90F449.
US09699978B2

The invention provides seed and plants of pepper hybrid SV1204PB and the parent lines thereof. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of pepper hybrid SV1204PB and the parent lines thereof, and to methods for producing a pepper plant produced by crossing such plants with themselves or with another pepper plant, such as a plant of another genotype. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of such plants, including the fruit and gametes of such plants.
US09699975B2

The present invention relates to tomato plants that exhibit resistance to Botrytis cinerea and methods for developing new inbreds, hybrid, apomictic and genetically engineered tomato plants that possess resistance to Botrytis cinerea and having commercially desirable characteristics.
US09699956B2

A seeding machine (1) and method of use, for introducing seed material into a soil (11), with a first ploughing device for drawing at least one furrow into the soil and a filling device for closing the first furrow. A dust separator (5) separates air during the seeding process into an air component (13) and a dust component (7). A line from the dust separator delivers the dust component separated from the air component into the soil.
US09699955B2

A seeding machine with a seed meter and a seed delivery system for moving seed from a seed meter to a furrow formed in the soil. The delivery system has an endless member moving in a housing about pulleys to move seed from an upper opening in the housing to a lower discharge opening. In one embodiment, a loading wheel at the upper opening to the housing engages seed on a metering disk to move seed into the housing. The metering disk and housing can be arranged in planes parallel to one another.
US09706686B2

A method for forming a system. A cooling conduit is secured on a top surface of each rack container of rack units to allow a cooling fluid to flow through a flexible tube into each rack container via the cooling conduit that encapsulates the flexible tube. The rack units are stacked in a direction parallel to a floor. Each rack unit includes at least one heat generating device. Each heat generating device is configured to generate heat while in operation. The top surface is further from the floor than is any other surface of each rack container. The cooling fluid is configured to be heated by absorbing heat from the at least one heat generating device. An exhaust conduit is secured on the top surface of each rack container to allow the heated cooling fluid to be exhausted from each rack container via the exhaust conduit.
US09706683B2

An electronic equipment enclosure for outdoor deployment includes a housing defining an interior and having an intake port, an exhaust port, an airflow path extending from the intake port to the exhaust port, and an equipment bay for receiving the electronic equipment. The equipment bay is positioned in the airflow path. The equipment enclosure further includes an intake fan for creating positive pressure within the interior of the housing and a pressure-activated damper having an open position for allowing air to exit the enclosure through the exhaust port in response to positive pressure within the interior of the housing and a closed position for preventing external air and/or water from entering the enclosure through the exhaust port when the intake fan is not operating. Other example equipment enclosures and methods are also disclosed.
US09706667B2

A via in a printed circuit board is composed of a patterned metal layer that extends through a hole in dielectric laminate material. A layer of catalytic adhesive coats walls within the hole. The patterned metal layer is placed over the catalytic adhesive within the hole.
US09706666B2

According to one embodiment, an electronic device includes a circuit board with an electronic component mounted thereon. The device, includes a measuring unit, a first database, a determination unit, and a presentation unit. The measuring unit measures an value of state of the electronic component. The first database stores data indicating correlation. The determination unit determines one of ways of applying a load to a junction, based on the value of state of the electronic component measured by the measuring unit, and referring to the first database. The presentation unit presents the determined way of applying the load to the junction.
US09706659B2

Generally discussed herein are systems, apparatuses, and methods that relate to an attachment device. According to an example, a device may include an elongated shaft including a top portion, a central portion, and a bottom portion, the central portion between the top portion and the bottom portion, a first fastener in the bottom portion of the shaft, a second fastener in the top portion of the shaft, the second fastener having an adjustable fastening location along the top portion of the shaft, and a spring situated between the first fastener and the second fastener such that a spring force of the spring varies depending on a selected fastening location on the second fastener.
US09706655B2

A product and method for packaging high power integrated circuits or infrared emitter arrays for operation through a wide range of temperatures, including cryogenic operation. The present invention addresses key limitations with the prior art, by providing temperature control through direct thermal conduction or active fluid flow and avoiding thermally induced stress on the integrated circuits or emitter arrays. The present invention allows for scaling of emitter arrays up to extremely large formats, which is not viable under the prior art.
US09706654B2

A method of making a filled large-format imprinted structure includes providing a substrate, locating a first curable layer over the substrate, imprinting the first curable layer, and curing the first curable layer to form a first cured layer imprinted with a first micro-cavity having a first micro-cavity width less than or equal to 20 microns. A curable material is located in the first micro-cavity and cured to form cured material in the first micro-cavity. A second curable layer is located on the first cured layer and the first cured material, imprinted and cured to form a second cured layer imprinted with a second micro-cavity having a second micro-cavity width less than or equal to 20 microns. The curable material is located in the second micro-cavity and cured to form cured material in the second micro-cavity, thereby forming a large-format imprinted structure.
US09706650B1

A catalytic resin is formed by mixing a resin and either homogeneous or heterogeneous catalytic particles, the resin infused into a woven glass fabric to form an A-stage pre-preg, the A-stage pre-preg cured into a B-stage pre-preg, thereafter held in a vacuum and between pressure plates at a gel point temperature for a duration of time sufficient for the catalytic particles to migrate away from the resin rich surfaces of the pre-preg, thereby forming a C-stage pre-preg after cooling. The C-stage pre-preg subsequently has trenches formed by removing the resin rich surface, the trenches extending into the depth of the catalytic particles, optionally including drilled holes to form vias, and the C-stage pre-preg with trenches and holes placed in an electroless bath, whereby traces form in the trenches and holes where the surface of the cured pre-preg has been removed.
US09706649B2

The present invention provides a plastic substrate, including: a polyimide film; a hard coating layer formed on one side of the polyimide film; and a transparent electrode layer formed on the other side of the polyimide film. The plastic substrate has excellent light transmittance high hardness characteristics, superior ITO processability and flexibility. Further, the plastic substrate can function as both a window film and an electrode film when it is applied to a touch screen panel. Thus, the present invention provides a touch screen panel which can be slimmed by reducing the number of laminated films including the plastic substrate.
US09706641B1

A multilayer capacitor includes internal electrodes having a plurality of lead portions exposed in a width direction of a body, and external electrodes connected to the lead portions, the external electrodes including a conducting layer, conductive resin layers, and a plating layer, respectively, and a board having the same.
US09706633B2

Provided is a magnetized coaxial plasma generation device having increased magnetization efficiency and capable of improving power conservation and reducing the thermal load on a coil. The magnetized coaxial plasma generation device generating spheromak plasma comprises: an external electrode (1); an internal electrode (2); a plasma generation gas supply section (3); a power supply circuit (4); a bias coil (5); a pulse power supply (6) for the bias coil; a magnetic flux conservation section (7); and a control section (8). The bias coil (5) is disposed inside the internal electrode and generates a bias magnetic field between the external and internal electrodes. The pulse power supply (6) for the bias coil pulse-drives the bias coil. The magnetic flux conservation section (7) is disposed outside the external electrode. The control section controls the pulse power supply for the bias coil so as to pulse-drive the bias coil for a time sufficient to apply a bias magnetic field necessary to generate the spheromak plasma between the external and internal electrodes and within a time shorter than a skin time of the magnetic flux of the bias magnetic field into the magnetic flux conservation section.
US09706617B2

A handheld device having a light source, a communication interface, and control circuitry that is capable of interacting with a lighting fixture. The handheld device is capable of providing a light signal to the lighting fixture, receiving information from the lighting fixture, and selecting the lighting fixture as a selected lighting fixture based on the received information.
US09706610B2

A circuit for driving light emitting elements, such as LEDs, includes a first transistor having a source coupled to ground through a first resistive element, and a second transistor having a gate electrically coupled to a gate of the first transistor, a source electrically coupled to ground, and a drain for electrical connection to a first group of light emitting elements. The circuit also includes circuitry to provide a predetermined voltage at the source of the first transistor, circuitry to compensate for a difference in respective gate-source voltages of the first and second transistors, and circuitry to compensate for a difference in respective drain-source voltages of the first and second transistors. In some implementations, the circuit can achieve relatively low power consumption.
US09706605B2

Apparatus for providing electrical currents and substrate supports utilizing the same are provided. In some embodiments, a feedthrough structure may include a body having a wall defining one or more openings disposed through the body from a first end to a second end; one or more first conductors and one or more second conductors each disposed in the wall from the first end to the second end; and a plurality of conductive mesh disposed in the wall, at least one conductive mesh surrounding a first region of the wall including the one or more first conductors and at least one conductive mesh surrounding a second region of the wall including the one or more second conductors, wherein the plurality of conductive mesh substantially electrically insulates the first and second regions from respective first and second external electromagnetic fields respectively disposed outside the first and second regions.
US09706598B2

A first device may communicate by joining a wireless mesh network that includes at least one wireless device configured to operate a wireless routing protocol, discovering a group of other wireless devices configured to participate in the wireless mesh network, and accessing an interest metric for a second wireless device in the group of other wireless devices. The interest metric is based in part on a network topology from the wireless mesh network. The interest metric is related to an interest threshold and it is determined whether relating the interest metric to the interest threshold supports enabling messaging communications. If so, messaging communications may be enabled.
US09706597B2

Provided is a communication terminal including a timing detection unit that detects arrival of timing according to a configured cycle, a condition determination unit that determines whether or not a shared condition shared with a base station is satisfied, and a communication controller that controls reception of paging when the timing detection unit detects the arrival of timing and the condition determination unit determines that the shared condition is satisfied.
US09706593B2

There is provided a method for a method for reporting buffer status. The method may comprise: identifying a change of a radio bearer; and triggering a buffer status report (BSR), if the change of the radio bearer is identified.
US09706590B2

A method and apparatus for a Wi-Fi direct connection are provided. The method for a Wi-Fi direct connection includes detecting an event for a group connection, determining whether a terminal belongs to a first group when the event for the group connection is detected, determining an operation mode within the first group when the terminal belongs to the group, exchanging group information or terminal information according to the determined operation mode within the first group, and comparing exchanged information, generating a new group according to the operation mode within the new group based on the compared information, and connecting the new group through a group reset according to the operation mode within the new group when the new group generation is completed.
US09706588B2

Disclosed are a method, system and device for data transmission in the access point handover process, which is used to solve the problem existing in the prior art that interrupt delay of data plane will be increased when the access point handover is carried out in the case of heterogeneous network. The method of the embodiment of the present invention comprises: a user equipment determines that in the case that Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection remains the same, all or part of the Data Radio Bearers (DRBs) reconfigured from one cell to another cell is needed; the user equipment, in the access point handover process, transmits data through the original DRB, and the original DRB is the last used DRB before the data plane access point handover. The user equipment, during the access point handover process, transmits data through the original DRB, thereby reducing the interrupt delay of the data plane when the access point handover is carried out in the case of heterogeneous network, and further improving the handover efficiency and shortening the data transmission time.
US09706584B2

The proposed technology relates to methods and network nodes for enabling resetting of network resources in a wireless network. For example, a method performed by a first network node comprises the step of providing at least one pair of information elements, each pair defining a respective range of identifiers within a list of identifiers, wherein each identifier within each range of identifiers is associated with a respective network resource to be reset.
US09706583B1

Disclosed herein is a method and corresponding system for controlling how a user equipment device (UE) served by a base station of a first network is concurrently served by a second network, where the first network is interconnected with the second network. In an example method, if the UE determines that the UE provides connectivity between at least one other device and the base station, the UE then causes itself to be served by the second network in a first mode in which the UE is registered with the second network via the first network. Whereas, if the UE determines that the UE does not provide such connectivity, the UE then instead causes itself to be served by the second network in a second mode in which the UE is registered with the second network directly via the second network rather than via the first network.
US09706581B2

A method and apparatus for a back-off timer having different retry time classes, the method checking whether a connection establishment attempt for a first service on a connection slot is in a back-off time that equals or exceeds a predetermined threshold; and if yes, allowing a second service access to the connection slot.
US09706576B2

A method and apparatus of transmitting a multicast frame in a wireless communication system is provided. The method comprises transmitting a request to send (RTS) frame to stations (STAs) included in a multicast group by using an omni-directional antenna, and receiving a clear to send (CTS) frame transmitted by the STAs included in the multicast group in response to the RTS frame, and transmitting the multicast frame to the STAs included in the multicast group by using a directional antenna.
US09706566B2

Disclosed is a method and apparatus for mitigating uplink interference in the wireless communication system, wherein the method comprises determining a loading-status value for each sector; if the loading-status value is not greater than the first threshold value, generating UL zone switch IE and UL allocation start IE to allocate data bursts of the sectors to different subchannels; and preparing an uplink map using the UL zone switch IE and UL allocation start IE for each sector, wherein the uplink duration indicates a duration where all the subchannels are used for allocation of the data burst.
US09706561B1

Disclosed herein is a method and a corresponding system for managing quantity of carriers, based at least in part on consideration of a public land mobile network (PLMN) to which the user equipment device (UE) at issue subscribes. A base station serving the UE may determine the PLMN to which the UE subscribes and, based at least on the UE's PLMN, may determine a quantity of carriers on which to serve the UE, the determined quantity of carriers being at least one carrier. The base station may then configure an air interface between the base station and the UE to encompass the determined quantity of carriers, so that the base station is then set to serve the UE on the determined quantity of carriers.
US09706546B2

A preamble generator module generates a first preamble for a first packet, which is a single-user packet. The first preamble includes a first short training field, a first long training field, and a first signal field. The preamble generator module generates a second preamble for a second packet, which is a multi-user packet formatted as a multi-user packet or a single-user packet formatted as a multi-user packet. The second preamble is longer than the first preamble and includes a second short training field, a second long training field, and a second signal field. The first signal field and the second signal field conform to a Very High Throughput format specified in a wireless networking standard. A modulation module modulates the first signal field of the first preamble differently than the second signal field of the second preamble.
US09706530B2

A core network includes a plurality of nodes that serve as nodes managing mobility of a terminal and that are different with regards to service functions that nodes provide to the terminal. Based on subscriber information and terminal information, a node to be connected to the terminal is selected on the core network side, depending on a service characteristic utilized by the terminal or on a type of the terminal and the terminal is connected to the selected node.
US09706519B2

A system for providing a user connection between first and second mobile devices that includes a first software application executable on the first mobile device in communication with a server. The first mobile device includes a first geo-fence having a first radius. The software application is configured to permit a first user to send a connection request to a second user. When the second user accepts the connection request a device connection is made between the mobile devices. The second user mobile device has a second geo-fence with a second radius. When the device connection is made, an initial distance is determined between the mobile devices. The initial distance is greater than the sum of the first radius and the second radius. When the distance between the first and second mobile devices is less than the sum of the first radius and the second radius the device connection is terminated.
US09706509B2

An apparatus can include an interface to receive and send inter-node communications messages with respect to at least one other node. A synchronization control can implement a synchronization protocol for controlling synchronization of content chunks generated for at least one content stream based on synchronization data. The synchronization control can determine the synchronization data for the content stream (i) based on synchronization information provided in an information message received from the other node if the other node has a greater priority or (ii) based on self-established synchronization information if the other node has a lower priority.
US09706488B2

Provided is an apparatus and method for connecting to an Access Point (AP) based on beacon information in a wireless communication system. To this end, a wireless device predicts an interference condition from each of a plurality of APs based on information acquired by a received beacon, selects one of the plurality of APs, taking the predicted interference condition into account, and attempts connection to the selected AP.
US09706483B2

An apparatus for accessing a wireless network includes an access manager configured to request access to a wireless network according to a wireless network access condition including at least one desired service set identifier (SSID); and a wireless network access module configured to search for at least one wireless network corresponding to the at least one desired SSID, and access the searched at least one wireless network.
US09706469B2

An integrated WLAN/WWAN Radio Access Technology (RAT) architecture is described in which signaling used to control the integration of the WLAN/WWAN architecture is performed over the Radio Resource Control (RRC) plane. The integrated architecture may allow for User Equipment (UE) assistance in cell selection and traffic steering. In particular, UE-assisted RRC signaling is described for managing inter-RAT session transfers and secondary cell (SCell) selection.
US09706451B2

Aspects related to pre-configuring for a serving cell change to neighbor cells are described. In one example, a user equipment (UE) may camp on a first cell. The UE may receive at least one communication including target cell pre-configuration information for one or more neighbor cells eligible for pre-configuration. The UE may determine that the first cell is no longer providing adequate service and identify a target cell, which may be one of the one or more neighbor cells, but is not part of an active set for the UE. The UE may transmit a message (e.g., Event 1d) requesting a serving cell change to the target cell. The UE may configure to receive service from the target cell based on the pre-configuration information associated with the target cell. The UE may receive an indication to perform the serving cell change and perform the serving cell change.
US09706450B2

A common group cell identifier is transmitted by adjacent base stations. Handover processing is minimized for mobile relays traveling along a predetermined path that traverses the adjacent base stations. A first base station along the path transmits a group cell identifier and a first single cell identifier within a first service area. An adjacent base station transmits the group cell identifier and a second single cell identifier within a second service area that at least partially overlaps the first service area. The mobile relay monitors the group cell identifier in certain situations and only performs a handover when the group cell identifier changes. As a result, no handovers are initiated as the mobile relay travels down the path since the group cell identifier transmitted by the base stations along the path are the same.
US09706446B2

A method performs a Single Radio Voice Call Continuity (SRVCC) Packet Switched (PS) to Circuit Switched (CS) handover of an emergency call that is routed over an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network. The call is transferred from a first region served by a first Mobility Management Entity (MME) to a second region served by a second MME. The method includes sending a first handover request from the first MME to the second MME to transfer the call. The first handover request includes an Emergency Session Transfer Number for SRVCC (E-STN-SR) identifying an Emergency Access Transfer Function (EATF) in the first region. A second handover request for handover to a CS access is sent to a target Mobile Switching Centre, MSC, and includes the E-STN-SR. The call is handed over to the CS access using the E-STN-SR to route the call via the EATF in the first region.
US09706443B2

Technology for receiving targeted media content is disclosed. A user equipment (UE) can receive a first metadata including group information for files corresponding to targeted media content and media presentation description (MPD) information associated with the files, wherein each file the group information is associated with a group identification (ID) element. A second metadata can be received in a user service description (USD) that includes MPD information for streaming media content. A user profile can be identified that includes group ID elements associated with a user. Targeted MPD information for selected targeted media content having the group ID element that is included in the user profile can be inserted into the MPD information for the streaming media content to generate a merged MPD. The selected targeted media content and the streaming media content can be received according to the merged MPD for playback at the UE.
US09706441B2

A transmission regulation method which may be performed by a station having at least one data frame for transmitting over a telecommunications network is disclosed. In one aspect, the method comprises, during at least one selection round from a set of selection rounds, obtaining a value representative either of an authorization to transmit or a prohibition to transmit the frame. Furthermore, when the value is representative of an authorization to transmit, transmitting an information signal over a first communications channel of the network, to inform the other stations that the station has obtained a value representative of an authorization to transmit; or when the value is representative of a prohibition to transmit, listening for an information signal, if any, transmitted over the first communications channel of the network. The method listens to or transmits over a second communications channel of the network that is different from the first communications channel.
US09706434B2

Disclosed are a method and a device for processing message overload. The method comprises: a base station receiving a downlink NAS transmission message sent by a network device, the downlink NAS transmission message comprising indication information indicating whether to transmit an SMS; when being congested, the base station determining, according to the indication information, that the received downlink NAS transmission message is used to transmit an SMS; and processing the downlink NAS transmission message used for transmitting an SMS.
US09706432B2

The present invention relates to a method for controlling traffic congestion in a network, the network comprising a plurality of nodes including a source node, intermediary nodes and a destination node. In one embodiment, this can be accomplished by collecting network topology information and various parameters from each nodes in the network, storing the collected information and parameters in a database, computing network statistics from at least one of the contemplated collected information thereby reflecting the probabilities of changing modulation at a specific state, computing optimal parameters of specific congestion mitigation mechanisms associated with the plurality of nodes and configuring each node's specific congestion mitigation mechanism, wherein for each mechanism the method calculates the optimal parameter configuration per node.
US09706427B2

A communication method for use in a communication system having a plurality of communication devices includes: a first communication device transmitting within a predefined period a connection request signal requesting a connection with another communication device; a second communication device transmitting a connection permit signal which contains the number of connection request signals received during the predefined period as the number of requesting candidates; the first communication device obtaining a transmission probability defining the probability of signal transmission such that the transmission probability decreases as the number of requesting candidates contained in the connection permit signal received from the second communication device increases; and the first communication device making a decision as to whether or not to transmit a signal out in accordance with the transmission probability at the timing that the signal can be transmitted to the second communication device.
US09706418B2

A technique is provided for retransmitting data in a dual connectivity network in which a mobile station (MS) is connected to a first base station (BS) via a first radio link and to a second BS via a second radio link, including sending, by a first protocol entity of the MS, a protocol data unit (PDU) to a first entity of a second protocol of the MS for transmission to the first BS via the first radio link, detecting a trigger condition at the MS associated with the PDU, and re-sending, by the first protocol entity of the MS, the PDU to a second entity of the second protocol of the MS for transmission to the second BS via the second radio link.
US09706408B2

A particular method includes generating, at a secure user plane location (SUPL) server, a message to be sent to a mobile device, the message including: a server certificate including an identifier of the SUPL server and a public key of the SUPL server; and a request for a device certificate of the mobile device. The method also includes receiving a reply from the mobile device that includes a device certificate of the mobile device; and authenticating the mobile device as associated with a SUPL user based on the device certificate.
US09706398B2

Techniques for a custom short message service center are described. An apparatus may comprise a custom short message service center (SMSC) comprising a reception component, a transmission component, and a control component. The reception component may be operative to receive a short message service (SMS) message for communication to a device from a sender. The transmission component may be operative to initiate transmission of the message to the device. The control component may be operative to monitor the transmission of the message to the device. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09706385B1

Systems and methods are described for configuring device to device communication. Communication information may be received at an access node identifying at least two wireless devices comprising a device to device communication group. NACK messages may be received from a plurality of wireless devices proximate to the communication group. Data may be retransmitted to the plurality of wireless devices proximate to the communication group based on the received NACK messages, wherein the at least two wireless device comprising the communication group perform device to device communication based on the resources used for retransmission.
US09706377B2

A method for supporting emergency cell broadcast (CB) messages on a multi-subscriber identity module (SIM) mobile communication device includes: waking up a first subscription from a sleep mode at a common traffic channel (CTCH) occasion; decoding a CB message header received during the CTCH occasion; determining whether a scheduling message (SM) is present based on the decoded CB message header; and in response to determining that the SM is present, granting resource priority to the first subscription to decode the complete SM.
US09706373B1

Receiving short message service (SMS) messages and providing a response report based at least in part on the received SMS message is disclosed. A user equipment (UE) may receive an SMS message via a communications link between the UE and a mobile communications network. The UE may be configured to determine if the SMS message was received with or without error. Based at least in part on this determination, the UE may generate the response report to provide to the mobile communications network. The UE may further identify that the communications link between itself and the mobile communications network may be severed. As a result, the UE may reestablish the communications link with the mobile communications network and then transmit the response report.
US09706370B2

Provided is an apparatus and method for managing a backup channel for cognitive radio communication that may group at least one device included in a cell served by a base station, and allocate backup channels for cognitive radio communication to the groups, based on location information and mobility of the groups.
US09706363B2

A method for identifying and locating at least one relevant location visited by at least one individual within a geographical area served by a wireless telecommunication network. The method includes: identifying and clustering events that occurred within a predefined distance from each other and having a similar probability, computing a weight value for each cluster of events identified, comparing the weight value with a threshold weight value, if the weight value is equal to, or greater than, the threshold weight value, identifying the relevant location as belonging to a selected typology of relevant location, and providing an indication of the position of the at least one relevant location based on recorded position data of the events of the cluster, or if the weight value is lower than the threshold weight value, identifying the relevant location as not belonging to the selected typology of relevant location.
US09706356B2

A positioning system and method are provided. The positioning system includes a wireless signal source disposed at a known fixed location in an area and a handheld electronic device. The handheld electronic device includes a compass, a wireless transmission module and a processing module. The processing module retrieves information of fixed direction from the compass, determines a first azimuth angle among the handheld electronic device, the wireless signal source, and the fixed direction according to a maximum signal strength between the wireless transmission module relative to the wireless signal source, and determines a first distance between the handheld electronic device and the wireless signal source according to a first wireless transmission parameter between the wireless transmission module and the wireless signal source. The processing module further determines a first absolute location of the handheld electronic device according to the first azimuth angle and the first distance.
US09706348B2

A method for processing location data of a target user includes obtaining a location data of the target user in a predetermined time range, to get a location data set, wherein a format of each location data in the location data set comprises at least two values, which are a location coordinate and a time value; determining the accumulation regions of the target user according to the location coordinate of each location data of the location data set; determining user behavior description information of the target user at the locations corresponding to each location data according to the determined accumulation region and the time value of each location data, wherein the user behavior description information includes a frequency of the target user appearing in the determined accumulation region under the different time status.
US09706345B2

Apparatus, interfaces, and computer instructions are provided for establishing an association between a user and a declared interest, such as a brand or some other subject, and for generating a map to display the interests of one or more users. An association is established between an interest identifier, a user, and target object selected based upon an action of the user. The target object may include a location that may be specified by coordinates. The action may include selection of the at least one location by the user. Selection may include selecting a user interface feature that causes the at least one location to be selected based upon a geographical position of the user. The position may be determined by a Global Positioning System device carried by the user. Techniques are also disclosed for identifying people who are potentially interested in a given interest, or in a second interest related to a first interest, based on previously established interest-location-user associations.
US09706343B2

The present invention a digital signage providing preset information and glasses-type terminal capable of wireless communication, wherein the glasses-type terminal includes a wireless communication unit performing wireless communication and a control unit, which performs a control method including the steps of: transmitting unique information on the glasses-type terminal to the digital signage, in the vicinity of the digital signage that is preset; receiving data based on the unique information; and controlling the output unit of the glasses-type terminal to output the data.
US09706331B2

An information processing device may perform enabling a communication between a first network and the information processing device in a case that a setting to enable the communication between the first network and the information processing device is not being made. The information processing device may perform receiving, from the communication device, communication device information. The information processing device may perform receiving an acquisition order to acquire external device information stored in an external device. The information processing device may perform enabling a communication between a second network and the information processing device when the acquisition order is received. The information processing device may perform receiving, from the external device, external device information. The information processing device may perform acquiring usage data to be used in the communication device by using the communication device information and the external device information.
US09706323B2

Examples described herein involve calibrating a playback device for a playback environment based on audio signals detected by a microphone of a network device as the network device moves about the playback environment. While the playback device is playing a first audio signal and the network device is moving within the playback environment from a first physical location to a second physical location, the network device may detect by a microphone of the network device, a second audio signal. The network device may then identify an audio processing algorithm based on data indicating the second audio signal, and transmit to the playback device, data indicating the identified audio processing algorithm. Similar functions may also be performed by the playback device being calibrated or a computing device, such as a server to coordinate calibration of the playback device.
US09706321B2

A method and apparatus for executing a method for modifying an output parameter of an electronic device. The method and apparatus emits a first sound. The method and apparatus are further configured to receive a second sound at the electronic device, the second sound based at least in part on the first sound. The processor of the electronic device compares at least one characteristic of the first sound to at least one corresponding characteristic of the second sound. The processor further receives output data from at least one sensor and modifies an output parameter of the electronic device in response to the comparison of the first sound and the second sound and the output data from the at least one sensor.
US09706318B2

The present disclosure relates to a hearing instrument including a housing to be worn at an ear of a person. The hearing instrument including an antenna unit having a slot. Further, the antenna unit comprises a loading wing arranged so as to focus the nearfield of the inside the hearing instrument.
US09706317B2

Embodiments of packet loss concealment for phone-to-hearing-aid streaming are generally described herein. A method for packet loss concealment can include receiving a first frame at a hearing assistance device, determining, at the hearing assistance device, that a second frame was not received within a predetermined time, and determining a first set of sequential samples that match the first frame. The method can include cross-fading the first frame and the first set of sequential samples to create a first cross-faded frame and extrapolating a third frame to replace the second frame using the first set of sequential samples and an autoregressive model.
US09706314B2

A system and method for selectively enhancing an audio signal to make sounds, particularly speech sounds, more distinguishable. The system and method are designed to divide an input auditory signal into a plurality of spectral channels having associated unenhanced signals and perform enhancement processing on a first subset of the spectral channels and not perform enhancement processing on a second subset of the spectral channels. The enhancement processing is performed by determining an output gain for at least the first subset of spectral channels based on a time-varying history of energy of the unenhanced signals associated with each channel in the first subset of the spectral channels and applying the output gain for each of the first subset of the spectral channels to the unenhanced signals to form enhanced signals associated with each of the first subset of the spectral channels. The system and method are then designed to combine the plurality of enhanced signals associated with each of the first subset of the spectral channels and the unenhanced signals associated with each of the second subset of the spectral channels to form a selectively enhanced output auditory signal.
US09706307B2

A sound system using wireless power transmission is provided. A power and data transmission apparatus in the sound system, includes a data transmitting unit configured to wirelessly transmit, to a sound output device, sound data. The apparatus further includes a power transmitting unit configured to wirelessly transmit, to the sound output device, power. The apparatus further includes a controller configured to control the data transmitting unit and the power transmitting unit based on a distance between the apparatus and the sound output device.
US09706306B1

A voice controlled assistant has two speakers to produce high quality stereo sound. The voice controlled assistant generates a first frequency portion and a second frequency portion used to produce stereo sound. The frequency portion is filtered to remove a range of frequencies, such as the low frequency range. The second frequency portion, together with the frequency portion removed from the first frequency portion, are output as sound.
US09706301B1

An amplifier-resident device for protecting amplifiers and loudspeakers from shock transient audio signals from dropped microphones that may use either an amplifier control signal from the microphone or a sequential sampling of the incoming audio (optionally switchable) to determine if a microphone drop, or other shock transient, is occurring. If a shock transient is occurring, the device blocks audio signal access to the amplifier. The audio signal goes through a delay line to allow processing time for detecting a shock transient and switching the shock transient audio signal out of the path to the amplifier. The delay may be variable. The device may be integral to the amplifier or may plug into a microphone jack of the amplifier, allowing use with legacy amplifiers. In an embodiment, the device may store safe, predetermined audio signals to send to the amplifier during, and in place of, a shock transient.
US09706293B2

A method and apparatus for providing improved intelligibility of contemporaneously perceived audio signals. Differentiation cues are added to monaural audio signals to allow a listener to more effectively comprehend information contained in one or more of the signals. In a specific embodiment, a listener wearing stereo headphones listens to simultaneous monaural radio broadcasts from different stations. A differentiation cue is added to at least one of the audio signals from the radio reception to allow the listener to more effectively focus on and differentiate between the broadcasts.
US09706289B2

Loudspeaker systems and assemblies are provided in which mid-frequency producing drivers are provided on opposing sides of a high frequency source comprising a linear high-frequency source connected to a waveguide. Crossover circuitry is provided such that the acoustic output from the mid-frequency drivers overlaps with that of the high-frequency source over an intermediate frequency range associated with acoustic interference between the mid-frequency producing drivers. In some embodiments, the mid-frequency producing drivers are recessed behind the output of the waveguide, and optionally angled outwardly from the waveguide, in order decrease the distance therebetween.
US09706277B2

An articulating speaker assembly includes a first member pivotally connected to a second member for selectively changing the profile of the speaker assembly. A central driver is positioned between the first member and the second member. The first member includes a first enclosure with a cavity shaped and dimensioned for receiving a first driver, the first driver being secured within the first enclosure. The second member includes a second enclosure with a cavity shaped and dimensioned for receiving a second driver, the second driver being secured within the second enclosure. Each of the first member and the second member includes a central driver aperture and the central driver is mounted within the central driver apertures of the first member and the second member.
US09706272B2

Proposed is a bit-interleaver for an optical line terminal of an optical access network. The bit-interleaver contains a memory reader, that provides data streams at bit level to a space-time switch. The space-time switch reads within one input cycle up to N bit sets from the data streams. The switch switches within one writing cycle up to N bits onto up to its output ports, which provide respective output vectors. A number of N OR-function elements determine within the writing cycle respective single output bits. A number of N memory elements write within the one writing cycle a respective one of the output bits into a respective one of their bit sub-elements. A control unit that controls the reading of the data streams and also the switching of the bits by the switch. The control unit controls a choice of the writing addresses.
US09706268B2

Disclosed are a three-phase power line communication apparatus and a communication method thereof, and more particularly, to a three-phase power line communication apparatus capable of establishing a network group for each of three phases, performing communication by each established network group, setting a communication plan by each established network group, and performing communication with meters installed on each phase, in order to solve the conventional communication collision occurring on a single network group, and a communication method thereof. Since a network group is established for each of three phases and communication is performed by each network group, communication can be performed precisely and systematically, and data exchange and data management between communication apparatuses can be facilitated.
US09706256B2

A system and method for making a semantic annotation for a moving object in an interactive video and an interface for the system is described. The annotation creating system may include an annotation creating unit adapted to create annotation information on a moving object contained in a video, and an annotation replaying unit adapted to execute a preview of the annotation information by the video frame or shot. The video and the annotation information may be registered in a platform for sharing the video.
US09706253B1

A system and method for generating video funnel analytics is disclosed. The system includes a processor, a configurable goal module, a configurable funnel module, a communication module and an analytics module. The configurable goal module receives a user-configurable video-related goal definition. The configurable funnel module receives a user-configurable video funnel definition based at least in part on the video-related goal definition. The communication module receives a first set of media player state data including data describing viewer interest in a first set of video data playable by a media player included on a user device. The analytics module generates video funnel analytics based at least in part on the video-related goal definition, the video funnel definition and the first set of media player state data.
US09706251B2

Systems and methods are disclosed for receiving a request to display, on an first communications device, media content, where the request comprises a first logical address for accessing the media content at a first storage location, transmitting to a second communications device, a second logical address for accessing a copy of the media content at a second storage location, where the second logical address differs from the first logical address, and where the second storage location differs from the first storage location. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09706229B2

A VP8 video decoder is implemented by partitioning the required functions across multiple sub systems, with an optimal mapping to existing functional blocks. Key optimizations include the reuse of hardware designed for prior generation V^6 and VP7 decoders. In order to reduce implementation complexity, cost and power consumption, a non exact, approximate deblocking loop filter is implemented.
US09706224B2

A moving picture coding apparatus includes a motion estimation unit (101) for performing motion estimation by fixing the one of two reference pictures as a reference picture indicated by an inputted default reference picture number DefRefNo and a variable length coding unit (107) for performing variable length coding on coded residual data ERes, a prediction type PredType, a reference picture number RefNo2 and motion vectors MV1, MV2 on a block-by-block basis, and outputting them as coded moving picture data Str.
US09706216B2

An image encoding and decoding apparatus and method, the image encoding and decoding apparatus includes: an encoding unit adjusting at least one weight value adaptively to the number of bits expressing each pixel of a current image, predicting a pixel value of a block of interest by performing an operation on a pixel value of at least one block having a pixel value similar to the pixel value of the block of interest among blocks included in a previous image and the at least one adjusted weight value, and encoding the pixel value of the block of interest using the predicted pixel value of the block of interest; and a decoding unit adjusting the at least one weight value adaptively to the number of bits, restoring the predicted pixel value of the block of interest by performing an operation on the pixel value of the at least one block having the pixel value similar to the pixel value of the block of interest among blocks included in the restored previous image and the at least one adjusted weight value, and decoding the pixel value of the block of interest using the restored pixel value, wherein the previous image refers to an image displayed prior to a current image, and the block of interest is a target block of interest among blocks belonging to the current image.
US09706214B2

Efficient operations in image or video decoding. For example, a tool such as an image or video decoder receives and decodes encoded data for a picture in a bitstream. As part of the decoding, the tool adapts a multi-symbol lookup table to use in decoding of symbols then decodes the symbols using the multi-symbol lookup table, producing exactly correct results. The tool can also perform selectively truncated inverse frequency transforms. For a given block, the tool identifies upper horizontal and vertical frequencies among non-zero coefficients for the block and, based on the upper frequency values, selectively applies a simplified inverse frequency transform to transform coefficients for the block without hurting decoding quality. Using restart markers in the bitstream, the tool can organize multiple blocks of the picture as partitions. The tool decodes at least some of the partitions in parallel on a partition-by-partition basis using multiple processing cores.
US09706202B2

The present invention provides an image encoding/decoding technique that is capable of achieving the higher compression efficiency. An image encoding method comprises: an intra prediction step which performs intra prediction on a block basis to generate a predicted image; a subtraction step which calculates the difference in prediction between the predicted image generated by the intra prediction step and an original image; a frequency conversion step which performs frequency conversion processing for the difference in prediction; a quantization step which subjects the output of the frequency conversion step to quantization processing; and a variable-length encoding step which subjects the output of the quantization step to variable-length encoding processing; wherein the intra prediction encoding step predicts a target pixel to be encoded by use of pixel values of two reference pixels between which the target pixel to be encoded is located.
US09706199B2

There are disclosed various methods, apparatuses and computer program products for video encoding and decoding. In other embodiments, there is provided a method, an apparatus, a computer readable storage medium stored with code thereon for use by an apparatus, and a video encoder, for encoding a scalable bitstream, to provide indicating an encoding configuration, where only samples and syntax from intra coded pictures of base layer is used for coding the enhancement layer pictures. In other embodiments, there is provided an apparatus, a computer readable storage medium stored with code thereon for use by an apparatus, and a video decoder, for decoding a scalable bitstream, to receive indications of an encoding configuration, where only samples and syntax from intra coded pictures of base layer is used for coding the enhancement.
US09706198B2

A temporal alignment system and method for example for detecting temporal misalignment in video frames when the frames are divided for transport using a signal divider for dividing a single signal S into N signal portions S1 . . . SN and using average picture level in determining whether data sets within a particular frame are misaligned.
US09706192B2

An image display device includes an image display, an image separator and a controller. The image display displays a plurality of parallax images. The image separator performs optical separation such that the plurality of parallax images which are displayed are viewed as a stereoscopic image. The image separator includes a light-transmitting region (region 0), a light-masking region (region 1) and an intermediate region (region 2) which is located between the light-transmitting region (region 0) and the light-masking region (region 1). The controller controls light-transmittance of the intermediate region (region 2).
US09706186B2

An imaging apparatus including an image generating section that generates first parallax image data based on the output of the first pixel and second parallax image data based on the output of the second pixel. When the imaging element captures an image of an object point located in an unfocused region on the optical axis, a pixel value of a center pixel corresponding to the optical axis in the first parallax image data is greater than or equal to 50% of a pixel value of a peak pixel in the first parallax image data, and a pixel value of a center pixel corresponding to the optical axis in the second parallax image data is greater than or equal to 50% of a pixel value of a peak pixel in the second parallax image data.
US09706176B2

Embodiments described herein comprise a system and method for improving visibility of a roadway using an improved visibility system. The method comprising receiving data from a plurality of fog detectors located proximate a roadway and determining, based on the data from the plurality of fog detectors, that fog is present about the roadway. The method further comprising obtaining, after the determining that fog is present about the roadway, a plurality of images of the roadway by activating a plurality of cameras located proximate the roadway. The method further comprising creating a composite image by combining two or more of the plurality of images, wherein the composite image depicts the roadway unobstructed by fog and transmitting the composite image to a display device located in a vehicle traveling along the roadway.
US09706169B2

The embodiments of the present invention disclose a remote conference system and a method of performing the remote conference. The remote conference system includes a first image-displaying system, at a first conference location, configured to display images of a plurality of audiences; a detection system configured to detect motions or poses of at least part of heads of persons in the first conference location; a judgment system configured to judge whether a person who is talking is talking to a certain audience or some certain audiences of the plurality of audiences or is talking to all the audiences based on the motions or poses detected by the detection system; a second image-displaying system, at a second conference location, configured to display special images to the certain audience or some the audiences of the plurality of audiences when the judgment system has judged that the person who is talking is talking to the certain audience or some certain audiences of the plurality of audiences, such that the certain audience or some of the plurality of audiences is/are aware that the person who is talking is talking to him or them. Whereby, target audience(s) in the remote conference may know the person who is talking is talking to him or them.
US09706168B1

A method includes capturing a first image at a first time using a camera; processing the first image to identify a representation of an object in the first image; storing the first image as an event forming a navigable marker in a conference room tracking system; measuring one or more of a room sound and a room activity level at a time associated with capture of the first image; generating a heat marker representing a level of the room sound or the room activity level; and storing the heat marker in association with the event.
US09706161B2

The present invention provides a resolution conversion method and device, and UHDTV. The resolution conversion method includes the following steps: acquiring a diagonal interpolation parameter matrix in the vertical direction and a diagonal interpolation parameter matrix in the horizontal direction; performing a diagonal interpolation processing to the input signal that the resolution thereof is to be conversed to acquire a target resolution signal on basis of the diagonal interpolation parameter matrix in the vertical direction and the diagonal interpolation parameter matrix in the horizontal direction. By performing a diagonal interpolation processing to the input signal that the resolution thereof is to be conversed according to the diagonal interpolation parameter matrix in the horizontal and vertical directions, on one hand, image distortion is reduced, and on the other hand, image blur and image aliasing can be effectively avoid, and clarity of the image is thus improved.
US09706158B2

According to one embodiment of the invention, a computerized method for reporting events from a television that supports transmission and playback of digital content in accordance with an Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) standard. The method comprises downloading a triggered declarative object (TDO), which includes a reporting script, for storage within a digital receiver of the television. Thereafter, information associated with one or more detected events that occur during playback of the digital content is recorded and subsequently, upon execution of the reporting script, is output over a communication path separate from a communication path of the received digital content.
US09706153B2

A portable device, a display apparatus, a display system, and a method for controlling power of a display apparatus thereof are provided. The method includes sensing, while a portable device operates in a standby mode, a movement of the portable device using a motion sensor, converting, using the portable device, the standby mode of the portable device into a normal mode in response to the movement of the portable device being sensed, generating, using the portable device, a pre-power on signal in response to the standby mode being converted into the normal mode, transmitting the pre-power on signal to the display apparatus, and activating, by the display apparatus, some elements of the display apparatus in response to the pre-power on signal being received.
US09706152B2

Systems and methods for transmission, manipulation, and display of infrared camera (IR) data are provided. According to one embodiment of the disclosure, a system may include an IR camera associated with a gas turbine to acquire the IR data and an IR camera data acquisition server installed at a site associated with the gas turbine and communicatively coupled to the IR camera. The IR camera server is configured receive the IR data from the IR camera. An IR camera data processing server to classify the IR data into sensitive IR data and non-sensitive IR data based at least in part on predetermined criteria. Based at least in part on the non-sensitive IR data, images are generated. The images are provided via a user interface at the site associated with the gas turbine. The sensitive IR data is encrypted to produce encrypted sensitive IR data. The encrypted sensitive IR data and the non-sensitive IR data are transmitted to a processing center.
US09706150B2

Provided are an image pickup device and a camera system that are capable of detecting an extremely small signal from a pixel or one photon signal with low noise and high precision at high speed, and are capable of performing various kinds of high-performance shooting by increasing a frame rate with use of this. Each sense circuit includes a comparator configured to compare an output signal from a pixel with a reference signal, and when signal detection is performed, a charge allowing a first pixel signal output from a selected pixel to be cancelled out is held in one or both of input sections of the comparator, an independent offset bias for each comparator is applied to one of the input sections of the comparator to cancel out an offset of the comparator, and a digital decision on intensity of light incident on the pixel is performed by comparing a reference signal changing in steps with a second pixel signal output from the selected pixel.
US09706148B2

This invention has for purpose to provide a photosensor that is small in size and can obtain high-contrast image data and to provide a semiconductor device including the photosensor. In the photosensor including a light-receiving element, a transistor serving as a switching element, and a charge retention node electrically connected to the light-receiving element through the transistor, the reduction in charge held in the charge retention node is suppressed by extending the fall time of the input waveform of a driving pulse supplied to the transistor to turn off the transistor.
US09706129B2

An image recording method is disclosed. The image recording device has a camera having an image sensor and an objective lens, wherein the camera defines an image recording region, and the image sensor has a capture area having a plurality of image pixels which can be activated and read out in pixel groups, and a marking unit having a light source. The emission of the marking light is performed such that a visually perceptible light marking is generated inside the image recording region, and is performed in a predetermined manner to generate light marking within a light incidence region, which forms a subregion of the image recording region and the image capture is performed using chronologically offset collection, pixel group by pixel group, of exposure information, wherein the emission of the marking light is interrupted for the collection of the exposure information for each pixel group.
US09706128B2

An image display device that displays image information includes an image retrieving unit that retrieves image information; a device status identifying unit that identifies a status of the present device; an image condition specifying unit that specifies an image condition that indicates a condition which the image information needs to satisfy to be displayed, based on the status identified by the device status identifying unit; and a display unit that displays the image information retrieved by the image retrieving unit if the image information satisfies the image condition specified by the image condition specifying unit.
US09706126B2

A mobile terminal includes a main body; a front camera disposed at a front side of the main body; a display disposed at the front side of the main body; and a controller configured to control the display such that the display displays a preview image within a first portion of the display, wherein the preview image is obtained via the front camera; displays the preview image within a second portion of the display in response to an input, wherein the first portion includes the second portion and further includes a remaining portion; and displays a second image within the remaining portion of the first portion in response to the input.
US09706118B2

There is described a camera setup for capturing omnistereo images using a minimum of three cameras with ultra wide angle lenses and a method for generating a substantially 360 degree view from images taken from the cameras. The field of view covered in stereo may be a dome. The baseline between pairs of cameras defines epipoles which can be used for stitching without any horizontal misalignments due to parallax. The method comprises capturing the images from a plurality of cameras fixed at a baseline height substantially equidistantly about a circle; and stitching together portions of the images from each one of the plurality of cameras along first and second borders corresponding at least in part to lines joining center points of neighboring ones of the plurality of cameras.
US09706113B2

An imaging device including a data processor configured to execute processing for selecting picture portions corresponding to important scenes from captured picture data, on the basis of input information that is input during a period of taking a picture. The data processor generates highlight point information that allows identification of the picture portions corresponding to the important scenes, the picture portions being selected on the basis of the input information, and records the highlight point information on a recording medium as information associated with the captured picture data.
US09706112B2

A photographic system and an associated image tuning method are provided. The image tuning method includes the steps of: capturing an image by an image sensor of the photographic system; analyzing an image content of the captured image to obtain a plurality of candidate images using a preference search strategy; providing the plurality of candidate images for selection by a user of the photographic system; determining an output image based on one of the candidate images selected by the user; and adjusting the preference search strategy by using the user's selection.
US09706108B2

A method for an information processing apparatus includes causing display of an image, and recognizing a subject in a selected portion of the image. The method also includes identifying image settings modes based on the subject recognized in the selected portion of the image, and causing display of icons corresponding to the image setting modes identified. One of the image setting modes is then specified based on selection of one of the icons.
US09706107B2

Embodiments disclosed herein provide systems, methods, and computer readable media for controlling a camera view using unique nametags and gestures. In a particular embodiment, a method provides identifying a plurality of items at a location from video captured of the location by the video camera and associating a unique nametag of a plurality of unique nametags to each item of the plurality of items. Each one of the plurality of unique nametags describes the item to which the unique nametag is associated. The method further provides receiving a first indication that a first unique nametag of the plurality of unique nametags has been selected by a user and directing the video camera to capture a first view of a first position of a first item associated with the first unique nametag.
US09706099B2

Disclosed is a camera module and a camera apparatus having the same. The camera apparatus includes: a substrate; and a camera module passing through the substrate, and including a lens disposed forward of the substrate and a sensor unit disposed rearward of the substrate. An optical axis is not bent in the camera apparatus so that the accuracy of an image signal is improved.
US09706094B2

A method and apparatus for the capture of a high number of quasi-continuous effective frames of 2-D data from an event at very short time scales (from less than 10−12 to more than 10−8 seconds) is disclosed which allows for short recording windows and effective number of frames. Active illumination, from a chirped laser pulse directed to the event creates a reflection where wavelength is dependent upon time and spatial position is utilized to encode temporal phenomena onto wavelength. A hyperchromatic lens system receives the reflection and maps wavelength onto axial position. An image capture device, such as holography or plenoptic imaging device, captures the resultant focal stack from the hyperchromatic lens system in both spatial (imaging) and longitudinal (temporal) axes. The hyperchromatic lens system incorporates a combination of diffractive and refractive components to maximally separate focal position as a function of wavelength.
US09706083B2

An object of the present invention is to reproduce glossiness and sense of sparkle on a printed material. The present invention is an apparatus for generating image data for reproducing material appearance of an object to be rendered on a printed material, the apparatus including: a gloss level obtaining unit configured to obtain a gloss level that evaluates glossiness of the object to be rendered; a sparkle level obtaining unit configured to obtain a sparkle level that evaluates sense of sparkle of the object to be rendered; and a deriving unit configured to derive a parameter relating to use of ink for reproduction of the material appearance by an image forming device, the image forming device receiving and printing the image data based on the obtained gloss level and sparkle level.
US09706071B2

An image reading device includes: first and second conductive members provided so as to be opposed to each other at a predetermined position at pivot end side in cover portion in state where the cover portion is in first attitude, the first conductive member being provided in image reading portion and electrically conducted to first housing, the second conductive member being provided in the cover portion and electrically conducted to second housing; magnetic force generating portion and first magnetic force control portion configured to bias the second conductive member in a direction toward a predetermined reference position at which upper surface of the image reading portion and a cover surface are in contact with each other when the document cover is in the first attitude; and a holding portion configured to hold the second conductive member when the document cover is brought from the first attitude into a second attitude.
US09706056B2

A method performed by a computing system includes managing an audio communication session that includes an audio connection between a plurality of participant devices, associating with each of the plurality of participant devices, a volume adjustment factor, adjusting a volume of an audio out signal from a first participant device of the plurality of participant devices to create an adjusted audio out signal, the adjusting being based on the volume adjustment factor associated with the first participant device, and transmitting a conference audio signal based on the adjusted audio out signal to a subset of the plurality of participant devices.
US09706055B1

A device, software and/or operating system implement independent point-to-point, point-to-multipoint and multipoint-to-point audio messaging platforms. Remote communication is enabled via audio messages in a public, semi-public, private group and/or private chat environment. The methodology allows for simulated conversations resembling those that would otherwise normally be possible in a live face-to-face meeting, group setting or town hall type event.
US09706047B2

Video calling devices are described herein that are configured to exchange video presence statuses with each other. Each of these video calling devices determines its presence status based at least on its network connection type, its login status for a video calling service, and its camera status and provides the presence status to the video calling service. Each video calling device also receives presence statuses of other video calling devices. This exchange of presence statuses enables initiation of video calls between the video calling devices.
US09706040B2

A method, system and program product comprise processing a sender's inputted text message. The text message is combined with a selected avatar representing the sender. The avatar is combined with a selected state of mind. The selected state of mind is modified with a selected intensity. At least the text message and the combined avatar are ordered into a scene of a sender's message in an order specified by the sender. The sender's message is transmitted to a receiver's device where the sender's message is operable to be viewed by the receiver in the order specified by the sender.
US09706035B2

Methods and apparatuses are provided that facilitate providing one or more profiles to an application executing on a device. The application can request one or more profiles, which can relate to an application type. The application type can be specified in the profile request, determined based on a profile indicated in the profile request, etc. Where the application type corresponds to an operator-specific application type, one or more operator identifiers in the profile request can be verified with one or more other operator identifiers in an identity module of the device. Where the operator identifiers match, the requested profile can be provided to the application. Where the operator identifiers do not match, an invalid profile, error code, etc. can be provided to the application. In this regard, operators can control utilization of specific profiles that can be defined by the operator.
US09706031B2

A mobile phone 10 comprises a display 14, a touch panel 16 provided on the display 14, etc., and a screen lock state that a performance of a predetermined function (mail function or the like) based on a touch operation is invalidated is set. The screen lock state is set if an end key 22b is operated and the display 14 is turned off, for example. Then, the user can cancel the screen lock state by performing a canceling operation. In a case where the display 14 is turned off through an operation of a turn-off key (70), the display 14 is temporarily turned off. In such a case, it is possible for the user to restore the displaying of the display 14 to an original state thereof by operating the end key 22b or the like without canceling operation.
US09706024B2

An electronic device according to an embodiment includes a casing and a translucent panel attached to the casing. The translucent panel has a curved portion curved toward the casing. The casing includes an attaching surface and a sidewall. The attaching surface faces an end surface of the translucent panel. The sidewall is located to be raised from the attaching surface toward a back surface of the curved portion, and is inclined from a direction perpendicular to the attaching surface toward a central portion of the translucent panel.
US09706021B2

A mobile terminal includes a sub-device that is attached thereto or detached therefrom, to remotely control the operation and state of the terminal. The mobile terminal includes: a sub-device having an input/output unit and attached to or detached from the terminal; and a controller configured to receive a user input via a certain communication path from the sub-device when the sub-device is separated, and control elements and applications of the terminal according to the user input.
US09706003B2

A computer implemented method, computer program product, and system for performing create, read, update, or delete operations on a plurality of resources in a client-server environment. In an embodiment, the computer implemented method includes the steps of identifying individual resources requiring operations to be performed, assigning local references for any resources to which a URI (Uniform Resource Identifier) has not been provided by the server, generating metadata describing the local references and operations to be performed, wrapping each individual resource with the metadata to provide a plurality of wrapped resources arranging the wrapped resources into a single payload, and transmitting the single payload to the server.
US09706001B2

A system and method is provided for remote active window sensing of a display in a computing device and reporting of the same. The system includes a tool including a remote monitoring and reporting component configured to monitor active windows of one or more remote devices and provide a report to a presenter as to whether the active windows of the one or more remote devices are for a presentation of the presenter.
US09705998B2

Methods and systems for determining a suitability for a mobile client to display information are disclosed. A particular exemplary method includes receiving a plurality of sets of one or more first keywords on a mobile client, each set of first keywords associated with one or more respective first messages, monitoring user interaction of the respective first messages on the mobile client, performing learning operations on the mobile client with the first keywords based on monitored user interaction to estimate a set of keyword interest weights, receiving a set of target keywords associated with a target message, and displaying the target message on the mobile client based on the estimated keyword interest weights.
US09705986B2

Content transformations can include transformation of content items in a CMS repository from a source format to a target format. Such transformations can be performed using a transformation node cluster having multiple nodes, each of which is configured for a specific content transformation type. Router nodes can receive requests for content items and route content items to transformation nodes having a proper content transformation type to either transform a requested content item to the target format or perform an intermediate transformation as part of a transformation chain. A transformation node cluster can be dynamically configurable based on estimates of expected loads for the various types of transformations. Systems, methods, and articles of manufacture are also described.
US09705983B2

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a media distribution system having a controller to identify a plurality of media presentation devices of a user of the media distribution system, identify one or more distribution preferences supplied by the user for distributing media content to the plurality of media presentation devices, receive media content from one of a plurality of media sources of the user, determine a media content type from the received media content, and distribute the received media content to one or more of the plurality of media presentation devices according to the one or more distribution preferences and the media content type. The one or more distribution preferences comprise in part media content distribution arrangements assigned by the user between the plurality of media sources of the user and the plurality of media presentation devices of the user. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09705979B2

A method for managing storage and access to data files stored in a storage delivery network comprising a plurality of geographically distributed storage nodes, the method including: receiving a file request from a user, wherein the user is associated with a service level agreement (SLA) containing one or more policies governing handling of file requests from the user; determining if the SLA dictates redirecting the file request to a predetermined storage node; if the SLA dictates redirecting the file request to a predetermined storage node, redirecting the file request to the predetermined storage node; otherwise, identifying all storage nodes from the plurality of geographically distributed storage nodes that are not too busy by determining whether a number of current access requests being served by each storage node exceeds a predetermined threshold value; identifying a nearest storage node from among the not too busy storage nodes; and redirecting the user request to the nearest storage node.
US09705977B2

In one embodiment, an electronic device receives a request; obtains a current state from each of a plurality of electronic devices; and selects one of the plurality of electronic devices to service the request based on the current state of each of the plurality of electronic devices. The current state of each of the plurality of electronic devices is one of a plurality of states in a state model. Each of the plurality of states in the state model indicates a discrete level of workload for the plurality of electronic devices.
US09705975B2

A method for and a feedback node capable of making feedback information provided from communication devices accessible to an application server, the feedback information being associated with at least one service provided by the application server, the feedback node comprising a processor and a memory comprising executable code which when executed by the processor causes the feedback node to: receive a second set of instructions from the application server, instructing the feedback node, under which conditions to provide feedback information from at least one of the communication devices to the application server; received feedback information from the at least one communication device, and forward the received feedback information to the application server according the second set of instructions.
US09705974B2

Methods and apparatus to transfer physical hardware resources between virtual rack domains in a virtualized server rack are disclosed. An example method includes determining, using a processor, a subset of candidate hosts that includes a host capacity that meets a first threshold, the candidate hosts belonging to a first virtual rack domain; determining, using the processor, whether the first virtual rack domain will meet an operating requirement of the first virtual rack domain if the subset of the candidate hosts is removed from the first virtual rack domain; and when the first virtual rack domain will meet the operating requirement if the subset of the candidate hosts is removed from the first virtual rack domain, transferring the subset of the candidate hosts from the first virtual rack domain to a second virtual rack domain.
US09705971B2

The disclosure includes a system and method for communicating digital data to a mobile client device. The system includes a processor and a memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the system to: determine an operation state of a mobile client device; determine digital data to transmit to the mobile client device based on the operation state; determine a location associated with the mobile client device; determine a data transfer capacity associated with the mobile client device at the location; determine a data consumption rate associated with the mobile client device; determine a data transfer rate for the mobile client device based on the data transfer capacity and the data consumption rate; and transfer the digital data to the mobile client device based on the operation state and the data transfer rate.
US09705967B2

Embodiments of the present disclosure include systems and methods for user discovery (e.g., corporate user discovery) and/or identification of recommended or suggested collaborators in a collaboration platform which may be a cloud-based platform. The disclosed technology enables a user to discover a network of users that they could be collaborating with but are not. This feature, can for example, identify the relevant users or the suggested users and depict the users in the user interface. The identification and selection of the suggested users/potential collaborators can be based on some criteria (e.g., email domain, when the account was created, etc.). These criteria can be set by system default, adjusted by individual users and/or configured/set by admins if a user belongs to a corporate account/enterprise account.
US09705959B1

A request for a webpage or a service of a website server is sent from a user computing device to a proxy website server. The proxy website server can receive information from a website server indicative of a usage level of the website server. The proxy website server can determine whether to send the request to the website server based on usage of the website server compared to a capacity threshold. The proxy website server can send a response to the user computing device which includes either the requested webpage or service from the website server or an error message.
US09705955B2

A method of Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) (DASH) comprising receiving an asset that comprises a media presentation described in a media presentation description (MPD), wherein the media presentation comprises one or more periods, and wherein each period comprises at least one adaptation set, and identifying the asset on a period level using one or more asset identifiers specified in the MPD.
US09705952B1

A system includes a stream controller. The stream controller may be configured to (i) determine when one of a plurality of input streams becomes invalid, (ii) switch generation of an output stream associated with the invalid input stream from the invalid input stream to a valid one of the plurality of input streams, and (iii) when the invalid input stream becomes valid again, switch the generation of the output stream back to the now valid input stream.
US09705949B2

Concepts and technologies are described herein for multi-hop small cell auto discovery for software-defined networking (“SDN”)-enabled radio access networks (“RANs”). According to one aspect of the concepts and technologies disclosed herein, a small cell RAN node can include a network backhaul link connected to a further small cell radio access network node operating within a RAN controlled, at least in part, by a SDN controller. The small cell RAN node can generate an enhanced OFDP multicast message that includes a SDN characteristic for the SDN controller to use, at least in part, to discover the small cell RA node as operational within the RAN. The small cell RAN node can send the enhanced OFDP multicast message over the network backhaul link in an attempt to provide the SDN characteristic to the SDN controller so SDN controller can discover the small cell RAN node as operational within the RAN.
US09705946B2

Server-based collaboration is initiated by an email. When the user creates the email message with attachments, a collaboration website is provisioned. The collaboration website allows collaborations on the attached documents by the recipients of the message. The ease of collaboration with email and the advantages of the collaboration server are thus both available to the user.
US09705940B1

Methods, devices, and systems for creating a call abstraction to enable an application to monitor and control various types of User Agents (UAs) are provided. The application may be adapted to monitor and control simple UAs that do not recognize out of dialog (OOD)-REFER signals as well as advanced UAs that do recognize and can respond to OOD-REFER signals.
US09705938B2

A system and method that allows mobile device applications to receive changes in registration status from application services that are accessed via an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS). Applications on a mobile device subscribe to receive notifications of changes in registration status for requested services. When a change to the registration status of a service occurs, a notification message is transmitted to the application on the mobile device. Notifications of changes in status are thereby received by each application on a per-application-service basis. In some embodiments, when a request to register with an application service fails, the corresponding notification message includes a reason for the failure. In some embodiments, notification messages are originated by a registration manager that operates in the IMS and transmitted to an IMS client operating on a mobile device. In some embodiments, notification messages are originated by each application service and transmitted directly to subscribed applications.
US09705937B2

A communication system capable of enabling one or more communication devices to remotely execute one or more applications includes one or more communication devices that are coupled to a data connection. At least one of the one or more communication devices is operable to communicate a request to establish a communication session over the data connection. The system also includes one or more application servers that are coupled to the data connection. At least one of the one or more application servers is adapted to execute an application to establish the requested communication session with the at least one communication device. The at least one application server resides at a location remote from the at least one communication device. The at least one application server communicates a request for processing service to the at least one communication device. The request for processing service is communicated to the at least one communication device over the data connection.
US09705926B2

Media files are often tagged, such as by XML or other tagging paradigms, in order to indicate aspects of certain portions of the media file. Disclosed herein, security policy tagging is provided that supports a logically nested or hierarchical structure. Tags may be time- and/or event-altered, such as when a user who is denied access at one point in time may be granted access at a later point in time. The need to amend the security policy based upon the passage of time is reduced or eliminated as portions, or sub-portions, of a media file that may be selectively tagged with security tags may be presented or downloaded based upon the security policy. The a security policy may incorporate rules that change permissions upon the passage of time or the occurrence of an event, without requiring the modification of the presentation, the security tags of the presentation portion, or the security tag associated with a parent portion of the presentation or the presentation itself.
US09705922B2

A cloud-based method, system, and transparent proxy for user-level policy, reporting, and authentication over Domain Name System (DNS) include maintaining a local user Internet Protocol (IP) database identifying users in an enterprise; and acting as a transparent proxy for all DNS requests from the users performing the steps of: for a user already identified in the local user IP database, forwarding a DNS request to a cloud-based system with an identifier from the local user IP database of the user associated with the DNS request; and for the user not identified in the local user IP database, performing a series of redirects and hand offs in the cloud-based system to identify the user.
US09705884B2

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, system, and computer program product for intelligent access control. A computer detects a new user or modifications made to an existing user in an access control list. The computer determines which other users share an attribute with the newly added or modified employee and then determines which asset(s) are associated with the determined group(s). The computer determines the correlation value between the group(s) and the asset. Based on the determined correlation value, the computer determines whether the newly added or modified employee should have access to the asset.
US09705878B2

A method of operating a server comprises receiving an authorization request comprising a password, accessing an expiry date for the password, transmitting a response comprising the expiry date, ascertaining whether the password has expired, and receiving a new password, if the password has expired. Optionally, the transmitted response further comprises a date representing the last use of the password and/or an integer value representing a retry parameter.
US09705874B2

Provided is a communication apparatus (121) that securely manages passwords for utilizing a server apparatus. A generator (203) generates a random table having the same number of rows and the same number of columns as a password table associated with a server name specified in an authentication request received by a receiver (202). An acceptor (205) accepts a key from a user to whom the random table is presented by a presenter (204). An identification unit (206) identifies, from the key and the random table, the user's of selection order of elements in the table. An acquirer (207) selects and arranges elements in the password table in the identified selection order, thereby acquiring a password. An output unit (208) displays the acquired password on a display or transmits the acquired password to the server apparatus, thereby allowing the user to utilize the server apparatus.
US09705872B2

Respective cryptographic shares of password data, dependent on a user password, are provided at n authentication servers. A number t1≦n of the password data shares determine if the user password matches a password attempt. Respective cryptographic shares of secret data, enabling determination of a username for each verifier server, are provided at n authentication servers. A number t2≦t1 of the shares reconstruct the secret data. For a password attempt, the user computer communicates with at least t1 authentication servers to determine if the user password matches the password attempt and, if so, the user computer receives at least t2 secret data shares from respective authentication servers. The user computer uses the secret data to generate, with T≦t1 of said t1 servers, a cryptographic token for authenticating the user computer to a selected verifier server, secret from said at least T servers, under said username.
US09705871B2

An access management account that includes an access identifier may be used to control access to telecommunications services or applications. An access identifier is designated for obtaining access to multiple telecommunications services or applications, in which the multiple telecommunications services or applications are accessible to a user through multiple user accounts that are protected by account credentials. Once the access credential is designated, the access credential may be used to determine whether access to the one or more telecommunications services or applications is to be granted instead of using the account credentials of the multiple user accounts.
US09705870B2

A system and method for exchanging identity information and for correlating protected data across independent data systems connected through a network is disclosed. The system contains connectors in communication with protected data systems which house the protected data. Edge servers in communication with the connectors store correlation data sets that correlate protected data records using permanent tokens generated by the connectors. Root servers in communication with the edge servers store identity correlations generated by the root servers and propagated to the edge servers. Data identifiers used in the protected data system are correlated with distinct data identifiers used in the edge and root servers. The correlations are propagated throughout the edge servers so that each data system can transfer data to another data system without using the protected data identifiers.
US09705866B2

A system is provided for downloading, for distribution and for acoustic reproduction of a music album, which includes at least one or several digital music files and/or multimedia content in the form of one or several multimedia files assignable to the music file, wherein the music file and/or multimedia file are provideable as data sets for downloading, wherein the music file and/or multimedia file are as data sets pre-holdable grouped after downloading as a music album in a data memory of an end-user-device, wherein the music file and/or multimedia file is treatable by a treatment means, particularly in dependency to an authorization, and wherein the treated music file and/or multimedia file is transferable to an output device of the end-user-device, especially a speaker device with or without a display device, in such a way, that the music file and/or multimedia file is at least acoustically emittable to one user.
US09705864B2

A call establishing method comprising registering with a server to obtain authorization credentials, obtaining a client encryption key using the authorization credentials, wherein the client encryption key is uniquely associated with a web session, establishing a media session for the web session, creating a client side call state for the media session using the client encryption key, wherein the client side call state comprises call information that is associated with the web session and the media session, and wherein the client side call state is encrypted using the client encryption key, and storing the client side call state within a network device.
US09705851B2

The present invention generally relates to systems and methods for extending a chain of trust beyond the DNS. Some embodiments provide a verifier with the ability to validate a chain of trust starting with the trust anchor at the DNS root all the way to a service or object of interest outside the DNS.
US09705847B2

A management server and a management method thereof are provided. The management server is connected to a switch on a trunk port. The switch is connected to a plurality of cloud appliances in different virtual local area networks (VLANs). The management severs operates a management system and a translation system for managing cloud appliances. The translation system is operated to modify the receiving data packet by converting the source MAC address or the source IP address and removing the VLAN tag, and to modify the transmitting data packet by converting the destination MAC address or the destination IP address and adding a VLAN tag.
US09705821B1

A method, non-transitory computer readable medium and an application manager computing device that assists with provisioning applications based on user anticipated workloads includes obtaining, a user anticipated resource based on information within a user workload database, prior to receiving a request from a client computing device. The obtained user anticipated resource is provisioned. The provisioned user anticipated resource is provided upon establishing a session with the requesting client computing device.
US09705815B2

In general, techniques are described for representing services, network resources, and relationships between such services and resources in a graph database with which to validate, provision, and manage the services in near real-time. In one example, a controller device includes at least one processor; and at least one memory to store a graph database comprising a graph that represents network resources and relationships between network resources. The controller device receives, at an application programming interface, a data-interchange formatted message that indicates a service request to configure a network service; queries, at least a portion of the plurality of the graph, to determine whether a set of the plurality of network resources can satisfy the service request to provision the network service within the network; and configures the set of the plurality of network resources to provide the network service.
US09705812B2

Methods, apparatuses, and computer-readable medium for providing a fairness protocol in a network element are disclosed herein. An example method includes receiving one or more packets at each of a plurality of ingress ports of the network element, and scheduling the packets into a plurality of queues, wherein each of the queues is associated with packets that are sourced from one of the ingress ports. The method also includes monitoring a bandwidth of traffic sourced from each of the ingress ports, identifying a port among the ingress ports that sources a smallest bandwidth of traffic, and arbitrating among the queues when transmitting packets from an egress port of the network element by giving precedence to the identified port that sources the smallest bandwidth of traffic. Additionally, arbitrating among the queues distributes a bandwidth of the egress port equally among the ingress ports.
US09705808B2

Systems and methods are provided that enable flow aware buffer management. The method includes storing in a queue of a buffer a first type of traffic, storing in the queue of the buffer a second type of traffic, wherein the first type of traffic is less sensitive to latency than the second type of traffic, and when an amount of the first type of traffic meets or exceeds a first threshold, effecting flow control of the first type of traffic to slow a flow of the first type of traffic into the buffer. Flow control can be effected using packet marking or discarding packets. The methodology has particular utility in connection with managing elephant and mouse flows in a network switch.
US09705807B2

Aspects of the disclosure provide a method for counting packets and bytes in a distributed packet-switched system. The method includes receiving a packet stream having at least one packet flow at a device of a packet-switched system having a plurality of distributed devices, statistically determining whether to update a designated device based on receipt of a packet belonging to the packet flow, and transmitting packet counting information to the designated device based on the statistical determination, where the designated device counts packets of the packet flow based on the packet counting information.
US09705798B1

Aspects and implementations of the present disclosure are directed to an indirect generalized hypercube network in a data center. Servers in the data center participate in both an over-subscribed fat tree network hierarchy culminating in a gateway connection to external networks and in an indirect hypercube network interconnecting a plurality of servers in the fat tree. The participant servers have multiple network interface ports, including at least one port for a link to an edge layer network device of the fat tree and at least one port for a link to a peer server in the indirect hypercube network. Servers are grouped by edge layer network device to form virtual switches in the indirect hypercube network and data packets are routed between servers using routes through the virtual switches. Routes leverage properties of the hypercube topology. Participant servers function as destination points and as virtual interfaces for the virtual switches.
US09705794B2

A wireless user device is served by a wireless network that performs Network Address Translation (NAT). The wireless user device exchanges user data using a device IP address and a network gateway exchanges the user data with external systems using an external IP address. The user device receives network information that indicates a network server and queries the network server for IP address translation data. The user device receives the IP address translation data from the network server that indicates that the external IP address is associated with the device IP address for the wireless user device. The user device transfers content delivery footprint data to a content delivery network. The content delivery footprint data indicates media content stored on the user device and indicates that the external IP address is associated with the device IP address for the user device.
US09705793B2

A core network node for informing a node in a RAN about a type of service associated with an IP packet to be delivered to the node in the RAN, and a RAN node for delivering a received packet to a terminal are provided. The core network node receives the IP packet from a packet data network, the IP packet having an IP header comprising an original DSCP value, and determines a type of service associated with the packet. The core network node determines a second DSCP value based at least partly on the type of service of the packet, and adds the determined second DSCP value to the header. The core network node forwards the IP packet to the RAN node, to subsequently be delivered to a destination terminal. Thereby the RAN node is able to identify the type of service based on the second DSCP value for further processing of the packet when delivering the IP packet to the destination terminal.
US09705786B2

A method includes the steps of: (1) generating, by circuitry of a first node, an advertising message including (a) a working path bandwidth demand; (b) an identification of at least two communication links in a shared risk link group of the working path; and (c) at least one protecting path and a bitmap indicative of failure of at least one first communication link in the shared risk link group that causes the at least one protecting path to be used; and (2) transmitting the advertising message from the first node to second nodes within a mesh network.
US09705777B2

Various aspects provide for non-intrusively monitoring a network system. A multiplexing component is configured to receive a plurality of first encoded signals and generate a plurality of second encoded signals. The plurality of second encoded signals contain a different data rate and a different number of network lanes than the plurality of first encoded signals. A monitoring component is configured to identify a block location for repeating blocks and an alignment marker in each of the plurality of first encoded signals and/or the plurality of second encoded signals. The monitoring component can also be configured to identify one or more defects, identify error information and/or determine one or more skew values associated with the plurality of first encoded signals and/or the plurality of second encoded signals.
US09705774B2

The present invention relates to a communication terminal and a control method thereof, and the communication terminal according to the present invention comprises: a radio frequency (RF) unit for receiving and/or transmitting data; and a control unit for controlling the data received and/or transmitted through the RF unit, wherein the control unit can select an application processed through the terminal, control a processing speed of the terminal, determine the network through which the data is transmitted, and determine a combination of a data rate and transmission power.
US09705755B1

A method and apparatus for application definition deployment using base groups are provided. In the method and apparatus, service requests are received at a request queue and queued by the request queue. The request queue also receives an availability message from a fleet device indicating application definitions available to the fleet device using base groups. The request queue provides a service request to the fleet device, whereby the service request is identified based on the base groups indicated by the fleet device.
US09705748B2

The invention relates to a method and device of categorization of endpoint nodes into sites in a communications network. The invention further relates to a computer program performing the method according to the present invention, and a computer program product comprising computer readable medium having the computer programs embodied therein.A method of categorizing endpoint nodes into sites in a communications network is provided. The method comprises acquiring information pertaining to tracing of a route from each of a plurality of the endpoint nodes via a number of routing nodes in the communications network, which information identifies the routing nodes encountered in each traced route. The method further comprises performing a comparison, for each of the plurality of endpoint nodes with the remaining ones of the plurality of endpoint nodes, of the acquired information for a selected number of routing nodes closest to the endpoint node for each traced route. Moreover, the method comprises categorizing the endpoint nodes having at least one routing node in common among the selected number of routing nodes as belonging to a same site.
US09705722B2

A method and an apparatus for transmitting broadcast signals thereof are disclosed. The method for transmitting broadcast signals, the method comprises encoding service data, encoding signaling data, MIMO (Multiple-Input and Multiple-Output) precoding the encoded service data, building at least one signal frame including the MIMO precoded service data and the encoded signaling data, modulating data in the built at least one signal frame by an OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex) scheme and transmitting the broadcast signals having the modulated data.
US09705718B2

An apparatus including an encoder for encoding service data corresponding to each of a plurality of data transmission path, an encoder for encoding signaling data, wherein the signaling data includes static data and dynamic data, a frame builder for building signal frames, wherein each of signal frames includes the encoded service data and the encoded signaling data, wherein each of signal frames belongs to one of the broadcast services, wherein the static data remain constant in the signal frames belonging to the broadcast service in a duration of a super frame and the dynamic data changes by the signal frames, a modulator for modulating the signal frames by an OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex) scheme and a transmitter for transmitting the broadcast signals carrying the modulated signal frames.
US09705713B2

A communication device is provided including a receiver to receive a signal set. A first equalizer equalizes the signal set in accordance with a first equalization process taking into account that the signal set includes an inter cell interference signal, thereby generating a first equalized signal set. A first calculating circuit is configured to calculate a predefined characteristic of the first equalized signal set. A second equalizer equalizes the signal set in accordance with a second equalization process taking into account that the signal set is free from an inter cell interference signal, thereby generating a second equalized signal set. A second calculating circuit is configured to calculate a predefined characteristic of the second equalized signal set. A selecting circuit is configured to select the first equalized signal set or the second equalized signal set for further processing based on the determined predefined characteristics.
US09705710B2

A high-speed signaling system with adaptive transmit pre-emphasis. A transmit circuit has a plurality of output drivers to output a first signal onto a signal path. A receive circuit is coupled to receive the first signal via the signal path and configured to generate an indication of whether the first signal exceeds a threshold level. A first threshold control circuit is coupled to receive the indication from the receive circuit and configured to adjust the threshold level according to whether the first signal exceeds the threshold level. A drive strength control circuit is coupled to receive the indication from the receive circuit and configured to adjust a drive strength of at least one output driver of the plurality of output drivers according to whether the first signal exceeds the threshold level.
US09705704B2

An approach is provided for creating a mobile virtual network. A virtual network is created to include a plurality of mobile virtual routers. A determination is made whether the virtual network has sufficient resources to satisfy a dynamic virtual network requirement. The size of the virtual network is adjusted based on the determination.
US09705699B2

The present disclosure provides a method and an apparatus for reducing a communication load in controller area network (CAN) communication. A method for reducing communication load in a transmission node connected to a CAN communication network may include: generating a first CAN data frame including first data and transmitting the first CAN data frame to the CAN communication network at a first transmission time; comparing second data with the first data at a second transmission time; and transmitting, to the CAN communication network, a second CAN data frame in which a data length code (DLC) field value is set to a predetermined value indicating that the data has not changed, when the second data is identical to the first data. Accordingly, CAN communication load can be effectively reduced without CAN hardware modification.
US09705691B2

Techniques to manage recordings for multimedia conference events are described. An apparatus may comprise a recording management component operative to manage recording and reproduction operations for a multimedia conference event. The recording management component may comprise an event capture module operative to record a multimedia conference event to form a recorded meeting event. The recording management component may comprise an event entity module communicatively coupled to the event capture module, the event entity module operative to generate an entity event list for the recorded meeting event. The recording management component may comprise an event reproduction module communicatively coupled to the event entity module, the event reproduction module operative to reproduce the recorded meeting event. The recording management component may comprise an event interface module communicatively coupled to the event reproduction module, the event interface module operative to display presence information for one or more entities from the entity event list while reproducing the recorded meeting event. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09705689B1

Techniques presented herein may allow an invitee to a communication session to receive a callback at a selected device in order to join the communication session. In one example, a first computing device retrieves a meeting appointment including at least one invitee and a meeting start time for a meeting using a calendar application executed by the first computing device, wherein the meeting appointment is associated with a communication session, and wherein the meeting appointment identifies a second computing device associated with the at least one invitee. The first computing device signals the second computing device to output a network link in a meeting notification provided by the second computing device, wherein the network link enables the second computing device to submit a callback request to the first computing device. The first computing device invites a selected computing device to join the communication session in accordance with the callback request.
US09705679B2

For improving, when performing road-vehicle communication or vehicle-vehicle communication between a roadside device and in-vehicle devices or therebetween, efficiency of distribution information verification including digital signature verification and freshness verification, there are included a memory unit that stores, as an authentication information history, a history of second authentication information of communication data which was received in the past from another communication device and which includes first authentication information, distribution information, and the second authentication information and an authentication processing unit that verifies, on the basis of the first authentication information of new communication data being newly received communication data, authenticity of the second authentication information of the new communication data and that compares the second authentication information of the new communication data with the authentication information history stored in the memory unit to verify freshness of the new communication data.
US09705671B2

A one-way key switching method and an implementation device. The method comprises: after obtaining a new key and before deducing or determining that at least n receivers obtain the new key, a sender setting the sending direction of the new key as unavailable and keeping the sending direction of an original key as available; after obtaining the new key and before deducing or determining that at least n receivers obtain the new key, before the original key is invalid, the sender starting up a key switching process, i.e. setting the sending direction of the original key as unavailable and setting the sending direction of the new key as available; where N≧n≧1, N is the total number of the receivers corresponding to the sender.
US09705670B2

Systems and methods are provided for the detection and prevention of intrusions in data at rest systems such as file systems and web servers. The systems and methods regulate access to sensitive data with minimal dependency on a communications network. Data access is quantitatively limited to minimize the data breaches resulting from, e.g., a stolen laptop or hard drive.
US09705667B2

A system for tracking a received signal with a subcarrier, the received signal representing a carrier signal modulated with a code signal and with a subcarrier signal. The system comprises independent and cooperatively operating loops: a phase lock loop tracking the carrier signal, a subcarrier lock loop tracking the subcarrier signal, and a delay lock loop tracking the code signal. The subcarrier lock loop comprises a first controllable oscillator and a first early-minus-late discriminator generating a control signal for the first controllable oscillator. The delay lock loop comprising a second controllable oscillator and a second arctan discriminator generating a control signal for the second controllable oscillator.
US09705663B2

Disclosed are a communication system and a synchronization method for enabling synchronization of units included in the communication system in case of a communication line failure. In the communication system according to the present invention, all units are synchronized with the period of an ADSYNC outputted from a master unit when the ADSYNC, in which a data transmission preparation period and a data transmission period make a single cycle, is outputted from the master unit; slave units output a free-run ADSYNC when an ADSYNC is not outputted from the master unit; and, when a plurality of the slave units output free-run ADSYNCs, the slave units are synchronized with any one free-run ADSYNC from among the outputted free-run ADSYNCs.
US09705657B2

A method and apparatus for scheduling in a wireless communication system configured for coordinated scheduling are disclosed.The scheduling apparatus sets a gain to be obtained when a terminal performs coordinated scheduling in a neighboring cell. The scheduling apparatus determines whether the terminal in the neighboring cell has moved between a first region where coordinated scheduling is not performed and a second region where coordinated scheduling is performed. Next, if it is determined that the terminal in the neighboring cell has moved between the first region where coordinated scheduling is not performed and the second region where coordinated scheduling is performed, the scheduling apparatus controls the radio unit in the neighboring cell to set an Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS) level based on the gain and perform scheduling based on the MCS level.
US09705649B2

Systems and methods for Mobile Relay Node (MRN) based Coordinated Multipoint (CoMP) operation in a cellular communications network are disclosed. In one embodiment, MRN based CoMP operation is utilized to provide interference mitigation for wireless devices, and preferably provide interference mitigation for cell edge wireless devices.
US09705648B2

The present invention relates to a mobile communication system having a coordinated communication mode in which radio communication is performed between a user equipment and a plurality of base stations in a coordinated manner and an uncoordinated communication mode in which radio communication is performed between a user equipment and a base station without coordinating with another base station, in which radio communication is performed by selectively using any of the coordinated communication mode and the uncoordinated communication mode. The coordinated communication in which radio communication is performed between a user equipment and a plurality of base stations in a coordinated manner and the uncoordinated communication in which radio communication is performed between a user equipment and a base station without coordinating with another base station are selectively used in an appropriate manner, with the result that a mobile communication system capable of exerting its performance in accordance with a situation can be provided.
US09705633B2

The present disclosure is directed towards a method for scheduling data packets in a multi-channel packet processing environment. The method may include receiving one or more data packets associated with an incoming signal and inserting the one or more data packets into a queue. The method may further include monitoring a time delay associated with each of the one or more data packets, wherein the time delay indicates a difference between packet arrival and packet departure times. The method may also include sorting the time delay results based upon an increasing order of time delay and determining a total number of data packets associated with each of a plurality of channels. The method may also include scheduling a data packet for processing based upon, at least in part, at least one of the sorted time delay results and the total number of data packets associated with each channel.
US09705632B2

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method and an apparatus for detecting an ONU, and a passive optical network system. The method includes detecting an identity code of an ONU in an open uplink empty window or an empty timeslot, and determining that an ONU corresponding to the identity code of the ONU is a rogue ONU according to the identity code of the ONU. A corresponding apparatus and passive optical network system are also provided in the embodiments of the present invention. In the passive optical network system, a rogue ONU is detected and determined quickly and efficiently, and an effect on an uplink service is reduced.
US09705615B2

The present invention relates to a method of transmitting and receiving signals and a corresponding apparatus. One aspect of the present invention relates to a method of receiving a signal, which includes interleaving in an appropriate manner for a channel bonding system. The interleaving can allow decoding a user requested service at a random tuner window position.
US09705610B2

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a waveguide system that includes a transmission device having a coupler positioned with respect to a transmission medium to facilitate transmission or reception of electromagnetic waves that transport communications data. The electromagnetic waves propagate along an outer surface of the transmission medium. A training controller detects an impairment on the transmission medium adverse to the transmission or reception of the electromagnetic waves and adjusts the electromagnetic waves to reduce the effects of the impairment on the transmission medium. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09705601B2

A pulse amplitude modulation (PAM) signal generator is disclosed. The PAM signal generator, which is applicable to a vertical cavity surface emitting laser diode (VCSEL), provides a plurality of differential units each having two outputs complementary to each other and biased by a power supply voltage through the commonly connected VCSEL and a dummy diode. The differential units have respective current sources each, where partial sums and a total sum of the currents correspond to the multiple output levels of the VCSEL. The PAM signal generator also provides compensating units to compensate the saturation (non-linearity) of the optical output of the VCSEL.
US09705593B2

A communications device is disclosed and includes: a first acquiring unit for acquiring first specific wavelength light and second specific wavelength light from a first optical path; a first receiving unit for converting the first specific wavelength light coming from the first acquiring unit into a first electrical signal; a first control unit for sending a first modulating signal to a first loopback unit according to the first electrical signal coming from the first receiving unit; and the first loopback unit for modulating the second specific wavelength light coming from the first acquiring unit according to the first modulating signal, and looping the modulated second specific wavelength light back to a second optical path, where a transmission direction of an optical signal in the second optical path is opposite to a transmission direction of an optical signal in the first optical path. The present invention further discloses a communications method.
US09705585B2

A relaying device includes an uplink interface that continuously receives an audio signal in communication, a wireless apparatus interface to which a repeater acting as a wireless relaying apparatus is connected, a voice buffer that buffers the audio signal, and a control unit. The control unit performs a VOX processing of detecting whether or not a level of the audio signal is equal to or higher than a preset threshold. When the level of the audio signal is equal to or higher than the threshold, the control unit starts buffering the audio signal in the voice buffer, and requests the repeater to reserve a channel. After receiving, from the repeater, a reply indicating that a channel has been reserved, the control unit reads the buffered audio signal from the voice buffer, and transfers this audio signal to the repeater.
US09705584B2

An apparatus and method for transmitting and receiving data in a communication system are provided. In the method, a BS selects a repeater group from among a plurality of repeater groups, for use in transmitting first data to an MS and transmits the first data to the MS according to the number of repeaters of the selected repeater group. The first data is different from data transmitted by the repeaters of the selected repeater group.
US09705578B2

A mobile communication system performs multi-antenna transmission by applying a precoder matrix for determining transmission directionality. The mobile communication system comprises a user terminal that starts feedback of predetermined precoder matrix information to a node in response to an instruction from the node controlling communication. The predetermined precoder matrix information is used to decide the precoder matrix that is applied to transmission to another user terminal different from the user terminal. The user terminal comprises: a control unit that switches whether to stop the feedback after starting the feedback in response to the instruction.
US09705577B2

Embodiments of the present invent provide a method for selecting a pre-coding matrix indication, an apparatus and a system. In embodiments the method includes sending, by a base station, indication information to a terminal, wherein the indication information is used to instruct the terminal to send uplink data without weighting the uplink data or after weighting the uplink data by using an identity matrix and receiving, by the base station, the uplink data sent by the terminal. The method further includes selecting, by the base station, a first pre-coding matrix indication (PMI) from a pre-coding matrix indication set of the base station according to the uplink data and sending the first PMI to the terminal.
US09705576B2

In a LTE-based wireless communication system, a first user (UEB) in a first cell (Cell A) may experience significant interference from downlink transmissions in a second cell (Cell B). Interference can be reduced by selecting a precoder for downlink transmission to a second user (UEA) in the first cell which will result in reduced interference to the first user (UEB) after the first user (UEB) is handed-over to the second cell. The uplink/downlink channel reciprocity in TDD systems and the new transmission mode TM9 in LTE Release 10 are exploited to obtain channel information and determine precoding. After handover to the second cell, a resource allocation (RBB) to the first user (UEB) is notified to the first cell. In the first cell, the second user (UEA) receives the same resource allocation and a precoder selected to reduce interference to the first user.
US09705573B2

A method for controlling multiple-input and multiple-output operation in a communication device when the communication device is attached to a battery charger includes determining that a battery level of a communication device is below a first battery level threshold. The method further includes determining that the communication device is attached to a battery char and determining whether to disable multiple-input and multiple-output operation of the communication device while it is attached to the battery charger.
US09705566B2

A variable gain circuit used in an in-band communication system is provided that includes a current sense pickup that is coupled to the output of a DC power source that senses current from the DC power source and provides a first output signal. A variable controlled amplifier structure, that is coupled to the DC power source, receives the first output signal and provides a specified amount of gain to the first output signal so as to produce a second output signal. A digital signal is produced using the second output having a selected frequency bandwidth.
US09705560B1

A method of performing a discrete Fourier transform (DFT) on one or more data samples in a global navigation satellite system baseband tracking channel is provided. The method comprises loading a pseudorandom noise code generator with a constant value in the baseband tracking channel; setting a tracking loop integration time according to a selected frequency resolution; updating a carrier generator with a selected DFT frequency in the baseband tracking channel; integrating a data sample in the baseband tracking channel; and storing the integrated data sample in a DFT bin. The method determines whether all DFT bins have been received, and if all DFT bins have not been received, the method repeats starting with updating the carrier generator, until all DFT bins have been received.
US09705550B2

An electronic device cover is provided having an elongated first surface, a first and second sidewall surface, and a first and second inward lip member forming a sleeve-like configuration to accept a handheld electronic device therein. The first end of the cover comprises an inwardly flaring surface adapted to prevent an electronic device from sliding therethrough. The second end of the cover comprises an outwardly flaring surface adapted to facilitate insertion of an electronic device therethrough. The device is adapted to be sized such that the first surface and sidewall surfaces are coextensive with a rectangular smartphone or tablet device. The inward lip members extend partially over the outer surface of the electronic device to retain the same within the cover interior volume. Overall, the cover dissipates impact energy and improves acoustics of the electronic device when secured thereto.
US09705538B2

Embodiments of the present disclosure describe methods, apparatuses, and systems related to a wireless communication device using time-variant antenna. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US09705536B2

A system includes a balun, a power monitoring circuit, a first circuit, and a second circuit. The balun includes a first inductor to receive an input and a second inductor to couple the input to a load. The power monitoring circuit is configured to monitor an amount of power being delivered to the load when the input is coupled to the load. The first circuit is configured to couple an entire of the second inductor to the first inductor when a first power is delivered to the load. The second circuit is configured to couple a portion of the second inductor to the first inductor when a second power that is less than the first power is delivered to the load.
US09705526B1

Symbols above a particular number are encoded with Rice encoding. Symbols of the predetermined number or less are encoded with a different technique. The encoded symbols are decoded by determining if the symbols are above the particular number and then applying the corresponding decoding technique.
US09705516B1

A reconfigurable phase-locked loop integrated circuit is disclosed which is coupleable to an inductor, and may include: a memory storing a plurality of configuration parameters; a plurality of capacitive tuning circuits coupleable to the inductor to form an LC oscillator circuit to generate a first output signal having a first output frequency; a reconfigurable frequency and delay generator configurable as a ring oscillator or as a delay line circuit, and to generate a second output signal having a second output frequency; and a first digital controller to generate a first control signals to the reconfigurable frequency and delay generator to generate the second output signal having the second output frequency when the reconfigurable frequency and delay generator is configured as the ring oscillator; and to generate a second plurality of control signals to the plurality of capacitive tuning circuits to generate the first output signal having the first output frequency when the reconfigurable frequency and delay generator is configured as the delay line circuit.
US09705513B2

A frequency source with improved phase noise. In one embodiment a phase-locked loop is used as a component of a frequency source and a signal to noise enhancer (SNE) is used to suppress phase noise produced by the phase-locked loop. The signal to noise enhancer is a nonlinear passive device that attenuates low-power signals while transmitting high power signals with little loss. The signal to noise enhancer may be fabricated as a thin film of yttrium iron garnet (YIG) epitaxially grown on a gadolinium gallium garnet (GGG) substrate, the GGG substrate being secured to a microwave transmission line from the input to the output of the signal to noise enhancer, such that the thin film of yttrium iron garnet is close to the transmission line.
US09705512B1

A circuit receives a reference clock and output an output clock in accordance with a clock multiplication factor, the circuit comprising: a digitally controlled timing adjustment circuit, a timing detection circuit, a loop filter, a controllable oscillator, a clock divider, a modulator, and a calibration circuit, wherein the modulator is configured to modulate a clock multiplication factor into a division factor and also calculate a pre-known noise caused by the modulation, and the digitally controlled timing adjustment circuit, the timing detection circuit, the loop filter, the controllable oscillator, and the clock divider form a feedback loop such that a frequency of the output clock is equal to a frequency of the reference clock multiplied by the clock multiplication, but a pre-known noise caused by the modulation is corrected by the digitally controlled timing adjustment circuit, which is calibrated by the calibration circuit in a closed-loop manner to minimize a correlation between the pre-known noise and an output of the timing detection circuit.
US09705499B1

A system, method, and circuits for power efficient margining in a differential output driver that includes segments connected to outputs of the driver. Each segment can be configured independently to different states by activating corresponding transistor combinations. In a transmitting state, the transistors transmit data by establishing current paths between the driver outputs and a positive supply rail or a ground rail. In a margining state, the transistors are statically configured to form current paths that differ from those of the transmitting state, such that the segment contributes substantially a same differential impedance between the driver outputs as would be contributed by the segment when in the transmitting state, while contributing a different common mode impedance than in the transmitting state. The current paths of the margining state extend through transistors that transmit data in the transmitting state.
US09705498B2

Local on-die termination controllers for effecting termination of a high-speed signaling links simultaneously engage on-die termination structures within multiple integrated-circuit memory devices disposed on the same memory module, and/or within the same integrated-circuit package, and coupled to the high-speed signaling link. A termination control bus is coupled to memory devices on a module, and provides for peer-to-peer communication of termination control signals.
US09705485B1

A circuit for generating an output current and a method for generating an output current are provided. A voltage generator circuit is configured to generate at least two voltages. A digital circuit is configured to generate a pulse width modulation signal having a waveform characteristic that is controllable based on bits of configuration data received by the digital circuit. An averaging circuit is configured to receive the pulse width modulation signal and generate a bias voltage that comprises a weighted average of the at least two voltages. Weights of the at least two voltages are based on the waveform characteristic of the pulse width modulation signal. A voltage-controlled current source is configured to generate an output current based on the bias voltage.
US09705480B2

A circuit for generating an output signal having a second pulse duty factor from an input signal having a first pulse duty factor includes a first capacitor and a second capacitor which are each connected to a charge source for periodically charging the capacitors. A voltage across the charged first capacitor is defined as a reference voltage, and the pulse duty factor of the output signal is defined by the charging period of the second capacitor required for reaching the reference voltage.
US09705475B2

An integrated circuit comprising an inductor arrangement, the arrangement comprising: four inductors adjacently located in a group and arranged to define two rows and two columns, wherein: the integrated circuit is configured to cause two of those inductors diagonally opposite from one another in the arrangement to produce an electromagnetic field having a first phase, and to cause the other two of those inductors to produce an electromagnetic field having a second phase, the first and second phases being substantially in antiphase.
US09705468B2

The present invention is related to an adjustable harmonic filtering device, mainly comprising a first connecting port, a second connecting port, a harmonic filtering unit, and an adjusting unit, in which a passive network is presented between the first connecting port and the second connecting port, as well as the harmonic filtering unit is connected to the passive network. The harmonic filtering unit comprises a first inductor and a first capacitor. The adjusting unit is adjacent to the first inductor of the harmonic filtering unit, and induced electromagnetically therewith. Thus, frequency-band of the harmonic, to be filtered out by the harmonic filtering unit, may be changed, allowing for reducing loss of signal occurring in the process of transmission between the first connecting port and the second connecting port effectively.
US09705467B2

Reflectionless low-pass, high-pass, band-pass, band-stop, all-pass, and all-stop filters, as well as a method for designing such filters is disclosed, along with a method of enhancing the performance of such filters through the use of sub-networks to further modify and improve the frequency response. These filters preferably function by absorbing the stop-band portion of the spectrum rather than reflecting it back to the source, which has significant advantages in many different applications. The sub-networks preferably offer additional degrees of freedom by which the leakage through the parent filter may be cancelled or reinforced to alter cutoff sharpness, stop-rejection, or other measures of performance.
US09705464B2

An audio signal processing circuit includes a first obtaining unit, a regulation unit, a second obtaining unit, and a synthesis unit. The first obtaining unit obtains high-frequency audio signals from original audio signals. The regulation unit obtains a volume of the original signals and amplifies the high-frequency signals according to an amplification factor having a positive correlation with the volume of the original audio signals, to output improved audio components. The second obtaining unit obtains reference audio signals from the original audio signals. The synthesis unit synthesizes the improved audio components and the reference audio signals to output improved audio signals.
US09705462B2

A sensor signal output circuit includes: a buffer amplifier which amplifies an output of a temperature sensor; an operational amplifier which amplifies an output of the buffer amplifier; an oscillator which generates a triangular wave signal; and a comparator which compares the triangular wave signal with an output of the operational amplifier to generate a PWM signal. After an offset adjusting resistor of the operational amplifier is adjusted at first temperature, the amplitude of the triangular wave signal is set to adjust the pulse width of the PWM signal at the first temperature. After that, a gain adjusting resistor of the operational amplifier is set to adjust the pulse width of the PWM signal at a second temperature.
US09705456B2

A generator for use with an electrosurgical device is provided. The generator has a gain stage electrically disposed between a first voltage rail and a second voltage rail, wherein the gain stage includes an input and an output. A voltage source operably coupled to the gain stage input and configured to provide an input signal thereto responsive to a drive control signal is also provided. The generator also has one or more sensors configured to sense an operational parameter of the amplifier and to provide a sensor signal corresponding thereto and a controller adapted to receive the sensor signal(s) and in response thereto provide a drive control signal to the voltage source. The generator has an amplifier output configured to supply an output voltage corresponding to the first voltage rail and the second voltage rail when the output of the gain stage falls between a voltage of the first voltage rail and a voltage of the second voltage rail and is configured to supply a peak voltage output when the voltage output is falls greater than the voltage of the first voltage rail or less than the voltage of the second voltage rail.
US09705454B2

A circuit includes a bias circuit for a biased transistor. The bias circuit includes a master-slave source follower circuit, a reference transistor, and a bias circuit voltage output coupled to the biased transistor and configured to provide a bias voltage. The reference transistor has a transconductance substantially identical to a transconductance of the biased transistor. A signal ground circuit may be coupled between the biased transistor and one or more components of the bias circuit that do not generate significant return currents to a power supply ground. A method includes generating a current in a reference transistor according to a first voltage generated using a master source follower circuit, generating a second voltage substantially identical to the first voltage using a slave source follower circuit, and providing the second voltage to a biased transistor. The reference transistor has a transconductance substantially identical to a transconductance of the biased transistor.
US09705452B2

A power amplifier comprising a power stage comprises a voltage detection circuit configured to detect an output voltage of the power stage, a current detection circuit configured to detect an output current of the power stage, a control voltage generation circuit configured to generate a control voltage substantially proportional to the detected output voltage and the detected output current, and a control circuit configured to decrease an output power of the power stage when the control voltage exceeds a predetermined value.
US09705444B2

A device for controlling an electric motor is provided. The device includes: an inverter supplying a current to an electric motor; a current sensor sensing a current supplied from the inverter to the electric motor; and a control unit enabling the current to be supplied from the inverter to the electric motor, obtaining first and second offset values sensed from the current sensor at a plurality of times, comparing the plurality of offset values obtained, and updating the first offset value to the second offset value according to a result of comparing the offset values.
US09705443B2

A motor includes an annular stator core including teeth arranged side by side in a circumferential direction on an inner circumferential surface of a back yoke. The motor includes 3n (n is an integer) first coil groups arranged in the circumferential direction at regular intervals, each of the first coil groups being constituted of first coils that are respectively wound, in a concentrated manner, around the teeth arranged adjacent to one another, and that are excited by a first inverter, and also includes 3n second coil groups arranged in the circumferential direction at regular intervals, each of the second coil groups being constituted of second coils that are respectively wound, in a concentrated manner, around the teeth arranged adjacent to one another in positions different from positions of the teeth around which the first coils are wound in a concentrated manner, and that are excited by a second inverter.
US09705442B2

Motor drives and drive systems are provided. A motor drive of the subject invention can be an asymmetrical, multi-lane, multi-phase motor drive. The motor drive can include a master lane and slave lane having fewer phases than the master lane has. Each lane can be powered by a single direct current link.
US09705435B2

A method of controlling a brushless motor that includes storing a lookup table of control values, periodically obtaining a speed-adjusted control value, and exciting a phase winding of the motor. The speed-adjusted control value is then used to define the phase and/or length of excitation. Obtaining the speed-adjusted control value includes measuring the speed of the motor, increasing or decreasing a speed-adjust variable in the event that the measured speed is greater or less than a threshold, selecting a control value from the lookup table using the measured speed, and adjusting the selected control value using the speed-adjust variable to obtain the speed-adjusted control value. Additionally, a control system that implements the method, and a motor assembly that incorporates the brushless motor and the control system.
US09705428B2

A vibration-type driving apparatus includes a vibrator holder, wherein a plurality of vibrators each having at least an electro-mechanical energy conversion element and an elastic member having a contact portion formed therein are connected to a vibrator holding member, for generating an ellipsoidal movement of the contact portion, to move, relative to the vibrator, a driving member contacting the contact portion. The plurality of vibrators are connected to a surface of the holding member at a side at which the contact portion contacts the driving member, and on a surface of the vibrator holding member opposite to the side at which the contact portion contacts the driving member, a pressing member is placed to set the contact portion to be pressed and contacted to the driving member.
US09705423B1

The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a phase circuit having an output port, and a high side circuit having a first input port, a high side switching device configured to receive power from a high side power bus and switch power to the output port based on a first input signal received at the first input port, a voltage regulating device having a regulator input port, and a bootstrap capacitor coupled between the voltage regulating device and the output port, wherein the regulating device is configured to receive power from the high side power bus and controllably supply power to the bootstrap capacitor based on a regulator input voltage received at the regulator input port, the regulator input voltage based on a voltage difference between a voltage present on the output port and a voltage present on the high side power bus.
US09705415B2

A power supply apparatus includes a power supply circuit and an active clamping circuit. The power supply circuit includes a secondary side rectifying unit and a voltage output side. The active clamping circuit includes a clamping energy-storing unit, a feedback control unit and a synchronous buck converter. The clamping energy-storing unit clamps and stores a voltage spike to obtain an energy-storing voltage. The feedback control unit detects the energy-storing voltage and informs the synchronous buck converter of the energy-storing voltage. The synchronous buck converter receives the energy-storing voltage and adjusts the energy-storing voltage to obtain an adjusted voltage when the energy-storing voltage is greater than a predetermined voltage. The synchronous buck converter sends the adjusted voltage to the voltage output side.
US09705404B2

The present document relates to power converters. In particular, the present document relates to the protection of the power switches of power converters. A controller configured to control a switched-mode power converter is described. The controller comprises a control pin for controlling a state of a power switch of the switched-mode power converter using a control signal; and a sensing pin for receiving a sensed current signal indicative of a current through the power switch. The controller is configured to detect a break-through situation of the power switch based on the state of the power switch and based on the sensed current signal.
US09705400B2

An output stage configuration with four configurable input/output terminals and four switches is specified. Each switch has a first main terminal, a second main terminal and a control terminal, which receives a control signal for controlling the open or closed state of the switch. The output stage is included in a circuit together with a first control apparatus and a second control apparatus. When a control stage of the first control apparatus is connected to the output stage, a control stage of the second control apparatus is electrically disconnected from the output stage, and the output stage operates in a first operating state. When the control stage of the second control apparatus is connected to the output stage, the control stage of the first control apparatus is electrically disconnected from the output stage, the output stage then operating in a second operating state.
US09705399B2

A buck converter device with a zero-cross comparator with an adaptive threshold. The buck converter comprises of a control block that controls a first p-channel MOSFET switch, and a second n-channel MOSFET switch. The p-channel MOSFET switch and the n-channel MOSFET switch provide a sense signal utilizing parasitic bipolar junction transistors. The p-channel MOSFET provides a sense current for the pnp parasitic bipolar junction transistor, The n-channel MOSFET provides a sense current for the npn parasitic bipolar junction transistor. The sense current is stored on a capacitor, and establishes an adaptive offset adjustment to a zero-cross comparator.
US09705389B2

A method is disclosed for generating and distributing electric power for localized use. The method entails providing an enclosed building having an air conditioning and ventilation unit for supplying cooled air within the building, the unit including a closed loop circuit configured to operate a closed loop refrigeration cycle, including a compressor operable to compress a working fluid of the closed loop circuit. The method further includes engaging an internal combustion engine with the compressor and operating the internal combustion engine to drive the compressor, thereby transferring energy to the refrigeration cycle. The method may also involve engaging an electric motor with the compressor and operating the electric motor to drive the compressor, thereby transferring energy to the refrigeration cycle.
US09705371B2

The present invention provides a generator comprising winding arrangements, each winding arrangement comprising at least an inner coil and an outer coil constituting a concentric structure of coils. The inner coil is constituted by an inner conductor and the outer coil is constituted by an outer conductor, the inner and outer conductors being connected in series. The inner conductor, which is wound around a tooth, has a smaller electrical resistance per unit length than the outer conductor.
US09705350B2

There is provided a power storage system including at least two battery units mutually connected in parallel, the battery units each including at least one cell and at least one monitor device configured to monitor a charge state, at least one battery charger configured to supply charge current to each of the battery units, and at least one power storage control device configured to control a charge current value that is supplied to each of the battery units. The power storage control device is configured to decrease the charge current value in accordance with the charge state of each of the battery units.
US09705346B2

In various embodiments, an enclosure for a charging station is provided having a peripheral casing configured to retain a charging cable on an upward facing surface of the peripheral casing between a front user interface side and a charging station mounting surface.
US09705342B2

The present disclosure discloses a battery equalizing circuit, which comprises a first battery unit, a second battery unit, a current detecting resistor, an equalizing inductor, a first control switch, a second control switch and a feedback control circuit. The first battery unit is connected in series with the second battery unit. The first battery unit, the current detecting resistor, the equalizing inductor and the first control switch are electrically connected with each other to form a first circuit loop. The second battery unit, the current detecting resistor, the equalizing inductor and the second control switch are electrically connected with each other to form a second circuit loop. The feedback control circuit is connected in parallel with the current detecting resistor to detect a voltage drop across the current detecting resistor, and switch between the first and the second circuit loop so as to make an equalizing current substantially constant.
US09705337B2

A system may comprise a first switch connected to an output of a first power source, a second switch connected to an output of a second power source, a first sensor connected to an output of the first switch, a second sensor connected to an output of the second switch, a third switch connected to the first sensor and the second sensor and connected to a load, and a control device connected to the first switch, the second switch, the first sensor, the second sensor, and the third switch.
US09705329B2

A power control system utilizing real-time power system operating data to effectuate predictive load shedding so as to accurately predict the need for and the optimal type of responsive action to a contingency—before the contingency actually occurs.
US09705327B2

A power metering system includes any number of sites and a central database. Loads within a site are unmetered and a sensor data vector over time includes sensor data, operational data and external data. Iteration occurs over time intervals for all unmetered loads and the unmeasured power for each interval is disaggregated by matching a load type with a computer model in the central database having the same feature domain in order to predict the power usage of each load. Iteration again occurs over those intervals in which only a single load is operating; the power of that load is determined to be the unmeasured power minus miscellaneous power, and a new computer model is fitted for that single load and also uploaded to the database. The feature domain of an existing model may also be increased. Both iteration steps repeat until no more unmeasured power can be disaggregated.
US09705326B2

A power consumption mode guiding device includes a local system wherein the frequency of power on an AC line, is controlled at a target frequency determined according to the state of charge of a power storage device. The power consumption mode guiding device includes a frequency detection unit that detects the actual frequency of power on the AC line, an information storage unit in which guidance information for guiding the mode of use of a power consumption device by a power consumer (D) to a prescribed mode are stored in advance in association with frequency information obtained from detection results from the frequency detection unit, and a guidance information output unit that reads out, from the information storage unit, the guidance information associated with the frequency information obtained from the detection result from the frequency detection unit, and outputs the guidance information to the power consumer (D).
US09705325B2

Novel techniques for balancing power or current drawn from multiple power supply inputs by controlling switching circuits associated with the respective power supply inputs. Each switching circuit may be controlled so as to limit current in its transformer or inductor in each switching cycle to a peak or average current value common to all switching circuits.
US09705324B2

A converter system for coupling to an ac power source includes a rectifier and a bi-directional converter. The rectifier has a first set of terminals inductively coupled to an ac power source and a second set of terminals coupled in series with a series dc bus, and is operable to convert ac power at the first set of terminals to dc power at the second set of terminals. The bi-directional converter has a first set of terminals coupled to the ac power source and a second set of terminals coupled to a parallel bus, and is operable to transfer power from the ac source to the parallel bus in a first operating mode and transfer power from the parallel bus to the series dc bus via the rectifier in a second operating mode. A corresponding power generation network and power transmission method are also provided.
US09705321B1

Disclosed are various embodiments of power source redundancy in a power supply for a rack mounted computing device. The power supply includes a plurality of AC power converters configured to receive power from corresponding power sources. A first AC power converter provides DC power to a common DC bus of the power supply. A second AC power converter provides DC power to the common DC bus in response to a change in the voltage level provided by the first AC power converter.
US09705319B2

A power supply system includes a first-battery, a battery unit including a second-battery, and a generator. The battery unit is connected to the generator and the first-battery via a conductor. The battery unit includes a connection-terminal connected to the conductor, an output-terminal connected to a load, a first-switch disposed on a wiring connecting the connection-terminal and the output-terminal, a branch line branching off from the wiring between the first-switch and the output-terminal and connected to the second-battery, a second-switch disposed on the branch line between the wiring and the second-battery, a first-voltage-detecting unit detecting voltage of the connection-terminal, and a switch control unit controlling the first and second-switches. The power supply system further includes a second-voltage-detecting unit detecting electromotive force of the first-battery, and a fault-determining unit determining a fault of the conductor based on opening/closing states of the first and second-switches and results of the first and second-voltage-detecting units.
US09705315B2

A semiconductor device including: an output stage, including a PMOS, an NMOS and an output terminal, wherein a source terminal of the PMOS is connected to a first supply voltage, a drain terminal of the PMOS is connected to a drain terminal of the NMOS and the output terminal, a source terminal of the NMOS is connected to a second supply voltage, and the output terminal outputs an output signal; and a protection circuit, including a first voltage clamping circuit, including a first transistor, a second transistor and a first switch, wherein the first transistor and the second transistor are for clamping a gate voltage of the PMOS of the output stage and are connected in series, the first switch is coupled to the first supply voltage and a node between the first transistor and the second transistor for selectively coupling the first supply voltage to the node.
US09705314B2

An electromagnetic direct current (DC) pulse power system includes a plurality of pulse forming networks (PFN) module, and an energy storage capacitor and circuit interruption apparatus. Each PFN module includes a PFN circuit configured to generate a pulsed DC output power. The PFN circuit includes an energy storage inductor with a primary winding having a primary inductance that controls a primary impedance of the PFN circuit. The electromagnetic direct current (DC) pulse power system further includes an auto-transformer having a multi-stage fault-limiting system configured to reduce fault current.
US09705309B2

A terminal protection method that is applied to a terminal is provided. In the method, an air pressure change value collected by an air pressure sensor is obtained; the air pressure change value is compared with a preset air pressure change threshold; and when the air pressure change value exceeds the preset air pressure change threshold, a break instruction is generated, where the break instruction is used to break a power supply circuit of a mainboard circuit of the terminal. According to the terminal protection method provided in the present invention, the power supply circuit of the mainboard circuit of the terminal can be timely broken when the terminal falls into water, thereby solving a problem of a short circuit that occurs on the mainboard circuit of the terminal after the terminal falls into water.
US09705293B2

The invention relates to a corona ignition device, comprising a center electrode, an insulator surrounding the center electrode, a coil, which is connected to the center electrode, and a housing pipe, in which the coil is arranged. The housing pipe comprises a substrate layer and a conducting layer arranged radially inwardly of the substrate layer. The conducting layer is made of a material having a greater electrical conductivity than the material of the substrate layer. The conducting layer has a thickness of at least 0.1 mm. Also disclosed is a method for producing a corona ignition device, in which, to produce the housing pipe, an inner pipe is inserted into an outer pipe. The invention also relates to a corona ignition device of which the coil is surrounded by a soft-magnetic shielding.
US09705289B2

An apparatus includes at least one multijunction diode laser situated to emit a plurality of beams along respective mutually parallel propagation axes, each beam having an associated mutually parallel slow axes and associated collinear fast axes, a fast axis collimator situated to receive and collimate the plurality of beams along the corresponding fast axes so as to produce corresponding fast axis collimated beams that propagate along associated non-parallel axes, and a reflector situated to receive the plurality of fast axis collimated beams and to reflect the beams so that the reflected fast axis collimated beams propagate along substantially parallel axes.
US09705282B2

A multi-wavelength laser light source includes a gain waveguide having a gain medium and a first mirror; and a waveguide wavelength filter, wherein the waveguide wavelength filter comprises: a first optical waveguide coupled to an end of the gain waveguide opposite to the first mirror, a plurality of ring resonators having input ports coupled to the first optical waveguide and having resonance wavelengths different from each other, a plurality of output waveguides coupled to respective output ports of the plurality of ring resonators, and second mirrors configured to correspondingly reflect, back to the plurality of ring resonators, at least part of light that has traveled via the output waveguides from the plurality of ring resonators.
US09705273B2

A contact ribbon configured to connect a cable to a substrate includes a plurality of signal contacts, a ground plane, and at least one ground contact extending from the ground plane. The plurality of signal contacts are connected by a support member, and the support member is removable after the plurality of signal contacts are connected to the cable.
US09705266B2

A cable connector includes a metal housing, conductive terminals, and contact members. The metal housing includes a first end and a second end opposite to the first end. An accommodation space is formed for communicating with the first end and the second end. The conductive terminals are configured to clamp cables, and each conductive terminal includes a clamp portion, a containing portion, and an engaging portion. The clamp portion and the engaging portion are disposed at two ends of the containing portion, respectively. At least one slot is formed on the engaging portion. Each contact member passes through the accommodation space from the first end and is inserted into the engaging portion. An outside surface of the contact member contacts an inner surface of the engaging portion by making surface-to-surface contact, thereby reducing a resistance value to permit efficient power transmission.
US09705254B2

An electrical connector is provided comprising a female member configured to couple with male member. The female member includes a female receptacle having an opening, and a female electrode is at least partially disposed within the female receptacle. A resilient member is configured to enhance electrical connection between the female electrode and a male connector electrode.
US09705245B2

A plug-in connection is described having a contact carrier including a contact element, which is mechanically connected to the contact carrier; a line has an electrical conductor, which is electrically connected to the contact element, and has an insulation which surrounds the electrical conductor. The line is mechanically connected to the contact carrier, the plug-in connection having a fixing element, into which is accommodated an uninsulated area of the line in which the electrical conductor is not surrounded by the insulation, and which fixes the electrical conductor to the contact carrier.
US09705238B2

A waterproof connector includes a resin housing; a conductor extended from the resin housing, and provided with a recess portion at a portion of a part embedded in the resin housing; and a sealing agent interposed in a gap between the conductor which includes the recess portion and the resin housing.
US09705236B2

A connector includes a substantially rectangular seal ring (30) with four corners formed by arcuate portions (34). Ear-like protruding portions (36) are formed on the seal ring (30) to extend along the arcuate portions (34) on the four corners and project toward an outer periphery. The ear-like protruding portions (36) are configured to regulate rattling in a connecting direction of first and second housings (10, 20) by being resiliently compressed between a back end surface (16S) of a connection space (16) of the first housing (10) and a tip surface (22S) of a receptacle (22) of the second housing (20) with the first and second housings (10, 20) connected. Pressure receiving portions (38A, 38B) project from surfaces of the ear-like protruding portions (36) facing the receptacle (22) and are divided in a circumferential direction by grooves (39).
US09705235B2

An apparatus includes a pair of connectors and two or more conductive paths formed in each connector in the pair of connectors. The pair of connectors includes a first connector and a second connector. The first connector is substantially more flexible than the second connector, and each connector in the pair of connectors includes a bulkhead. Each of the two or more conductive paths in each connector in the pair of connectors is electrically isolated from all other conductive elements in the respective connector. A shroud may be located between the bulkheads and disposed about the pair of connectors when the pair of connectors are coupled together electrically.
US09705231B2

A protective cover for a network cable socket is disclosed. The protective cover is moveably connected to the network cable socket. The protective cover of the network cable socket comprises a housing and two elastic sheets. The housing is moveably connected to the network cable socket. Each of the elastic sheets includes a fixing portion, an extension arm, a stopper and a guiding ramp. The two extension arms are connected to the two fixing portions, respectively. The two fixing portions are fixed to two sides of the housing, respectively. The two stoppers and the two guiding ramps are formed at the two extension arms, respectively. A distance between the two guiding ramps is larger than the distance between the two stoppers.
US09705227B2

A contact element is disclosed and includes a body of contact material, a mating plug end, a conductor end, and a fold-over layer of the contact material. The mating plug end is positioned at one end of the body, while the conductor end is positioned an opposite end of the body with respect to the mating plug end. The mating plug end includes a conductor-side cross-width less than a plug-side cross-width of the mating plug end. The fold-over layer of the contact material is disposed along at the mating plug end.
US09705211B2

A male F-type coaxial cable connector including a nut, a body, a post, and a spacer, the spacer for bearing on the nut.
US09705204B2

An electronic device may include a PCB having a substantially planar surface and one or more electronic components mounted thereon. A first EHF communication unit may be mounted on the substantially planar surface of the PCB. The first EHF communication unit may include a first planar die containing a first communication circuit, the first die extending along the substantially planar surface of the PCB in a die plane. A first antenna may be operatively connected to the first circuit by interconnecting conductors, the first antenna being configured to at least one of transmit and receive electromagnetic radiation along a plane of the substantially planar surface of the PCB. The first EHF communication unit may have an uppermost surface having a height from the substantially planar surface of the PCB, the first EHF communication unit height being determined by an uppermost surface of the die, the first antenna, and the interconnecting conductors.
US09705203B2

Radio frequency (RF) front end circuitry is disclosed that includes a filter circuit, a first switch device, and a second switch device. The filter circuit is coupled to present a filter capacitance to the first RF port and to the second RF port. The second switch device is configured to present a device capacitance to the second RF port when a common port of the second switch device is shunted to ground. The first switch device is configured to present approximately the filter capacitance and the device capacitance to its common port. The device capacitance from the second switch device can thus be used to tune a total capacitance presented to the common port of the first switch device. As such, the total capacitance presented to the common port of the first switch device can be maintained substantially unchanged without requiring a substantial increase in the number of switching components.
US09705195B2

According to an embodiment, the antenna device includes a substrate, a through hole, first and second grounded conductors, a radiating element and a feeder line. The substrate includes first to third layers. The third layer is formed between the first and the second layers. The through hole is formed on a substrate. The first grounded conductor is formed in the first layer and has a gap positioned between the first grounded conductor and the through hole. The second grounded conductor is formed in the second layer. The radiating element transmits or receives linearly-polarized waves. The feeder line is formed in the third layer, and is electrically continuous with the through hole. The feeder line includes a straight line that is formed in the third layer in an area of projection of the gap in thickness direction of the substrate and that is formed to be substantially parallel to a plane of polarization of the linearly-polarized waves.
US09705181B2

An antenna connecting structure includes a battery as a first component having a first main surface and a second main surface directed oppositely to the first main surface, a housing component including a flat portion located on the first main surface side, a spacer located on the first main surface, a sheet-like antenna unit main body located on a surface of the spacer opposite to the first main surface and abutting on the flat portion in surface contact, a circuit board disposed on the second main surface side and having a connector, an antenna connecting cable extending from the antenna unit main body and having flexibility, and an antenna connecting terminal disposed at an end of the antenna connecting cable and connected to the connector.
US09705175B2

An apparatus includes a 1×2 waveguide-based power divider. The 1×2 waveguide-based power divider includes a 1×2 waveguide coupler, two primary transmission lines, two three-port waveguide couplers, and a series. The series includes one or more secondary transmission lines. Each primary transmission line connects a corresponding output of the 1×2 waveguide coupler to a first port of a corresponding one of the three-port waveguide couplers. The series connects a second ports of the three-port waveguide couplers.
US09705174B2

A digital system has a dielectric core waveguide that is formed within a multilayer substrate. The dielectric waveguide has a longitudinal dielectric core member formed in the core layer having two adjacent longitudinal sides each separated from the core layer by a corresponding slot portion formed in the core layer The dielectric core member has the first dielectric constant value. A cladding surrounds the dielectric core member formed by a top layer and the bottom layer infilling the slot portions of the core layer. The cladding has a dielectric constant value that is lower than the first dielectric constant value.
US09705172B2

A non-reciprocal circuit element includes a ferrite, a first central electrode and a second central electrode arranged on the ferrite so as to cross each other in an insulated state, and a permanent magnet that applies a DC magnetic field to a portion where the first and second central electrodes cross each other. One end of the first central electrode defines an input port, and the other end thereof defines an output port. One end of the second central electrode defines the input port, and the other end thereof defines a ground port. A resistance element and a capacitance element, which are connected in parallel with each other, are connected in series with and between the input port and the output port. Input impedance is lowered by making inductance of the second central electrode relatively large.
US09705171B2

A radio frequency (RF) dielectric resonator filter includes at least a first cavity and a second cavity, each cavity being loaded with a dielectric resonator. The first cavity is separated from the second cavity by a common wall, the common wall including a first and second aperture that couple an electromagnetic field between the first cavity and the second cavity. A first externally adjustable tuning screw extends from the second aperture, a portion of the tuning screw being external to the filter. The first aperture is an iris disposed in a central portion of the wall and the second aperture is disposed proximate to a perimeter of the wall. The second aperture has an effective area that is adjustable by the first externally adjustable tuning screw.
US09705170B2

The invention relates to a switchable band-pass filter. In particular, the invention relates to a narrowband switchable band-pass filter over a broad frequency band with two filter elements (including microstripline technology, suitable for use as a cosite filter with a compact structure, which is particularly suitable for efficient mass production and robust in operation. The two filter elements in this context are coupled to one another, on the one hand via a switchable coupling device and, on the other hand, via a direct electromagnetic interaction.
US09705163B2

A battery module including a plurality of battery cells arranged in one direction; heat insulating members interposed between the plurality of battery cells so as to control heat generated in the battery cells; and a housing fixing the battery cells and the heat insulating members.
US09705161B2

A battery module includes a battery block, a cover member, a circuit board, a wiring member, and a first connection member. The battery block includes a plurality of battery cells, and has a terminal surface. Terminals of the plurality of battery cells are arranged on the terminal surface. The cover member is arranged on or above the terminal surface of the battery block. The circuit board overlaps the cover member, and includes a voltage detection circuit for detecting terminal voltages of the plurality of battery cells. The wiring member overlaps the cover member, and is electrically connected to the terminals of the plurality of battery cells. The first connection member electrically connects the circuit board to the wiring member.
US09705156B2

A method for manufacturing lithium-ion battery modules, including the following: positioning an elastic plastic device between at least two cells of a battery module; path-controlled compression of the at least two cells of the battery module and of the elastic plastic device situated between the at least two cells. Also described is a corresponding lithium-ion battery module.
US09705151B2

A battery includes at least two externally accessible battery electrodes to provide a supply voltage and at least more than half of a wafer including at least two wafer electrodes. The wafer includes a plurality of trenches reaching into the wafer. At least a part of a trench of the plurality of trenches is filled with a solid state battery structure. The solid state battery structure within the trench includes electrodes electrically connected to the wafer electrodes.
US09705143B2

An electronic apparatus using a fuel cell as at least one electric power source. The fuel cell has an electric power output unit for outputting an electric power through a chemical reaction between fuel gas and oxidant gas, a purge device for purging the electric power output unit and a purge control unit for issuing a purge instruction to the purge device. The electronic apparatus has a monitor unit for monitoring a consumption power, an operation state or a manipulated state of the electronic apparatus, and a purge permission unit for judging from an output of the monitor unit whether the purge control unit is permitted to issue the purge instruction, and outputting a judgment result to the purge control unit.
US09705123B2

A battery enclosure is provided that externally shorts the enclosed battery, or batteries, immediately prior to the battery being punctured. As a result, the battery's state-of-charge is decreased, leading to a less severe reaction when the battery case is punctured.
US09705122B2

A battery terminal (1) includes a main body (10) with upper and lower plates (20U, 20L). The upper plate (20U) includes an upper mounting hole (23U), and upper plate fastening portions (26U, 27U). The lower plate (20L) includes a lower mounting hole (23L) and lower plate fastening portions (26L, 27L). A first receiving wall (41A) is connected to a first upper plate fastening portion (26U) and engages a first lower plate fastening portion (26L). A second receiving wall (41B) is connected to the second upper plate fastening portion (27U) and engages the second lower plate fastening portion (27L). A bracket (70) is mounted on the main body (10) and has a first pressing portion (73A) with a first tapered surface (74A) to contact the first receiving wall (41A) and a second pressing portion (73B) with a second tapered surface (74B) to contact the second receiving wall (41B).
US09705120B2

The present invention provides a laminated porous film and a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery. The laminated porous film is a laminated porous film in which a heat-resistant layer comprising a binder resin and a filler is laminated on one or both of the surfaces of a porous film substrate mainly comprising a polyolefin, wherein a part occupied by at least one out of the binder resin and the filler is formed in the porous film substrate so as to touch the heat-resistant layer, and the total thickness of the occupied part is not less than 1% and not more than 20% of the overall thickness of the porous film substrate. The non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery comprises the laminated porous film according as a separator.
US09705117B2

A battery housing part (10) for a traction battery has opposite first and second vertically aligned housing walls (12, 14) for laterally covering battery cells, a second housing wall (14) from a floor level (28) to a cover level (30) and horizontally from a left side level (32) to a right side level (34). At least one reinforcement profile (18) is connected to the first housing wall (12) and the second housing wall (14) for at least partial dissipation of impact forces in the case of a crash of the motor vehicle. The reinforcement profile (18) is spaced apart both from the floor level (28) and the cover level (30) and from the left side level (32) and the right side level (34).
US09705112B2

Disclosed herein is a secondary battery constructed in a structure in which an electrode assembly having a cathode/separator/anode arrangement is mounted in a battery case made of a laminate sheet including a resin layer and a metal layer, electrode tabs of the electrode assembly are coupled to corresponding electrode leads, and the electrode assembly is sealed in the battery case while electrode leads are exposed to the outside of the battery case, wherein a protective film is attached to coupling regions between the electrode tabs and the electrode leads for sealing the coupling regions between the electrode tabs and the electrode leads. The secondary battery according to the present invention is constructed in a structure in which the coupling regions are sealed by the protective film, unlike a conventional secondary battery constructed in a structure in which the coupling regions between the electrode tabs and the electrode leads are exposed in the battery case. As a result, the electrode leads are protected from external impacts, such as falling of the battery. Consequently, no internal short circuit occurs, and therefore, the safety of the battery is increased.
US09705106B2

A flexible organic light emitting display and a method of fabricating the same are disclosed in which flexible organic light emitting display may be realized without a plastic based substrate, and at the same time an ideal WVTR characteristic level for stably driving an organic light emitting element without deterioration may be realized. The flexible organic light emitting display comprises a first ultra-thin film glass substrate that includes aluminum silicide; a thin film transistor (TFT) device arranged on the first ultra-thin film glass substrate; and an organic light emitting element arranged on the TFT element.
US09705103B2

In various embodiments, optoelectronic devices are described herein. The optoelectronic device may include an optoelectronic cell arranged so as to wrap around a central axis wherein the cell includes a first conductive layer, a semi-conductive layer disposed over and in electrical communication with the first conductive layer, and a second conductive layer disposed over and in electrical communication with the semi-conductive layer. In various embodiments, methods for making optoelectronic devices are described herein. The methods may include forming an optoelectronic cell while flat and wrapping the optoelectronic cell around a central axis. The optoelectronic devices may be photovoltaic devices. Alternatively, the optoelectronic devices may be organic light emitting diodes.
US09705101B2

Disclosed is a white organic light emitting device in which a lifetime of a device is enhanced. The white organic light emitting device includes a first emission part between a first electrode and a second electrode and a second emission part on the first emission part. At least one among the first and second emission parts includes an emission area control layer. The white organic light emitting device includes a first emission part between a first electrode and a second electrode, a second emission part on the first emission part, and a third emission part on the second emission part. At least one among the first to third emission parts includes an emission area control layer.
US09705095B2

Provided are an organic transistor having high carrier mobility that contains a compound represented by the following formula in a semiconductor active layer; a compound; an organic semiconductor material for a non-light-emitting organic semiconductor device; a material for an organic transistor; a coating solution for a non-light-emitting organic semiconductor device; and an organic semiconductor film for a non-light-emitting organic semiconductor device (each of X1 and X2 represents NR13, an O atom, or a S atom; A1 represents CR7 or a N atom; A2 represents CR8 or a N atom; R13 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkynyl group, or an acyl group; each of R1 to R8 independently represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent; at least one of R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, or R8 is a substituent represented by -L-R; L represents a divalent linking group having a specific structure; and R represents an alkyl group, a cyano group, a vinyl group, an ethynyl group, an oxyethylene group, an oligo-oxyethylene group in which a repetition number v of an oxyethylene unit is equal to or greater than 2, a siloxane group, an oligosiloxane group having two or more silicon atoms, or a trialkylsilyl group).
US09705091B2

An aromatic heterocyclic derivative represented by the following formula (1)-1 or (1)-2: wherein in the formula (1)-1 or (1)-2, A is a substituted or unsubstituted nitrogen-containing heterocyclic group including 2 to 30 ring carbon atoms; B is a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic hydrocarbon group including 6 to 30 ring carbon atoms or a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic heterocyclic group including 2 to 30 ring carbon atoms; n is an integer of 2 or more; and Czs are independently an aromatic heterocyclic group including a predetermined structure.
US09705090B2

An organic light-emitting device includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and an organic layer between the first electrode and the second electrode and including at least one condensed cyclic compound represented by Formula 1: The organic light-emitting device including the condensed cyclic compound represented by Formula 1 may have low driving voltage, high efficiency, high brightness, and long lifespan.
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