US09124720B2

A non-intrusive cellular phone app eliminates a need for the driver to respond to a received text message while driving. The app does not interfere with the normal functioning of the cellular phone. The app sends an immediate response text message to a sender of a received text message that the owner of the cellular phone is driving and can't text. The app notifies the driver of the identity of the sender only by any of a variety of means, most of which do not require the attention or the action of the driver. Action by the driver may be taken later under safe conditions using the normal functioning of the cellular phone.
US09124716B1

An IP text relay is described herein, to facilitate communication through the use of VOIP or internet telephone system between people of hearing impaired and non hearing impaired. This service and device will enable users to communicate with users of hearing via assistance of an operator who will transcribe.
US09124712B2

A data processing system that, in one embodiment, uses smart reminders to allow a user to decline an incoming phone or messaging call and to cause the system to set a smart reminder about the call. In one embodiment, the system can use the system's current state or context (e.g. the system is in a car or is playing a movie) to determine the type of reminder options to present to the user and to determine when to trigger the reminder based on the reminder option that is selected by the user.
US09124709B2

A circuit apparatus for recognizing an earphone in a mobile terminal is provided. The apparatus includes a plurality of devices, a wiring for recognizing the number of poles of the earphone, and a comparator. The plurality of devices are connected between a microphone bias power and a wiring that receives a signal from a microphone of an earphone. The wiring that recognizes the number of poles of the earphone branches from a wiring between at least two of the devices. The comparator compares a voltage of the wiring that recognizes the number of poles with a reference voltage to output a result signal.
US09124705B2

Methods, products, apparatuses, and systems may facilitate a conference operation. The conference operation may include conference chaining, conference switching, conference modification, conference announcement, and so on. A collection of authentication data for a plurality of distinct conferences may be performed to chain the conferences. Switching among the distinct conference may be performed in response to a switch key code. The switch key code may include a general key code applicable to each of the conferences and/or a specific key code application to a specific conference.
US09124694B2

An intelligent IVR system identifies a customer based on previous customer interactions. Customer intent is predicted for an ongoing interaction and personalized services are proactively offered to the customer. A self-optimizing algorithm improves intent prediction, customer identity, and customer willingness to engage and use IVR.
US09124691B2

Tools and techniques for performing life cycle management of user-selected applications on wireless communications devices are described herein. In part, the tools provide machine-readable media for presenting to the subscriber a list of available applications for installation on the device, and for receiving selections from the subscriber of one or more of the applications. Additionally, the tools provide methods for selling advertising space on the devices.
US09124690B2

A data relay device comprises a modem, an adaptor, and a base station. The base station is configured to determine whether an incoming call has a corresponding record among one or more records of the data relay device, obtain media by using the corresponding record, and transmit the media to a customer premise equipment device.
US09124686B2

An embodiment includes using a camera in a mobile phone for detecting position and movement of the eyes of a user relative to a display screen of the phone. This allows, for example, scrolling a page on the display screen based on the movement of the user's eyes.
US09124685B2

In one embodiment, a phone detects the eyes of a user to determine if the user is looking at the phone prior to the phone initiating one or more predetermined actions. This is useful, for example, to prevent unwanted activation of a control on the phone as when a user inadvertently touches a control on the phone while taking the phone out of a pocket. Another embodiment prevents the phone from taking actions that may change the display, such as dimming, hibernating, sleeping, turning off, etc., if it is determined that the user is looking at the display screen.
US09124683B2

A diagnostic engine for remotely analyzing a fault of a telecommunication line includes a first measurement module adapted to be coupled to a termination of the line and adapted to measure first line characteristics according to a Metallic Line Testing measurement technique; a fault detection module to detect, based upon the first line characteristics, a fault on the line and to trigger thereupon a determining module; and a showtime module to be coupled to the termination to determine whether the line is in showtime mode and to inform thereupon the determining module accordingly. The determining module is adapted to trigger, in the event when the line being in showtime mode, activation of a second measurement module. The second measurement module is adapted to be coupled to the termination and to measure second line characteristics according to a Dual Ended Line Testing measurement technique. A combining module is coupled to the first and the second measurement module and adapted to combine the measured first and second line characteristics of the line and to analyze therewith further features of the fault.
US09124675B2

Methods and systems are provided for providing an incoming event notification to a telephony control point in a UPnP home network environment. Information associated with a remote party is fetched by a telephony server, when an incoming event associated with the remote party arrives at the telephony server. An incoming event notification associated with the incoming event is generated. The incoming event notification includes the information associated with the remote party. The incoming event with the incoming event notification is forwarded to at least one telephony control point in the UPnP home network environment. The information associated with the remote party is displayed with the incoming event notification on a display of the at least one telephony control point, when the incoming event arrives at the telephony control point.
US09124672B2

A streaming video server includes a virtual file system that stores playlist data corresponding to a plurality of video programs available from at least one video source and that stores variant playlist data corresponding to each of the plurality of video programs that indicates a single variant for streaming each of the plurality of video programs. The streaming video server receives a request for a selected one of the plurality of video programs from a client device. The selected one of the plurality of video programs is retrieved from the at least one video source in response to the request. A rate generator generates rate data based on the transmission feedback data. A plurality of encoded segments are generated from the selected one of the plurality of video programs, based on rate data.
US09124663B2

A system and method for bandwidth sharing in a distributed wireless client application using inverse multiplexing termination. The system includes: a group of collocated client playback devices having wide area network (WAN) and local area network (LAN) connectivity, and a centralized inverse multiplexing (IMUX) server which optimizes shared bandwidth of both the WAN via inverse multiplexing and the LAN using either broadcast or multicast of all virtual multiplexing paths to all other client playback devices of the group of collocated client playback devices. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09124659B2

A predetermined group of users using one or more computing devices are allowed to join a shared collaboration and communication space associated with the predetermined group of users. The shared collaboration and communication space is associated with the predetermined group of users for a specified time period and for a predetermined operation that the predetermined group of users are authorized to work on. The predetermined group of users are authenticated based on user identities and information identifying the predetermined operation. The shared collaboration and communication space allows for interactive communication among the predetermined group of users.
US09124655B2

Configuration information to configure an information handling system is obtained by sending an identifier for the information handling system to a portable information handling system, such as a mobile telephone, with a first NFC communication. The mobile telephone retrieves the configuration information, such as through a network interface, and sends the configuration information to the information handling system with a second NFC communication. Configuration information includes a variety of information, such as IP and MAC address, BIOS settings, software applications, firmware versions and end user specific settings.
US09124651B2

Embodiments related to controlling media privacy settings are disclosed. One disclosed embodiment provides a media server system including a configured to receive media consumption data for each media content item of a plurality of media content items consumed by a user. Media consumption data for each media content item includes an item-specific privacy status and a media content item identifier. The server is also configured to receive, from one or more of another user and a media content item recommendations program, a request for access to the media consumption data for a media content item, and to provide one or more of the other user and the media content item recommendations program with access to the media consumption data based on the item-specific privacy status of the media consumption data.
US09124645B2

The invention relates to an instantaneous messaging system for mobile terminals comprising one or several instantaneous messaging servers (S1, S2) able to deliver instantaneous messaging services to mobile terminals (TA, TB1, TC1, TD1, TB2, TE2, TF2) connected to said servers and of which the users (A, B1, C1, D1, B2, E2, F2) have opened an instantaneous messaging session, and a virtual presence server (100) independent of the existing instantaneous messaging servers (S1, S2), said virtual presence server being connected to at least one mobile client terminal (TA) and to at least one of the existing messaging servers (S1, S2), wherein said virtual presence server (100) comprises means to automatically manage an instantaneous messaging session in place of said user (A), said means of management being activated when the connection between said mobile client terminal (TA) and said virtual presence server is cut off.The invention also relates to a method to automatically manage a session in a messaging system for mobile terminals.
US09124641B2

A system for securing data and information transmitted via entails is disclosed. The system includes a sender-side device from which an email including a first code is transmitted. The first code comprises instructions for manipulating server-side processing of the email. The system includes a filter module which determines whether the first code is present within the email, and subsequently transmits the email to a processing server in case if the first code is present within the email. The system includes a processing server which processes the email in accordance with the instructions specified in the first code and generates a first link, thereby enabling the email sender to access and modify the access policy for the email. The processing server further authenticates the intended recipient of the email via an OTP before enabling the intended recipient to access the parts of the email.
US09124633B1

Provisioning an Internet Protocol address is disclosed. A request to provision an Internet Protocol address to a virtual resource is received. An Internet Protocol address is automatically determined to allocate to the virtual resource. An Internet Protocol Address Management appliance is used to automatically allocate the determined Internet Protocol address to the virtual resource.
US09124630B1

In one implementation, user identities who are members of a particular user identity's social network are identified. In addition, data is accessed that reveals locations that at least some of the identified other user identities have registered with the platform as locations that they have visited. A view of an aggregation of at least some of the locations where other user identities who are members of the particular user identity's social network have registered that they have visited is made available for display. In another implementation, data is accessed that reveals residence information for user identities who are members of a particular user identity's social network. Thereafter, a view of an aggregation of at least some of the residence information for the other user identities who are members of the particular user identity's social network is made available for display.
US09124629B1

A session identifier is used during negotiation of a secure connection between a client and an endpoint that includes both session information and client identification information. For example, a client connects to a load balancer using transport layer security (TLS). The load balancer may pass client information, such as session information, on to an application server that determines client information to put in a TLS session identifier. The application may send the client information to include in the TLS session identifier back to the load balancer. The load balancer may combine TLS session information for resuming TLS communications and client information for identifying the client into the session identifier. The session identifier may be passed to the client for use in later communication. TLS negotiation between the client and the load balancer may be completed and a secure connection begun. The application may monitor actions performed by the client.
US09124625B1

Interdicting an undesired service is disclosed. For example, a malware service is interdicted. The undesired service is identified. A vulnerability of the undesired service is identified from among a hierarchy of vulnerabilities. The undesired service is interdicted according to the vulnerability. For example, a corresponding action of a vulnerability to interdict the undesired service is performed in the order of the hierarchy until the undesired service is interdicted.
US09124617B2

A method of inhibiting the spread of malware across a network of interconnected computer terminals. The method includes detecting malware or suspicious behavior at a first computer terminal and inspecting the first computer terminal, before and/or after said step of detecting malware or suspicious behavior, to identify contacts forming part of a social network. Identities of the identified contacts are sent to a backend security system, and at the backend security system, said identities are received and instructions sent to one or more second computer terminals associated with respective identities to cause those second computer terminals to implement an increased level of security.
US09124608B2

In a multimedia communication session with multiple media components, one or more media components can be transferred from one access network to another access network and yet maintain the continuity of the overall communication session. Each session is first identified and thereafter the media component intended to be transferred is also identified. The identities of the identified session and component are sent to one or more entities within the communication network for executing the media component transfer.
US09124597B2

During a registration procedure by a User Equipment (UE) via a Proxy Call Session Control Function (P-CSCF) node and a Serving Call Session Control Function (S-CSCF) node, the S-CSCF node provides a policy indicator in a response message to a register request message. The policy indicator enables subsequent operation of the node to be controlled according to whether or not a registered UE has an associated policy. As such, delays (such as delays associated with retrieving an associated policy) are only experienced by UEs that have previously been determined as having such an associated policy, rather than all UEs being affected in the same way.
US09124593B2

The present invention relates to a method for managing an execution of a composite service, the composite service comprising constituent services. The method comprises providing (101) first service complexity measures indicating a complexity related to executing a number of constituent services of the composite service by a first service execution node, providing (103) second service complexity measures indicating a complexity related to executing the number of constituent services of the composite service by a second service execution node, determining (105) a first total complexity measure upon the basis of the first service complexity measures, determining (107) a second total complexity measure upon the basis of second service complexity measures, and selecting (109) either the first service execution node or the second service execution node in dependency of at least one of: the first total complexity measure or the second total complexity measure for executing the number of constituent services of the composite service.
US09124573B2

A system that incorporates the subject disclosure may perform, for example, operations including receiving an encrypted secure token from a secure token application function that is remote from the communication device, storing the encrypted secure token in a secure element memory of the secure element, accessing user input requesting the encrypted secure token where the secure device processor is separate from the secure element and is in communication with the secure element, generating a modified secure token by adding identification information to the encrypted secure token and by performing a second encryption of the encrypted secure token with the identification information, receiving the modified secure token from the secure element, and providing the modified secure token to a receiving device. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09124565B2

An RFID device such as an RFID tag (2) and method comprising: storing a current read key and a current ownership key; receiving, from the RFID reader system (4), a change read key command and an indication that the RFID reader system (4) holds the current ownership key; and in response, replacing the current read key with a new current read key enabling the RFID device (2) to be read by an RFID reader system (4) holding the new current read key. Also, an RFID reader system (4) and method for an RFID reader system (4) to process an RFID device (2), comprising: issuing a take ownership command to an RFID device (2); receiving a new ownership key from the RFID device (2); applying for authorization of the new ownership key; and receiving from the authorization apparatus (6) the new ownership key and an acknowledgement that may be communicated to the tag as evidence of authorization.
US09124563B2

A method to securely and asynchronously provisioning keys from one source secure device to a target secure device through a key provisioning server, in which the keys to be provisioned via the method remain unknown. The method includes the steps of, for the source secure device, encrypting a key to be transferred using a transport key so that only the target secure device can decrypt, and sending the encrypted key to the provisioning server and, for the target secure device, when available, getting the encrypted transferred key, and decrypting the transferred key using the transport key.
US09124561B2

A method is provided for transferring control of a security module from a first entity to a second entity. The security module has a first security domain controlled by the first entity by at least one first secret control key specific to the first entity, and a second security domain, the second domain containing a private key and a certificate of a public key of a controlling authority. The method includes: receiving a request to obtain the certificate; sending the certificate; receiving data encrypted by the public key of the certificate, the data including at least one second secret control key specific to the second entity; decrypting the data; verifying the data; and if the verification is positive, replacing the at least one first secret control key by the at least one second secret control key.
US09124556B2

An approach is provided for providing identity based encryption in distributed computations. An identity based encryption platform causes, at least in part, a segmentation of a computation closure into at least a first part and one or more second parts. The identity based encryption platform also causes, at least in part, an encryption of the one or more second parts using the first part as a public key of an identity-based encryption.
US09124554B2

A service delivery hub controlled by a network operator includes an access controller; a network services gateway in communication with the access controller and in communication with external network elements, a partner management center in communication with the access controller and the network services gateway, the partner management center configured to establish a service level agreement with application service providers or enabler providers; an interface defined by the service level agreement, the interface configured to provide a single point access to the application service developers, to provide a set of programming interfaces to the developers whereas the programming interfaces provide access to the external network elements; and a charging system interface to a charging gateway, wherein the charging system is subject to the service level agreement and wherein the service delivery hub allocates revenue in accordance with the service level agreement.
US09124552B2

Aspects of this disclosure relate to filtering network data transfers. In some variations, multiple packets may be received. A determination may be made that a portion of the packets have packet header field values corresponding to a packet filtering rule. Responsive to such a determination, an operator specified by the packet filtering rule may be applied to the portion of packets having the packet header field values corresponding to the packet filtering rule. A further determination may be made that one or more of the portion of the packets have one or more application header field values corresponding to one or more application header field criteria specified by the operator. Responsive to such a determination, at least one packet transformation function specified by the operator may be applied to the one or more of the portion of the packets.
US09124549B1

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for requesting handling web applications provided from a server. A bootstrap object is received from the server. The bootstrap object is independent of the requested web application and includes default settings for a plurality of different web applications. An application configuration object is also received from the server. The application configuration object is specific to the requested web application and includes a plurality of plugin handles. The bootstrap object loads the application configuration object, and identifies, based on the plugin handles, a first plugin for the requested web application. The first plugin is requested, and upon receipt the from the server the first plugin is loaded in a user interface. The first plugin exposes an application programming interface (API) of the first plugin to the bootstrap object.
US09124544B2

Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to distribution list management for a collaborative object and provide a method, system and computer program product for detecting exceptions for collaborative object addressing in a collaborative computing environment. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for detecting exceptions for collaborative object addressing in a collaborative computing environment can be provided. The method can include retrieving a distribution list for a collaborative object in a collaborative computing environment, comparing addressees in the distribution list to addressees in a list of previously applied addressees, and providing a notification where an addressee in the distribution list does not appear as an addressee in the list of previously applied addresses.
US09124540B2

According to one embodiment, a system includes a plurality of ports adapted for connecting to external devices and a switching processor. The switching processor includes a packet processor which includes a look-up interface, fetch and refresh logic (LIFRL) module and a packet processor logic (PPL) module adapted to operate in parallel, an internal look-up table cache including a plurality of look-up entries, each relating to a traffic flow which has been or is anticipated to be received by the switching processor, and a traffic manager module including a buffer memory which is connected to the plurality of ports. The LIFRL module is adapted for accessing the internal look-up table cache, the PPL module is adapted for communicating with the traffic manager module and the buffer memory, and the LIFRL module is adapted for communicating with one or more external look-up tables.
US09124539B2

Roughly described, a header processing engine for a network interface device has a header recognizer to parse the headers of a data packet stored at a buffer to identify the type and position of each header in the packet; a constructor unit; and a processor including an execution pipeline. The header recognizer is configured to, for each header: select in dependence on the header type commands stored at a command memory; and form one or more messages for the constructor unit identifying the selected commands and the position of the header in the data packet. The commands selected for the packet headers are collectively such as to, if executed by the constructor unit, cause the constructor unit to generate a data structure which operates to cause the processor to process of the packet headers without accessing the data packet at the buffer.
US09124534B1

A computer-implemented method for managing sub-clusters within dependent clustered computing systems subsequent to partition events may include (1) identifying a first computing cluster and a second computing cluster, (2) determining that the first computing cluster depends on the second computing cluster, (3) detecting a partition event that partitions the first computing cluster into multiple sub-clusters, (4) determining, in response to detecting the partition event, whether the second computing cluster is partitioned into multiple sub-clusters, and (5) making, based at least in part on determining whether the second computing cluster is partitioned into multiple sub-clusters, a fencing decision for the multiple sub-clusters of the first computing cluster. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09124528B2

This disclosure relates a method within a network node and a corresponding network node for determining input information for creation of a data traffic clustering model. The method comprises obtaining data descriptors of data flows, wherein the data descriptors describe data of the data flows, and obtaining flow information of the data flows. In addition, the method comprises determining clustering model input information based on the obtained data descriptors and the obtained flow information. One exemplary advantage of the present disclosure is that it allows traffic clustering based solely on packet header information, making the present disclosure appropriate for handling encrypted traffic.
US09124527B2

Techniques are provided for hash-based routing table management in a distributed network switch. A frame having a source address and a destination address is received. If no routing entry for the source address is found in a routing table of a switch module in the distributed network switch, where the routing table is divided into slices of buckets, then routing information is determined for the source address and a routing entry is generated. The routing table is modified to include the routing entry and based on a set of hash functions and properties of the slices.
US09124522B2

Nodes and methods are disclosed for protection and restoration to protect against multiple failures for multiple paths involved for the same service in mesh networks, including, determining, by circuitry of a first node in a mesh network, a failure of a working path between the first node and a second node, wherein the second node, when triggered by the failure of the working path, switches to a protection path. Methods further include establishing through transmission of at least one signal by circuitry of the first node at least one recovery path, for example, a restored-working path, after determining the failure of the at least one working path, wherein the at least one restored-working path carries a duplicate of the data traffic transmitted on the protection path in case of failure of the protection path.
US09124521B2

Systems and methods are provided for efficient communication through a fabric network of devices in a home environment or similar environment. For example, an electronic device may efficiently control communication to balance power and reliability concerns, may efficiently communicate messages to certain preferred networks by analyzing Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) packet headers that use an Extended Unique Local Address (EULA), may efficiently communicate software updates and status reports throughout a fabric network, and/or may easily and efficiently join a fabric network.
US09124520B2

In one embodiment, a device receives data from a network at a TCP buffer at a selected data rate, and copies the data from the TCP buffer to a decoder buffer at a reading rate. Once decreasing the reading rate to decrease a level of the decoder buffer, the device may increase the reading rate to an upshift probe rate, and monitors a TCP buffer level during reading at the upshift probe rate to determine whether the network can support the upshift probe rate. If the TCP buffer level decreases to a lower threshold during the upshift probe rate, the device returns to read data from the TCP buffer by the decoder buffer at the reading rate. If the TCP buffer level stays above the lower threshold during the upshift probe rate, the device may trigger a corresponding upshift in a send rate from a sender of the data.
US09124514B2

The present application is directed towards sharing data link layer information of network traffic distributed across a cluster of intermediary devices. A method for sharing data link layer information across a cluster includes receiving a request packet at a first intermediary device. The first intermediary device identifies a first set of data link layer information from a data link layer of the request packet. The first intermediary device modifies the request packet for transmission on a common data backplane of the cluster to include the first set of data link layer information in the request packet. The modified request packet includes a second set of data link layer information that differs from the first set of data link layer information at the data link layer. The first intermediary device transmits the modified request packet on the common data backplane of the cluster to other devices of the cluster.
US09124507B1

In an embodiment, a method exchanges routing data within a network including control and forwarding on separate devices. In the method, a first reachability information session is established between a forwarding device and a first control device and a second reachability information session is established between the forwarding device and a second control device. Also, a third reachability information session is established between the forwarding device and an external routing device. Finally, advertisements are exchanged between the first and second reachability information sessions and the third reachability information session such that the first and second control device appear to the external routing device to be a single device. System and computer program product embodiments are also disclosed.
US09124506B2

Techniques for end-to-end network bandwidth optimization using software defined networking are provided. In one embodiment, a computer system can receive information regarding a flow to be admitted to a network, where the flow is associated with a source and a destination. The computer system can further calculate, for each path in a plurality of paths between the source and the destination, a projected utilization of the path in view of the flow. If the projected utilization of the shortest path in the plurality of paths is less than or equal to a target utilization threshold, the computer system can assign the flow to the shortest path. Otherwise, the computer system can select a path in the plurality of paths that comes closest to the target utilization threshold without exceeding the threshold and can assign the flow to that selected path.
US09124505B2

A system detection method and apparatus. The throughput and response time of the system are acquired, where the throughput reflects the number of requests from outside the system that has been processed by the system. The response time reflects time required by the system to process requests from outside the system. The system performance characteristic parameter based on the throughput and response time is obtained and is used to describe congestion condition of the system to determine whether there is a bottleneck in the system. Also provided are a method and device for flow control. The system detection method and apparatus allow detecting a bottleneck and flow control in a simple and effective way to ensure that requests are processed in time.
US09124500B2

A method of optimizing management of presence information over a mobile network includes determining, by a host server, the presence information of a user of a mobile application on a mobile device based on heartbeat messages, while a first connection between the mobile device and the host server is closed, wherein the user is determined to be online when heartbeat messages are received from the mobile device in regular intervals of time. The user is determined to be offline when heartbeat messages are not received from the mobile device. The method may further include maintaining or closing a second connection between the host server and a content server based on the presence information of the user. Maintaining the second connection allows the content server to determine that the user is online, and closing the second connection allows the content server to determine that the user is offline.
US09124495B2

A system and method for automatic provisioning of stacked switches includes entering a client state, setting one or more ports of the switch to normal mode, sending a first provisioning discover request on the one or more ports, receiving a first provisioning offer on a first port selected from the one or more ports, detecting whether the first provisioning offer is a full offer or a partial offer, entering a server state when the first provisioning offer is a full offer, entering a relay state when the first provisioning offer is a partial, and provisioning the switch based on information associated with the first provisioning offer.
US09124488B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide a dashboard that displays an overview of a datacenter's health which helps prioritize, monitor, and troubleshoot problems. In particular, one embodiment is a method for visualizing the health of datacenter objects which includes displaying datacenter objects on a scatterplot of a dashboard wherein one axis of the scatterplot corresponds to problem severity and another axis of the scatterplot corresponds to time.
US09124481B2

Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related network node including one or more of the following: receiving a Diameter message at the DRA from an origin device, wherein the Diameter message includes an attribute-value pair (AVP) having a first value represented according to a first data type; establishing a context object in response to receiving the Diameter message; establishing, within the context object, a custom attribute object that corresponds to the AVP and provides access to at least a portion of the first value represented according to a second data type, wherein the second data type is different from the first data type; evaluating a rule that includes a context object reference, wherein the evaluation includes accessing the custom attribute object based on the context object reference; and transmitting a message based on the evaluation of the rule.
US09124479B2

In order to improve the efficiency of user signal demodulation processing including interference suppression processing, a wireless receiving unit (10) forming a wireless base station receiving device (1) receives a wireless signal (101) including plural user signal components respectively transmitted from plural mobile terminals. An interference suppression unit (20) determines whether to perform a predetermined interference suppression processing upon demodulation of each user signal component from the wireless signal (101) (base band signal (102) output from the wireless receiving unit (10)) according to a reception quality (reception quality information (107)) of each user signal component that needs to be guaranteed for each mobile terminal and a transmission rate (transmission rate information (108)) of each user signal component determined for each mobile terminal. At this time, the interference suppression unit (20) causes a number of interference suppression demodulation blocks (30) corresponding to the number of user signal components determined to be subjected to the interference suppression processing to operate, and causes a number of normal demodulation blocks (40) corresponding to the number of user signal components determined not to be subjected to the interference suppression processing to operate.
US09124471B2

Systems and methods for transceiver communication are discussed herein. An exemplary system comprises a first transceiver and a second transceiver. The first transceiver may comprise an I/Q module and a PHY device. The I/Q module may receive a first complex signal and transform the first complex signal into bit words of a predetermined size and framewords. The PHY device may receive the bit words, transmit the bit words and framewords over a cable, and perform adaptive cancellation. The second transceiver may comprise a PHY device, an I/Q module, an I/Q modulator, and an antenna. The PHY device may receive the bit words and the framewords from over the cable. The I/Q module may transform the bit words to a second complex signal based on the framewords. The I/Q modulator may modulate the complex signal to generate a transmit signal. The antenna may transmit the signal.
US09124469B2

An architecture and method is provided for call routing using both IMS and non-IMS frameworks. The method includes receiving presence information of a third party from a non-IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network device. The method further includes routing the third party to at least one callee designated device based on configurable preferences provided by the callee and correlated to presence information using an IMS compliant component. The method additionally includes providing a charging record for the routing on an IMS complaint charging platform.
US09124462B2

An apparatus is provided. The apparatus comprises a polynomial register having a plurality of bits, a first bus, a second bus, and a transceiver that is coupled to the first bus, the second bus, and the polynomial register. The polynomial register is configured to store a user-defined polynomial, and the transceiver includes a pseudorandom bit sequence (PRBS) generator is configured to generate a scrambled signal from the user-defined polynomial and a PRBS checker that is configured to generate a descrambled signal from a second signal using the user-defined polynomial.
US09124459B2

Sphere decoding of signals for MIMO detection involves a first distance processor arranged to determine a distance between symbols of a received symbol vector and possible transmit symbols, in a search sequence according to a search tree. A line from root to leaf of the search tree represents a possible transmit symbol vector and the sequence of processing root level symbols can be ordered with respect to increasing distance without explicit sorting of the root level symbols based on distance calculations. A next symbol in the sequence is determined, based on a symbol currently being processed by the first distance processor, and a second distance processor determines the distance in respect of the next symbol in the search sequence for the same possible transmit symbol vector, in parallel with the determining of the distance in respect of the current symbol by the first distance processor.
US09124449B2

One embodiment receives at a first node in at least a portion of a network a routing table, the portion of the network comprising the first node and one or more second nodes, the routing table specifying the immediate neighbor that provides each of the best paths in the portion of the network based on a total cost; using the routing table, determines at the first node every second node that is necessary for the first node to reach all edges of the network, the second nodes that are necessary for the first node to reach all edges of the network comprising an active set for the first node; and sends a message from the first node to every second node to facilitate determining whether to shut down the second node.
US09124443B2

Method of communication in a home automation network allowing communication between command transmitters and/or command receivers associated with equipment in a building by means of messages transmitted in the form of frames, a frame comprising at least one data field comprising several functional segments, said method comprising a step of constructing a frame on the basis of an instruction written in a programming language, the instruction comprising words composed in the form of strings of alphanumeric characters and/or of signs and/or of icons, delimited by separators, in which each word gives rise to a functional segment.
US09124442B2

The invention relates to a home automation system and a method for controlling the same. In order to stably control a continuing concerted adjustment action of a continuously variable parameter by means of few and low-sized commands in order to avoid overloading of a low-data rate network while providing means for fast and unobtrusive correction of failures due to missed commands, it is provided a method for controlling a wireless home automation system, the home automation system being arranged as a network comprising at least one controller and a plurality of devices, wherein the method comprises the steps of sending a start command from the controller to a group of devices comprising an action type and a transaction ID and sending a stop command from the controller to the devices comprising the transaction ID and a controller counter.
US09124441B2

Various embodiments for remote presentation of an interface of a computing device, such as a PC, are described herein. In particular, in various illustrated embodiments, a local device such as a Digital Media Adapter (DMA), mobile device, cellular telephone, etc. may be used to receive input from a remote control, where the local device provides human perceptible feedback, such as a sound, visual response, etc., responsive to use of the remote control. In some embodiments, the local device may contain a memory or cache for locally storing particular feedback data for human perceptible feedback. In various embodiments, a communication protocol is provided for storing, triggering, deleting, etc. feedback data in the memory or cache. Other embodiments may be disclosed or claimed.
US09124438B2

A network communication apparatus which can transmit multicast packets includes a communication interface unit that has a plurality of IP addresses allocated thereto and transmits multicast packets using each of the plurality of IP addresses as a transmission source, and a multicast control unit that controls transmission of the multicast packets from the communication interface unit, groups the plurality of IP addresses in a plurality based on predetermined criteria, and sequentially transmits the multicast packets using one IP address belonging to each group as a transmission source with respect to all the IP addresses in each group.
US09124437B2

A method and system for implementation and operation of an interactive communications network for meeting, trade show, convention or conference (“event”) organizers and attendees, which is implemented in one or more hotels proximate to the event facilities, with an access device in guest rooms as well as additional implementations for universal access by event attendees, which access provides for real time messaging and on demand information and communications between the organizers and attendees for access to both static and changing information about the event, such as schedules, locations, speakers and other information typically pertinent to event attendees.
US09124434B2

Various embodiments are disclosed that relate to security of a computer accessory device. For example, one non-limiting embodiment provides a host computing device configured to conduct an initial portion of a mutual authentication session with an accessory device, and send information regarding the host computing device and the accessory device to a remote pairing service via a computer network. The host computing device is further configured to, in response, receive a pairing certificate from the remote pairing service, the pairing certificate being encrypted via a private key of the remote pairing service, and complete the mutual authentication with the accessory device using the pairing certificate from the remote pairing service.
US09124433B2

Authentication devices and methods for generating dynamic credentials are disclosed. The authentication devices include a communication interface for communicating with a security device such as a smart card. A dynamic credential such as a one-time password (OTP) or a message authentication code (MAC) may be generated by receiving from a server an encrypted initialization seed encrypted with an asymmetric encryption algorithm using a public key of a public/private key pair, submitting the encrypted initialization seed to a security device, decrypting at the security device the encrypted initialization seed with a private key of the public/private key pair, returning the decrypted initialization seed to the authentication device, deriving at the authentication device a secret credential generation key from the decrypted initialization seed, and generating the dynamic credential by combining a dynamic variable with the secret credential generation key using a symmetric cryptographic dynamic credential generation algorithm.
US09124431B2

Techniques to provide evidence-based dynamic scoring to limit guesses in knowledge based authentication are disclosed herein. In some aspects, an authenticator may receive an input from a user in response to a presentation of a personal question that enables user access to a restricted resource. The authenticator may determine that the input is not equivalent to a stored value, and thus is an incorrect input. The authenticator may then determine whether the input is similar to a previous input received from the user. A score may be assigned to the input. When the input is determined to be similar to the previous input, the score may be reduced. Another request for an input may be transmitted by the authenticator when a sum of the score and any previous scores of the session is less than a threshold.
US09124430B2

Example embodiments include centralized systems for managing cryptographic keys and trust relationships among systems. Embodiments may include a centralized key store and a centralized policy store. Key sets comprising public/private keys may be stored in or identified by key objects. Key objects within the key store may be organized into key sets and trust sets. Policies may apply at any level within the key store. Policies and associated keys may be grouped and organized to manage groups of keys according to common policies and to present complex relationships to a user. Lower level keys may inherit policy properties from higher levels. Higher levels may be locked to preclude changes at lower levels. Policies may include a variety of properties/fields to facilitate key management. Policies may determine what actions are taken with respect to a key or group of keys.
US09124428B2

To provide a mobile communication system and a communication method for enabling HARQ control information to be transmitted and received using radio resources efficiently in case that a base station apparatus and a mobile station apparatus communicate with each other in a wider frequency band using component carriers in a composite manner, in the communication method in the mobile station apparatus that transmits, to the base station apparatus, the HARQ control information for a plurality of downlink transport blocks transmitted on a plurality of downlink component carriers using a first physical uplink control channel resource, in case that the mobile station apparatus detects a single physical downlink control channel in a common search space in a certain subframe, the mobile station apparatus transmits the HARQ control information to the base station apparatus, using a second physical uplink control channel resource different from the first physical uplink control channel resource.
US09124423B2

Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for iterative data secret-sharing transformation and reconversion. In one aspect, data secret-sharing transformation and reconversion is provided in which each bit of an input stream of bits of data is split, on a bit by bit basis, into a pair of secret-sharing bits, and the secret-sharing bits of each pair of secret-sharing bits are separated into separate streams of secret-sharing bits. In this manner, one secret-sharing bit of each pair of secret-sharing bits may be placed in one stream of secret-sharing bits and the other secret-sharing bit of each pair may be placed in another stream of secret-sharing bits different from the one stream of secret-sharing bits. Confidentiality of the original input stream may be protected in the event one but not both streams of secret-sharing bits is obtained by unauthorized personnel. In another aspect, for an input stream of N bits, each received bit of the N bits of the input stream of data, may be interatively split, on a bit by bit basis, into a pair of secret-sharing bits, to generate as few as N+1 secret-sharing bits from the input stream of bits N bits. Other features and aspects may be realized, depending upon the particular application.
US09124419B2

Devices, system, and methods of secure entry and handling of passwords and Personal Identification Numbers (PINs), as well as for secure local storage, secure user authentication, and secure payment via mobile devices and via payment terminals. A server includes: an authentication module to send, to a remote client device, a server authentication certificate; an accreditation certificate stored in a pre-defined location on the server, wherein the pre-defined location is accessible to the remote client device; wherein the accreditation certificate indicates a condition that the server authentication certificate needs to meet in order for the server authentication certificate to be accepted for authentication by the remote client device.
US09124412B2

A method and an arrangement in a radio network node for reconfiguring mappings from Carrier Indicator Field-values to component carriers are provided. Each CIF-value is mapped to a respective component carrier comprising a respective shared data channel. Each respective shared data channel corresponds to at least one downlink control channel carrying said each CIF-value. The radio network node reconfigures mappings from CIF-values to component carriers, while at least one mapping of CIF-value to component carrier is maintained. The component carrier of said at least one mapping from CIF-value to component carrier comprises said at least one downlink control channel and a shared data channel corresponding to said at least one downlink control channel. The radio network node sends at least one of the reconfigured mappings from CIF-values to component carriers to the user equipment.
US09124411B2

The present invention provides a method for sending and receiving control information, an apparatus and a communication system. The method for sending control information includes: setting respective control bits in a downlink control information (DCI) format to generate control information applied by a network side to a terminal, where the control bits include validity indication bits and transmission control bits, indication information indicating whether transmission control exercised by the network side on a transmission block is valid relative to the terminal is written into the validity indication bits, and the validity indication bits are located outside the transmission control bits; and sending the generated control information to the terminal. In the embodiments of the present invention improve efficiency of using an overhead required for transmitting the control information.
US09124408B2

The present invention relates to a wireless communication system, particularly, a method in which a terminal transmits control information in a CA-based wireless communication system and an apparatus for the method, the method comprising: configuring a first cell and a second cell having different subframe configurations, wherein the second cell has any one of UL-DL configuration #0 to #6; receiving a DC) format including a DAI field, for the second cell; and transmitting HARQ-ACK information relating to the downlink DCI format. For HARQ-ACK timing, in cases where a reference UL-DL configuration applied to the second cell is any one of UL-DL configurations #1 to #6, the DAI field is used in a process of transmitting the HARQ-ACK information. For HARQ-ACK timing, in cases where a reference UL-DL configuration applied to the second cell is #0, the DAI field is not used in a process of transmitting the HARQ-ACK information.
US09124399B2

Circuitry for use in a receiver may comprise: a front-end circuit operable to receive an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol on a first number of physical subcarriers. The circuitry may comprise a decoding circuit operable to decode the OFDM symbol using an inter-carrier interference (ICI) model, the decoding resulting in a determination of a sequence of symbols, comprising a second number of symbols, that most-likely correspond to the received OFDM symbol, where the second number is greater than the first number. The sequence of symbols may comprise N-QAM symbols, N being an integer. The ISCI model may be based, at least in part, on non-linearity experienced by the OFDM symbol during transmission by a transmitter, propagation over a channel, and/or reception by the receiver. The ISCI model may be based, at least in part, on phase-noise introduced to the OFDM symbol during transmission by a transmitter, propagation over a channel, and/or reception by the receiver.
US09124393B2

An apparatus for detecting the end of a communication is disclosed. The apparatus includes an interface circuit for receiving an encoded signal and a carrier signal recovery circuit coupled to an output of the interface circuit. The carrier signal recovery circuit is configured to output a carrier signal of the encoded signal and a second signal that is out of phase with the carrier signal. The apparatus also includes a decoding circuit configured to decode the encoded signal as a function of both the encoded signal and the carrier signal output by the carrier signal recovery circuit. The apparatus also includes a detection circuit configured to detect an indication of an end of a communication in the encoded signal as a function of both the encoded signal and the second signal.
US09124392B2

Disclosed embodiments may include an apparatus having one or more processors coupled to one or more computer-readable storage media. The one or more processors may be configured to transmit and/or receive channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) resource configuration information, demodulation reference signals (DM-RS), uplink sounding reference signals (SRS), and power control parameters to support uplink coordinated multi-point (CoMP) operations. Other embodiments may be disclosed.
US09124390B2

A communication channel includes a first component having a transmitter coupled to a normal signal source, and a second component having a receiver coupled to a normal signal destination. A communication link couples the first and second components. Calibration logic provides for setting an operation value for a parameter of the communication channel, such as by executing an exhaustive calibration sequence at initialization of the link. A tracking circuit, including a monitoring function, tracks drift in the parameter by monitoring a feedback signal that has a characteristic that correlates with drift in the communication channel, and updates, or indicates the need for updating of, the operation value of the parameter in response to the monitoring function.
US09124384B2

The high data transmission capacity of fiber optic networks has been exploited through wavelength division multiplexing (WDM). By using multiple independent wavelengths, or lambdas, the fiber can carry a multiplicity of content, each in its own lambda. As the number of lambdas increases (it is currently ca. 100 and is projected to climb to 100,000 or more) it becomes increasingly challenging to allocate lambdas to traffic. The present invention automates the allocation process by detecting similar interests amongst groups of users, and creating a shared lambda for use by the users.
US09124383B1

A reconfigurable electrical add/drop multiplexing node, a network, and optoelectronic integrated circuit form a novel high capacity fiber-optic integrated transmission and switching system with a baseline target capacity in excess of 1 Tbps. The node, network, and circuit can leverage optoelectronic integration of transmission and switching components along with using the full “transparency” window of modern optical fibers from about 1270 nm to about 1670 nm for a large number of relatively low-rate wavelengths. The electrical switching fabric can be part of a Reconfigurable Electrical Add/Drop Multiplexer (READM) with similar functionality as a Reconfigurable Optical Add/Drop Multiplexer (ROADM) except in a highly integrated fashion with the transmission components. The electrical switching fabric can implement flow switching on a composite signal to provide comparable functionality to optical components in electrical circuitry such as in Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductors.
US09124378B2

Systems and methods for gathering research data using multiple monitoring devices are provided. At least a pair of the monitoring devices each read ancillary codes contained within media data and which represents research data. The decoded data read by at least one of the pair is associated with a further set of data offering a correspondence between each of the sets of decoded data. Such correspondence allows a determination that the data decoded by each of the pair of monitoring devices is the same.
US09124375B1

A receiver operating in a broadcast system is disclosed that allows a broadcaster to provide multiple tiers of subscription services. By a receiver that can operating at different tiers, a subscriber has the option of listening to fewer (or no) commercials, e.g., by paying a higher fee, or listening to more commercials, e.g., by paying a lower or no fee. Commercials can be demographically targeted, cannot be skipped, and can be audited for billing purposes.
US09124364B1

A method of controlling an optical transmitter having a Dual Parallel Mach-Zehnder (DPMZ) modulator. An I-Q power balance between respective branches of the DPMZ modulator is detected, and at least one parameter of the DPMZ modulator is adjusted to drive the I-Q power balance to a predetermined target value. An optical transmitter may have Quad Parallel Mach-Zehnder (QPMZ) modulator having a pair of parallel DPMZ modulators for modulating respective X- and Y-polarization lights. In such cases, an X-Y power imbalance between the two polarization lights is detected, and at least one parameter of the QPMZ modulator is adjusted to drive the X-Y power imbalance to a predetermined value.
US09124363B2

Techniques are provided to estimate a distance of one received optical subchannel to one or both of its neighbor (adjacent) subchannels. An optical field comprised of a plurality of subchannels of optical signals at respective wavelengths is received on an optical fiber. Using coherent optical reception in conjunction with analog-to-digital conversion, the received optical field is converted to digital complex valued data. The digital complex valued data is transformed to the frequency domain to produce spectrum data. Using either a peak method or a gap method, a distance or spacing is computed between a subchannel of interest among the plurality of subchannels and at least one neighbor subchannel based on the spectrum data.
US09124353B2

A switching circuit may include: the switching circuit includes a switching circuit unit including a first transistor and a second transistor connected to each other in series, the second transistor receiving a first control signal through a control terminal thereof, and an inverter connected between a control terminal of the first transistor and a first terminal of the first transistor. The inverter receives a second control signal and maintains a gate-source voltage level of the first transistor to a threshold voltage level of the first transistor or less, and levels of the first and second control signals are logically complementary to each other.
US09124351B2

A communication terminal according to one aspect of the present invention includes a baseband LSI that performs baseband processing for communication, an application LSI that includes a vocoder function and performs processing according to an application, an audio LSI that performs one of D/A conversion and A/D conversion on audio data, and a switch circuit that is installed in the application LSI and connects a data path between the audio processor LSI and the baseband LSI.
US09124344B2

A pilot reference transmission scheme well suited for high data rate wireless communication systems is disclosed. To maximize the amount of interference from transmissions from neighboring transmission sources (e.g., access points or base stations) during the pilot interval, and hence minimize the amount of interference from non-transmitting sources during the data intervals, the pilot references are transmitted in bursts at predetermined time intervals, and the pilot bursts from the access points are synchronized. This results in maximum interference contributions from non-transmitting neighboring access points, facilitating reliable estimation of worst case carrier-to-interference (C/I), and further allows the receiving devices (e.g., access terminals) to easily recognize the bursts as pilot reference. In one embodiment, each access point transmits the pilot bursts at or near its maximum transmit power level and no user-specific data is transmitted during the pilot bursts.
US09124343B2

According to one embodiment, a connection control module is configured to transmit a connection request signal during a period in which a communication module is in an unconnected state, and to establish a connection between the communication module and an external device which are in a close proximity state. A halt module is configured to halt a communication control module from executing a negotiation with the external device, when the connection between the communication module and the external device is released by the connection release request signal from the external device and thereafter the connection between the communication module and the external device is re-established by the connection control module.
US09124342B2

A method for remotely and dynamically controlling adjacent satellite interference comprising monitoring one or more off-axis signals emitted by one or more remote transmitters; determining whether one or more of the off-axis signals is creating adjacent satellite interference (ASI), off axis emissions and inband interference that is higher than a predetermined level of acceptable interference, and transmitting a control signal to at least one of the one or more remote transmitters in response to the determination that the one or more off-axis signals is creating interference that is higher than the predetermined level of acceptable interference, the control signal initiating an adjustment to one or more transmission parameters of the one or more remote transmitters such that interference resulting from the one or more off-axis signals emitted by the one or more remote transmitters is reduced or eliminated.
US09124332B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, an apparatus, and a system for interference alignment. The method includes: receiving signals transmitted by transmit ends, where the signals include interference signals and a wanted signal; aligning original constellation diagrams of the interference signals to acquire a first interference aligned constellation diagram; performing, according to the first interference aligned constellation diagram, interference signal demodulation and decoding on the received signals to acquire an interference source bit sequence; performing, according to the interference source bit sequence and the first interference aligned constellation diagram, interference reconstruction and removal to acquire a second interference aligned constellation diagram; and performing, according to the second interference aligned constellation diagram, wanted signal demodulation and decoding on the signal sequence to acquire the wanted signal transmitted by a wanted signal transmit end. The embodiments of the present invention are applicable to radio communications.
US09124320B2

A mobile terminal apparatus estimates downlink channel states using respective reference signals included in downlink signals from plural cells; selects PMIs (Precoding Matrix Indicators) using a codebook based on the channel states; estimates a phase difference between the cells based on the selected PMIs or the channel states; and transmits information of the phase difference and the selected PMIs to radio base station apparatuses of the respective cells. A radio base station apparatus receives an uplink signal including a PMI and the information of the phase difference between the cells; multiplies a transmission signal by a precoding weight corresponding to the PMI; adjusts the phase difference between the cells with use of the information of the phase difference between the cells; and transmits the transmission signal to a radio base station apparatus of another cell by coordinated multi-point transmission.
US09124319B2

A method implemented in a user equipment used in a multi-user multiple input multiple output (MU-MIMO) wireless communications system is disclosed. The method includes receiving from a base station an indication of a first modulation type for the user equipment, receiving a first data signal for the user equipment, receiving a second data signal for a co-scheduled user equipment, where a second modulation type for the co-scheduled user equipment is unknown to the user equipment, and deciding the second modulation type. Other methods, systems, and apparatuses also are disclosed.
US09124318B2

An access point can include an array of antennas and a smart antenna selector. The smart antenna selector is configured to select a subset of antennas from the antenna array for use in multi-user multiple-input multiple-output (MU MIMO) data transmissions. Stations that are communicatively coupled to the access point can be selected for inclusion in a multi-user group based, at least in part, on performance measurements of the stations. Performance measurements are determined directly and indirectly from data transmissions sent in response to sounding packets. Antennas for use in MU MIMO data transmissions are selected for the antenna array based, at least in part, on previous antenna selections used for single user data transmissions.
US09124311B2

A multi-band multi-path receiving and transmitting device and method are provided. The multi-band multi-path receiving and transmitting device includes at least two multi-frequency couplers, a multi-band transceiver, and a signal processing module. The multi-band transceiver includes at least two first frequency band receiving branches and at least two second frequency band receiving branches, and the multi-band transceiver is adopted to decrease the number of the transceivers, thereby reducing the material cost and the mounting cost of the base station system.
US09124307B2

A power transmission system includes a power transmission apparatus, a power receiving apparatus, and a foreign-substance detecting unit. The power transmission apparatus has a power transmission coil to wirelessly transmit electric power. The power receiving apparatus has a power receiving coil to wirelessly receive electric power from the power transmission apparatus. The foreign-substance detecting unit detects a foreign substance which is present between the power transmission coil and the power receiving coil. In addition, the power transmission apparatus includes a voltage supply, a power supply controller, the power transmission coil, and a first measurement unit. The power receiving apparatus includes the power receiving coil and a second measurement unit.
US09124303B2

An apparatus including a near field communication (NFC) system and a hearing aid compatibility (HAC) system. The near field communication system includes a near field communication antenna. The hearing aid compatibility system is configured to generate a magnetic field to be received by a hearing aid. The hearing aid compatibility system includes the near field communication antenna. Thus, both the near field communication system and the hearing aid compatibility system include the near field communication antenna as at least a portion of a common communication component for both of the systems.
US09124302B2

A near-field communications (NFC) device includes an NFC antenna, a matching network coupled to the NFC antenna, and a transmitter coupled to the matching network. The transmitter applies a signal to the matching network and varies a frequency of the signal. A parameter is measured while varying the frequency of the signal. A peak value of the parameter is identified and compared to a threshold. A communication protocol is initiated in response to a determination that the peak value satisfies the threshold.
US09124299B1

A set of branch metrics for a trellis associated with a Viterbi detector is generated. A set of path metrics associated with the trellis is generated based at least in part on the set of branch metrics, including by obtaining a pruned trellis by removing at least some portion of the trellis that is associated with an invalid bit sequence not permitted by a constrained code. A surviving path associated with the pruned trellis is selected based at least in part on the set of path metrics. A sequence of decisions associated with the surviving path is output.
US09124298B2

Low complexity error correction using cyclic redundancy check (CRC). Communications between communication devices, sometimes including at least one redundant transmission from a transmitter to a receiver, undergo low complexity error correction. CRC may be employed in conjunction with using any desired type of ECC or using uncoded modulation. Based on CRC determined bit-errors, as few as a singular syndrome associated with a singular bit-error or a linear combination of syndromes associated with two or more singular bit-errors within two or more received signal sequences are employed to perform error correction of the received signal. Real time combinations of multiple syndromes associated with respective single bit-errors (that may themselves be calculated off-line) are employed in accordance with error correction. In addition to CRC, any ECC may be employed including convolutional code, RS code, turbo code, TCM code, TTCM code, LDPC code, or BCH code.
US09124297B2

A machine-implemented method of generating trapping-set information for use in LDPC-decoding processing of read signals generated, e.g., by sensing a storage medium, such as a magnetic platter. In one embodiment, the method can be implemented as an add-on to any other trapping-set search method in which the discovered trapping sets are evaluated to determine their influence on the overall bit-error rate and/or error-floor characteristics of the LDPC decoder. The method can advantageously reuse at least some of the computational results obtained during this evaluation, thereby requiring a relatively small amount of additional computations, while providing a significant benefit of discovering many more trapping sets in addition to the ones that are being evaluated.
US09124292B2

A calibration system for an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) an internal ADC that receives an analog input and converts the analog input to digital multi-bit data. The calibration system also includes a reference shuffling circuit that shuffles reference values of comparators of the internal ADC. Further, the calibration system includes a calibration circuit that calibrates the comparators of the internal ADC. The calibration system includes a digital block that measures an amplitude based on the digital multi-bit data. Additionally, the calibration system includes calibration logic that controls the calibration circuit based on an output of the digital block.
US09124289B2

An automatic producing method for a predicted value generation procedure that predicts a value of an encoding target pixel by using a previously-decoded pixel. A parent population is generated by randomly producing predicted value generation procedures each of which is indicated by a tree structure, and a plurality of predicted value generation procedures are selected as parents from the parent population. One or more predicted value generation procedures are generated as children based on a predetermined tree structure developing method which subjects the selected predicted value generation procedures to a development where an existing predicted value generation function can be an end node of a tree. A predicted value generation procedure having a best estimation cost is selected from among the predicted value generation procedures as the parents and children, where the sum of an information content for representing the tree structure and an amount of code evaluated by a predicted pixel value obtained by the tree structure is used as an estimation cost. A final predicted value generation procedure is produced by iterating the relevant operation.
US09124284B2

An analog-to-digital converter circuit having a simple design and capable of preventing an increase in surface area and other problems. An analog-to-digital converter circuit for converting an analog input signal to a digital quantity includes an analog-to-digital converter unit that converts analog input signals to pre-correction digital values, and a corrector unit that digitally corrects the pre-connection digital values output from the analog-to-digital converter unit. The corrector unit includes a weighting coefficient multiplier unit that outputs a post-correction digital value obtained by multiplying the weighting coefficients provided for each bit by each bit of the pre-correction digital value output from the A/D converter unit and summing them, and a weighting coefficient search unit that searches for weighting coefficients so as to minimize an error signal generated based on the post-correction digital value and an approximate value for the post-correction digital value.
US09124275B2

A touch panel includes a transparent plate, an upper substrate having an upper surface situated on a lower surface of the transparent plate and stacked on the transparent plate in a downward direction, an upper conductive layer provided between the lower surface of the transparent plate and the lower surface of the upper substrate, a lower substrate having an upper surface situated on the lower surface of the upper substrate and stacked on the upper substrate in the downward direction, and a lower conductive layer provided between the lower surface of the upper substrate and the upper surface of the lower substrate and facing the upper conductive layer across the upper substrate. The upper surface of the transparent plate has a dome shape projecting upward on a cross section in a first direction perpendicular to the downward direction and on a cross section in a second direction perpendicular to the downward direction and the first direction. The lower surface of the transparent plate is concave upward on the cross section in the first direction is straight on the cross section in the second direction. The touch panel can be easily manufactured and reliably operated.
US09124270B2

To provide an electric power conversion device that converts direct current power supplied from a direct-current power supply into alternating current power, the electric power conversion device includes six switching elements constituted by a voltage-driven transistor that uses a wide bandgap semiconductor and a diode, and a drive circuit that controls a voltage for driving the transistor at a time of turning off the switching elements based on a predetermined voltage profile specifying that the transistor is operated in a non-linear region.
US09124267B2

A digital transmitter includes: a plurality of adjustable delay lines arranged to delay a plurality of digital input signals by a plurality of delay times to generate a plurality of delayed digital input signals respectively; a plurality of converting devices arranged to convert the plurality of delayed digital input signals into a plurality of converting signals respectively; and a calibration device arranged to adjust a delay time of at least one adjustable delay line in the plurality of adjustable delay lines to make the plurality of converting devices convert the plurality of delayed digital input signals at respective desire time points.
US09124266B1

Some of the embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method comprising outputting data at a logic circuit; and in anticipation of a possible change in the data during a data window, applying at least a partial inversion to an output of the logic circuit from a start of the data window.
US09124263B2

A body bias coordinator is provided for use with a transistor employing a body region. In one example, the body bias coordinator includes a control unit configured to control the transistor and make it operable to provide a virtual supply voltage from a source voltage during activation of the transistor. The body bias coordinator also includes a connection unit coupled to the control unit and configured to connect the body region to the virtual supply voltage during activation of the transistor. In an alternative embodiment, the connection unit is further configured to connect the body region to another voltage during non-activation of the transistor.
US09124257B2

A digital clock placement engine has circuitry that adjusts a duty cycle of a clock signal and adjusts the locations of the rising/falling edges of the clock signal for purposes of data sampling or other operations. In a forwarded-clock interface implementation, a clock signal is received along with a data signal, and the received clock signal may be distorted to due various factors. To enable the received data signal to be sampled correctly, the clock placement engine generates a recovered clock signal having rising and falling edges that are placed/timed between the rising and falling edges of the received clock signal.
US09124255B2

The frequency characteristic of a voltage-feedback class-D amplifier circuit for driving an output load is improved. A triangular-wave correction circuit which compensates a gradient of a triangular wave is provided to a triangular-wave signal generator which supplies a triangular wave signal used as a PWM carrier to a comparison circuit for performing PWM modulation of an input signal. In an area where a duty of a command value for an output circuit drive becomes about 50%, a slew rate (gradient) of the triangular wave is decreased.
US09124250B2

Exemplary embodiments are related to a clock doubler. A device may include a duty cycle correction circuit configured to receive an input clock signal and convey a corrected clock signal. The duty cycle correction circuit may include a first circuit to convey an output voltage during a first cycle of the input clock signal and correct a current mismatch of the first circuit during a second cycle of the input clock signal. The duty cycle correction circuit may also include a second circuit to convey the output voltage during the second cycle and correct a current mismatch of the second circuit during the first cycle. Further, the device may include a clock generator for receiving the corrected clock signal and generating an output clock.
US09124246B2

Techniques for designing baseband processing circuitry for radio IC's. In an aspect, techniques for differential-to-single-ended conversion in a baseband portion of the IC are disclosed to reduce the pin count and package size for RF IC's. In another aspect, the converter includes selectable narrowband and wideband amplifiers, wherein the wideband amplifiers may be implemented using transistor devices having smaller area than corresponding transistor devices of narrowband amplifiers. Further techniques for bypassing one or more elements, and for implementing a low-pass filter of the converter using an R-C filter network, are described.
US09124243B2

A surface acoustic wave filter device uses a Rayleigh wave as a main mode, and includes a ladder type surface acoustic wave filter unit. A thickness of a dielectric layer in a surface acoustic wave resonator configuring a series arm resonator is different from thickness of a dielectric layer in a surface acoustic wave resonator configuring a parallel arm resonator. A propagation orientation of a surface acoustic wave in the surface acoustic wave resonator configuring the series arm resonator is different from a propagation orientation of a surface acoustic wave in the surface acoustic wave resonator configuring the parallel arm resonator.
US09124233B2

An audio equalizer includes an equalization processor that operates in conjunction with a transformed-based audio decoder that generates a decoded audio signal from an encoded audio signal. The equalization processor receives an equalization input signal, generates a plurality of response coefficients in response to the equalization input and applies the response coefficients to partially decoded data of the transformed-based audio decoder.
US09124229B2

An amplifier, including a voltage-to-current converter (V2I) to control an output current based on an input voltage, resistive degeneration circuitry to reduce baseband gain of the voltage-to-current converter, capacitive degeneration circuitry to increase passband gain of the voltage-to-current converter, and impedance control circuitry to compensate for negative input impedance of the capacitive degeneration circuitry. The V2I may include series-connected complimentary V2Is. The impedance control circuitry may include resistive negative feedback to provide a real part of input impedance, which may increase a frequency range for which the amplifier is linear. Capacitive degeneration and associated phase compensation may increase a frequency range for which the resistive feedback is negative. The amplifier may be configured as a single-input/single-output system and/or as a differential system.
US09124228B2

Amplifiers with boosted or deboosted source degeneration inductance are disclosed. In an exemplary design, an apparatus includes an amplifier circuit and a feedback circuit. The amplifier circuit receives an input signal and provides an output signal and includes a source degeneration inductor. The feedback circuit is coupled between a node of the amplifier circuit and the source degeneration inductor. The feedback circuit provides feedback to vary an input impedance of an amplifier including the amplifier circuit and the feedback circuit. The feedback circuit may be programmable and may be enabled to provide feedback or disabled to provide no feedback. Alternatively, the feedback circuit may always be enabled to provide feedback. In either case, the feedback circuit may have a variable gain to provide a variable input impedance for the amplifier.
US09124227B2

Systems and methods are disclosed to provide automatic power control for a driver circuit. Embodiments disclosed herein enable a driver circuit to automatically decrease the gain of amplified input signals when output power exceeds a threshold. Further, embodiments disclosed herein enable a driver circuit to automatically increase the gain of amplified input signals when battery supply voltage drops to avoid unwanted output signal distortion. By using reference signals for battery power and amplified signal input, the amplifiers of the driver circuit can be automatically adjusted until an equilibrium is reached.
US09124224B2

Disclosed herein is a power generating circuit including a first transistor in which a second control signal is applied to a control terminal and a first control signal is applied to one end, and which has the other end connected to an output terminal, a second transistor in which the first control signal is applied to a control terminal and the second control signal is applied to one end, and which has the other end connected to the output terminal a third transistor in which one of the first and the second control signals is applied to a control terminal and which has one end grounded, and a fourth transistor in which the other one thereof is applied to a control terminal and which has one end connected to the other end of the third transistor and the other end connected to the output terminal.
US09124222B2

An internally, resistively, sensed Darlington amplifier includes a Darlington amplifier, at least an input transistor, an output transistor, a resistive divider, a signal input node, and a signal output node. The Darlington amplifier is responsive to an input signal and configured to generate an output signal. An internal bias setting resistor is coupled between the signal output node, a collector of the output transistor, and the resistive divider. The bias setting resistor is configured to set and regulate the bias current of the Darlington amplifier.
US09124211B2

A control unit of a rotary electric machine control apparatus includes a rotation position calculation section, which calculates a sensor angle by correcting a detection signal of a rotation position sensor based on correction value information specific to each sensor, and a correction value abnormality check section, which checks whether the correction value information is normal. When the correction value information is abnormal, the rotation angle calculation section corrects the detection signal of the rotation position sensor by using default value information in place of the correction value information. Each default value is limited to be different from the correction value within a predetermined range. A current command value calculation section sets a d-axis current command value to zero and fixes a current command phase to 90[°]. The current command phase is changed to be most remote from 0[°] and 180[°] thereby ensuring a tolerable range.
US09124208B2

In a vehicle, a control apparatus controls a power converter supplying a rotary machine which can operate as a drive motor of the vehicle, and controls a cooling apparatus for circulating a coolant fluid through the rotary machine and the power converter. When a temporary condition occurs immediately after commencement of the circulation, whereby the temperatures of the coolant fluid and of switching elements in the power converter are judged to concurrently exceed respective specified temperature thresholds, the control apparatus limits the maximum power that can be supplied from the power converter to a lower value than is normally available. When the temperature of the coolant fluid is judged to no longer exceed the corresponding temperature threshold, the limiting is released.
US09124204B2

An inverter device includes a rectifier circuit that rectifies alternating-current power supplied from a main power supply and generates direct-current power, a control power supply circuit that generates direct-current power for control using at least one of the generated direct-current power and direct-current power supplied from an external power supply, and a control unit that receives the generated direct-current power for control and performs a predetermined control operation. The control power supply circuit includes an insulation transformer including a primary side and second side winding wires, a first control power supply capacitor connected to the secondary side winding wire via a first diode, an external power supply capacitor connected to the first control power supply capacitor via a second diode and connected to a terminal, to which the external power supply is connected, via a third diode, and a second control power supply capacitor connected to the external power supply capacitor.
US09124197B2

The present in relates to an electric energy Micro Generator, integrated by a pneumatic motor and an electric Generator coupled magnetically, where the pneumatic motor is propelled by the fluid pressure associated with: air, natural gas, bitter gas, nitrogen, etc. designed to be intrinsically safe, with an index of protection against intrusion of solid objects or dust, accidental contacts, or water IP 67, according to the International Electro technical Commission, for use in hazardous locations “where fire or explosion may exist due to flammable gases or vapors, flammable liquids, combustible dust or flammable fibers or in suspension”. “Classified as Class I, Division 1, Group A, B, C and D, according to U.S. National Electrical Code, and which has its main field of application remote installations that lack electricity, but that dispose of a pressure associated with a fluid.In this regard, it is important to mention that: The pressure associated with the propellant fluid can be as low as 5 Kg/cm2 and as high as up to at least 700 kg/cm2; The implementation of magnetic coupling ensures that there is no possibility that the fluid used as propelling means, the high pressures associated with said fluid, the pneumatic motor and none of the pieces that integrated it, have contact and/or enter the space of the electric generator and The fluid used as propelling means is not consumed, is returned to its original process, providing a sustainable and intrinsically safe process.
US09124196B1

A diamagnetic levitation sphere having concentric superconducting coils encircling a hollow sphere. The inner surface of the sphere is lined with a 3D visual display screen. Users in carbon fiber suits are positioned within the hollow sphere by entering the sphere at its bottom end, standing on an elevator platform, and then being elevated up towards the center of the sphere. The superconducting coils are energized, the users are levitated while on the elevator platform, and then the elevator platform is lowered to the bottom of the sphere, closing the sphere. The users then float freely in space and can participate in a full emersion space ride game. The diamagnetic levitation sphere can also provide users unique experiences in physical training, therapy, entertainment, and education.
US09124190B2

An isolated switched mode power supply comprises a transformer, with primary and secondary windings, and a rectification network connected to the secondary winding. The rectification network and the transformer are arranged such that, during a free-wheeling period of operation of the switched mode power supply, a magnetic flux from a first portion of a secondary winding of the transformer substantially cancels a magnetic flux from a second portion of the secondary winding between the first and second portions of the secondary winding. Additionally, a secondary side circuit connected to the secondary winding comprises a switching device, which is connected to a center-tap, provided between the first and second portions of the secondary winding, and an output of the rectification network so as to conduct at least a part of a free-wheeling current flowing in the secondary side circuit during the free-wheeling period.
US09124182B2

A DC-DC converter includes a power conversion circuit for converting a DC input voltage to a DC output voltage; and an active clamp circuit for soft switching a first active switching element of the power conversion circuit and recovering leakage inductance energy of a main transformer of the power conversion circuit. As such, the present disclosure provides a DC-DC converter that reduces the switching loss of the switching elements and effectively recovers the leakage inductance energy, thus increasing the conversion efficiency of the converter.
US09124181B1

A single-ended primary-inductor converter (SEPIC) may include, but is not limited to: a first switch connected to a first circuit node; a first capacitor and a second switch connected in series between the first circuit node and a second circuit node; an inductor connected to the first circuit node and the second circuit node; at least one of a third switch and a passive diode rectifier connected between the second circuit node and a third circuit node; and at least one second capacitor and at least one load connected in parallel to the third circuit node.
US09124173B2

A voltage conversion circuit such as a buck regulator circuit has a plurality of switches coupled to a voltage source; a slab inductor having a length, a width and a thickness, where the slab inductor is coupled between the plurality of switches and a load and carries a load current during operation of the plurality of switches. The voltage conversion circuit can also include means to reduce or cancel a detrimental effect of other wires on same chip, such as a power grid, that conduct a return current and thereby degrading the functionality of this slab inductor. In one embodiment the wires can be moved further away from the slab inductor and in another embodiment magnetic materials can be used to shield the slab inductor from at least one such interfering conductor.
US09124169B2

There is disclosed an apparatus and method to reduce total harmonic distortion input into a 24-pulse autotransformer system and the autotransformer system itself. The 24-pulse autotransformer system is configured to receive an input of a first voltage and produce an output voltage of a second voltage. The system includes a pair of autotransformers coupled to an AC power source. One winding of each phase of the first autotransformer has a turn ratio to effect a decrease in the voltage across said winding over a symmetric voltage value and a second winding of each phase of the first autotransformer has a turn ratio to effect a decrease in the voltage across said winding over a symmetric voltage value, thereby reducing total harmonic distortion (THD) in the input current to the system without a zero sequence blocking transformer.
US09124167B2

An electrical machine comprises: a first rotor, rotatable about a first axis, and having a first arrangement of magnets on a first surface thereof; a second rotor, held with a first surface thereof adjacent the first surface of the first rotor and such that it cannot rotate about the first axis, but is rotatable about a second axis, and having a second arrangement of magnets on the first surface thereof; wherein the first and second arrangements of magnets are such that rotation of the first rotor about the first axis causes rotation of the second rotor about the second axis. The first rotor is in the form of an at least partial hollow torus, with the first surface thereof being an internal surface. The second rotor is in the form of a cylinder, located within the hollow torus, with the first surface thereof being an external surface, such that the second axis is perpendicular to the first axis.
US09124158B2

An insulating phase separator is used in an electric machine to separate phase windings in a stator assembly. The insulating phase separator includes first and second endturn portions and first and second leg portions. The first and second endturn portions each have a curved outer surface and a tabbed portion located opposite the curved outer surface. The first and second leg portions extend between the first and second endturn portions and are integral with the first and second endturn portions.
US09124155B2

A heat sink of a drive apparatus includes a heat receiving surface located in a rising direction from an end surface wall of a motor case formed in an axial direction of the motor case. A power module includes a mold part and is arranged along the heat receiving surface of the heat sink. Motor leads are taken out from the motor case and electrically connected to the power module and winding wires. The drive apparatus has the motor case, a control circuit substrate, the heat sink, the power module and a power circuit substrate arranged in this order in the axial direction. The motor leads are connected to the power module at an opposite side of the motor case relative to the mold part in the axial direction.
US09124153B2

Disclosed is a direct drive generator for a wind turbine, the generator including a rotor, a stator configured to remain stationary relative to the rotor, and at least one bearing connected to the stator. The rotor includes at least one rotor part extending circumferentially about an axis of rotation and a plurality of active materials arranged on a side of the at least one rotor part. The stator includes at least one stator part extending circumferentially about the axis of rotation and positioned adjacent to the at least one rotor part, and at least one winding arrangement supported by the at least one stator part and facing the plurality of active materials. The bearing is flexibly connected to the at least one stator part, wherein the bearing abuts the rotor part to help maintain a gap between the at least one winding arrangement and the active materials.
US09124148B2

A lightweight, foldable cover adapted for attachment to a portable electric generator permits the generator to be operated while covered and shielded from weather. The cover includes rigid or semi-rigid sides hingeably joined and held in position with flexible straps. The cover allows unimpeded exhaust and airflow underneath the cover, and unimpeded access to controls and outlets. The flexible straps attach to the cover and the frame of the generator. The straps are adjustable to accommodate different generator frame sizes, and include quick release devices to allow rapid attachment to, or detachment from the generator frame for refueling or storage. When removed the cover folds nearly flat for storage.
US09124140B2

Embodiments according to the present invention provide methods and a system for a control approach that effectively maintains the DC link voltage at a constant set value under variable system conditions and keeps the converter operating with an optimal power factor range while limiting power quality effects and phase balance.
US09124131B2

A method, apparatus, and device provide for the control of the power sourcing capability of a power source that supplies power to a device. A detection element of the device is operable to dynamically detect a power sourcing capability of the power source. A control element of the device is operable to monitor the detected power sourcing capability of the power source and to control the power source to effect a change in the power sourcing capability of the power source in response to a determination that the detected power sourcing capability of the power source is in violation of a threshold value.
US09124130B2

A wall-mountable temperature control device having a vertically-arranged temperature adjustment actuator for adjusting a setpoint temperature of a temperature control system to thus control a present temperature in a building, a room temperature visual display for displaying a visual representation of the present temperature of the building, and a setpoint temperature visual display for displaying a visual representation of the setpoint temperature. The room and setpoint temperature visual displays each comprising a linear array of light-emitting diodes arranged parallel to the temperature adjustment actuator and controlled such that one of the light-emitting diodes of the setpoint temperature visual display is illuminated to display the setpoint temperature in response to the actuations of the temperature adjustment actuator and one of the light-emitting diodes of the room temperature visual display is illuminated to display the present temperature.
US09124128B2

The invention relates to an arrangement for an uninterruptible power supply with a rectifier, an energy store, an inverter, a switching means and a controller. The rectifier is connected to a rectifier input to a supply grid (AC1). The energy store is connected to a rectifier output of the rectifier (1) and to an inverter input of the inverter. A network (AC3) to be protected or a load to be protected is connected to an inverter output of the inverter, wherein the rectifier input or a supply grid (AC2) is connected via the switching means to the inverter output, and wherein the rectifier, the inverter and the switching means is controlled by the controller, wherein the controller has two control parts which are constructed with redundancy, and wherein the rectifier and the switching means or the inverter and the switching means can be controlled simultaneously by the control parts.
US09124122B2

A wireless power transmission and charging system and method are provided. The wireless power may refer to energy that may be transferred from a wireless power transmitter to a wireless power receiver. The wireless power transmission and charging system may include a source device to wirelessly transmit power, and a target device to wirelessly receive power.
US09124118B2

A circuit for a small electric appliance is disclosed. The circuit includes a battery (B); a control circuit (uC) for measuring the charging current of the battery (B); a DC-DC converter (DC/DC) which supplies the control circuit (uC) from the battery; and a current sensing resistor (R1), whose one end lies at a reference potential and whose other end is connected to the battery (B). The control circuit (uC) has a terminal which is at reference potential, and a measurement input which is related to the reference potential.
US09124117B2

The present invention addresses the problem of providing a charging device capable of precisely outputting charging power to a battery or the like within a broad voltage range of tens-to-hundreds of volts. This charging device comprises: a converter unit that outputs a charging voltage to a battery and a control unit that outputs a control signal of a pulse width determined on the basis of the voltage value of the charging voltage to a switching element of the converter unit, thereby setting the switching element to a conducting state for only a time corresponding to the pulse width. The control unit changes the output interval for the control signal in accordance with the output interval for the control signal as the voltage value of the charging voltage decreases.
US09124103B2

According to one embodiment, an electrical storage apparatus includes an electrical storage unit configured to output direct-current power, a switch element configured to block positive-side wiring connecting the electrical storage unit to an outside, a diode connected in parallel with the switch element in a direction of a current flowing from the outside to the electrical storage unit, a voltage detection unit configured to detect voltages at both ends of the switch element, and a switch control unit configured to open the switch element when the voltage detected by the voltage detection unit is a predetermined value or greater.
US09124100B2

A power supply system according to the present invention includes a control device (110) which is configured such that if it is predicted that the sum of start-up power for a power generation system (101) and electric power consumed by an external electrical load (105) at start-up of the power generation system (101) and/or the sum of stopped-period power for the power generation system (101) and electric power consumed by the external electrical load (105) at stopping of power generation of the power generation system (101) exceed upper limit power, up to which an electric rate is kept to a relatively low unit price, and that the electric rate is to be changed to a relatively high unit price, then the control device (110) performs control of supplying electric power stored in an electrical storage unit (107) to at least one of the power generation system (101) and the external electrical load (105) in order to prevent the amount of electric power supplied from a power grid (104) from exceeding the upper limit power.
US09124092B2

Disclosed herein is a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) controller. The PWM controller includes a plurality of Field Effect Transistors (FETs) and an FET driver. A comparator compares a current flowing through the FETs with an overcurrent reference value, and microcomputer controls a motor and a circuit protection function, and turns off the FET driver when the current flowing through the FETs is greater than the overcurrent reference value as a result of comparison by the comparator.
US09124063B2

A drive circuit includes a bias current supply circuit for supplying a bias current to a light-emitting device for transmitting an optical signal, the light-emitting device included in a light-emitting circuit; and a modulation current supply circuit for supplying a modulation current of a magnitude according to a logical value of data to be transmitted, to the light-emitting device. The modulation current supply circuit includes a differential drive circuit for switching whether to supply a current to the light-emitting device, according to the logical value of the data; and a termination resistor connected between differential outputs of the differential drive circuit. The differential drive circuit and the light-emitting circuit are DC-coupled to each other, and power supply of the current supplied to the light-emitting device by the differential drive circuit is supplied from the light-emitting circuit.
US09124060B1

A system and method for triggering data acquisition in a semiconductor laser system including outputting electromagnetic energy from the semiconductor laser over a range of wavelengths according to a signaling path. The signaling path includes a plurality of discrete data inputs to the semiconductor laser for outputting electromagnetic energy over a range of wavelengths and the signaling path includes one or more perturbances in transitioning from one wavelength to another wavelength along the signaling path. A series of triggering signals are generated for input to a measurement system by the semiconductor laser. The electromagnetic energy output from the semiconductor laser is detected based on the series of triggering signals. The detected electromagnetic energy is compared with a valid data vector, wherein the valid data vector includes one or more criteria and/or values that is used to differentiate valid data from invalid data corresponding to the detected electromagnetic energy.
US09124051B2

A connector has signal contacts and ground contacts, each of which includes a contact portion to be connected with a mating connector. In a predetermined plane, the contact portions of the signal contacts and the contact portions of the ground contacts are grouped and arranged into a first line and a second line. In the predetermined plane, four specific signal contact portions are surrounded by four specific ground contact portions. The four specific signal contact portions are the contact portions of the signal contacts constituting two pairs. The four specific ground contact portions are two of the contact portions of the ground contacts belonging to the first line and two of the contact portions of the ground contacts belonging to the second line. In the predetermined plane, a minimum distance between two of the specific ground contact portions is smaller than another minimum distance between one of the specific signal contact portions and one of the contact portions of the signal contacts other than the specific signal contact portions.
US09124049B2

In an embodiment, a micro ethernet connector includes an outer housing that has a recessed front end and a back end. The micro ethernet connector further includes an inner housing that is disposed within the recessed front end of the outer housing. The inner housing has an exposed end. The exposed end includes a recessed channel. The volume of the recessed channel is substantially equal to the volume of a correspondingly shaped protruding printed circuit board of a male micro ethernet connector. A plurality of spring-biased connectors are disposed within the recessed channel of the inner housing.
US09124039B2

A connector includes: a casing; a pair of signal terminals that have respective tip end portions, the pair of signal terminals projecting from the casing, the tip end portions being perpendicularly bent; a ground terminal arranged such that the ground terminal and the pair of signal terminals are arranged in a row, the ground terminal projecting at a position adjacent to the pair of signal terminals; and a shield disposed between the casing and the tip end portions of the pair of signal terminals.
US09124037B2

A high speed input/output plug assembly is disclosed having a plug body. A plurality of conductive traces are disposed on a surface of the plug body and connectable to an input/output cable. An electrically conductive grounding layer is positioned within the plug body and electrically insulated from the conductive traces, and has an opening extending through the grounding layer and below the conductive traces.
US09124036B2

An electrical connector includes a housing member, a first contact group, a second contact group, a metallic shell and a grounding member. The housing member includes a first tongue plate and a second tongue plate to which the first contact group and the second contact group are respectively associated. The first contact group and the second contact group are compatible to USB 3.0 standard. The grounding member comprises a body portion located between the second mounting portions of the first contact group and the third mounting portions of the second contact group. The grounding member is electrically and mechanically connected to the metallic shell for cross-talk prevention.
US09124035B2

An electrical connector includes a lock claw and a latch claw. The latch claw is provided at a nearer side than the lock claw in a fitting direction where a connector fitting portion is fitted to a power receiving connector and is provided with the lock claw along the fitting direction.
US09124029B2

The invention relates to a plug type connector, a counter-connector and a plug type connector arrangement. In order to protect a contact position (P) of the plug type connector against undesirable displacement relative to the counter-connector of the plug type connector arrangement, without undesirable forces occurring, there is provision according to the invention for the plug type connector and the counter-connector to have clamping faces which extend transversely relative to a connection direction (V) and which are clamped to each other via a fixing means.
US09124013B2

An electrical contact pin includes an outer shaft, an inner shaft at least partially received within the outer shaft and slidable relative to the outer shaft, and a rotatable member disposed at a free end of the inner shaft. The rotatable member is rotatable relative to the inner shaft in at least one direction.
US09124007B2

An antenna apparatus including: a first and second antenna elements which transmit or receive radio signal; a ground pattern; and a wiring pattern which is provided on a line segment connecting the first and second antenna elements, and directly connected to the ground pattern, wherein a circumventing path is formed by the wiring pattern and a part of the ground pattern.
US09124001B2

A communication device including a ground element and an antenna element is provided. The antenna element includes a metal element. The metal element has a plurality of bends and substantially forms a loop structure with a gap. The gap is between a first open end and a second open end of the metal element. The metal element extends along an edge of the ground element and does not overlap with the ground element. The antenna element has a feeding point. A first portion of the metal element is between the feeding point and the first open end, and a second portion of the metal element is between the feeding point and the second open end. The feeding point, the first open end, and the second open end are all facing or adjacent to the edge of the ground element.
US09123997B2

A multi-band monopole antenna includes a first radiation conductor portion formed with a rod member having a length defined in accordance with a wavelength of a first frequency included in a predetermined first frequency band among plural frequency bands, and a second radiation conductor portion integrally connected with the first radiation conductor portion and formed with a planar member in which a direct distance from a feeding portion to a farthest point which is the farthest position from the feeding portion is defined in accordance with a wavelength of a second frequency included in a second frequency band which differs from the first frequency band among the plural frequency bands. The feeding portion is provided at a position based on the length defined in accordance with the wavelength of the first frequency relative to a position of a tip end of the first radiation conductor portion.
US09123994B2

An antenna structure includes: a substrate; a ground layer disposed on a first surface of the substrate; a patch antenna unit which is disposed on a second surface of the substrate opposite to the first surface of the substrate, and is configured to receive a signal to be radiated; and a three-dimensional (3D) antenna unit which comprises a shorting leg that is shorted with the patch antenna unit, and is configured to radiate the signal received by the patch antenna unit.
US09123993B2

According to one exemplary embodiment of the invention, a vehicle antenna apparatus is provided on a vehicle in such a way that this results in the antenna having a horizontal main beam direction. A first reflection apparatus above the conductive roof of the vehicle, with an exciter between these two elements, causes the reflections to be doubled, thus causing the main beam direction to be lowered from a vertical to a horizontal direction.
US09123992B2

The micro-miniature base station antenna with a dipole antenna includes a hexahedral cube with a cavity structure, a dielectric substrate that is disposed on an inner lower surface of the cube, four pairs of supporters that are connected to the dielectric substrate to be formed in a direction perpendicular to the dielectric substrate, a first power feeding unit that includes one side connected to the dielectric substrate and the other side having a curved shape, a second power feeding unit that includes one side connected to the dielectric substrate and the other side having a curved shape, and is formed in a direction crossing the first power feeding unit, and four emitters in which one of the four emitters is coupled to an upper surface of a single pair of supporters among the four pairs of supporters.
US09123989B2

An antenna device and an antenna switch circuit are provided. The antenna device comprises a first antenna, an antenna detection circuit, a switch control circuit, and a controller. The first antenna is configured to transmit an RF signal. The antenna detection circuit comprises an inductor configured to detect a second antenna. The switch control circuit is coupled to the antenna detection circuit and configured to generate a first control signal indicative of the presence of the second antenna upon the detection thereof. The controller is coupled to the first antenna, the antenna detection circuit and the switch control circuit, and configured to receive the first control signal and connect to the second antenna when the first control signal indicates the presence of the second antenna.
US09123988B2

Methods, apparatuses, and systems for two-way satellite communication and an asymmetric-aperture antenna for two-way satellite communication are disclosed. In one embodiment, a beam pattern for an asymmetric-aperture antenna is offset in a narrow beamwidth direction, and the offset beam pattern is directed by a mechanical gimbal, with the beam pattern offset made to reduce interference with an adjacent satellite. In additional embodiments, operational areas near the equator are identified for a given offset beam pattern, or a beam pattern offset may be adjusted over time to compensate for movement of the asymmetric-aperture antenna when attached to an airplane, boat, or other mobile vehicle.
US09123987B2

An apparatus for coupling an object to a surface is disclosed. The apparatus may include a mounting plate, a mounting bracket, and a locking plate. The mounting plate may include a mounting portion configured to be coupled with the surface, a receptacle portion configured to receive a mounting bracket, and at least one protrusion extending from the mounting portion. The mounting bracket may include a backing portion, and a coupling portion. The backing portion may define at least one aperture configured to receive the at least one protrusion when the mounting bracket is disposed in the receptacle portion of the mounting plate. The coupling portion may be configured to be coupled with the object, which may be an antenna. The locking plate may be configured to be disposed between at least a portion of the at least one protrusion and at least a portion of the backing portion.
US09123986B2

An antenna system is capable of optimizing communication link quality with one or multiple transceivers while suppressing one or multiple interference sources. The antenna provides a low cost, physically small multi-element antenna system capable of being integrated into mobile devices and designed to form nulls in the radiation pattern to reduce interference from unwanted interferers. The antenna system operates in both line of sight and high multi-path environments by adjusting the radiation pattern and sampling the received signal strength to reduce signal levels from interferers while monitoring and optimizing receive signal strength from desired sources.
US09123983B1

A tunable bandpass filter integrated circuit includes a filter core including at least two spaced conductor layers, a plurality of peripherally spaced backside vias extending between the conductor layers defining a resonator cavity, at least one internal backside via, and a tunable impedance connected in series with the internal backside via between the conductor layers for adjusting the resonance of the cavity.
US09123982B2

A directional coupler is disclosed integrated on a single chip and an integrated circuit based on a standard CMOS process and relates to a field of radio frequency communication. In exemplary implementations, by using a standard CMOS process technology, the directional coupler integrated by a CMOS process is formed by a coil wound by a upper layer of metal lines, a coil wound by a lower layer of metal lines, two tuning capacitor array, and a matching resistor. Two terminals of the coil are a direct terminal and an input terminal; two terminals of the coil are a coupled terminal and an isolation terminal; the terminals of the coils and are intersected at 90°; the coil is wound by an upper metal layer and the coil is wound by a lower metal layer. Further, the insertion loss is low and the isolation degree is large.
US09123972B2

The invention relates to an ionic liquid electrolyte comprising at least one ionic liquid of formula C+A− wherein C+ represents a cation and A− represents an anion, and at least one conducting salt, characterized in that it further comprises at least one anionic surfactant. The invention also relates to an electrotechnical system, electrochemical accumulator and battery, and in particular, a lithium accumulator such as a button battery cell.
US09123971B2

The object of an exemplary embodiment of the invention is to provide a secondary battery with a high performance in which the generation of the swelling can be suppressed and in which the cycle property is excellent. An exemplary embodiment of the invention is a secondary battery, comprising an electrode assembly in which a positive electrode and a negative electrode are oppositely disposed, an electrolyte liquid, and a package which encloses the electrode assembly and the electrolyte liquid inside; wherein the negative electrode is formed by binding a negative electrode active substance, which comprises metal (a) that can be alloyed with lithium, metal oxide (b) that can absorb and desorb lithium ion, and carbon material (c) that can absorb and desorb lithium ion, to a negative electrode collector with at least one selected from polyimides and a polyamide-imides; and wherein the electrolyte liquid comprises a compound represented by any one of predetermined formulae.
US09123965B2

The present invention provides a method of synthesizing a nano-sized transition metal catalyst on a carbon support, including dissolving a stabilizer in ethanol thus preparing a mixture solution, adding a support to the mixture solution thus preparing a dispersion solution, dissolving a transition metal precursor in ethanol thus preparing a precursor solution, mixing the precursor solution with the dispersion solution with stirring, and then performing reduction, thus preparing the nano-sized transition metal catalyst. This method enables the synthesis of transition metal nanoparticles supported on carbon powder having a narrow particle size distribution and a wide degree of dispersion through a simple process, and is thus usefully applied to the formation of an electrode material or the like of a fuel cell.
US09123961B2

Provided are a three-dimensional net-like aluminum porous body in which the diameter of cells in the porous body is uneven in the thickness direction of the porous body; a current collector and an electrode each using the aluminum porous body; and methods for producing these members. The porous body is a three-dimensional net-like aluminum porous body in a sheet form, for a current collector, in which the diameter of cells in the porous body is uneven in the thickness direction of the porous body. When a cross section in the thickness direction of the three-dimensional net-like aluminum porous body is divided into three regions of a region 1, a region 2 and a region 3 in this order, the average cell diameter of the regions 1 and 3 is preferably different from the cell diameter of the region 2.
US09123958B2

Disclosed is a cathode active material for secondary batteries, comprising at least one compound selected from the following Formula 1: xLi2MO3*yLiM′O2*zLi3PO4 (1) wherein M is at least one element selected from 1 period or 2 period metals having an oxidation number of +4; M′ is at least one element selected from 1 period or 2 period metals having a mean oxidation number of +3; and 0.1≦x≦0.9, 0.1≦y≦0.9, 0
US09123956B2

The cell barrier for a rechargeable battery module of the present invention includes a metal body and an insulating layer disposed on the surface of the metal body. The cell barrier is interposed between unit cells to electrically insulate between the unit cells. The insulating layer is selected from the group consisting of a resin layer, an inorganic oxide layer, an anodized layer, and a composite layer thereof. The cell barrier also has channels to provide for additional cooling by a heat transfer medium. A single unit cell can also be used with a cell barrier disposed along the unit cell for insulation and cooling.
US09123955B2

A negative active material having controlled particle size distribution of silicon nanoparticles in a silicon-based alloy, a lithium battery including the negative active material, and a method of manufacturing the negative active material are disclosed. The negative active material may improve capacity and lifespan characteristics by inhibiting (or reducing) volumetric expansion of the silicon-based alloy. The negative active material may include a silicon-based alloy including: a silicon alloy-based matrix; and silicon nanoparticles distributed in the silicon alloy-based matrix, wherein a particle size distribution of the silicon nanoparticles satisfies D10≧10 nm and D90≦75 nm.
US09123953B2

A method for modifying a positive electrode material for a lithium-ion battery. The method includes: a) stirring a liquid polyacrylonitrile (LPAN) solution at the temperature of between 80 and 300° C. for between 8 and 72 h to yield a cyclized LPAN solution; b) adding positive electrode material for a lithium-ion battery, in a powder form, to the cyclized LPAN solution, and evenly mixing a resulting mixture; c) grinding the mixture, and drying the mixture at room temperature; and d) calcining the mixture at the temperature of between 500 and 1800° C. for between 6 and 24 h in the presence of an inert gas to form a graphene-like structure by the cyclized LPAN. The graphene-like structure is evenly distributed in the positive electrode material of the lithium-ion battery to yield a graphene-like structure modified positive electrode material of the lithium-ion battery.
US09123942B2

A method for making a separator of a lithium ion battery is provided. In the method, a modifier, and a porous membrane are provided. The modifier is a mixture of a phosphorus source having a phosphate radical, a trivalent aluminum source, and a metallic oxide provided in a liquid phase solvent. The modifier is coated on a surface of the porous membrane to form a coating layer. The coated porous membrane is dried to form a modifier layer disposed on the surface of the porous membrane.
US09123939B2

Anodes including mesoporous hollow silicon particles are disclosed herein. A method for synthesizing the mesoporous hollow silicon particles is also disclosed herein. In one example of the method, a silicon dioxide sphere having a silicon dioxide solid core and a silicon dioxide mesoporous shell is formed. The silicon dioxide mesoporous shell is converted to a silicon mesoporous shell using magnesium vapor. The silicon dioxide solid core, any residual silicon dioxide, and any magnesium-containing by-products are removed to form the mesoporous, hollow silicon particle.
US09123937B2

A fuel cell device having an exterior surface defining an interior ceramic support structure. An active zone is along an intermediate portion of the length for undergoing a fuel cell reaction, and opposing non-active end regions are along end portions extending away from the active zone without being heated. Fuel and oxidizer passages extend within the interior support structure from respective first and second inlets in respective ones of the opposing non-active end regions. The active zone has an anode associated with each of the fuel passages and a cathode associated with each of the oxidizer passages in opposing relation to a respective one of the anodes with an electrolyte therebetween. The opposing non-active end regions lack the anode and cathode in opposing relation so as to be incapable of undergoing a fuel cell reaction.
US09123936B2

[Means for Solution] A solid oxide fuel cell apparatus including a fuel cell having a plate-shaped first solid electrolyte, an anode provided on one side of the first solid electrolyte and coming in contact with fuel gas, and a cathode provided on the other side of the first solid electrolyte and coming in contact with oxidizer gas. The solid oxide fuel cell apparatus further includes a cell-follow-up deformation member located on at least one of opposite sides of the fuel cell with respect to a first stacking direction along which the anode, the first solid electrolyte, and the cathode are stacked together. The cell-follow-up deformation member deforms according to a deformation of the fuel cell on the basis of at least one of physical quantities including differential thermal expansion coefficient and differential pressure.
US09123935B2

A wireless communication accessory for a mobile communication device comprising: a casing that conforms, at least partially, to the outer shape of the mobile communication device; a processing circuit housed within the casing and configured to process a first data; and a wireless transmitter coupled to the processing circuit, where the transmitter is configured to transmit the first data. The wireless communication accessory may further comprise a wireless receiver that is configured to receive a second data from an external wireless device. The first data may be associated with any or all of the following: payment card information for processing purchase transactions; public transportation account information for processing travel credits on public transportation systems; and access card information for gaining access into restricted areas.
US09123932B2

A fuel cell membrane and a method of making the same. The membrane includes at least one non-reinforced layer and at least one reinforced layer. Both layers include a proton-conductive ionomer, while the reinforced layer additionally includes nanofiber-supported catalyst that improve mechanical and chemical durability of the membrane. The nanofiber-supported catalyst is made up of structural fibers onto which an electrocatalyst is coated, deposited or otherwise formed. The structural nanofibers give increased strength and stiffness to the layers that include them, while the electrocatalyst helps to resist electrochemical degradation to the membranes that include them. Such a membrane may form the basis of a fuel cell's membrane electrode assembly.
US09123929B2

A secondary battery includes an electrode assembly, a case and a tab film. The electrode assembly has first and second electrode tabs formed to protrude therefrom. The case accommodates the electrode assembly so that a portion of at least one of the first and second electrode tabs is exposed to an outside thereof, and has a sealing portion formed along an edge portion thereof. The tab film is formed to surround at least one of the first and second electrode tabs that come in contact with the sealing portion of the case. In the tab film, at least one region of the tab film is formed of a material having a melting point different from that of the other region. Accordingly, the explosion and fire of the secondary battery is prevented, thereby improving the safety of the secondary battery.
US09123928B2

The object of an exemplary embodiment of the invention is to provide a negative electrode having excellent cycle property. An exemplary embodiment of the invention a method for doping and dedoping lithium for the first time after a negative electrode for a lithium secondary battery comprising silicon oxide as an active material is produced, comprising doping the lithium within the following current value range (A) and within the following doped amount range (B); current value range (A): a range of a current value in which a doped amount in which only one peak appears at 1 V or less on the V-dQ/dV curve becomes maximum, wherein the V-dQ/dV curve represents a relationship between voltage V of the negative electrode with respect to a lithium reference electrode and dQ/dV that is a ratio of variation dQ of lithium dedoped amount Q in the negative electrode to variation dV of the voltage V, and doped amount range (B): a range of a doped amount in which only one peak appears at 1 V or less on the V-dQ/dV curve.
US09123927B2

A secondary battery that can induce an internal short circuit in accordance with a stimulus, for example, excessive internal pressure or temperature, is provided. The secondary battery includes an electrode assembly, a collecting plate electrically connected to the electrode assembly and having a short circuit hole, a short circuit member including a short circuit plate installed in the short circuit hole, a case accommodating the electrode assembly and the collecting plate and having an opening, and a cap assembly including a cap plate sealing the opening of the case. The short circuit plate faces the cap plate.
US09123926B2

A secondary battery including: an electrode assembly including two electrode taps; and a cap assembly including a terminal plate. The terminal plate includes a tap connecting portion that is laser welded to one of the electrode taps. The tap connecting portion includes a curved portion that has an apex that extends along the length of the terminal plate, to which the one electrode tap is welded.
US09123923B2

Disclosed is use of a porous membrane and a composite membrane thereof in a redox flow batteries, and in particular the use thereof in a vanadium redox flow battery. The membrane can effectively realize the separation of ions with different valence states, and an ion transfer without any ion exchange group. The pore size and structure of the porous membrane can be controlled by filling an inorganic substance or grafting an ion exchange group in the pore, in order to improve the barrier properties of the porous membrane for vanadium ions and to increase proton conductivity.
US09123920B2

A fuel cell separator material, comprising an alloy layer 6 containing Au and a first component containing Al, Cr, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Mo, Sn or Bi, or an Au single layer 8 formed on a Ti base 2; an intermediate layer 2a containing Ti, O, the first component, and less than 20 mass % of Au arranged between the alloy layer or the Au single layer and the Ti base; wherein the alloy layer or the Au single layer has a region having a thickness of 1 nm or more from the uppermost to the lower layer and containing 50 mass % or more of Au, or a region having a thickness of 3 nm or more from the uppermost to the lower layer and containing Au in the range from 10-50 mass %, or the thickness of the Au single layer is 1 nm or more.
US09123917B2

The present invention relates to a solid oxide fuel cell, which includes a plurality of unit cells and a connection layer between the plurality of unit cells, wherein each of the unit cells includes an anode, a cathode and a solid electrolyte between the anode and the cathode, and the connection layer includes i) a first layer containing La-ferrite including one or more selected from the group consisting of Sr, Ca and Ba; and ii) a second layer containing La-ferrite including one or more selected from the group consisting of Sr, Ca and Ba, and one or more cerias selected from the group consisting of GDC (Gd doped ceria), LDC (La-doped ceria) and SDC (Sm-doped ceria), wherein the first layer is in contact with the cathode of each of the unit cells and the second layer is in contact with the anode of each of the unit cells.
US09123900B2

A host material is disclosed. The host material, as a compound which is represented by the following formula 1, has a chemical structure in which nitrogen and silicon atoms are chemically and directly bonded to each other. Wherein the “a” is one selected from a material group which includes N, S, O, SO2 and NSiG1G2G3, and the “G1, G2 and G3” each become one of a hydrogen, and aromatic, heterocyclic and aliphatic groups which are or not substituted, respectively.
US09123891B2

A variable-resistance material memory (VRMM) device includes a container conductor disposed over an epitaxial semiconductive prominence that is coupled to a VRMM. A VRMM device may also include a conductive plug in a recess that is coupled to a VRMM. A VRMM array may also include a conductive plug in a surrounding recess that is coupled to a VRMM. Apparatuses include the VRMM with one of the diode constructions.
US09123890B2

A reversible resistance-switching memory cell has multiple narrow, spaced apart bottom electrode structures. The raised structures can be formed by coating a bottom electrode layer with nano-particles and etching the bottom electrode layer. The raised structures can be independent or joined to one another at a bottom of the bottom electrode layer. A resistance-switching material is provided between and above the bottom electrode structure, followed by a top electrode layer. Or, insulation is provided between and above the bottom electrode structures, and the resistance-switching material and top electrode layer are above the insulation. Less than one-third of a cross-sectional area of each resistance-switching memory cell is consumed by the one or more raised structures. When the resistance state of the memory cell is switched, there is a smaller area in the bottom electrode for a current path, so the switching resistance is higher and the switching current is lower.
US09123883B2

A vibration device includes a semiconductor device, a first electrode and a second electrode located in a first surface of the semiconductor device, a vibration element, a third electrode and a fourth electrode located in a first surface of the vibration element, a first connection section that connects the first electrode and the third electrode, and a second connection section that connects the second electrode and the fourth electrode. The semiconductor device and the vibration element have mutually different thermal expansion coefficients. The vibration element has a coupling section located between the third electrode and the fourth electrode, and the coupling section has at least one bend section located between the third electrode and the fourth electrode.
US09123879B2

According to one embodiment, a magnetoresistive element is disclosed. The magnetoresistive element includes a reference layer, a tunnel barrier layer, a storage layer. The storage layer includes a first region and a second region provided outside the first region to surround the first region, the second region including element included in the first region and another element being different from the element. The magnetoresistive element further includes a cap layer including a third region and a fourth region provided outside the third region to surround the third region, the fourth region including an element included in the third region and the another element.
US09123875B2

A thin film magnetoresistive sensor for detecting a magnetic field components perpendicular and parallel to the plane of the sensor substrate is disclosed. The sensing element comprises a free layer, a reference layer, and a spacer layer between the free layer and the reference layer. The easy-axis magnetization inherent to the material of the free layer is arranged to be perpendicular to the plane of the sensor substrate. The magnetization direction of the reference layer is confined to a direction parallel to the substrate plane. The reference layer consists of a ferromagnetic layer exchange coupled to an antiferromagnetic layer, or consists of a ferromagnetic layer having a higher coercive force than that of the free layer. The spacer layer is composed of an insulating material or a conductive material. The magnetoresistive sensor further includes an array of aforementioned sensing elements coupled to an electronic device to provide three-axis sensing.
US09123871B1

A method of manufacturing a light emitting diode (LED) package may include forming a light emitting structure having a first conductivity-type semiconductor layer, an active layer and a second conductivity-type semiconductor layer on a growth substrate, forming first and second electrodes connected to the first and second conductivity-type semiconductor layers, respectively, bonding a first surface of a light transmissive substrate opposite to a second surface thereof to the light emitting structure, identifying positions of the first and second electrodes that are seen through the second surface of the light transmissive substrate, forming one or more through holes in the light transmissive substrate to correspond to the first and second electrodes, and forming first and second via electrodes by filling the through holes with a conductive material.
US09123868B2

A light emitting element includes a transparent substrate and a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) chips. The transparent substrate has a support surface and a second main surface disposed opposite to each other. At least some of the LED chips are disposed on the support surface and form a first main surface where light emitted from with a part of the support surface without the LED chips. Each of the LED chips includes a first electrode and a second electrode. Light emitted from at least one of the LED chips passes through the transparent substrate and emerges from the second main surface. An illumination device includes the light emitting element and a supporting base. The light emitting element is disposed on the supporting base, and an angle is formed between the light emitting element and the supporting base.
US09123860B2

A solar cell module comprises a solar cell soldered to a mounting element, such as a ceramic substrate. The solder bond can comprise a void. A method of reducing a solder void comprises reflowing the solder using a vacuum source and a heat source in a sealed chamber. The chamber is formed, at least in part, by a cowling into which the solar cell module is mounted. A system for reducing voids in a solder bond comprises a heat source and a vacuum source coupled to the sealed chamber into which a solar cell module is placed. The system can optionally include a control system that automates the execution of methods of reducing solder voids. The system can further include a pressure source to aid in reducing the solder void and reflowing the solder after the void is reduced.
US09123849B2

Some photovoltaic cells have a front face accepting incoming incident light and opaque gridlines overlying part of the front face, electrically bonded to the face, with upper reflective facets oblique to the plane of the front face and producing outgoing reflected light. An optical interface parallel to and in front of the front face transmits incoming light to the front face and to the gridlines and reflects back towards the front face by total internal reflection at least some of the outgoing reflected light. Some photovoltaic devices have a triple junction photovoltaic cell, a single junction photovoltaic cell, and a reflective surface arranged to distribute incoming light between the cells. The surface may be a frequency-selective mirror that apportions light so when the cells are in series the power produced, and preferably the photocurrent, is greater than if all the light fell on the triple junction cell alone.
US09123845B2

A solar panel cleaning device includes a solar panel having a plurality of photovoltaic cells arranged in rows and embedded in the solar panel with space between the rows. A transparent dielectric overlay is affixed to the solar panel. A plurality of electrode pairs each of which includes an upper and a lower electrode are arranged on opposite sides of the transparent dielectric and are affixed thereto. The electrodes may be transparent electrodes which may be arranged without concern for blocking sunlight to the solar panel. The solar panel may be a dielectric and its dielectric properties may be continuously and spatially variable. Alternatively the dielectric used may have dielectric segments which produce different electrical field and which affects the wind “generated.”
US09123830B2

Provided is a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device that has a plurality of semiconductor components and a plurality of resin layers, the method including: a step in which resin layers and semiconductor components are laminated alternately on a substrate, and the same is adhered by being subjected to heating and pressurization at a temperature lower than the temperature at which the substrate and/or a solder layer of the semiconductor components melts; and a step in which heat and pressure are applied at a temperature at which the solder layer melts or a temperature higher than said temperature.
US09123827B2

A method for fabricating an integrated circuit includes providing a semiconductor substrate including a gate electrode structure thereon and sidewall spacers along sidewalls of the gate electrode structure to a first height along the sidewalls, forming a planarizing carbon-based polymer layer over the gate electrode structure and over the sidewall spacers, and etching a portion of the optical planarization layer to expose a top portion the gate electrode structure. Further, the method includes etching an upper portion of the sidewall spacers selective to the gate electrode structure so as to expose the sidewalls of the upper portion of the gate electrode structure and depositing a silicide-forming material over the top portion of the gate electrode structure and the sidewalls of the upper portion of the gate electrode structure. Still further, the method includes annealing the silicide-forming material.
US09123826B1

A method of forming a semiconductor structure includes forming a first fin and a second fin on a substrate. A gate structure is formed over a first portion of the first fin and the second fin without covering a second portion of the first fin and the second fin. Single-crystal epitaxial layers are deposited surrounding the second portion of the first fin and the second fin such that the single-crystal epitaxial layer on the first fin does not contact the single-crystal epitaxial layer on the second fin. A polycrystalline layer is then deposited surrounding the single-crystal epitaxial layers, so that the polycrystalline layer contacts the single-crystal epitaxial layer on the first fin and the single-crystal epitaxial layer on the second fin. The single-crystal epitaxial layers and the polycrystalline layer form a merged source-drain region.
US09123823B2

According to embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device, includes: a memory cell region; and a peripheral region, the memory cell region including: a semiconductor layer including semiconductor regions; control gate electrodes; a first insulating film; a semiconductor-containing layer having a smaller thickness than the first insulating film; and a second insulating film, the peripheral region including: the semiconductor layer; a third insulating film; the semiconductor-containing layer, and a periphery of the semiconductor-containing layer being surrounded by an element isolation region; the first insulating film provided on the semiconductor-containing layer; and a pair of conductive layers extending from a surface of the first insulating film to reach the third insulating film via the semiconductor-containing layer, and the pair of conductive layers being in contact with part of a lower surface of the semiconductor-containing layer.
US09123818B2

Exemplary embodiments provide compositions for a solution process, electronic devices fabricated using the same, and fabrication methods thereof. An oxide nano-structure is formed using a sol-gel process. An oxide thin film transistor is formed using the oxide nano-structure.
US09123816B2

A thin film transistor (TFT) array substrate including a first element layer on the substrate including a first TFT, a first planarization layer configured to cover the first element layer, and a second element layer on the first planarization layer including a capacitor.
US09123814B2

A field effect device comprises a substrate of semiconductor on insulator type successively provided with a support substrate, an electrically insulating layer and a semiconductor material film. First and second source/drain electrodes are formed in the semiconductor material layer. A conduction channel is formed in the semiconductor material layer and separates the first and second source/drain electrodes. A counter-electrode is formed in the support substrate and faces the first and second source/drain electrodes and the conduction channel. The counter-electrode is formed by a doped area of the support substrate having a first doping impurity concentration which decreases from an interface between the electrically insulating layer and the support substrate.
US09123813B2

A thin film transistor, an array substrate including the thin film transistor and a display device. The thin film transistor includes: a gate electrode (100), a gate insulating layer (200), an active layer (300) and a source/drain layer (400) that are successively stacked. The source/drain layer (400) comprises a source electrode (401) and a drain electrode (402) with a gap therebetween, and the active layer (300) forms a channel (301) in a region corresponding to the gap. The gate electrode (100) has a gate electrode protrusion (101) on at least one side of the channel (301) in its width direction; and the gate insulating layer (200) covers the gate electrode (100) and the gate electrode protrusion (101).
US09123807B2

An apparatus is disclosed to increase a reduced a parasitic capacitance of a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a modified gate region to effectively reduce an overlap capacitance and modified well regions to effectively reduce a junction capacitance. The modified gate region includes a doped region and an undoped to decrease an effective area of the overlap capacitance. The modified well regions are separated by a substantially horizontal distance to increase an effective distance of the junction capacitance. This decrease in the effective area of the overlap capacitance and this increase in the effective distance of the junction capacitance reduces the parasitic capacitance of the semiconductor device.
US09123804B2

A device includes a semiconductor substrate, source and drain regions in the semiconductor substrate and having a first conductivity type, a gate structure supported by the semiconductor substrate between the source and drain regions, a first well region in the semiconductor substrate, having a second conductivity type, and in which a channel region is formed under the gate structure during operation, and a second well region adjacent the first well region, having the second conductivity type, and having a higher dopant concentration than the first well region, to establish a path to carry charge carriers of the second conductivity type away from a parasitic bipolar transistor involving a junction between the channel region and the source region.
US09123801B2

A semiconductor device includes a transistor in a semiconductor substrate having a first main surface. The transistor includes a source region, a drain region, a channel region, a drift zone, and a gate electrode adjacent to at least two sides of the channel region. The channel region and the drift zone are disposed along a first direction parallel to the first main surface, between the source region and the drain region. The semiconductor device further includes a conductive layer beneath the gate electrode and insulated from the gate electrode.
US09123798B2

An insulating gate field effect transistor (IGFET) device includes a semiconductor body and a gate oxide. The semiconductor body includes a first well region doped with a first type of dopant and a second well region that is doped with an oppositely charged second type of dopant and is located within the first well region. The gate oxide includes an outer section and an interior section having different thickness dimensions. The outer section is disposed over the first well region and the second well region of the semiconductor body. The interior section is disposed over a junction gate field effect transistor region of the semiconductor body. The semiconductor body is configured to form a conductive channel through the second well region and the junction gate field effect transistor region when a gate signal is applied to a gate contact disposed on the gate oxide.
US09123796B2

A semiconductor device includes a gate electrode, source regions and drain regions, a body contact region, and a body bias control electrode. The gate electrode includes a plurality of first portions arranged in parallel with a first distance therebetween, and a second portion connecting the plurality of first portions. The source regions and the drain regions are provided between the plurality of first portions. The body contact region is disposed on the other side of the source regions and the drain regions relative to the second portion. The body bias control electrode is provided on the body contact region in parallel with the second portion at a second distance from the second portion that is greater than the first distance, and is electrically connected to the body contact region.
US09123792B2

A semiconductor device includes: a nitride semiconductor layer; a first silicon nitride film that is formed on the nitride semiconductor layer, has a first opening whose inner wall is a forward tapered shape; a second silicon nitride film that is formed on the first silicon nitride film, and has a second opening whose inner wall is an inverse tapered shape; and a gate electrode formed so as to cover the whole surface of the nitride semiconductor layer exposed on the inside of the first opening; wherein a side wall of the gate electrode separates from the first silicon nitride film and the second silicon nitride film via a cavity.
US09123786B2

A means for selectively electrically connecting an electrical interconnect line, such as a bit line of a memory cell, with an associated contact stud and electrically isolating the interconnect line from other partially underlying contact studs for other electrical features, such as capacitor bottom electrodes. The interconnect line can be formed partially-connected to all contact studs, thereby allowing the electrical features to be formed in closer proximity to one another for higher levels of integration, and in subsequent steps of fabrication, the contact studs associated with memory cell features other than the interconnect line can be isolated from the interconnect line by the removal of a silicide cap, or the selective etching of a portion of these contact studs, and the formation of an insulating sidewall between the non-selected contact stud and the interconnect line.
US09123785B1

Copper can be etched with selectivity to Ta/TaN barrier liner and SiC hardmask layers, for example, to reduce the potential copper contamination. The copper film can be recessed more than the liner to further enhance the protection. Wet etch solutions including a mixture of HF and HCl can be used for selective etching copper with respect to the liner material, for example, the copper film can be recessed between 2 and 3 nm, and the barrier liner film can be recessed between 1.5 and 2 nm.
US09123777B2

A method for fabricating a micro electro device includes forming a conductive pattern on a substrate, forming an organic insulating film on a whole surface of the substrate with an organic insulating material to cover the conductive pattern, preparing a printing plate coated with an insulating film removing material, and forming a contact hole by removing a first portion of the organic insulating film through making the insulating film removing material come in contact with the first portion of the organic insulating film that corresponds to the conductive pattern, and forming a contact in the contact hole.
US09123772B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide an improved method for fabrication of fin field effect transistors (finFETs). Sacrificial regions are formed on a semiconductor substrate. Spacers are formed adjacent to two sides of the sacrificial regions. Fins are formed based on the spacers. One set of spacers is treated as dummy spacers, and is removed prior to fin formation, leaving the other set of spacers to be used for forming fins on the final semiconductor structure. All the fins on the final semiconductor structure are formed from spacers on one side of the sacrificial material. This reduces variation in width of the fins.
US09123762B2

Apparatus for processing a substrate is disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a substrate support may include a substrate support having a support surface for supporting a substrate the substrate support having a central axis; a first electrode disposed within the substrate support to provide RF power to a substrate when disposed on the support surface; an inner conductor coupled to the first electrode about a center of a surface of the first electrode opposing the support surface, wherein the inner conductor is tubular and extends from the first electrode parallel to and about the central axis in a direction away from the support surface of the substrate support; an outer conductor disposed about the inner conductor; and an outer dielectric layer disposed between the inner and outer conductors, the outer dielectric layer electrically isolating the outer conductor from the inner conductor. The outer conductor may be coupled to electrical ground.
US09123758B2

Methods and apparatus for mixing and delivery of process gases are provided herein. In some embodiments, a gas injection apparatus includes an elongate top plenum comprising a first gas inlet; an elongate bottom plenum disposed beneath and supporting the top plenum, the bottom plenum comprising a second gas inlet; a plurality of first conduits disposed through the bottom plenum and having first ends fluidly coupled to the top plenum and second ends disposed beneath the bottom plenum; and a plurality of second conduits having first ends fluidly coupled to the bottom plenum and second ends disposed beneath the bottom plenum; wherein a lower end of the bottom plenum is adapted to fluidly couple the gas injection apparatus to a mixing chamber such that the second ends of the plurality of first conduits and the second ends of the plurality of second conduits are in fluid communication with the mixing chamber.
US09123752B2

A method of producing a functional device according to the present invention includes, in this order: the functional solid material precursor layer formation step of applying a functional liquid material onto a base material to form a precursor layer of a functional solid material; the drying step of heating the precursor layer to a first temperature in a range from 80° C. to 250° C. to preliminarily decrease fluidity of the precursor layer; the imprinting step of imprinting the precursor layer that is heated to a second temperature in a range from 80° C. to 300° C. to form an imprinted structure on the precursor layer; and the functional solid material layer formation step of heat treating the precursor layer at a third temperature higher than the second temperature to transform the precursor layer into a functional solid material layer.
US09123744B1

A method for fabricating a semiconductor device is described. A spacer is formed on a sidewall of a fin structure. A portion of the fin structure is removed to form a cavity exposing at least a portion of the inner sidewall of the spacer. An epitaxy process is performed based on the remaining fin structure to form a semiconductor layer that has a shovel-shaped cross section including: a stem portion in the cavity, and a shovel plane portion contiguous with the stem portion. A semiconductor device is also described, which includes the spacer, the remaining fin structure and the semiconductor layer that are mentioned above.
US09123741B2

A III-V semiconductor device on a silicon substrate is constructed with a silicon (Si) substrate onto which gallium arsenide (GaAs) indium phosphide (InP) and aluminum indium arsenide (AlInAs) to form a structure of AlInAs over InP over GaAs over Si. The GaAs is applied in at least one layer over the Si, followed by at least one layer of InP and at least one layer of AlInAs. A portion of the structure is doped and a cap or passivation layer is applied.
US09123738B1

In a transmission line via structure, a plurality of sub-structures are stacked in a via through the substrate along a longitudinal axis thereof. Each of the sub-structures includes a center conductor portion, an outer conductor portion, and at least one dielectric support member. The center conductor portion extends along the longitudinal axis. The outer conductor portion is disposed around the center conductor portion. The dielectric support member(s) separate the outer conductor portion and the center conductor portion and provide a non-solid volume between the outer conductor portion and the center conductor portion. Conductive paste is disposed between the center and outer conductor portions of successive ones of the plurality of sub-structures to form an outer conductor and a center conductor.
US09123734B2

The present invention relates to a semiconductor-encapsulating adhesive, a semiconductor-encapsulating film-form adhesive, a method for producing a semiconductor device, and a semiconductor device. The present invention provides a semiconductor-encapsulating adhesive comprising (a) an epoxy resin, and (b) a compound formed of an organic acid reactive with an epoxy resin and a curing accelerator.
US09123728B2

A semiconductor device includes an insulation film formed above a semiconductor substrate, a conductor containing Cu formed in the insulation film, and a layer film formed between the insulation film and the conductor and formed of a first metal film containing Ti and a second metal film different from the first metal film, a layer containing Ti and Si is formed on the surface of the conductor.
US09123726B2

A method of forming a wiring structure for an integrated circuit device includes forming a first metal line within an interlevel dielectric (ILD) layer, and forming a second metal line in the ILD layer adjacent the first metal line; masking selected regions of the first and second metal lines; selectively plating metal cap regions over exposed regions of the first and second metal lines at periodic intervals such that a spacing between adjacent metal cap regions of an individual metal line corresponds to a critical length, L, at which a back stress gradient balances an electromigration force in the individual metal line, so as to suppress mass transport of electrons; and wherein the metal cap regions of the first metal line are formed at staggered locations with respect to the metal cap regions of the second metal line, along a common longitudinal axis.
US09123718B1

A shielded package includes a shield assembly having a shield fence, a shield lid, and a shield lid adhesive electrically coupling the shield lid to the shield fence. The shield fence includes a porous sidewall through which molding compound passes during molding of the shielded package. Further, the shield fence includes a central aperture through which an electronic component is die attached and wire bonded.
US09123717B2

According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device manufacturing method includes: bonding a first wafer and a second wafer to each other, to form a stack; rubbing a film attached with a fill material in a thin-film shape into a gap located between a bevel of the first wafer and a bevel of the second wafer, to fill the gap with the fill material; and thinning the first wafer.
US09123715B2

A method of hermetically sealing a glass assembly comprising glass plates or substrates with a glass-based frit when there is a large difference between the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTEs) of the frit and the CTEs of the glass plates. The method comprises a rapid increase of an irradiating heat source, used to heat and soften the frit, from a non-sealing power to a sealing power over a very short distance along the frit to form an initial stabilizing seal between the substrates.
US09123711B2

A wiring member includes a first leg portion, a second leg portion, a third leg portion, a first connecting wall and a second connecting wall. The first leg portion is electrically connected to a first conductive portion. The second leg portion is electrically connected to a second conductive portion. The third leg portion is electrically connected to a third conductive portion. The first connecting wall connects the first leg portion and the second leg portion. The second connecting wall connects the second leg portion and the third leg portion. The first leg portion, the second leg portion, and the third leg portion are non-linearly arranged.
US09123709B2

According to one embodiment, a first frame includes a first thin plate section and a first thick plate section. A second frame includes a second thin plate section and a second thick plate section. A semiconductor chip includes a first electrode bonded to a first inner surface of the first thin plate section of the first frame, and a second electrode bonded to a second inner surface of the second thick plate section of the second frame. A resin layer seals the semiconductor chip, but leaves exposed the first outer surface of the first frame and the second outer surface of the second frame.
US09123702B2

Methods and devices for connecting a through via and a terminal of a transistor formed of a strained silicon material are provided. The terminal, which can be a source or a drain of a NMOS or a PMOS transistor, is formed within a substrate. A first contact within a first inter-layer dielectric (ILD) layer over the substrate is formed over and connected to the terminal. A through via extends through the first ILD layer into the substrate. A second contact is formed over and connected to the first contact and the through via within a second ILD layer and a contact etch stop layer (CESL). The second ILD layer is over the CESL, and the CESL is over the first ILD layer, which are all below a first inter-metal dielectric (IMD) layer and the first metal layer of the transistor.
US09123698B2

Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described for cooling electronic devices. The electrical device includes an integrated circuit die (IC) having opposing first and second surfaces, a plurality of interconnects on the second surface of the IC die that enable the IC die to be coupled to a substrate, and a flexural plate wave device. The flexural plate wave device is configured to generate a stream of air to flow across the electrical device to cool the IC die during operation of the IC die.
US09123695B2

Provided are a nanowire field-effect transistor and a method for manufacturing the same. The nanowire field-effect transistor can enable a source region to be positioned, with respect to an asymmetrical nanowire channel, adjacent to a region in which the diameter of the nanowire channel is large, can enable a drain region to be positioned adjacent to a region in which the diameter of the nanowire channel is small, can enable an ON current to be increased in a state in which a threshold voltage level is kept the same, and can enable the current drivability of a gate electrode to be improved.
US09123694B2

The present disclosure provides a device having a doped active region disposed in a substrate. The doped active region having an elongate shape and extends in a first direction. The device also includes a plurality of first metal gates disposed over the active region such that the first metal gates each extend in a second direction different from the first direction. The plurality of first metal gates includes an outer-most first metal gate having a greater dimension measured in the second direction than the rest of the first metal gates. The device further includes a plurality of second metal gates disposed over the substrate but not over the doped active region. The second metal gates contain different materials than the first metal gates. The second metal gates each extend in the second direction and form a plurality of respective N/P boundaries with the first metal gates.
US09123685B2

Microelectronic packages and methods for fabricating microelectronic packages are provided. In one embodiment, the method includes forming one or more redistribution layers over an encapsulated die having a frontside bond pad area and a frontside passivated non-bond pad area. The redistribution layers are formed to have a frontside opening over the non-bond pad area of the encapsulated die. A primary heat sink body is provided in the frontside opening and thermally coupled to the encapsulated die. A contact array is formed over the redistribution layers and is electrically coupled to a plurality bond pads located on the frontside bond pad area of the encapsulated die.
US09123677B2

An organic light-emitting display apparatus includes an emission pixel in a display area and a spare pixel circuit in a repair area outside the display area. The emission pixels includes a plurality of sub emission pixels each including a driving unit for generating a driving current corresponding to input data signals and an emission device for emitting light by using the driving current. The spare pixel circuit is coupled to a repair line that is coupled to the emission device of one of the sub emission pixels. The spare pixel circuit includes a plurality of driving transistors corresponding to the plurality of sub emission pixels.
US09123674B2

A display unit includes: a first substrate including a plurality of light-emission devices in a display region, the plurality of light-emission devices each including an organic layer between a first electrode and a second electrode; a second substrate disposed to face the first substrate with the light-emission devices interposed therebetween; a first peripheral electrode provided on the second substrate and positioned outside the display region; a first wiring provided on the second substrate and configured to be electrically connected to the first peripheral electrode; and a first connection section configured to electrically connect the first wiring and each of the light-emission devices.
US09123669B2

A display unit is provided. The display unit includes a plurality of pixels having first to third sub-pixels each of which corresponds to respective colors of red, green, and blue, and a fourth sub-pixel exhibiting higher luminance than the first to third sub-pixels. In each of the pixels, the first to fourth sub-pixels have light-emitting devices. In the first to third sub-pixels, color filters are provided, and in the fourth sub-pixel, the transmittance of light emitted from the light-emitting device is configured to be reduced at a partial or whole region of the fourth sub-pixel. A difference in the transmittance among the first to third sub-pixels having the color filters and the fourth sub-pixel having no color filter is reduced to ensure an excellent luminance balance, which makes it easy to represent desired chromaticity.
US09123668B2

An electronic device may include a display having an array of organic light-emitting diode display pixels that produce light that forms an image. Color filter elements may be used to allow the display to present color images. Each display pixel may have a red subpixel, a blue subpixel, a green subpixel, and a white subpixel. To adjust the color coordinates of the white pixel and thereby ensure that the light from the white pixel has a desired white point, part of the white subpixel may be overlapped by an area of colored color filter material. The white subpixel may, for example have a rectangular white area within which a patch of blue color filter material may be provided to make the white light from the white subpixel more bluish than it would be without the patch of blue color filter material.
US09123663B2

A shielded semiconductor device is made by mounting semiconductor die to a first substrate. An encapsulant is formed over the semiconductor die and first substrate. A dicing channel is formed through the encapsulant between the semiconductor die. A hole is drilled in the first substrate along the dicing channel on each side of the semiconductor die. A shielding layer is formed over the encapsulant and semiconductor die. The hole is lined with the shielding layer. The first substrate is singulated to separate the semiconductor die. The first substrate is mounted to a second substrate. A metal pillar is formed in the opening to electrically connect the shielding layer to a ground plane in the second substrate. The metal pillar includes a hook for a mechanically secure connection to the shielding layer. An interconnect structure is formed on the first substrate to electrically connect the semiconductor die to the second substrate.
US09123645B2

Embodiments include methods of making semiconductor devices with low leakage Schottky contacts. An embodiment includes providing a partially completed semiconductor device including a substrate, a semiconductor on the substrate, and a passivation layer on the semiconductor, and using a first mask, locally etching the passivation layer to expose a portion of the semiconductor. Without removing the first mask, a Schottky contact is formed of a first material on the exposed portion of the semiconductor, and the mask is removed. Using a further mask, a step-gate conductor of a second material electrically coupled to the Schottky contact is formed overlying parts of the passivation layer adjacent to the Schottky contact. By minimizing the process steps between opening the Schottky contact window in the passivation layer and forming the Schottky contact material in this window, the gate leakage of a resulting field effect device having a Schottky gate may be substantially reduced.
US09123644B2

A semiconductor device includes a gate insulating film formed on a semiconductor substrate; a first conductive metal-containing film formed on the gate insulating film; a second conductive metal-containing film, formed on the first metal-containing film, to which aluminum is added; and a silicon film formed on the second metal-containing film.
US09123642B1

A device including both drain extended metal-on-semiconductor (DE_MOS) and low-voltage metal-on-semiconductor (LV_MOS) transistors and methods of manufacturing the same are provided. In one embodiment, the method includes implanting ions of a first-type at a first energy level in a drain portion of a first DE_MOS transistor in a DE_MOS region of a substrate to form the first DE_MOS transistor, and implanting ions of the first-type at a second energy level in a LV_MOS region of the substrate adjust a voltage threshold of a first LV_MOS transistor, while concurrently implanting ions of the first-type at the second energy level in the drain portion of the first DE_MOS transistor to form a drain extension of the first DE_MOS transistor. Other embodiments are also provided.
US09123637B2

A semiconductor epitaxial structure is provided, which includes: a nitride nucleation layer, formed on a substrate including silicon, sapphire, patterned sapphire substrate (PSS) or silicon carbide, a nitride layer on the nitride nucleation layer and an multi-layer structure in the nitride layer. The multi-layer structure includes a first intermediate layer and a second intermediate layer formed on the first intermediate layer. The first intermediate layer includes AlGaN, the second intermediate layer includes AlGaN or aluminum nitride, and the average composition of Al in the first intermediate layer is less than that in the second intermediate layer. A method for forming a semiconductor epitaxial structure is provided. The semiconductor epitaxial structure according to the present disclosure can not decrease the crystalline quality when a compressive stress is introduced, which may avoid a crack phenomenon or quality degradation caused by the change of temperature.
US09123634B2

Disclosed is a method for yield enhancement of making a semiconductor device. The method for yield enhancement of making a semiconductor device comprises the steps of: providing the semiconductor device comprising an epitaxial layer including a defect; forming a dielectric layer on the epitaxial layer; detecting and identifying a location of the defect; and etching the dielectric layer and leaving a part of the dielectric layer to cover an area substantially corresponding to the detected defect. The semiconductor device made by the method is also disclosed.
US09123630B2

A stacked die package includes a package substrate, a first die mounted on the package substrate and electrically connected to the package substrate, a second die electrically connected to the package substrate, and an interposer mounted on the package substrate and including a plurality of vertical electrical connection means electrically connecting the package substrate to the second die. At least part of the first die is disposed between the second die and the package substrate in a vertical direction.
US09123613B2

An image sensor, for example for incorporation within an active matrix display, comprises an array of sensor elements 10. Each sensor element (10) comprise an amplifying transistor (M1) whose gate is connected to an integrating node (11). The integrating node (11) is connected to one plate of an integrating capacitor (C1) and to one electrode of a photodiode (D1), whose other electrode is connected to a resetting line (RST). The sensor element (10) performs a repeating sensing cycle comprising a resetting phase, an integrating phase and a reading phase. During the resetting phase, the resetting line (RST) receives a voltage which forward-biases the photodiode (D1) so as to charge the integrating node (11) to a predetermined voltage. The resetting line (RST) is then returned to a voltage for reverse-biasing the photodiode (D1) so that the integrating and reading phases may be performed.
US09123610B2

In an image sensing apparatus having a plurality of unit cells, each including a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements and a common circuit shared by the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, arranged in either one or two dimensions, the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements are arranged at a predetermined interval.
US09123592B1

An array substrate is disclosed. The array substrate comprises a substrate, a plurality of common electrodes formed on the substrate, a plurality of gate signal lines formed above the common electrodes, and a plurality of common electrode signal line units corresponding to the plurality of common electrodes, respectively. The plurality of common electrode signal line units are formed on the corresponding common electrodes, respectively. Each of the common electrode signal line units comprises a first common electrode signal line perpendicular to the gate signal line and a second common electrode signal line parallel to the gate signal line. The first and second common electrode signal lines are made of metal and cross with each other and are electrically connected to each other. Two adjacent common electrode signal line units are electrically connected by a bridge line. The present disclosure also relates to a method for manufacturing the array substrate and a display apparatus.
US09123589B2

A display substrate includes a data line, a main gate line, and a first sub-pixel electrode formed on a base substrate. The display substrate further includes a first switching element connected to the data line. The display substrate further includes a second switching element connected to the data line, the main gate line, and a second sub-pixel electrode spaced apart from the first sub-pixel electrode. The display substrate further includes a third switching element connected to the data line and a secondary gate line adjacent to the main gate line. The display substrate further includes a shielding line spaced apart from the first and second sub-pixel electrodes, the shielding line overlapping the data line and receiving a reference voltage. The display substrate further includes an auxiliary electrode extending from the shielding line and overlapping an end electrode connected to the third switching element.
US09123581B2

An object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor device which can obtain the high potential necessary for writing data to a memory, using a small circuit area. In the present invention, by using as input voltage of a booster circuit not the conventionally used output VDD of a regulator circuit 104, but rather an output VDD0 of a rectifier circuit portion 103, which is a higher potential than the VDD, the high potential necessary for writing data to a memory can be obtained with a small circuit area.
US09123572B2

An anti-fuse memory cell having a variable thickness gate oxide. The variable thickness gate oxide is formed by depositing a first oxide over a channel region of the anti-fuse memory cell, removing the first oxide in a thin oxide area of the channel region, and then thermally growing a second oxide in the thin oxide area. The remaining first oxide defines a thick oxide area of the channel region. The second oxide growth occurs under the remaining first oxide, but at a rate less than thermal oxide growth in the thin oxide area. This results in a combined thickness of the first oxide and the second oxide in the thick oxide area being greater than second oxide in the thin oxide area.
US09123567B2

Architectures and techniques for co-integration of heterogeneous materials, such as group III-V semiconductor materials and group IV semiconductors (e.g., Ge) on a same substrate (e.g. silicon). In embodiments, multi-layer heterogeneous semiconductor material stacks having alternating nanowire and sacrificial layers are employed to release nanowires and permit formation of a coaxial gate structure that completely surrounds a channel region of the nanowire transistor. In embodiments, individual PMOS and NMOS channel semiconductor materials are co-integrated with a starting substrate having a blanket layers of alternating Ge/III-V layers. In embodiments, vertical integration of a plurality of stacked nanowires within an individual PMOS and individual NMOS device enable significant drive current for a given layout area.
US09123563B2

A method of forming a contact structure of a gate structure is provided. In the method, an oxidation layer and a first sidewall layer disposed between a first metal gate and a second metal gate are etched to expose an underlying silicon substrate. A silicide portion defined by a contact profile is deposited in the exposed portion of the silicon substrate. A second sidewall layer substantially covers the first sidewall layer and at least partially covering the silicide portion is formed after depositing the silicide portion. A metal glue layer is deposited around the first metal gate and the second metal gate defining a trench above the silicide portion. A metal plug is deposited within the trench.
US09123561B2

A superjunction semiconductor device is disclosed in which the trade-off relationship between breakdown voltage characteristics and voltage drop characteristics is considerably improved, and it is possible to greatly improve the charge resistance of an element peripheral portion and long-term breakdown voltage reliability. It includes parallel pn layers of n-type drift regions and p-type partition regions in superjunction structure. PN layers are depleted when off-state voltage is applied. Repeating pitch of the second parallel pn layer in a ring-like element peripheral portion encircling the element active portion is smaller than repeating pitch of the first parallel pn layer in the element active portion. Element peripheral portion includes low concentration n-type region on the surface of the second parallel pn layer. The depth of p-type partition region of an outer peripheral portion in the element peripheral portion is smaller than the depth of p-type partition region of an inner peripheral portion.
US09123559B2

Methods for producing a semiconductor component that includes a transistor having a cell structure with a number of transistor cells monolithically integrated in a semiconductor body and electrically connected in parallel. In an example method, first trenches extending from the top side into the semiconductor body are produced, as are second trenches that each extend from the top side deeper into the semiconductor body than each of the first trenches. A first dielectric abutting on a first portion of the semiconductor body is produced at a surface of each of the first trenches. Also produced is a second dielectric at a surface of each of the second trenches. In each of the first trenches, a gate electrode is produced, after which a second portion of the semiconductor body is electrically insulated from the first portion of the semiconductor body by removing a bottom layer of the semiconductor body.
US09123557B2

The present disclosure provides a rectifier. The rectifier includes a N-type epitaxial layer, a plurality of P-type diffusion regions and a plurality of N-type diffusion regions. The P-type diffusion regions are disposed in the N-type epitaxial layer, and the N-type diffusion regions are respectively disposed in the P-type diffusion regions. Wherein, the P-type diffusion regions are electronically coupled to the N-type diffusion regions.
US09123553B2

A method and system and for fabricating 3D (three-dimensional) SIC (stacked integrated chip) semiconductor devices. The system includes a vacuum chamber, a vacuum-environment treatment chamber, and a bonding chamber, though in some embodiments the same physical enclosure may serve more than one of these functions. A vacuum-environment treatment source in communication with the vacuum-environment treatment chamber provides a selected one or more of a hydrogen (H2)-based thermal anneal, an H2-based plasma treatment, or an ammonia (NH3)-based plasma treatment. In another embodiment, a method includes placing a semiconductor chip in a vacuum environment, performing a selected vacuum-environment treatment, and bonding the chip to a base wafer. A plurality of chips formed as dice on a semiconductor wafer may, of course, be simultaneously treated and bonded in this way as well, either before or after dicing.
US09123550B2

A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a conductive pattern (e.g., a contact plug) on an active region of the substrate and having respective first and second sidewalls on opposite first and second sides of the conductive pattern, and first and second conductive lines (e.g., bit lines) on the substrate on respective ones of the first and second sides of conductive pattern and separated from the respective first and second sidewalls by asymmetric first and second air spaces.
US09123533B2

A method of regrowing material includes providing a III-nitride structure including a masking layer and patterning the masking layer to form an etch mask. The method also includes removing, using an in-situ etch, a portion of the III-nitride structure to expose a regrowth region and regrowing a III-nitride material in the regrowth region.
US09123532B2

A method for repairing and lowering the dielectric constant of low-k dielectric layers used in semiconductor fabrication is provided. In one implementation, a method of repairing a damaged low-k dielectric layer comprising exposing the porous low-k dielectric layer to a vinyl silane containing compound and optionally exposing the porous low-k dielectric layer to an ultraviolet (UV) cure process.
US09123531B2

An oxide film capable of suppressing reflection of a lens is formed under a low temperature. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a metal-containing oxide film on a substrate by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times, the cycle comprising: (a) supplying a metal-containing source to the substrate; (b) supplying an oxidizing source to the substrate; and (c) supplying a catalyst to the substrate.
US09123527B2

Embodiments of the invention provide methods for processing a substrate within a processing chamber. In one embodiment, the method comprises providing a precursor gas mixture into the processing chamber, the precursor gas mixture comprising a deposition precursor gas and an etch precursor gas, subjecting the precursor gas mixture to a thermal energy from a heat source to deposit a material layer on a surface of the substrate, wherein the thermal energy is below the minimum required for pyrolysis of the etch precursor gas, and after the material layer is formed on the surface of the substrate, subjecting the precursor gas mixture to a photon energy from a radiation source, the photon energy having a wavelength and a power level selected to promote photolytic dissociation of the etch precursor gas over the deposition precursor gas and etch a portion of the material layer from the surface of the substrate.
US09123525B2

Phosphor particles, methods for their use to produce fluorescent lamps, and fluorescent lamps that make use of such particles. Such a phosphor particle has a core surrounded by a shell, and the shell contains GdMgB5O10 doped (activated) with at least terbium ions as a rare earth-containing phosphor composition that absorbs ultraviolet photons to emit green-spectrum light. The core is formed of a mineral material that is chemically compatible with the rare earth-containing phosphor composition of the shell, but does not contain intentional additions of terbium.
US09123515B2

Shutter gate grid is a structure wherein first and second disc-shaped members made of metal with an insulation sheet member sandwiched therebetween are integrally joined by means of insulative screws. Gate grids with conductive wires secured to the central openings thereof are fused onto the disc-shaped members; screw insertion holes formed in the second disc-shaped member are fan-shaped and have play in the direction of rotation, making it possible to adjust the parallelism of the conductive wires of the two members by finely adjusting the rotational position when tightening the screws. Moreover, diffusion gas can be made to flow through ventilation holes provided at common locations on each member, thus making it possible to provide uniformity of diffusion gas flow in the drift region.
US09123497B2

A color filter substrate for a display device includes a first protection layer on a plurality of touch sensing electrodes and touch driving electrode arrays; a bridge on the first protection layer and connecting the plurality of touch sensing electrodes; a second protection layer on the bridge; a black matrix on the second protection layer; a color filter layer on the black matrix, wherein the plurality of touch sensing electrodes include a first mesh pattern formed by crossing of first metal lines, the plurality of touch driving electrode arrays include a plurality of second mesh patterns formed by crossing of second metal lines, wherein the black matrix is formed at regions corresponding to the first and second metal lines, and wherein a line width of the black matrix is equal to or greater than each of the metal lines forming the first and second mesh patterns.
US09123492B2

An electrically conducting, vertically displacing microelectromechanical system (MEMS) is formed on a first integrated circuit chip. The first integrated circuit chip is physically connected to a three-dimensional packaging structure. The three-dimensional packaging structure maintains a fixed distance between the first integrated circuit chip and a second integrated circuit chip. A control circuit is operatively connected to the MEMS. The control circuit directs movement of the MEMS between a first position and a second position. The MEMS makes contact with a contact pad on the second integrated circuit chip when it is in the second position forming a conductive path and providing electrical communication between the first integrated circuit chip and the second integrated circuit chip. The MEMS avoids making contact with the contact pad on the second integrated circuit chip when it is in the first position.
US09123490B2

A vacuum switch tube has a housing which has two insulating housing regions arranged and configured symmetrically in respect of a center plane. Each of the two insulating housings contains a plurality of insulating housing parts. Shielding elements extend into the interior of the vacuum switch tube and are arranged between neighboring insulating housing parts and between insulating housing parts and neighboring additional housing parts. The shielding elements have improved dielectric properties and a simultaneously material-saving structure. Accordingly, the geometrical dimensions of the shielding elements are determined in dependence on a connected voltage and possible critical field strength between neighboring shields.
US09123487B2

A method for initiating a thermal battery including: releasing an engagement between an element and a striker mass upon an acceleration time and magnitude greater than a first threshold; and moving at least one member into a path of the element to prevent the element from releasing the striker mass only where the acceleration time and magnitude is greater than a second threshold, the second threshold being greater than the first threshold.
US09123476B2

A tab lead including a first insulating film made of resin is adhered to one of surfaces of a part of a region of a metal plate in a length direction of the metal plate and a second insulating film made of resin is adhered to the other surface of the part of the region. Both end portions of the first insulating film and both end portions of the second insulating film are integrally welded to each other. First protruding portions protruding outward in a thickness direction of the first insulating film are formed at regions of the first insulating film corresponding to both widthwise side edges of the metal plate and vicinities thereof. Second protruding portions protruding outward in a thickness direction of the second insulating film are formed at regions of the second insulating film corresponding to both widthwise side edges of the metal plate and vicinities thereof.
US09123469B2

In a method of forming a plating layer for an external terminal electrode by applying, for example, copper plating to an end surface of a component main body with respective ends of internal electrodes exposed, and then applying a heat treatment at a temperature of about 1000° C. or more in order to improve the adhesion strength and moisture resistance of the external terminal electrode, the plating layer may be partially melted to decrease the bonding strength of the plating layer. In the step of applying a heat treatment at a temperature of about 1000° C. or more to a component main body with plating layers formed thereon, the average rate of temperature increase from room temperature to the temperature of about 1000° C. or more is set to about 100° C./minute or more. This average rate of temperature increase maintains a moderate eutectic state in the plating layer and ensures a sufficient bonding strength of the plating layer.
US09123468B2

The instant disclosure relates to an improved method for the production of solid electrolytic capacitor, comprising the following steps. First, provide an insulating substrate. Next, form a plurality of conducting gels including aluminum powder on the insulating substrate. Thirdly, execute a high-temperature sintering process to metalize the conducting gels to form a plurality of aluminum plates. Next, form a dielectric layer on every aluminum plate. Then form an isolation layer on every dielectric layer to define an anodic region and a cathodic region. Lastly, form a conductive layer on the dielectric layer of every cathodic region, thus defining a solid electrolytic capacitor unit.
US09123453B2

The invention relates to a cable gland (10) for a cable (20), comprising an outer shield (26), a cable sleeve (21) enclosing the outer shield (26) and an anti-kink grommet (22) which is injection molded externally onto the cable sleeve (21) and has stop means for the cable gland (10). Simple and reliable contact is achieved in that the cable gland (10) a) has a substantially hollow cylindrical electrically conductive cable gland body (11) which is pushed from one side as far as the stop means over the anti-kink grommet (22) and projects over the anti-kink grommet (22) with the end opposite the stop means, b) has a union nut (12) which can be screwed on the cable gland body (11) and is pushed from the other side as far as the stop means over the anti-kink grommet (22), and c) has an electrically conductive substantially hollow cylindrical contact ring (14) which can be pushed over the cable (20) in a contacting manner into the projecting end of the cable gland body (11) and is designed for receiving and fastening the outer shielding (26) of the cable (20) with contact.
US09123451B2

An imaging apparatus includes a diffraction grating configured to produce an interference pattern by diffracting diverging light from a light source, an absorption grating configured to block part of the interference pattern, a detector configured to detect light transmitted through the absorption grating, and a moving unit configured to move the diffraction grating and the absorption grating. The moving unit causes relative movement of the interference pattern and the absorption grating by moving the diffraction grating and the absorption grating such that the diffraction grating and the absorption grating are not moved relative to each other.
US09123449B2

Infusion system configurations and assemblies facilitate routing of infusion circuit tubing lines. Tubing lines are routed into and out from compartments of a shielding assembly for the infusion system, at locations which prevent kinking and/or crushing of the lines, and/or provide for ease in assembling the circuit. A plurality of the lines may be held together by a support frame to form a disposable infusion circuit subassembly, that can further facilitate routing of the lines.
US09123435B2

The invention provides a semiconductor integrated circuit device provided with an SRAM that satisfies the requirements for both the SNM and the write margin with a low supply voltage. The semiconductor integrated circuit device include: multiple static memory cells provided in correspondence with multiple word lines and multiple complimentary bit lines; multiple memory cell power supply lines that each supply an operational voltage to each of the multiple memory cells connected to the multiple complimentary bit lines each; multiple power supply circuits comprised of resistive units that each supply a power supply voltage to the memory cell power supply lines each; and a pre-charge circuit that supplies a pre-charge voltage corresponding to the power supply voltage to the complimentary bit lines, wherein the memory cell power supply lines are made to have coupling capacitances to thereby transmit a write signal on corresponding complimentary bit lines.
US09123434B2

A method for accessing a semiconductor device having a memory array, includes receiving a chip select signal, receiving a command signal and an address signal, receiving a verification signal, calculating an error signal based on the address signal, the command signal, and the verification signal, generating an internal chip select signal based on the received chip select signal if the error signal indicates no error, and generating an external alert signal if the error signal indicates an error.
US09123429B2

A redundancy scheme for Non-Volatile Memories (NVM) is described. This redundancy scheme provides means for using defective cells in non-volatile memories to increase yield. The algorithm is based on inverting the program data for data being programmed to a cell grouping when a defective cell is detected in the cell grouping. Defective cells are biased to either “1” or “0” logic states, which are effectively preset to store its biased logic state. A data bit to be stored in a defective cell having a logic state that is complementary to the biased logic state of the cell results in the program data being inverted and programmed. An inversion status bit is programmed to indicate the inverted status of the programmed data. During read out, the inversion status bit causes the stored data to be re-inverted into its original program data states.
US09123416B2

A method for implementing a system containing at least one memory device including a plurality of non-volatile memory cells each including a phase-change material configured to change state reversibly between at least an amorphous state and a crystalline state having different electrical resistances. The method includes steps of manufacturing the memory cells, including the formation of a layer of a phase-change material having an original amorphous state at the end of the steps of manufacturing the memory cells. The method for implementing the embedded system includes, after the steps of manufacturing the memory cells, at least the following steps: (i) pre-programming the memory device consisting of an electrical recrystallization of a selection of memory cells from their original amorphous state; and (ii) assembling the pre-programmed memory device in the system during which the device is subjected to a temperature of between 240° C. and 300° C.
US09123414B2

Memory systems and memory programming methods are described. According to one aspect, a memory system includes program circuitry configured to provide a program signal to a memory cell to program the memory cell from a first memory state to a second memory state, detection circuitry configured to detect the memory cell changing from the first memory state to the second memory state during the provision of the program signal to the memory cell to program the memory cell, and wherein the program circuitry is configured to alter the program signal as a result of the detection and to provide the altered program signal to the memory cell to continue to program the memory cell from the first memory state to the second memory state.
US09123410B2

The present disclosure relates to a memory controller. The memory controller may include a memory controller module configured to identify a target word line in response to a memory access request, the target word line included in a cross-point memory, the memory controller module further configured to perform a memory access operation on a memory cell of the cross-point memory, the memory cell coupled between the target word line and a bit line; and a word line control module configured to float at least one adjacent word line adjacent the target word line, the floating comprising decoupling the at least one adjacent word line from at least one of a first voltage source or a second voltage source. In some embodiments, the floating reduces an effective capacitance associated with the target word line during the memory access operation.
US09123407B2

A data read start decision device includes: a storing circuit configured to store code key data; a read check circuit configured to output a read start signal in response to code key data read from the storing circuit, and a controller configured to start reading environment setting data from the storing circuit in response to the read start signal. The read check circuit is configured to at least one of: receive the read start signal from the controller and transfer the read start signal to the controller in response to the read code key data; and generate the read start signal based on the read code key data and output the read start signal to the controller.
US09123406B2

A semiconductor memory device includes a clock signal generation unit suitable for dividing an external clock signal to generate a first internal clock signal corresponding to odd number periods of the external clock signal and a second internal clock corresponding to even number periods, a first input unit suitable for receiving an external command signal and an external address signal in response to the first internal clock signal, a second input unit suitable for receiving the external command signal and the external address signal in response to the second internal clock signal, and an operation control unit suitable for enabling one of the first input unit and the second input unit and disabling the other of the first input unit and the second input unit, during a gear-down mode.
US09123405B2

Apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed that operate to generate a clock signal in a die in a stack and to receive the clock signal in another die in the stack. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
US09123404B2

A self clocking data extraction method is shown that is tolerant of timing jitter, data skew and the presence of multiple edges per data bit. The data is sampled when the following criterion are met: There is at least one edge across any track (the clock assures this criteria is met), followed by no edges in any track for a defined period of time (T), and all edge activity must occur in a period of time less than T (to keep from detecting false samples). This method enables the handling of trace data signals with poor electrical characteristics that can not be recorded by methods known in the prior art.
US09123397B2

A circuit arrangement comprising a plurality of electronic components; a plurality of first access lines and second access lines, wherein each electronic component is coupled with at least one first access line and second access lines, the second access lines comprising at least two bit-lines; an access controller controlling access to at least one of the electronic components via the at least one first access line and the second access lines; and a first group of switches, wherein each switch comprises at least one control terminal and at least two controlled terminals. Each switch of the first group is connected to one of the at least two bit-lines via its control terminal and in a path between one first access line and a sense amplifier via its controlled terminals, and adjacent switches are connected via their control terminals to different bit-lines of the at least two bit-lines.
US09123394B2

A method and apparatus for organizing memory for a computer system including a plurality of memory devices, connected to a logic device, particularly a memory system having a plurality of stacked memory dice connected to a logic die, with the logic device having capability to analyze and compensate for differing delays to the stacked devices stacking multiple dice divided into partitions serviced by multiple buses connected to a logic die, to increase throughput between the devices and logic device allowing large scale integration of memory with self-healing capability.
US09123391B2

A semiconductor storage device 1 according to an aspect includes a first memory area 11—1 and a second memory area 11—2. Memory cells MC_m_n and bit lines BL1, BL2_, . . . . , BLm_are disposed in a boundary area 18 between the first and second memory areas 11—1 and 11—2. The memory cells MC_m_n disposed in the boundary area 18 includes memory cells into which no data is written, and a line 56 is formed in a place that overlaps memory cells disposed in the boundary area 18 when the boundary area 18 is viewed from the top. As a result, it is possible to increase the integration density of a memory cell array and provide a line in the memory cell array.
US09123386B2

A method for measuring a change in a spacing between a head and a storage medium of a data storage system. The method includes obtaining a first readback signal from the storage medium using the head at a first spacing between the head and the storage medium, determining a first power spectrum density over a frequency range from the obtained first readback signal, obtaining a second readback signal from the storage medium using the head at a second spacing between the head and the storage medium, determining a second power spectrum density over the frequency range from the obtained second readback signal, and providing a measurement indicative of the change in the spacing based on the determined first power spectrum density and the determined second power spectrum density. A data storage system is also provided.
US09123378B2

A library apparatus includes a housing that has a magazine loading opening, the magazine storing a plurality of cartridges; a reader that reads an identifier provided on each cartridge stored in the magazine, the reader reading the identifiers while the magazine is being inserted through the magazine loading opening and pulled to a preset loading completion position; a transportation mechanism that is movable, the transportation mechanism including a removal mechanism that selectively removes one of the cartridges, and a connection member to be connected to the magazine inserted; and a controller that controls the transportation mechanism, wherein the transportation mechanism transports the removed cartridge to a cartridge processing unit, wherein the controller controls the transportation mechanism to stand by on the magazine loading opening side when the magazine is not loaded, and pull the magazine to the loading completion position when the controller detects that the magazine is inserted.
US09123368B2

A data storage device may be configured at least with an actuating assembly that has a head-gimbal suspension assembly (HGSA), first pivot point, and second pivot point. The head-gimbal assembly can be constructed and operated with at least first and second transducers aligned along a longitudinal axis of the head-gimbal suspension assembly. A controller may be adopted to manipulate the head-gimbal suspension assembly about at least one of the pivot points in response to a head-gimbal suspension assembly offset misalignment to compensate for such an offset.
US09123365B1

An apparatus disclosed herein comprises a reader structure having a sensor stack and a bottom shield having a first end and a second end on opposite sides of the bottom shield in a cross-track direction, wherein the first end is formed by intersection of arcs. In one implementation, the apparatus disclosed herein the sensor has a bottom shield having a bullet shape with a first end along a cross-track direction being rectangular and a second end along the cross-track direction being formed by an intersection of arcs.
US09123359B1

A magnetic recording transducer for use in a data storage device is described. The transducer has a main writer pole and magnetic shields adjacent to the main writer pole. The magnetic shields include a first plated soft ferromagnetic layer, a second plated soft ferromagnetic layer, and an antiferromagnetic coupling (AFC) trilayer between the first plated soft ferromagnetic layer and the second plated soft ferromagnetic layer. The AFC trilayer includes a first AFC layer of sputtered ferromagnetic material; a second AFC layer of a nonmagnetic antiferromagnetic exchange material, and a third AFC layer of sputtered ferromagnetic material. Shields with AFC trilayers in leading, side, and/or trailing shields, as well as between shields are provided. A method of fabricating is also provided.
US09123358B1

A perpendicular magnetic recording writer for use in a data storage device, the recording transducer has a magnetic writer pole, a pole tip facing an air bearing surface (ABS). The pole tip has a pole face, leading side wall, a trailing side wall, a first side wall and a second side wall. A trailing side wall nonmagnetic gap layer on the trailing side wall, a first side wall nonmagnetic gap layer deposited on the first side wall, and a second side wall nonmagnetic gap layer deposited on the second side wall. A high magnetic moment seed layer is deposited on the trailing side wall nonmagnetic gap layer, the first side wall nonmagnetic gap layer, and the second side wall nonmagnetic gap layer. In other aspects of the invention shields are provided that have magnetic moments less than the magnetic moment of the seed layers.
US09123345B2

A voice-controlled system is described that can be accessed by a mobile computing device. A user can communicate requests using natural language utterances. A microphone can collect the utterances and provide them to the mobile computing device. The mobile computing device can transmit the human utterance to a voice interface system. The voice interface system can utilize user preferences when executing the request to provide a personalized user experience. Computer-implemented methods are also described herein.
US09123340B2

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for classifying voice inputs. The methods, systems, and apparatus include actions of providing an answer to a first voice input from a user and receiving visual or audio data corresponding to a second voice input. Further actions include classifying the second voice input as a follow on request to the first voice input or as deliberation on the answer, based on the visual data or the audio data. Additionally, the actions include determining whether to provide a response to the second voice input based on the classification of the second voice input.
US09123338B1

Implementations relate to techniques for providing context-dependent search results. A computer-implemented method includes receiving an audio stream at a computing device during a time interval, the audio stream comprising user speech data and background audio, separating the audio stream into a first substream that includes the user speech data and a second substream that includes the background audio, identifying concepts related to the background audio, generating a set of terms related to the identified concepts, influencing a speech recognizer based on at least one of the terms related to the background audio, and obtaining a recognized version of the user speech data using the speech recognizer.
US09123336B1

Systems, methods and apparatus for learning parsing rules and argument identification from crowdsourcing of proposed command inputs are disclosed. Crowdsourcing techniques are used to generate rules for parsing input sentences. A parse is used to determine whether the input sentence invokes a specific action, and if so, what arguments are to be passed to the invocation of the action.
US09123331B1

Respective word frequencies may be determined from a corpus of utterance-to-text-string mappings that contain associations between audio utterances and a respective text string transcription of each audio utterance. Respective compressed word frequencies may be obtained based on the respective word frequencies such that the distribution of the respective compressed word frequencies has a lower variance than the distribution of the respective word frequencies. Sample utterance-to-text-string mappings may be selected from the corpus of utterance-to-text-string mappings based on the compressed word frequencies. An automatic speech recognition (ASR) system may be trained with the sample utterance-to-text-string mappings.
US09123330B1

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for receiving audio data encoding ambient sounds, identifying media content that matches the audio data, and a timestamp corresponding to a particular portion of the identified media content, identifying a speaker associated with the particular portion of the identified media content corresponding to the timestamp, and providing information identifying the speaker associated with the particular portion of the identified media content for output.
US09123328B2

A method and apparatus provides for frame loss recovery following a loss of a frame in an audio codec. The lost frame is identified. Estimated linear predictive coefficients of a previous transform frame are generated based on a decoded audio of the previous transform frame. An estimated residual of the previous transform frame is generated based on the estimated linear predicative coefficients and the decoded audio. A pitch delay is determined from frame error recovery parameters received with the previous transform frame. An extended residual is generated based on the pitch delay and the estimated residual. A first synthesized signal is generated based on the extended residual and the linear predicative coefficients. A decoded audio output of at least the lost frame is generated based on the first synthesized signal. The frame error recovery parameters are generated by an encoder.
US09123322B2

A howling suppression device includes a subtractor which subtracts a pseudo feedback signal from an input signal; an adaptive filter which produces a pseudo feedback signal for a next input signal; and a coefficient update control unit which controls an update rate of a filter coefficient of the adaptive filter and includes: a level calculation unit which calculates a signal level of the input signal; a signal-rising-edge detection unit which detects a rising-edge point; a reverberation section detection unit which detects a reverberation section; and an update rate control unit which sets the update rate to a first rate in the reverberation section and to a second rate in other sections. The adaptive filter updates the filter coefficient at the update rate set by the update rate control unit.
US09123318B2

In a musical performance apparatus, a time line management processing part displays one or more of time lines on a display unit according to an operation of an operating unit, each time line being an image representing a period for a sequence of one or more of sounds that repeat in a piece of music. An object management processing part displays one or more of objects on the display unit according to an operation of the operating unit, each object being a symbol corresponding to and representing a sound to be generated. A musical performance processing part determines belongingness of each object to the one or more of the time lines displayed on the display unit, and repeats control of generating sounds corresponding to the objects in parallel and independently for each time line at the period corresponding to each time line, such that each sound is generated at a sound generation timing determined according to a position of the corresponding object in a longitudinal direction of the time line to which the corresponding object belongs.
US09123315B1

A method for transcoding music, according to various aspects of the present invention, includes in any practical order: (a) reading indicia of a plurality of notes, each note having pitch and duration; (b) selecting a reference pitch; (c) determining indicia of tone from the reference pitch and the pitch of each note; and (d) outputting for use by an engraving engine, indicia of an apposite staff and indicia of tones and durations corresponding to the plurality of notes.
US09123305B2

Pairs of a TFT and a pixel electrode, the number of which is (m×n), are provided. The TFT has a gate electrode connected to a scanning line, a source electrode connected to a data line, and a drain electrode connected to the pixel electrode. The pixel electrodes are arrayed in a matrix of m rows and n columns. Each of the pixel electrodes on any column is alternately electrically connected to either of two adjacent data lines via the TFT.
US09123296B2

Disclosed are an organic light emitting display device and a display panel thereof, which are capable of performing a recovery driving for recovering a threshold voltage of a driving transistor to be within a range of compensation for the threshold voltage if the threshold voltage of the driving transistor deviates from the range of the compensation for the threshold voltage as a driving time of the driving transistor of a pixel increases.
US09123295B2

A method and apparatus for controlling current of an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display device, which is able to accurately estimate the amount of current according to an input image and control current to converge upon target current disclosed. The apparatus includes a current controller for estimating a total current value using a peak luminance corresponding to an average picture level of input data and a histogram analysis result of the input data, comparing an estimated total current value and a target value to generate a luminance control gain, feeding the luminance control gain back and repeatedly performing an operation for estimating the total current value and generating the luminance control gain to determine a final luminance control gain, and applying the final luminance control gain to the peak luminance to determine a final peak luminance, a gamma voltage generator, and a data driver.
US09123289B2

An OLED display device that includes multiple reference voltage lines. One reference voltage line provides a reference voltage to red, green and blue sub-pixels. Another reference voltage line provides a different reference voltage to white sub-pixels. The reference voltages can be controlled independently of each other to control brightness of the display device.
US09123283B2

The present disclosure relates to a shift register, a gate driving circuit and a display apparatus, wherein the shift register outputs an output signal of each stage in a forward direction according to a forward scanning signal and outputs the output signal of each stage in a reverse direction according to a reverse scanning signal, each stage of the shift register includes a forward scanning switch module, a reverse scanning switch module, a pull-up driving module; a pull-up module; a pull-down driving module; a first pull-down module; and a second pull-down module. A bi-directional scanning can be achieved by using the forward scanning switch module and the reverse scanning switch module to control to input different signals to different modules.
US09123279B2

A flexible display and a controlling method thereof are provided. The flexible display includes a plurality of pressure sensors, a display unit and a processing unit, wherein the processing unit is connected to the pressure sensors and the display unit. The processing unit obtains pressure values from each of the pressure sensors within a time unit and generates a pressure area and a pressure variance according to the pressure values from each of the pressure sensors. The processing unit further determines a display mode of the display unit according to the pressure area and the pressure variance. Therefore, the flexible display is capable of providing several kinds of display mode only based on the equipped pressure sensors.
US09123276B2

A display panel includes a plurality of pixel areas and at least one inspection area. An incident light is irradiated onto an inspection pattern disposed in the inspection area and a reflection light reflected by the inspection pattern is detected. An optical critical dimension of the inspection pattern is calculated from the reflection light, and a dimension of a pixel pattern disposed in each pixel area is calculated from the optical critical dimension of the inspection pattern. Accordingly, the dimension of the pixel pattern may be indirectly measured from the inspection pattern.
US09123270B1

A decorative device and/or band for removable attachment to a rear-view mirror is presented herein. Particularly, the band includes an at least partially flexible and resilient mounting component which is removably disposable in an engaged relation around an outer periphery of the vehicle mirror housing. Further, in certain embodiments, the mounting component includes an at least partially closed-loop and/or oval configuration with two oppositely disposed first and second longitudinal portions thereof which at least partially engage opposite upper and lower peripheral surfaces of the vehicle mirror housing. A display panel which in includes indicia (e.g., text, graphics, artwork, logos, etc.) displayed thereon extends outwardly from (e.g., upwardly, downwardly or to one or more sides) at least a portion of the mounting component.
US09123267B2

A light panel includes a light panel front (2) made of a translucent, self-supporting structure having a forward panel (10) distanced from a rear panel (12) via cross-linking walls (11) and arranged in the light panel to transmit light from one or more light sources (3) arranged behind the light panel front. A light scattering medium is arranged between the light source (3) and the forward panel (10) of the light panel front.
US09123264B2

A sign holder in the form of individual parts which, upon assembly, provides for the support and display of signage in a plurality of orientations. The sign holder includes a base configured to receive and support a first end to the stem, the stem having a first end and second end, the first end configured to be releasably retained by the base and the second end configured to retain a sign frame. The sign frame, in turn, is configured to be releasably retained by the second end of the stem and have a left side and a right side and a gap between its sides. The gap is provided with tabs for positioning the stem on the sign frame to retain the stem in a predetermined location.
US09123260B2

A presentation component (118) presents information from one or more data source(s) (102) to an assessor for assessment. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyzer 120 uses an ROC analysis technique to evaluate the performance of the assessor. A feedback component (126) provides feedback as to the assessor's performance. A data manipulator (114) facilitates manipulation of the presented data.
US09123249B2

A communication system for a vehicle includes a vehicle speed sensor configured to emit a periodic function with a parameter correlated to the speed of the vehicle, an acceleration monitoring system, a braking system engagement detector to detect a braking status of the vehicle, an alerting device capable of signaling other drivers of a deceleration condition of the vehicle, and a control device. The acceleration monitoring system is configured to compute the acceleration of the vehicle from variations in the parameter of the periodic function of the vehicle speed sensor and to output a deceleration status of the vehicle. The control device is coupled to the acceleration monitoring system, the braking system engagement detector, and the alerting device, wherein the acceleration monitoring system sends signals to the control device and the control device operates the alerting device in a manner dependent on the deceleration status of the vehicle.
US09123242B2

A pavement marker recognition device for recognizing a pavement marker accurately is provided, the device being capable of recognizing an object even when it is difficult to be recognized only from tones or color information. A pavement marker candidate extraction unit extracts an image area having a feature similar to that of a pavement marker from an image captured by a car-mounted camera as a pavement marker candidate area, a road shape analysis unit analyzes the road shape from the image captured by the car-mounted camera, and a pavement marker verification unit determines whether the road shape analyzed by the road shape analysis unit and the pavement marker candidate area extracted by the pavement marker candidate extraction unit are in a correspondence relationship indicated by a road shape and pavement marker correspondence table, and based on the determination result, recognizes the pavement marker candidate area as a true pavement marker.
US09123235B2

The present invention relates to a control apparatus and a method, a recording medium and a program, which enable to control at least one first device more efficiently and quickly through the use of a second device. The control apparatus stores at least one first operation panel information corresponding to the at least one first device received from the second device; detects the at least one first device; determines whether the at least one first operation panel information remains stored in the control apparatus; displays at least one first operation panel based on the at least one first operation panel information if the at least one first operation panel information remains stored in the control apparatus; and controls the at least one first device.
US09123227B2

A system for checking security of video surveillance of an area by a plurality of video units includes: (a) a respective signaling unit coupled with each of a respective signaling-equipped video unit among the plurality of video units; and (b) a control unit coupled with each respective video unit of the plurality of video units; the control unit providing an encoding arrangement for use by each respective signaling unit for emitting a predetermined signal. Each respective signaling-equipped video unit is oriented to permit at least one other video unit of the plurality of video units to receive the predetermined signal. The control unit cooperates with the plurality of video units to evaluate received the predetermined signals to effect the checking.
US09123225B2

An alarm system includes two subsystems: a security subsystem that performs critical alarm condition monitoring and reporting; and an auxiliary subsystem that allows execution of other non-critical software components. The security subsystem may monitor the performance of the auxiliary subsystem, and maintain the performance by resetting and/or otherwise controlling the execution of software and use of hardware at the auxiliary subsystem, providing increased overall reliability of the security system, without compromising its ability to monitor security conditions at an associated premises.
US09123222B2

An infra-red motion detector for monitoring motion in a monitored space is described. The motion detector includes, within a housing, an infra-red radiation sensor sensitive to infra-red radiation incident through a window. A refractive optical system within the housing selects incident infra-red radiation for redirection onto the infra-red sensor. An external light source mounted externally of the housing directs external light through the window providing a recognizable light input. A refractive Fresnel patch mounted externally to the window selects incident light from the external light source and redirects it to a tamper sensor within the housing. A detection controller processes signals output by both sensors in monitoring the space. The detection controller detects incident light from the external light source and trips a tamper alarm in failing detection, and further detects changes in infra-red radiation in the monitored space and trips an intrusion alarm upon detecting changes.
US09123218B2

A fire control panel in which an address map window (30), in which terminal device control switches (31) each indicating an address number (AD) of a terminal device are arranged in a matrix shape, is displayed on a display/operation unit (2). In addition, each of the terminal device control switches (31) corresponding to a status stored in a terminal database (DB) is displayed in a display mode that differs depending on each status. Accordingly, it is possible to grasp status information on a large number of terminal devices at a glance through one screen.
US09123206B2

Systems and methods for managing a gaming machine having one or more games and game configurations are disclosed. One aspect of the systems and methods includes providing a game framework including a game library manager that manages creation, update and deletion of multiple wagering games on a gaming machine.
US09123202B2

Various embodiments that may generally relate to one or more games at one or more venues. Gaming at a venue may qualify a player for a bonus game. A pool from which awards are paid for winning the bonus game may be funded through gaming activity that is not at the one or more venues.
US09123200B2

A mobile gaming device may be a player's own personal tablet, smartphone, PDA, etc., with an application program installed via the internet for carrying out a remote gaming session. All gaming functions are carried out by a stationary gaming terminal communicating with the mobile device, such as by using WiFi. The mobile device operates as a user interface. While the player is playing one game on the mobile device, the venue's system recommends other games to the player via the player's tablet either based on the player's past gaming history, if the player used a player tracking card, or based on real time game play, if the player is anonymous. Upon the player selecting a different game, the system automatically transfers communications to a different gaming terminal and transfers the player's credits. The gaming terminals may be gaming machines, where each gaming machine carries out a different game.
US09123197B1

A system for conducting gaming includes at least one gaming machine communicating with an award server. Optionally, the gaming machine communicates with the award server via a network server. A game is conducted at the gaming machine. A determination is made whether to issue an award from the award server. In an optional embodiment, the determination is random; in another optional embodiment, the determination is based on the outcome of the game. The award is issued from the award server, at least in part, based on data communicated between the gaming machine and the award server.
US09123194B2

There is provided a print medium, whereon a public key used for authentication in a public-key authentication scheme is displayed as character information.
US09123190B2

A method for authenticating an object that includes providing a label (12) with invisible indicia (14) printed with optically active material on a reflective substrate; providing a device that has a digital camera (18) having a light source (20), an image sensor (22), a first polarizing filter (24) having a first orientation, and a second polarizing filter (26) having a second orientation; illuminating the label with the light from the light source through the first polarizing filter; forming an image with the image sensor using reflected light from the label wherein the reflected light passes through the second polarizing filter prior to reaching the sensor; wherein the second polarizing filter makes the invisible indicia visible; and authenticating the object.
US09123186B2

Methods and systems for a vehicle control system to control user access to vehicle tasks, functions and/or operations based on rights and privileges set forth in user accounts.
US09123185B2

A method for obtaining tickets for journeys in a passenger transportation system which comprises stations for entering and/or leaving transport means of the system for journeys between the stations, wherein at least one station of the system is assigned at least one contactlessly readable data carrier and/or at least one transport means of the system is assigned at least one contactlessly readable data carrier, wherein the contactlessly readable data carriers contain ticket information items, and one of the contactlessly readable data carriers is read by a mobile reader in at least one station and/or in at least one transport means, and the corresponding ticket information item or items is/are stored in the mobile reader.
US09123184B2

A single space electronic parking meter mechanism for inserting into an outer parking meter housing is provided. The mechanism includes an inner housing, a payment receiving structure supported by the inner housing and an electronic display screen supported by the inner housing. The mechanism also includes a wireless communication subsystem supported by the inner housing configured to wirelessly communicate with a parking management system and an electronic meter control system controlling the electronic display and the wireless communications subsystem. The mechanism includes a memory device receiving port externally accessible through the inner housing and a read-write removable memory device physically accessible from outside of the inner housing and configured to be coupled to the memory device receiving port. The removable memory device including operation mode information that is read by the electronic meter control system to select an operation mode of the meter mechanism.
US09123174B2

A computer implemented method that includes enabling, using a processor, a user to identify a first area of a digital image, wherein the first area will be colored with a first color. The method also includes segmenting, using the processor, the digital image into a first segment that represents the first area and a second segment that represents a second area of the digital image, wherein an original color of the second area will remain unchanged. The method further includes enabling, using the processor, the user to select the first color, wherein the first color corresponds a first coating color, and displaying, using the processor, the digital image with the first segment colored with the first color.
US09123171B1

Systems and methods for calibrating a three dimensional (3D) stereoscopic display system may include rendering a virtual object on a display of a 3D stereoscopic display system that may include a substantially horizontal display. The virtual object may be geometrically similar to a physical object placed at a location on the display. At least one dimension of the virtual object may be adjusted in response to user input. The adjustment may be such that the at least one dimension of the virtual object is approximately the same as a corresponding at least one dimension of the physical object.
US09123165B2

Systems and methods for 3D data based navigation using a watershed method are provided. In at least one embodiment, a method for segmenting three-dimensional frames of data comprises acquiring at least one frame from at least one sensor, wherein the at least one frame provides a three-dimensional description of an environment containing the at least one sensor; and identifying a surface in the at least one frame. The method further comprises computing at least one residual map for the at least one frame based on the orthogonal distance from data points on the surface to at least one polynomial surface fitted to the surface; and segmenting the at least one residual map by performing a watershed algorithm on the residual map.
US09123162B2

A method is provided for integration cone tracing with particular application for feature films and other demanding content creation using scenes of high complexity requiring global illumination. Instead of using a conventional noise prone ray tracer, cones are intersected with a scene bounding hierarchy to determine intersecting scene geometry, and integration results are computed by directional sampling within the cones. As a result, the working data set may be reduced as the rendering may begin with a smaller set of cones as compared to the large number of rays required for acceptable filtering in a conventional ray tracer. Furthermore, by refining the cones during the rendering only on an as-needed basis according to an acceptable noise threshold and by sharing secondary cone bounces among primary cones, the processing workload and data set requirements may be kept to a reasonable level even for multiple global illumination passes.
US09123159B2

An interactive user-friendly incremental calibration technique that provides immediate feedback to the user when aligning a point on a 3D model to a point on a 2D image. A can drag-and-drop points on a 3D model to points on a 2D image. As the user drags the correspondences, the application updates current estimates of where the camera would need to be to match the correspondences. The 2D and 3D images can be overlayed on each other and are sufficiently transparent for visual alignment. The user can fade between the 2D/3D views providing immediate feedback as to the improvements in alignment. The user can begin with a rough estimate of camera orientation and then progress to more granular parameters such as estimates for focal length, etc., to arrive at the desired alignment. While one parameter is adjustable, other parameters are fixed allowing for user adjustment of one parameter at a time.
US09123151B2

It is desirable for a fragment shader to have access to non-interpolated values for each vertex of the primitive in which the fragment is located. For example, a fragment shader may use the distortion of the primitive with respect to an original state of the primitive as part of the function the fragment shader performs. Due to the specification of fragment shaders and vertex shaders, fragments shaders receive only interpolated values, and thus cannot receive non-interpolated values of, for example, one solution to this problem would be to modify the processing engine for the shader language, and the shader specifications themselves, so that a fragment shader can receive non-interpolated values from the vertices of the primitive on which the fragment is located. Desirable values to receive would be at least the vertex coordinates. Another solution is to specify and use varyings in a manner that pass data to a fragment shader that permit the fragment shader to reconstruct the non-interpolated values. One way to achieve this is to a. allocate varyings and assign them indices, b. assign indices to the vertices and c. have each a shader contribute only to those varyings having the same index as the vertex being processed, and otherwise contribute a null value, such as 0, to the varyings with other indices. In this manner, when the interpolated value for the indexed varying is received by the fragment shader, the indexed varying contains the contribution of only one vertex, scaled by an interpolation parameter. Another indexed varying can be used to pass the interpolation parameter, allowing the original value for the vertex to be computed by the fragment shader.
US09123149B2

An expert color selection system that assists the user in selecting color combinations is disclosed. The expert system suggests combinations of colors that are harmonious with each other. The user may tune the level of harmony in the combination. The user may also select a color emotion for the color combination and set the emotion threshold. The suggested color combination can be used as interior or exterior paints and for color merchandise.
US09123148B2

A method for generating a solid model of a heart in a predetermined phase of its periodic pumping movement is proposed. During a single C-arm rotation of a C-arm X-ray unit an electrocardiogram signal with consecutive RR intervals is observed by an EKG trigger. In each RR interval a digital X-ray image is generated by EKG triggering of the C-arm X-ray unit as soon as a time difference between the current phase and the predetermined phase is less than a predetermined value. For each of the X-ray images in addition a parameter influencing the geometry of the C-arm X-ray unit is ascertained. The solid model is generated from several of the X-ray images. At least one X-ray image is selected from each RR interval and for each of the selected X-ray images a projection data set for the calculation of the solid model is ascertained by the ascertained parameter.
US09123142B2

A system for adjusting content display orientation on a screen is disclosed. The system may include a processor that may detect both eyes and a body part of a user that is proximal to one or more of the user's eyes. The system may then determine an eye gaze plane based on the positions of the first and second eyes of the user. The eye gaze plane may be determined by identifying a first line of sight extending from the first eye and a second line of sight extending from the second eye. Additionally, the eye gaze plane may bisect a center of the first eye and a center of the second eye of the user. Once the eye gaze plane is determined, the system may adjust the orientation of content displayed on a display device based on the eye gaze plane and on the position of the body part.
US09123141B2

A ghost detection method for high-dynamic range (HDR) image creation using multi-level median threshold bitmapping. At each of multiple levels, median threshold bitmaps (MTBs) are generated for each original low-dynamic range image. At each level, the MTBs of the multiple original images are compared to generate a ghost map for each original image which indicates the locations of ghost pixels in the original image. For each original image, the ghost maps generated at the multiple levels are combined to generate a combined ghost map. The multiple combined ghost maps can then be used in creating the HDR image, for example, by discarding pixels in an original image that are indicated by the corresponding combined ghost map as being a ghost pixel.
US09123136B2

A method and system for real time processing of a sequence of video frames. A current frame in the sequence and at least one frame in the sequence occurring prior to the current frame is analyzed. Each frame includes a two-dimensional array of pixels. The sequence of video frames is received in synchronization with a recording of the video frames in real time. The analyzing includes performing a background subtraction on the at least one frame, which determines a background image and a static region mask associated with a static region consisting of a contiguous distribution of pixels in the current frame. The static region mask identifies each pixel in the static region upon the static region mask being superimposed on the current frame. A determination is made that a persistence requirement, a non-persistence duration requirement, and a persistence duration requirement have been satisfied.
US09123127B2

Apparatus and methods for contrast enhancement and feature identification. In one implementation, an image processing apparatus utilizes latency coding and a spiking neuron network to encode image brightness into spike latency. The spike latency is compared to a saliency window in order to detect early responding neurons. Salient features of the image are associated with the early responding neurons. A inhibitory neuron receives salient feature indication and provides inhibitory signal to the other neurons within an area of influence of the inhibitory neuron. The inhibition signal reduces probability of responses by the other neurons to stimulus that is proximate to the feature thereby increasing contrast within the encoded data. The contrast enhancement may facilitate feature identification within the image. Feature detection may be used for example for image compression, background removal and content distribution.
US09123118B2

Systems in accordance with embodiments of the invention can perform parallax detection and correction in images captured using array cameras. Due to the different viewpoints of the cameras, parallax results in variations in the position of objects within the captured images of the scene. Methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention provide an accurate account of the pixel disparity due to parallax between the different cameras in the array, so that appropriate scene-dependent geometric shifts can be applied to the pixels of the captured images when performing super-resolution processing. In a number of embodiments, generating depth estimates considers the similarity of pixels in multiple spectral channels. In certain embodiments, generating depth estimates involves generating a confidence map indicating the reliability of depth estimates.
US09123117B2

Systems in accordance with embodiments of the invention can perform parallax detection and correction in images captured using array cameras. Due to the different viewpoints of the cameras, parallax results in variations in the position of objects within the captured images of the scene. Methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention provide an accurate account of the pixel disparity due to parallax between the different cameras in the array, so that appropriate scene-dependent geometric shifts can be applied to the pixels of the captured images when performing super-resolution processing. In a number of embodiments, generating depth estimates considers the similarity of pixels in multiple spectral channels. In certain embodiments, generating depth estimates involves generating a confidence map indicating the reliability of depth estimates.
US09123111B2

A method of estimating one or more dimensions of a patch panel may include receiving an image of a patch panel that comprises a plurality of ports and one or more gaps, extracting, by a computing device, a region of interest from the received image, detecting, by the computing device, one or more line segments from the region of interest, determining whether one or more candidate ports can be identified based on at least a portion of the line segments, and in response to determining that one or more candidate ports can be identified, identifying one or more candidate ports, and determining, by the computing device, a gap length associated with the identified candidate ports.
US09123110B2

A vehicle attitude angle calculating device finds a yaw angle of a vehicle with reference to a lane stably without using information on a road vanishing point even in the state where a vehicle pitch angle varies. The vehicle attitude angle calculating device includes: a dividing line detection unit that detects a dividing line from image information received from a vehicle-mounted imaging device, the image information being a captured image of an outside of a vehicle; a distance calculation unit that calculates a distance between the dividing line and the optical axis of the vehicle-mounted imaging device every predetermined processing period; and a vehicle angle calculation unit that calculates a dividing line angle based on the calculated distance between the dividing line and the optical axis of the vehicle-mounted imaging device and a vehicle proceeding distance where the vehicle proceeds during a predetermined processing period.
US09123095B2

A classifier (20) is trained by a feature matrix (18, 18′) made up of feature vectors (F11, . . . , Fkm). The feature vectors are generated by operating on each of a plurality (k) of training image data sets with each of a plurality (m) of image processing algorithms (121, . . . , 12m) to generate processed and segmented images. Features of the segmented regions are extracted (14) to generate the feature vectors. In this manner, the classifier is trained with data generated with a variety of image processing algorithms.
US09123084B2

System and methods are provided to cache encoded graphical objects that may be subsequently combined with other encoded video data to form a data stream decodable by a client device according to a format specification. Paint instructions relating to a graphical object are sent from a layout engine to a rendering library. A shim intercepts these instructions and determines whether the graphical object already has been rendered and encoded. If so, a cached copy of the object is transmitted to the client device. If not, the shim transparently passes the instructions to the rendering library, and the object is rendered, encoded, and cached. Hash values are used for efficiency. Methods are disclosed to detect and cache animations, and to cut and splice cached objects into encoded video data.
US09123076B2

The present technology is related to employing a template/macro-based order entry system. An initial order data message contains a macro that establishes the initial parameters for an order and a unique ID is associated with the template. Subsequent, and potentially smaller sized data messages contain the unique ID as well as relevant order details for placing an order. Of course, the technology described herein envisions a much broader concept of reducing message sizes to help improve overall latency and is not limited to order entry.
US09123069B1

Online transactions are streamlined by moving pertinent transaction information forward in the buying process, so that a customer has the information when actually making a buying decision. In some implementations, a process may include generating a queue of items from previous purchase requests by a user, and presenting the queue of items on a page associated with an item available for purchase, such as an item detail page or search results page. Along with the queue, a fully landed cost of the items in the queue, may be presented on the page.
US09123067B2

The present invention relates to a system and method for authenticating a good and determining if the good is in the seller's possession. It relies on a web-based authentication service that requires the seller to provide photos of key features specific to the item, along with an identification number, specific to the item that must be present in each photo. The present invention applies to goods sold either in person, in a retail store, or over the internet.
US09123065B2

A service provider generates a customer key and a merchant key for facilitating efficient provision of assistance, by the merchant, with the customer's shopping and payment, via customer-merchant key coupling. When a customer approaches or enters a merchant's store the customer has signed up with, the user device carried by the customer wirelessly broadcasts a signal for the customer key unique to the merchant key. When the merchant server picks up the signal, the service provider communicates to the merchant server information in the user's profile including identifiers, shopping preferences, or the shopping history of the customer, subject to any user-created restrictions contained in the profile so that a sales clerk of the store may approach the customer to give recommendations, suggestions, or other assistance with shopping, based on the information.
US09123055B2

Systems and methods for generating and displaying customer commitment framework data. Exemplary methods for determining the shareability of online content may include obtaining, via a digital intelligence system, customer experience data regarding any of a product, a brand, and customer responses for a first entity, as well as periodically calculating, via the digital intelligence system, customer commitment framework data from the customer experience data, and generating a customer commitment dashboard that comprises a graphical representation of the customer commitment framework data.
US09123044B2

A system for generating transaction settlement identifiers includes an arrangement configured to receive a biometric sample from a customer and an arrangement configured to use the biometric sample to select the transaction settlement identifier from a pool of predetermined transaction settlements. A mapping arrangement configured to map the selected financial transaction settlement identifier to an identifier of the customer also may be included.
US09123038B2

Ranking payment requests includes a peer-to-peer payment system that employs a server configured for receiving a payment request from a requester computing device; receiving location data of the requester network device; receiving a request for a ranking of payment requests; searching social network information of the payor for occurrences of the requester of the payment request; receiving location data of the payor network device, the location data comprising a location of the payor computing device and a location history of the payor computing device; searching a transaction history of the payor; ranking the payment requests based at least in part on one or more of the location of the requester, a strength of social network connections to the payor for each of the payment requesters, and number of previous transactions between the payor and the requester; and providing the ranking of the payment requests to the payor.
US09123035B2

Systems and method are provided for providing auxiliary charge to a main battery of an electric vehicle. One system includes an auxiliary battery for holding a plurality of charge units, the auxiliary battery being connectable to the main battery of the electric vehicle, the plurality of charge units being rechargeable and being replaceable from within the auxiliary battery, such that replacing particular ones of the plurality of charge units with charge units with more charge increases a total charge of the auxiliary battery. Kiosks for storing a plurality of charge units. A display in the kiosk for an interface for enabling transactions to provide or receive charge units to customers, and a central processing center that communicates with a plurality of said kiosk over a network and a plurality of vehicles, The plurality of vehicles are provided with access to availability information of charge units at each of said kiosks.
US09123032B2

A system for determining presence of and authorizing a quorum to transact business over a network includes a first set of machine-readable instructions resident on a digital medium accessible to a computing machine, the instructions causing the machine to monitor a network for active presence of individual ones of communications devices associated with members of an authorized team of individuals from which the quorum may be determined, a second set of machine-readable instructions resident on the medium for causing the computing machine to make a confirmation of the quorum against a set of rules, and to authorize one or more of the individual communications devices making up the quorum to perform one or more tasks based on quorum consensus, and a user configuration, scheduling, and notification application resident on the digital medium for enabling a user to configure, schedule, and notify team members of a pending quorum event.
US09123029B2

An apparatus for delaying a message includes a receiver module, a delay determination module, a storage module, and a display module. The receiver module receives an electronic message. The delay determination module determines if the message includes a request to delay displaying the message. The request includes a requested delay. The storage module stores the message prior to queuing for display in response to the delay determination module determining that the message includes a requested delay. The message is stored in a computer readable storage media accessible to a computing device receiving the message. The display module queues the message for display after the requested delay. In one embodiment, at least a portion of the receiver module, the delay determination module, the storage module, and the display module include hardware and/or executable code where the executable code is stored on one or more computer readable storage media.
US09123026B2

A document distribution system and method using a WebDAV protocol. The system includes a WebDAV server; and a first client to transmit a document to the WebDAV server using the WebDAV protocol, wherein the first client transmits the document to a predetermined directory of the WebDAV server. Accordingly, the document is transmitted to a specific folder of a document distribution system using the WebDAV protocol, so that the document distribution system can be configured without installing an additional file transmission protocol in the server. Also, various properties of data can be designated without modifying the data when transmitting the document.
US09123018B2

Systems and methods for identifying one or more objects hung from a display peg are described herein. The system may include a display peg comprising a first and second electrically conductive terminal. An object comprising a resistive element having a preselected resistance may be hung from the display peg such that the resistive element is in electrical communication with the terminals. A source may be configured to provide a current that flows from the first terminal through the resistive element to the second terminal. An electronic device may be configured to detect the current flowing from the second terminal. The system may be configured to identify the type of object depending on the pre-selected resistance of the resistive element.
US09122992B2

For predicting web pages, a calculation module predicts a web page from a current context and displays the predicted web page.
US09122989B1

A method to analyze and determine which source content and user interactions are most popular is provided. The method generates scores for items, e.g., articles, topics, authors, or influencers, on a particular source based on data gathered from both the particular source and social media sources. The scores are used to rank items of the same type, and determine which items are the most popular. The method may also take demographic information as input. Using the demographic information, the system may determine the popularity of a particular item in a particular demographic. The method may also predict which demographic an item may be the most popular in. Furthermore, the method may give a recommendation on which author should write on a particular topic, which topic is most likely to be the most popular for a particular demographic, and which influencers should promote the article.
US09122984B2

Embodiments of the invention relate generally to computer-based simulations and synthetic environment generation, and more particularly, to a system, a computer-readable medium, a method and an apparatus for generating synthetic environments in a distributed architecture to, among other things, introduce dynamic content.
US09122981B1

Disclosed are various embodiments for detecting unexpected behavior. A path associated with a user is tracked. It is determined whether the path corresponds to at least one intent grouping that in turn corresponds to an expected behavior. Unexpected behavior is identified when the path does not correspond to at least one intent grouping.
US09122977B2

An image processing apparatus includes an obtaining unit configured to obtain a background image object and a foreground image object to be rendered with an overlap with the background image object, the background image object partially overlapping a pixel which is partially overlapped by the foreground image object; a determination unit configured to determine whether or not there is a possibility that in the pixel, the background image object is rendered instead of the foreground image object, on the basis of a rendering rule for the foreground image object and the background image object, the rendering rule for an image object being determined by a kind of attribute of the image object; and a control unit configured to control a rendering so that the background image object does not to show up in the pixel, in a case where the possibility is determined to exist by the determination unit.
US09122973B2

When a print screen for transmitting a print job to a printing apparatus is displayed, an information processing apparatus transmits a disable command of disabling a power saving mode to the printing apparatus. The printing apparatus receiving the disable command temporarily disables the power saving mode.
US09122965B2

An RFID card includes a smartcard controller that receives power from a host device. The RFID card also includes a small inductive device capable of inductive coupling with an RFID reader. The small inductive device is small enough to fit in the form factor of a memory card or SIM card. Enhancement circuits enhance the usable read and write distance of the RFID card.
US09122961B2

A mask generating unit generates a show-through area mask in accordance with inverted front printed image data, obtained by inverting front printed image data in a horizontal direction, and back printed image data. Then, a determining unit inspects a show-through area of the back inspecting image data corresponding to the show-through area mask with a show-through inspection threshold. Consequently, an area where the show-through exists with high possibility is inspected with the looser show-through inspection threshold. This achieves suppression of determination error due to the show-through. On the other hand, an area where no show-through exists with high possibility is inspected with a tight normal inspection threshold. This achieves accurate determination of printing error. As a result, accurate printing inspection is obtainable even to web paper with the show-through.
US09122960B2

Systems and methods are provided for providing patch size adaptation for patch-based image enhancement operations. In one embodiment, an image manipulation application receives an input image. The image manipulation application compares a value for an attribute of at least one input patch of the input image to a threshold value. Based on comparing the value for the to the threshold value, the image manipulation application adjusts a first patch size of the input patch to a second patch size that improves performance of a patch-based image enhancement operation as compared to the first patch size. The image manipulation application performs the patch-based image enhancement operation based on one or more input patches of the input image having the second patch size.
US09122959B2

Disclosed herein are techniques for performing automated structure delineation on image data using trained landmark detectors and a shape refinement tool. The landmark detectors can be trained to detect a landmark in the image data based on image features that are indicative of intensity variations over a plurality of windows of the image data points. A machine-learning algorithm can be used to train the landmark detectors. The landmarks in the image data that are detected by the trained landmark detects can be used to initialize an iterative shape refinement to thereby compute a refined shape estimate for a structure of interest such as a prostate.
US09122956B1

Novel methods and systems for automated data analysis are disclosed. Data can be automatically analyzed to determine features in different applications, such as visual field analysis and comparisons. Anomalies between groups of objects may be detected through clustering of objects.
US09122943B1

Various embodiments provide a method for randomly selecting a region on a map for testing and a map of the region can be generated using multiple map rendering engines. A screenshot of each of the generated maps can be obtained and text associated with map labels, such as street, city, and attraction names, can be recognized using an optical character recognition (OCR) engine. At this point, the recognized text from each rendering engine can then be compared to identify at least one error or inconsistency. In at least one embodiment, categories of errors that need most attention in the specific geographic areas can be identified and a human quality assurance tester can isolate these instances and narrow down the same to identify the rendering or data problem.
US09122937B2

A tamper-resistant housing assembly may include an internal housing that is wrapped in a flex circuit. The flex circuit can cover an outside surface of the internal housing and can carry a conductive electrical trace. The electrical trace can define a continuous electrical path from a first contact pad to a second contact pad, such that piercing the an outer surface of the housing through to the inner surface of the housing interrupts the continuous electrical path.
US09122923B2

An image generation apparatus stores a plurality of selection condition rows including a plurality of selection conditions used for selecting an image from a plurality of material images, selects at least one material image from the plurality of material images as a first material image, obtains a feature quantity of the first material image, selects a selection condition row which is stored in the storage unit and includes a selection condition including the obtained feature quantity, selects a second material image from the plurality of material images based on a selection condition row which has been selected, and generates an image based on the first and the second material images which have been selected and the selection condition row which has been selected.
US09122920B1

A digital manifold gauge having a gauge assembly with a display, one or more selectors, and a circuit board wherein the gauge assembly is rotatably disposed within a gauge housing and adapted to rotate to provide a plurality of viewing positions for the user. The circuit board is in electrical communication with a sensor port and the sensor port is adapted to receive a sensor transducer, such as a pressure transducer. The gauge includes internal software and logic for data processing and manipulation. The gauge includes a software algorithm adapted to convert pressure data transmitted to the circuit board from the pressure transducer into temperature data. The temperature and pressure data can be displayed on the display in real time and the gauge can also provide graphing and charting of the pressure-temperature relationship. The gauge is compatible with a variety of refrigerants and other fluids flowing through HVAC systems.
US09122911B2

Systems and method for verifying a user signing a document are disclosed. In particular, certain disclosed embodiments relate to verifying that a user signing a document corresponds to a previously authenticated user, the user having been previously authenticated using a source of machine-readable identity data. The verifying may be made by receiving, from the source of machine-readable identity data, first digital image data indicative of a first image of the previously authenticated user and first identity data, and receiving from a camera, a captured second image comprising second digital image data that corresponds to the user. Responsive to the first image and the second image being determined to represent the same user, verification data is generated and associated with the document.
US09122902B2

A fingerprint image obtaining unit 1 obtains a fingerprint image of multiple fingers. A vein image obtaining unit 3 obtains a palm vein image. An authentication information DB 6 stores reference vein characteristic information, and a reference direction of a predetermined finger in a reference palm vein image for which the reference vein characteristic information is obtained. A reference obtaining unit 20 detects a longitudinal direction of a predetermined finger based on the fingerprint image. A position correcting unit 40 corrects the palm vein image based on the longitudinal direction of the predetermined finger, and the reference direction of the predetermined finger. A vein characteristic information extracting unit 4 obtains vein characteristic information from a corrected palm vein image. A verification processing unit 32 matches the vein characteristic information obtained with the reference vein characteristic information for authentication.
US09122894B2

Method and apparatus for encryption, and a non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores instructions for performing encryption. The method includes loading a virtual system driver module in a host operating system and constructing a virtual operating system, wherein the virtual operating system comprises a micro-kernel; preparing and providing context of a processor and a memory page table by the virtual system driver for the micro-kernel, and mapping, in the memory page table, original data and a physical address of a buffer area that receives data after encryption computation is completed; and completing the encryption computation in the virtual operating system and saving the computation result in the buffer area.
US09122883B2

The embodiments of the present invention relate to controlling interactions between one or more components of a computer system, where each component is assigned a fixed security level and all currently active and newly requested interactions between components of the system are monitored.
US09122882B2

Disclosed are an apparatus and method of de-duplicating at least one data file. One example method may include requesting a list of data rows stored in a database to be de-duplicated, receiving the list of the data rows based on a single filekey associated with the at least one data file, copying the at least one data file to a data storage memory, and deleting the data rows entries from a file registry of the database.
US09122880B2

A computing device may be configured to provide operations related to providing additional security for sensitive personal information (SPI) in data records of an enterprise. The SPI is extract from the data records and mask sequence values associated with the SPI are generated. A master translation table is updated with the association of the mask sequence values to the entries of SPI and the mask sequence values are merged into the data records to be used in place of the SPI to safeguard the SPI. The table containing the mask sequence values is stored separately.
US09122874B2

In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for detecting restricted content associated with retrieved content. The method and system may include receiving a client request for content, saving contextual information from the client request, presenting retrieved content in response to the client request, and presenting the contextual information from the client request, and retrieved content, to a scanning facility. The scanning facility may utilize the contextual information from the client request to aid in the detection of restricted content associated with retrieved content.
US09122871B2

There is proposed a method of managing an array of keys by a device, each key pressed short-circuiting a row and a column of the array. During at least part of a time slot lying between two successive iterations of a sweep phase, the device performs a first protection mechanism, including reading a logic value on at least one row or column, and detecting an attempted illicit sweep as a function of the logic value read, and/or a second protection mechanism, including writing an arbitrary logic value, equal to or different from the predetermined logic value, on at least one row or column, so as to prevent an attempted illicit sweep.
US09122870B2

A system, methods, and apparatus for validating communications in an open architecture system are disclosed. In an example embodiment, a method includes selecting transactional information to transmit from a server to a communicatively coupled client device based on a request from the client device, selecting presentation information corresponding to the transactional information to transmit from the server to the client device, transmitting at least one message including the presentation and transactional information from the server to the client device, determining a prediction as to how the client device will render the transactional information based on the presentation information, receiving a response message from the client, and responsive to information in the response message not matching the prediction, providing an indication there is a malicious application affecting communications between the server and the client device.
US09122864B2

A method, apparatus and program storage device for program verification in an information handling system in which an application program runs on an operating system having a signature verification function for verifying a digital signature of the application program. Upon loading of the application program, the signature verification function of the operating system verifies the digital signature of the application program and, if the digital signature is verified, initiates execution of the application program. Upon initiation of execution of the application program, a verification testing function associated with the application program tests the signature verification function of the operating system by presenting to it a sequence of test digital signatures in a specified pattern of true and false signatures. If its test of the signature verification function of the operating system is successful, the application program initiates normal execution. Otherwise, the application program terminates without initiating normal execution.
US09122862B2

A method and apparatus is provided for switching from a regular desktop screen to a password input screen for a user to input a password. An apparatus may comprise a first screen display as the password input screen, a second screen display as the regular desktop screen, and a switching system. The switching system may be configured to switch a screen item position between the first screen display and the second screen display. The switching system may receive a user selection of a sequence of screen items as a password input and may switch operation of the apparatus between the first screen display to the second screen display.
US09122845B2

An application sender can control the distribution and use of an application using an authorization token encapsulating distribution terms submitted by the application sender and the application license specification submitted by a developer of the application. The application sender can access an application store and perform various functions such as selecting one or more applications for use by an application receiver, combining one or more applications into a bundle for use by an application receiver, and/or combining several applications to form a new application for use by an application receiver. The application receiver can utilize the application in accordance with the authorization token generated by the distribution terms.
US09122844B2

A system and method relate to a platform for distributing digital contents (digital content) to various client devices. A digital rights management platform allows a content provider to forward digital contents that is automatically ingested and processed in accordance with various requirements associated with providing the digital contents to the client devices. Information regarding the ingested digital contents may be provided to a coordinator device that uses this information to form a digital rights locker associated with the digital contents. A client device accesses the digital rights locker to obtain a rights token, or a proof of purchase, that is used to obtain rights data for accessing the digital contents.
US09122838B2

Provided is a method for evaluating and decomposing a semiconductor device level for triple pattern lithography in semiconductor manufacturing. The method includes generating a conflict graph and simplifying the conflict graph using various methods to produce a simplified conflict graph which can either be further simplified or evaluated for decomposition validity. The disclosure also provides for applying decomposition validity rules to a simplified conflict graph to determine if the conflict graph represents a semiconductor device layer that is decomposable into three masks. Methods of the disclosure are carried out by a computer and instructions for carrying out the method may be stored on a computer readable storage medium.
US09122831B2

An apparatus and method that improve design efficiency when designing an LSI. A selector module generating section inputs IP connection information describing input/output flows of signals between IPs included in an LSI to be designed, analyzes the inputted IP connection information, and generates a selector module of a selector that matches the input/output flows of signals between IPs described in the IP connection information. A macro module generating section generates a macro module in which relationships between the selector and function blocks are indicated, using the selector module generated by the selector module generating section.
US09122825B2

One method implementation disclosed includes detecting matching leaf cells that have functionally identical designs (optionally, similar designs) and assigning matching names for the matching leaf cells to replace original, non-matching names. Optionally, digests can be calculated for the leaf cells and used to detect similarities and/or differences. The matching names are propagated to at least some higher-level cells in the hierarchical design, in place of the original names. The method can further include calculating digests for at least some of the higher level cells after the propagating of the matching names into the higher level cells. Various design matching technologies can be used in combination with cell renaming and new name propagation, not limited to use of digests. Dependency chains can be calculated to improve propagation of names through the hierarchy.
US09122815B2

In one embodiment, the present invention includes method for entering a credit initialization state of an agent state machine of an agent coupled to a fabric to initialize credits in a transaction credit tracker of the fabric. This tracker tracks credits for transaction queues of a first channel of the agent for a given transaction type. The agent may then assert a credit initialization signal to cause credits to be stored in the transaction credit tracker corresponding to the number of the transaction queues of the first channel of the agent for the first transaction type. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09122811B2

In one embodiment, the present invention is directed to an integrated endpoint having a virtual port coupled between an upstream fabric and an integrated device fabric that includes a multi-function logic to handle various functions for one or more intellectual property (IP) blocks coupled to the integrated device fabric. The integrated device fabric has a primary channel to communicate data and command information between the IP block and the upstream fabric and a sideband channel to communicate sideband information between the IP block and the multi-function logic. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US09122807B2

An interface circuit for a switch array having an array of switches, each closeable to couple a row conductor of a plurality of row conductors to a column conductor of one or more column conductors, comprises a current generator and a current detector. The current generator has a plurality of row interface ports for coupling to different ones of the row conductors and is arranged to generate a switch array current for coupling to the row interface ports, the switch array current having a different one of a plurality of different switch array current magnitudes for different ones of the row interface ports, and generate one or more reference currents each having a different reference current magnitude. The current detector has one or more column interface ports for coupling to the one or more column conductors and is arranged to detect the switch array current flowing at any one of the one or more column interface ports, and generate a row indication indicative of which of the row conductors a closed one of the switches is coupled to by determining which one of the switch array current magnitudes the detected switch array current has by comparing the detected switch array current with the one or more reference currents.
US09122805B2

Embodiments of the invention provide a method, system and computer program product for fault alerting in mock object supported unit testing. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for fault alerting in mock object supported unit testing is provided. The method includes creating in memory of a computing system an instance a mock object proxying for an object under test by test code and proxying by method name an invocation of a method in the object under test to the mock object. The method also includes determining whether or not a method exists in memory for the mock object corresponding to the method name. Finally, the method includes invoking an exception handler for the mock object outputting error text indicating a non-presence of a method associated with the method name responsive to a method by the method name not existing in the memory for the mock object, but otherwise invoking a method that exists in the memory of the mock object corresponding to the method name.
US09122804B2

A method of implementing and validating business logic may include translating the business logic into an executable routine, and providing the executable routine to a logic interpreter. The logic interpreter may be configured to receive inputs from the user interface during live use, process the inputs according to the executable routine to generate a result set, and provide the result set to a database for storage. The method may also include receiving a test harness comprising a plurality of input sets and a corresponding plurality of expected result sets, and processing each of the plurality of input sets according to the executable routine to generate a plurality of result sets. The method may additionally include generating an automatic determination as to whether the executable routine should be deployed for live use based on the plurality of result sets and the plurality of expected result sets.
US09122802B2

Provided are an interconnect, a bus system with interconnect, and bus system operating method. The bus system includes a master, slaves access by the master, and an interconnect. The interconnect connects the master with the slaves in response to selection bits identified in a master address provided by the master.
US09122799B1

A system, method, and computer program product are provided for software testing project design and execution utilizing a mockup. In use, at least one software testing project to design is identified. Additionally, at least one mockup of the at least one software testing project is generated. Further, one or more testable items associated with the at least one mockup are defined. In addition, one or more test cases associated with the at least one mockup are generated. Furthermore, the one or more test cases are linked to the one or more testable items. Moreover, the at least one mockup including the one or more test cases linked to the one or more testable items is displayed. In one embodiment, a status of the one or more test cases may be updated according to a test execution within the at least one software testing project. Furthermore, at least one defect may be linked to every mockup that showed one or more errors within and/or outside a defined testable item.
US09122794B2

Systems and methods for debugging domain specific languages are provided. In accordance with an embodiment, one such system can comprise a web which includes a virtual machine, a debug execution machine, and a domain specific language (DSL)-specific tool interface. The web server is configured to compile DSL code received from a developer computer. During compilation the DSL code is instrumented to include debugging information received from the developer computer. The web server is also configured to execute, by the virtual machine, the instrumented code. During execution the instrumented code communicates with the debug execution machine such that a state of the debug execution machine mirrors a state of the virtual machine.
US09122786B2

Certain example embodiments relate to using Complex Event Processing (CEP) techniques for statistical analysis of cache behavior and parameters, e.g., in connection with large, potentially heterogeneous data sets (e.g., “Big Data”). A dedicated stream mining operator registers a listener to a cache and receives notifications on cache operations. For selected element attributes, a first model estimates the probability density functions of the attribute values, delivering well-defined estimates of the attribute value distributions. A second model analyzes the time elements stay in the cache (“validity”). Validity is combined with the attribute value distribution. A meaningful analysis model (Cache Element Model) can be derived by combining additional summary statistics for the validity with the attribute value distribution, describing how long elements stay in the cache for attribute values of a specific region, and how the values are distributed. It may be used to inform administrative tasks such as, optimization of cache parameters.
US09122785B2

Techniques are described for displaying a representation of a supplemental bolus and a representation of programmed doses of a therapy schedule for an implantable fluid delivery device with a programmer device. In one example, a device includes a user interface to present a graphical representation of doses of fluid to be delivered to a patient via an implantable fluid delivery device and a processor that controls the user interface to simultaneously present a first graphical representation of a supplemental bolus to be delivered by the implantable fluid delivery device and a second graphical representation of programmed doses of a therapy schedule of the implantable fluid delivery device, wherein at least a portion of the programmed doses of the therapy schedule follows delivery of the supplemental bolus by the implantable fluid delivery device. A user of the device may determine whether the representations indicate an excessive dosage risk to the patient.
US09122782B2

An adaptive mechanism is provided that learns the response time characteristics of a workload by measuring the response times of end user transactions, classifies response times into buckets, and dynamically adjusts the response time distribution as response time characteristics of the workload change. The adaptive mechanism maintains the actual distribution across changes and, thus, helps the end user to understand changes of workload behavior that take place over a longer period of time. The mechanism is stable enough to suppress spikes and returns a constant view of workload behavior, which is required for long term, performance analysis and capacity planning. The mechanism distinguishes between an initial learning phase of establishing the distribution and one or multiple reaction periods. The reaction periods can be for example a fast reaction period for strong fluctuations of the workload behavior and a slow reaction period for small deviations.
US09122775B2

A computer-implemented method includes determining a user account associated with a vehicle occupant. The method also includes detecting the presence of at least one active monitoring device. The method further includes determining an association between the active monitoring device and the user account and periodically downloading device information from the active monitoring device to a vehicle computing system. Finally, the method includes storing downloaded device information in association with the user account.
US09122774B2

Disclosed is a medical image system including a medical image management apparatus including a storage unit, a plurality of client terminals and an image generation apparatus. The medical image management apparatus be on standby for import of a medical image when an image import instruction is received from each of the plurality of client terminals, and the medical image management apparatus includes a control unit which stores the medical image in the storage unit and thereafter cancels the standby for image import. In a case where the image import instruction from another client terminal is received, the control unit cancels the standby for image import that is based on the image import instruction from one client terminal when a predetermined condition is fulfilled.
US09122771B2

A computer implemented method and system for calculating a degree of similarity between two graphs whose nodes are respectively given discrete labels include providing, for each of the two graphs, label values respectively to a given node and nodes adjacent thereto so that different ones of the discrete labels correspond to different ones of the label values. The nodes are sequentially tracing for each of the two graphs, and, during the tracing of the nodes, a new label value is calculated through a hash calculation using a label value of a currently visited node and also using label values of nodes adjacent to the currently visited node to update the label value to the currently visited node. The degree of similarity between the two graphs is calculated on the basis of the number of the label values having been given to nodes of the two graphs and agreeing between the two graphs.
US09122756B2

Example methods, apparatuses, or articles of manufacture are disclosed that may be implemented using one or more computing devices to facilitate or otherwise support one or more processes or operations in connection with performing information searches, such as, for example, domain-specific on-line searches using social survey-type queries.
US09122741B1

Described herein are system and methods for mitigating index contention issues in databases. The database server may generate additional storage locations to prevent overloading one or more current storage locations. A variety of database conditions may be used to trigger an increase or decrease in storage locations. In one embodiment, more storage locations may be generated when the amount of data records waiting to be written at a storage location exceeds or equals a threshold amount. Likewise, the database server may reduce the amount of current storage locations when the amount of data records is less than a threshold amount. The record identifiers may incorporate a location reference for their designated storage location. The reference may be a string that includes numbers, letters, or a combination thereof.
US09122727B1

Methods, systems and apparatus are described herein that include obtaining a respective ordered list of search result documents for each query in a plurality of queries. Non-overlap scores between search result documents within a first grouping in the ordered lists for a given query and remaining queries in the plurality of queries are then calculated. One or more remaining queries are then selected as candidate queries using the non-overlap scores. Overlap scores between search result documents within a second grouping in the ordered lists for the given query and the candidate queries are then calculated. One or more of the candidate queries are selected as related queries for the given query using the overlap scores. The related queries are then associated with the given query.
US09122725B2

A system and method for modifying the processing within a streaming application are disclosed. The method may determine one or more parameters for a tuple at a first stream operator. The one or more parameters may represent a processing history of the tuple at the first stream operator. The method may associate the one or more parameters with the tuple metadata. A second stream operator may modify the processing of the tuple if the parameter falls outside a threshold.
US09122718B2

Systems and methods for extending the capability of a directory processor by, for example, registering a control are presented. This control can be a non-native control, or a modification to a native control. Further, this disclosure describes example of systems and methods for performing a directory operation, which may include one or more controls. At least some of the one or more controls may be non-native or dynamic controls. In some cases, some of the controls may be native controls.
US09122712B1

A technique forms contents of a compression container from a standalone container file system stored on the same data storage array on which the compression container is stored. Such a standalone container includes a container file which is formed by standalone blocks. The standalone blocks store host data and which are hierarchically related to each other. Upon receiving a compression command, the storage processor carries out a set of compression operations which include creating and storing the compression container in the data storage array. The compression container includes container files which are formed by compression blocks storing the host data and which are hierarchically related to each other.
US09122700B2

Collective buffering and data pattern solutions are provided for storage, retrieval, and/or analysis of data in a collective parallel processing environment. For example, a method can be provided for data storage in a collective parallel processing environment. The method comprises receiving data to be written for a plurality of collective processes within a collective parallel processing environment, extracting a data pattern for the data to be written for the plurality of collective processes, generating a representation describing the data pattern, and saving the data and the representation.
US09122698B2

Peer-to-peer redundant file server system and methods include clients that determine a target storage provider to contact for a particular storage transaction based on a pathname provided by the filesystem and a predetermined scheme such as a hash function applied to a portion of the pathname. Servers use the same scheme to determine where to store relevant file information so that the clients can locate the file information. The target storage provider may store the file itself and/or may store metadata that identifies one or more other storage providers where the file is stored. A file may be replicated in multiple storage providers, and the metadata may include a list of storage providers from which the clients can select (e.g., randomly) in order to access the file.
US09122697B1

An improved technique for a data storage apparatus that combines both block-based and file-based functionality in a unified data path architecture. The improved technique brings together IO processing of block-based storage systems and file-based storage systems by expressing both block-based objects (e.g., LUNs) and file-based objects (e.g., host file systems) in the form of files. These files are parts of an underlying set of internal file systems stored on a set of storage units served by a storage pool. Because block and file-based objects are all expressed as files of this set of internal file systems, a common set of services can be applied across block-based and file-based objects. In particular, enhanced data services such as compression, automated storage tiering and deduplication are provided across both types of object using one set of common mechanisms.
US09122695B2

An extensible file system format for portable storage media is provided. The extensible file system format includes the specification of primary and secondary directory entry types that may be custom defined. The primary and secondary directory entry types can be further classified as critical and benign directory entries. The directory entry types can define whether a cluster chain corresponding to a file can be contiguously allocated.
US09122686B2

Within a cluster, when a new server node joins the cluster, an indication of the new server node has joined is received by at least one server node in the cluster. Global naming operations are disabled within the cluster. While the global naming operations are disabled, the global naming objects are replicated to the new server node. Once the replication is complete, global naming is reenabled for the cluster. In one embodiment of the invention, subsequent naming data from subsequent global naming operations is replicated in all server nodes in the cluster. One embodiment of the invention redirects naming operations directed to a down server node to a different server node within the cluster. One embodiment of the invention performs security checks responsive to a first access to the naming service.
US09122684B2

Techniques for recommending media are described. A character preference function comprising a plurality of preference coefficients is accessed. A first character model comprises a first set of attribute values for the plurality of attributes of a first character. The first and second characters are associated with a first and second salience value, respectively. A second character model comprises a second set of attribute values for the plurality of attributes of a second character of the plurality of characters. A first character rating is calculated using the plurality of preference coefficients and the first set of attribute values. A second character rating of the second character is calculated using the plurality of preference coefficients with the second set of attribute values. A media rating is calculated based on the first and second salience values and the first and second character ratings. A media is recommended based on the media rating.
US09122677B2

A system and method for identifying an object includes a plurality of object sensors, each object sensor configured and arranged to determine at least one parameter describing objects as they are relatively moved with respect to a sensing volume and having a known position and attitude with respect to the sensing volume. A location sensor is configured and arranged to produce position information relating to the relative movement. Outputs from the object and location sensors are passed to a processor and the parameters are associated with respective ones of the objects on the basis of the position information and on the basis of the known positions and attitudes of the sensors. For each object having associated parameters, the processor compares the parameters to known item parameters to assign item identification to the object.
US09122670B2

The invention relates to a method for real-time determination an optimal corrected surface of a first bone and/or a second bone forming together an articulation, the first and/or second bones presenting an overgrowth deformation, said corrected surface providing a greater range of motion of the articulation, the method comprising the following steps: i) constructing from acquired images of the articulation 3D voxel models of the first bone and the second bone; ii) for each of first and second bone voxel models, constructing a coordinate system defined by a center and three axes; iii) applying a motion pattern on the coordinate system of the second bone with respect to the coordinate system of the first bone, a motion pattern being a set of contiguous positions of the first or second bone coordinate systems with respect to the other bone coordinate system, the contiguous positions defining a movement of one bone with respect to the other, wherein said motion pattern is initially loaded from a data base of predefined motion patterns; iv) determining a resection volume from said motion pattern as being the union of interpenetration volumes of the first or second bone voxel model with the other bone voxel model for each position of the motion pattern; v) determining the optimal corrected surface by virtually removing said resection volume from the first and/or the second bone voxel model.
US09122658B2

A method, system, and/or computer program product generate and present a webpage on a user interface. A request for an initial page view of an initial page is transmitted from a client computer to a server-side layout manager in a server that is OSGi enabled. The client computer receives a copy of the initial page view, a client-side rendering engine, and a client-side layout manager from the server. The client-side layout manager parses out client-side controllers from the client-side layout manager to determine which views are to be pre-fetched before generating a requested webpage. The client-side layout manager invokes the client-side rendering engine to pre-fetch and cache selected views of particular webpages. The client-side layout manager then invokes the client-side rendering engine to build and render the requested webpage from the initial page view and one or more of the cached views.
US09122657B2

A method, system, and/or computer program product generate and present a webpage on a user interface. A request for an initial page view of an initial page is transmitted from a client computer to a server-side layout manager in a server that is OSGi enabled. The client computer receives a copy of the initial page view, a client-side rendering engine, and a client-side layout manager from the server. The client-side layout manager parses out client-side controllers from the client-side layout manager to determine which views are to be pre-fetched before generating a requested webpage. The client-side layout manager invokes the client-side rendering engine to pre-fetch and cache selected views of particular webpages. The client-side layout manager then invokes the client-side rendering engine to build and render the requested webpage from the initial page view and one or more of the cached views.
US09122641B1

A first computer system calculates a first value as a function of a data block. A second computer system compares the calculated first value with each of a plurality of values in a plurality of entries, respectively. The plurality of entries include a plurality of storage location pointers, respectively, that correspond to a plurality of data blocks, respectively, that were transmitted to a storage system before the first computer system calculated the first value. If the first value compares equally to a value contained in one of the plurality of entries, a storage location pointer of the one entry is transmitted to the storage system, wherein the storage location pointer corresponds to a copy of the data block that was sent to the storage system before the first computer system calculated the first value. If the calculated first value does not compare equally with any value contained in the plurality of entries, the first computer system transmits the data block to the storage system.
US09122631B2

Techniques are generally described related to a flash-based buffer management strategy. One example method for managing a buffer for a computer system may include monitoring, by a buffer management module, a plurality of operations being executed on the computer system and utilizing a plurality of buffer pages of the buffer. The example method may also include, upon a determination that the buffer is full, identifying a specific buffer page from the plurality of buffer pages for eviction, wherein the specific buffer page is selected based on a page state of the specific buffer page and a page hotness prediction for the specific buffer page. The example method may further include evicting the specific buffer page from the buffer.
US09122628B2

A method begins by a processing module receiving redundant array of independent disks (RAID) data and determining whether to store the RAID data in at least one of a RAID format and in a dispersed storage network (DSN) format. The method continues with the processing module converting at least a portion of the RAID data into at least one set of encoded data slices when the at least a portion of the RAID data is to be stored in the DSN format. The method continues with the processing module outputting the at least one set of encoded data slices to a DSN memory.
US09122622B1

In one embodiment, a controller system comprises a plurality of remote interface modules and a control module. Each remote interface module is configured to be coupled to a corresponding controlled system for receiving first input signals therefrom, providing first output signals thereto, and generating first data signals based on the first input signals. The control module is coupled to the remote interface modules to receive the first data signals from the remote interface modules, and provide second data signals to the remote interface modules. The control module is configured to receive second input signals from a host computer and to provide second output signals to the host computer. The control module is configurable to selectively generate the second data signals and the second output signals based on the first data signals, the second input signals, and configuration equations.
US09122613B2

A data processing apparatus includes a processor and a hierarchical data storage system, including a memory and a cache, for storing the data and the instructions in storage locations identified by physical addresses. The apparatus includes address translation circuitry for mapping the virtual addresses to the physical addresses and load store circuitry receiving access requests from the processor. The store circuitry accesses the translation circuitry to identify physical addresses that correspond to virtual addresses of the received data access requests, and to access the corresponding physical addresses in the hierarchical data storage system. Preload circuitry receives preload requests from the processor indicating virtual addresses storage locations that are to be preloaded. Prefetch circuitry monitors at least some of the accesses performed by the load store circuitry and predicts addresses to be accessed subsequently, and transmits the predicted addresses to the preload circuitry as preload requests.
US09122610B2

The present invention is a microprocessor architecture for efficiently running an operating system. The improved architecture provides higher performance, improved operating system efficiency, enhanced security, and reduced power consumption.
US09122608B2

One or more systems, devices, methods, and/or processes described can determine a maximum cache command rate of a processor unit. For example, an interface of the processor unit is configured to be coupled to an interconnect of a multiprocessor system and is configured such that a first portion of the interface provides a signal to a second portion of the interface, where the first portion of the interface operates utilizing a known frequency and the second portion of the interface operates utilizing a cache frequency of the processor unit; the second portion of the interface circulates the signal; the first portion of the interface receives the signal from the second portion of the interface; the first portion of the interface determines a cache command rate based on the known frequency, the frequency of the cache, and the signal; and the interface provides information indicating the cache command rate to the interconnect.
US09122594B2

In a virtualized computer system in which a guest operating system runs on a virtual machine of a virtualized computer system, a computer-implemented method of providing the guest operating system with direct access to a hardware device coupled to the virtualized computer system via a communication interface, the method including: (a) obtaining first configuration register information corresponding to the hardware device, the hardware device connected to the virtualized computer system via the communication interface; (b) creating a passthrough device by copying at least part of the first configuration register information to generate second configuration register information corresponding to the passthrough device; and (c) enabling the guest operating system to directly access the hardware device corresponding to the passthrough device by providing access to the second configuration register information of the passthrough device.
US09122586B2

A method for increasing performance of a recycle operation in a solid state drive, comprising the steps of (A) creating an empty physical-to-logical address map in a memory having a plurality of entry locations, (B) filling one of the plurality of entry locations with a physical page address associated with each data write operation to a block, where the block has a plurality of pages, (C) writing the physical-to-logical address map to a last of the plurality of pages during a write to a second to last page of the block and (D) initiating a recycle operation of the block by reading the address map to determine whether the pages contain valid data.
US09122583B2

A data writing method for a memory storage device having physical unit unions is provided, wherein each of the physical unit unions includes upper physical units and lower physical units. The method includes partitioning the physical unit unions into a storage area including a data area and a spare area; configuring logical units for mapping to the physical unit unions of the data area; and receiving update data from a host system. The method also includes: selecting several physical unit unions from the spare area as buffer physical unit unions; writing the update data only to a part of each of the buffer physical unit unions; and moving the update data from buffer physical unit unions to the storage area by using a copy procedure. Therefore, the time of performing a write command can be shorten and the lifespan of the memory storage device can be prolonged effectively.
US09122579B2

A storage layer for a non-volatile storage device presents a large, logical address space having a logical capacity that may exceed the storage capacity of the non-volatile storage device. The storage layer implements persistent storage operations within the logical address space; storage operations performed within the logical address space may be persisted on the non-volatile storage device. The storage layer maintains storage metadata to allocate ranges of the logical address space to storage entities. The storage layer provides for allocation of contiguous logical address ranges, which may be implemented by segmenting logical identifiers into a first portion referencing storage entities, and a second portion referencing storage entity offsets. The storage layer persists data on the non-volatile storage device in a sequential, log-based format. Accordingly, storage clients, such as file systems, databases, and other applications, may delegate logical allocations, physical storage bindings, and/or crash-recovery to the storage layer.
US09122569B2

A parking assist system includes: an actuator that drives a back door of a vehicle; an opening degree control unit that controls an opening degree of the back door by controlling the actuator; a storage device that stores an allowable opening degree of the back door at a park position of the vehicle in association with the park position; and a position information acquisition unit that acquires position information of the vehicle. When a position of the vehicle corresponds to the park position stored in the storage device, the opening degree control unit limits the opening degree of the back door on the basis of the allowable opening degree of the back door, stored in the storage device in association with the park position.
US09122565B2

Provided is a memory controller that manages memory access requests between the processor and the memory. In response to the memory controller receiving two or more memory access requests for the same area of memory, the memory controller is configured to stall the memory controller and sequentially process the memory access requests.
US09122563B2

Described is a technology, such as implemented in a computational software program, by which a minimal polynomial is efficiently determined for a radical expression over the ring Z of integer numbers or the ring Q of rational numbers. The levels of the radical are grouped into a level permutation group that is used to find a level permutation set. An annihilation polynomial is found based upon the level permutation set. The annihilation polynomial is factored, and a selection mechanism selects the minimal polynomial based upon the annihilation polynomial's factors.
US09122561B2

Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture for program integration are provided herein. A method includes identifying each varying portion of a customized version of a program as compared to a standard version of the program; identifying each common portion of the customized version as compared to the standard version; merging the customized version with the standard version to create a merged version of the program based on the identified common portions and the identified varying portions such that semantics of both the customized version and the standard version are preserved in the merged program; associating each change contributed by the customized version, represented by the varying portions in the merged version, to a defined extension point in the merged version; and generating a program extension for the standard version for each span of the program contained in a defined extension point span in the merged version.
US09122556B2

Software accesses a code database and determines that a specified percentage of the code in the code database for an application has been updated. The software then accesses an application database and obtains the application as currently deployed. The software obtains one or more application specifications from the application database, based at least in part on a scan of the application. And the software obtains one or more code-module specifications from the code database, based at least in part on the one or more application specifications. The software then determines that an update can be made to the application as currently deployed, based at least in part on code-module dependencies identified in the one or more application specifications and updated code modules for the application in the code database. And the software creates a new version of the application using the updated code modules and deploys the new version.
US09122554B2

A pervasive service provides device specific updates. A proxy device receives an update request from a user device located proximate to the proxy device. The update request includes at least a user device identifier and a user device state. Update data associated with the user device identifier and the user device state is accessed. The proxy device transmits the device-specific update data to the user device. In some embodiments, the proxy device is a mobile device that detects or otherwise encounters a plurality of the user devices and provides device-specific updates thereto.
US09122551B2

Methods and systems for use in generating read-only production operating systems including at least one application for use with a target workstation are disclosed. One example method includes providing a baseline operating system based on a hardware profile of the target workstation, executing an installation script for a target application, adding at least one resource to the baseline operating system based on an error message indicating at least one resource called by the installation script is not found, and writing, at a computing device, a production operating system to a read-only media. The production operating includes the baseline operating system and the at least one resource.
US09122541B2

A method performed by a system including one or more data processing systems. The method includes receiving a plurality of requesting process calls for a target process from one or more requesting processes and identifying dependencies between the requesting process calls. The method includes sending the requesting process call to the target process for execution on multiple threads, including sending thread execution parameters corresponding to the requesting process calls, the thread execution parameters indicating that the requesting process calls can be executed by the target process simultaneously and independently, that the requesting process calls must be processed in a specific order based on the dependencies, or that the requesting process calls are to be executed with shared process objects. The method includes receiving results from the target process. The method includes sending the results to the requesting processes corresponding to the respective requesting process calls.
US09122529B2

The invention provides a system and method for managing clusters of parallel processors for use by groups and individuals requiring supercomputer level computational power. A Beowulf cluster provides supercomputer level processing power. Unlike a traditional Beowulf cluster; however, cluster size in not singular or static. As jobs are received from users/customers, a Resource Management System (RMS) dynamically configures and reconfigures the available nodes in the system into clusters of the appropriate sizes to process the jobs. Depending on the overall size of the system, many users may have simultaneous access to supercomputer level computational processing. Users are preferably billed based on the time for completion with faster times demanding higher fees.
US09122524B2

The described implementations relate to processing of electronic data. One implementation is manifest as a system that can include logic and at least one processing device configured to execute the logic. The logic can be configured to receive a first task request to execute a first task that uses a resource when performed. The first task can have an associated first level of interactivity. The logic can also be configured to receive a second task request to execute a second task that also uses the resource when performed. The second task can have an associated second level of interactivity. The logic can also be configured to selectively throttle the first task and the second task based upon the first level of interactivity and the second level of interactivity.
US09122523B2

Systems and methods for automatic generation of software pipelines for heterogeneous parallel systems (AHP) include pipelining a program with one or more tasks on a parallel computing platform with one or more processing units and partitioning the program into pipeline stages, wherein each pipeline stage contains one or more tasks. The one or more tasks in the pipeline stages are scheduled onto the one or more processing units, and execution times of the one or more tasks in the pipeline stages are estimated. The above steps are repeated until a specified termination criterion is reached.
US09122513B2

A graph analytics appliance can be employed to extract data from a graph database in an efficient manner. The graph analytics appliance includes a router, a worklist scheduler, a processing unit, and an input/output unit. The router receives an abstraction program including a plurality of parallel algorithms for a query request from an abstraction program compiler residing on computational node or the graph analytics appliance. The worklist scheduler generates a prioritized plurality of parallel threads for executing the query request from the plurality of parallel algorithms. The processing unit executes multiple threads selected from the prioritized plurality of parallel threads. The input/output unit communicates with a graph database.
US09122502B2

A system for the customization of user settings on a target instrument includes a configuration module configured for the customization of user settings on a target instrument, and a representation module communicably coupled to the configuration module. The representation module includes a duplicate of firmware from the target instrument. A method of production of a system for the customization of user settings on a target instrument, includes configuring a configuration module for the customization of user settings on a target instrument, communicably coupling the configuration module to a representation module; and disposing a duplicate of firmware from the target instrument in the representation module.
US09122499B2

A system for facilitating examination of conditions across physical machines using augmented reality generates an overlay of information about application structure across physical systems, such as physical systems located within a data center. Additionally, the system for facilitating examination of application structure across physical machines using augmented reality overlays this information about application structure using imaging captured through a camera, such as a camera associated with a tablet type or smart phone type computing device.
US09122497B2

An approach is provided for validating translated files for inclusion in an application being developed. Content in a natural language is translated into another language and received as a first translation in a first translated file. Based on an error condition indicated by simulations of loading and presenting the first translation in a user interface of the application, a syntax error that causes the error condition is determined. The syntax error can include a lack of a match between a key and exactly one value, a missing key, or a mismatch of placeholders in the first translated file. Responsive to a receipt of a second translation of the content that includes the correction of the syntax error, and based on simulations of loading and presenting the second translation in the interface not indicating the error condition, the second translation is presented at runtime without causing the application to stop running.
US09122494B2

A method for code size reduction, which comprises determining basic blocks in an IR module; grouping the basic blocks having duplicate code into groups; providing weighting values corresponding to different instructions of the module, wherein the weighting values are determined based on a plurality of intermediate representation program codes; determining a weighted size of the module, wherein the weighted size of the module is determined by summing weighted sizes of the basic blocks of the module, and the weighted size of each basic block is determined by summing products of numbers of different instructions of the basic blocks and the corresponding weighting values; removing duplicates in one group to obtain a module having one processed group; determining a weighted size of the module having one processed group; and comparing the weighted size of the module to the weighted size of the module having one processed group.
US09122491B2

Technology is disclosed for determining a serialization scheme used in serializing a software object by an application (“the technology”). A source application can serialize the object using multiple serialization schemes. In order for another application to deserialize the object serialized by the source application, the application may have to know the serialization scheme used in serializing the object. The technology can analyze an intermediate code, e.g., bytecode, of the source application to determine the serialization scheme used by the source application. The technology compares a portion of the code of the source application that serializes the objects with multiple serialization scheme templates having code for known serialization schemes and determines the serialization scheme used by the source application based on a matching serialization scheme template. After the serialization scheme is identified, the application can reconstruct the object from the serialized object using the identified serialization scheme.
US09122490B2

Generation of a dependency graph for code that includes code portions such as resources or functions or both. For some or all of the nodes, the dependency is calculated by determining that the given node, a depending node, depends on an affecting node. The dependency is recorded so as to be associated with the node. Furthermore, the dependency calculation method is recorded so as to be associated with the dependency. The code may perhaps include portions within two different domains, in which the mechanism for calculating dependencies may differ. In some cases, the dependency graph may be constructed in stages, and perhaps additional properties may be associated with the node, and metadata of the properties may also be recorded.
US09122487B2

A system and method for balancing instruction loads between multiple execution units are disclosed. One or more execution units may be represented by a slot configured to accept instructions on behalf of the execution unit(s). A decode unit may assign instructions to a particular slot for subsequent scheduling for execution. Slot assignments may be made based on an instruction's type and/or on a history of previous slot assignments. A cumulative slot assignment history may be maintained in a bias counter, the value of which reflects the bias of previous slot assignments. Slot assignments may be determined based on the value of the bias counter, in order to balance the instruction load across all slots, and all execution units. The bias counter may reflect slot assignments made only within a desired historical window. A separate data structure may store data reflecting the actual slot assignments made during the desired historical window.
US09122475B2

A mask generating instruction is executed by a processor to improve efficiency of vector operations on an array of data elements. The processor includes vector registers, one of which stores data elements of an array. The processor further includes execution circuitry to receive a mask generating instruction that specifies at least a first operand and a second operand. Responsive to the mask generating instruction, the execution circuitry is to shift bits of the first operand to the left by a number of times defined in the second operand, and pull in a bit of one from the right each time a most significant bit of the first operand is shifted out from the left to generate a result. Each bit in the result corresponds to one of the data elements of the array.
US09122474B2

A technique for minimizing overhead caused by copying or moving a value from one cluster to another cluster is provided. A number of operations, for example, a mov operation for moving or copying a value from one cluster to another cluster and a normal operation may be executed concurrently. Accordingly, access to a register file outside of the cluster may be reduced and the performance of code may be improved.
US09122472B2

A system and method of measuring real-time current is disclosed. The method includes calibrating a voltage measurement device. Calibrating includes measuring a real-time voltage difference between a first measurement node located proximate a first connector on a motherboard and a second measurement node located proximate a second connector on a power supply unit (PSU), the first and the second connectors coupled to provide power to the motherboard. Calibrating further includes averaging the real-time voltage difference for a plurality of measurements; computing a resistance of the coupling based at least on a long-duration averaged current from the PSU and the averaged real-time voltage difference, the resistance varying over time; and reporting the resistance of the coupling to the voltage measurement device. The method also includes measuring a real-time current of the PSU at the voltage measurement device based at least on the resistance of the coupling and the real-time voltage difference.
US09122466B1

Reconfiguring a power system for an electrical load includes establishing a secondary feed to an electrical load that is receiving power from a primary power source. A set of secondary feed lines is coupled between a donor power source and a power input to the electrical load such that the set of secondary feed lines is configured to supply power from the donor power source to the electrical load. An automatic transfer switch is coupled in parallel with the set of secondary feed lines. The electrical load is transferred by the automatic transfer switch from the donor power source to the primary power source for the reconfiguration.
US09122454B2

A hinge module connected between a first body and a second body of an electronic device is provided. The hinge module includes a hinge connecting the first and the second bodies, a linking rod, and a sleeve pivoted to the second body. The linking rod has a first end connected to the first body and a second end slidably coupled into the sleeve. When the first and the second bodies are rotated by the hinge module, the first body drives the linking rod such that the second end slides in the sleeve and drives the sleeve to rotate relative to the second body. Inner wall of the sleeve has at least one interfering section. When the second end moves onto the interfering section, the linking rod is interfered to the sleeve, such that the first body is supported by the hinge module and opened relative to the second body.
US09122450B2

A portable electronic apparatus includes a casing including a base and an upper cover, and an electronic processing module disposed in the base. The base includes a first engagement structure having a lock slot. The upper cover includes a plate member and a second engagement structure mounted on the plate member. The second engagement structure is presented as a cantilever structure and includes a locking part and a detaching part connected to the locking part. The base and the upper cover are engaged such that the locking part is locked in the lock slot. The detaching part can be moved so as to detach the locking part from the lock slot. Therefore, a user can detach the locking part from the lock slot by the detaching part without any tools, which greatly reduces the complexity of the detachment of a casing of a conventional portable electronic apparatus.
US09122448B2

An electronic apparatus includes a first main body and a second main body. The first main body includes a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The second main body includes a base, a first fixing block and a second fixing block each protrusively arranged on the base and opposite to each other. When the first main body is inserted into the second main body with the first surface facing the second main body, a first end of the first main body is clamped between the first fixing block and the base and is supported by the second fixing block. When the first main body is inserted into the second main body with the second surface facing the second main body, the first end is clamped between the second fixing block and the base and is supported by the first fixing block.
US09122447B2

The present invention discloses an expansion dock including a base, a socket, an expansion platform and a driving mechanism. The socket is installed on a side of the base and pivoted to the base. A portable electronic device can be inserted into the socket. The expansion platform is installed inside the base and protrudable from the side of the base. The driving mechanism drives the expansion platform to protrude from the side of the base as the portable electronic device is inserted into the socket and pivoted to a predetermined angle relative to the base.
US09122442B2

A system for scaling visualizations may include a human machine interface (HMI) configured to display a visualization on a screen, a secondary display device configured to display a scaled visualization such that the scaled visualization is determined based at least in part on the visualization, and a controller. The controller may be configured to receive an indication that the secondary display device has been coupled to the HMI, present two or more scaling mode options on the screen or the secondary display device, receive an input that corresponds to one of the scaling modes, generate the scaled visualization by applying a scaling factor to the visualization, wherein the scaling factor is based at least in part on the input, and facilitate sending the scaled visualization to the secondary display device.
US09122440B2

A dual screen user device and methods for generating user feedback to indicate transitional states of the device are disclosed. Feedback is provided to a user of the device concerning transitional states or changes in status of the device, such as whether the device is open or closed, whether a peripheral device has been connected to or disconnected from the device and whether the device has been powered up or down. In a preferred embodiment, one or more vibrators are used to generate vibration and/or audible signals to the user to indicate to the user the particular change in status of the device as it occurs.
US09122438B2

An image forming apparatus includes a first wireless communication unit that receives data from a mobile phone, and a reader-writer that transmits an address of the first wireless communication unit to the mobile phone. The mobile phone includes a contact/non-contact IC card that receives the address, and a second wireless communication unit that transmits image data to the first wireless communication unit utilizing the address. When communication is made between the mobile phone and the image forming apparatus, the address of the first wireless communication unit is transmitted to the contact/non-contact IC card through the reader-writer, and the second wireless communication unit transmits data to the first wireless communication unit utilizing the address.
US09122435B2

A host computer transmits a plurality of print data pieces to which an identical password is added to a printing apparatus. The printing apparatus includes a unit configured to receive and store one of the transmitted plurality of print data pieces, an operation unit configured to accept input of a password from a user, an image formation unit configured to perform, when the password input from the user and the password added to the stored print data match each other, image formation based on the print data to which the identical password to the input password is added, and a control unit configured to cause, when it receives the remaining one of the transmitted plurality of print data pieces after the image formation has been performed, the image formation unit to perform the image formation based on the remaining print data without making the user input the password again.
US09122431B2

Depending on the environment of an operating system, it may be difficult to set print setting information desired by a user, resulting in a decrease in operability for the user. A printer driver activates software that operates in a desktop UI environment, by an additional process which is different from print processing when printing is performed. Accordingly, a print setting screen that can set the print setting information desired by the user is displayed.
US09122429B1

A system, method, and computer-readable storage medium including receiving, from an external device, a request for a map of a plurality of maps, the map illustrating a layout of a portion of a building, the map indicating a physical location of each of a plurality of devices within the portion of the building, transmitting, to the external device, the map, receiving, from the external device, a request for information of a device of the plurality of the devices, transmitting, to the external device, the information of the device, receiving, from the external device, a request for an image of the device, and transmitting, to the external device, the image of the device.
US09122427B2

A device management system includes a determining unit that acquires from a storage unit information relating to a setting of a first device and information relating to a setting of a second device, compares the acquired information, and determines whether the setting of the second device satisfies the setting of the first device; a selecting unit that is used when the determining unit determines that the setting of the second device does not satisfy the setting of the first device and is configured to select at least one device that is capable of satisfying the setting of the first device based on information relating to a setting of the at least one device stored in the storage unit; and an applying unit that applies to the at least one device selected by the selecting unit a setting value set up for the setting of the first device.
US09122420B2

A memory device includes a memory array, a special mode enable register, and a controller. When the controller receives a register write command to write first data into the special mode enable register and the memory device does so, the memory device operates in a first mode. When the controller receives a register write command to write second data into the special mode enable register and the memory device does so, the memory device operates in a second mode.
US09122419B2

The invention discloses a data storage unit and a redundant data storage system including such data storage unit. The data storage unit of the invention includes an internal storage area network (SAN) switch module, a storage server module and a storage device. The internal SAN switch module includes a first external transmission interface and a first internal transmission interface. The storage server module includes a second external transmission interface and a second internal transmission interface. The storage server module is respectively connected to the storage device and the first internal transmission interface through the second internal transmission interface. The internal SAN switch module is connected to the storage device through the first internal transmission interface.
US09122417B1

A network attached storage device may include at least one storage device, a network connection coupling the at least one storage device to a network and a processor coupled to the at least one storage device and to the network connection. The processor may be configured to monitor a plurality of operating parameters of the network attached storage; determine a state of a network attached storage based on at least two of the monitored plurality of operating parameters of the network attached storage; determine a current level of protection from among a predetermined plurality of levels of protection based on the determined state of the network attached storage, and provide an indication of the determined level of protection afforded by the network attached storage.
US09122411B2

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a signal order-preserving method and apparatus. When data of a request signal that comes from a corresponding first upstream device is written into a first first input first output (FIFO) memory, invalid data is written into a second FIFO memory corresponding to a second upstream device in a same clock cycle; and the data of the request signal is read from the first FIFO memory, the invalid data is read from the second FIFO memory, the invalid data is discarded, and the data of the request signal is conveyed to a downstream device. Through the signal order-preserving method and apparatus in the embodiments of the present invention, the coupling extent between devices on which there is an order-preserving requirement is reduced while signal order-preserving is achieved.
US09122409B2

Method and system is provided to perform a plurality of checks before performing a volume based snapshot restore (“VBSR”) operation. The checks may be performed by an application executed at a computing system that interfaces with a storage system. The application may determine if there are any inconsistent LUNS and foreign mapped LUNs. The application may also determine if there are any new LUNs or any new snapshots since the snapshot, which is the basis of the restore operation was created. The application may further determine if there are any backup relationships with respect to a volume that is being restored. The application takes the information and provides a report to a user. The report allows a user to ascertain the consequences of proceeding with the VBSR operation.
US09122407B2

A deduplicate device includes: a first through N-th (N≧3) bloom filters; a counting unit that performs a process of judging whether information indicating that a duplicate data of a storing-target data exists in a storage device is registered in each bloom filter sequentially until an unregistered bloom filter in which the information is not registered is found or that the information is registered in the N-th bloom filter is found, and registers, when the unregistered bloom filter is found, the information indicating that the duplicate data exists into the unregistered bloom filter; and a deduplicating unit that stores the storing-target data in the storage device when the counting unit finds the unregistered bloom filter, and stores index information relating the duplicate data in the storage device with the storing-target data when the counting unit finds that the information is registered in the N-th bloom filter.
US09122405B1

The invention relates to an improved RAID initialization method. Prior to operational use, the device undergoes a forced rebuild that supplements the initialization process. Since the RAID device is in a pre-operational condition, the data does not have to be preserved. Thus, the forced rebuild can employ bulk read and write operations using large portions of data. The forced rebuild results in RAID protection data that can be produced more quickly and is more coherent than what is created by quick initialization. Accordingly, embodiments provide a device that is delivered in an initialized state that is safer and more stable for use by the user.
US09122400B2

For managing a data set volume table of contents, a management module creates a data set volume table of contents (DSVTOC) for a data set residing on a volume. The DSVTOC resides in a virtual storage access method (VSAM) system and includes a DSVTOC index, DSVTOC cluster data, and DSVTOC data for the data set. A copy module maintains a copy of the DSVTOC on the volume.
US09122394B2

A GUI screen image is a standard screen image, and displays a first combined GUI area, which is a combination of a GUI of the directional keys and a GUI of a joystick, and a second combined GUI area, which is a combination of a GUI of the four-type operation buttons and a GUI of a joystick, at the lower left and at the lower right on the screen image, respectively. Depending on an area in the first combined GUI area or in the second combined GUI area to which a user newly touches, which of the combined GUI to be used is determined and a screen image is switched, and if a finger or a thumb detaches, the screen image switches back.
US09122393B2

Devices and methods are disclosed which relate to improving the efficiency of text input by generating a dynamic virtual keyboard. Disclosed examples display a soft keyboard on a touchscreen of a text-entry device. The touchscreen works with the soft keyboard as a form of text input. Keyboard logic on the text-entry device is programmed to change the sensitivity of the footprint of keys surrounding a predicted key or keys, based upon the prior entry. The keyboard logic assigns a prediction value to each key based on a statistical probability that the key will be entered next. The touchscreen displays a dynamic virtual keyboard based on these prediction values. Enhancements include reducing the sensitivity of the footprint of keys relative to their prediction value. For instance, if a key is very unlikely to be the next intended key pressed, the footprint of the key will only respond to a key press of greater force than a key which is likely to be entered next.
US09122391B2

A system for virtual interaction, comprising two or more portable electronic devices, is provided. Each device comprises, in turn, coordinate referencing means operable to define a coordinate system common to the portable electronic devices with respect to a physically defined reference position, position estimation means operable to detect a the physical position of its respective portable electronic device with respect to the reference position, virtual environment generation means operable to generate a virtual environment, and communication means operable to transmit positional data using the common coordinate system from that portable electronic device to another portable electronic device. The virtual environment is shared in common between the portable electronic devices. The virtual environment uses the common co-ordinate system within which each portable electronic device defines a position for itself responsive to its physical position with respect to the reference position.
US09122385B2

There is provided an apparatus including a circuitry configured to initiate an operation command in response to a first moving operation of a first operator on a first operation surface provided on a first surface of a housing body, wherein the first surface is provided on a substantially opposite side of the housing body from a second surface on which a display is provided, and wherein the display is configured to display a result of the initiated operation command.
US09122376B1

In one example a computing device receives a first indication of at least one user input to select one or more textual characters. The computing device determines a plurality of auto-complete word suggestions based at least in part on the one or more textual characters and outputs for display, based at least in part on the one or more textual characters, a first auto-complete word suggestion of the plurality of auto-complete word suggestions. In addition, the computing device receives a second indication of the at least one user input that indicates the first auto-complete word suggestion is incorrect. Responsive to receiving the second indication, the computing device outputs for display a second auto-complete word suggestion of the plurality of auto-complete word suggestions to replace the first auto-complete word suggestion. The first auto-complete word suggestion is more likely to be a correct word suggestion than the second-autocomplete word suggestion.
US09122366B2

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to: receive a user input at a remote computer communicably coupled to a host computer over a network; and display one or more residue indicators on a screen of the remote computer indicating receipt of the user input by the remote computer. The one or more residue indicators are displayed for a period of time approximately equal to a system latency time. The computer-executable instructions are further configured to cause the computer to receive output data from the host computer based on the user input; and display the output data on the screen of the remote computer.
US09122355B2

A detectable indication member for an optical position detection device includes a round bar shaped shaft and a spherical body provided at the distal end of the shaft. The outer peripheral surface of the spherical body and the outer peripheral surface of an end portion of the shaft portion connected to the spherical body form a retroreflective portion. A portion of the shaft adjacent the base end of the end portion absorbs infrared light.
US09122354B2

A method for wave gesture detection performed by a touch processor in an optical touch detection system is provided. The method includes receiving a sequence of images of an illuminated surface comprised in the optical touch detection system, wherein the images are captured by a camera comprised in the optical touch detection system, detecting a wave gesture performed in front of the illuminated surface by analyzing the sequence of images, and outputting an indication that a wave gesture has been detected.
US09122349B1

The present disclosure provides an image sensor panel and a method for capturing graphical information using the image sensor panel. In one aspect, the image sensor panel includes a substrate and a sensor array on the substrate, the sensor array including a plurality of photosensitive pixels. The substrate includes a first region defined by the sensor array and a second region other than the first region. The second region is optically transparent and has an area greater than that of the first region.
US09122348B2

An embodiment of the present invention provides a touch panel that enable data sensing with multi-gray scale and an electronic device. At least a first pixel including a first photosensor portion detecting light with a first color, a second pixel including a second photosensor portion detecting light with a second color, a first A/D converter performing A/D conversion on an output signal of the first photosensor portion, and a second A/D converter performing A/D conversion on an output signal of the second photosensor portion are included. The voltage resolution of the first A/D converter and the voltage resolution of the second A/D converter are different.
US09122341B2

A method for resolving merged contacts detected by a multi-touch sensor includes resolving a first touch contact to a first centroid(N) for a frame(N) and resolving a second touch contact, distinct from the first touch contact, to a second centroid(N) for the frame(N). Responsive to the first touch contact and the second touch contact merging into a merged touch contact in a frame(N+1), the merged touch contact is resolved to a first centroid(N+1) and a second centroid(N+1).
US09122330B2

To maintain consistency in different environments with different impedances, a high voltage current driver may be used as a signal generator to output a tactile signal with a constant current. The constant current ensures that the voltage between the user's finger and the object's surface or electrode remains the same even if impedances in the electrical path change. Specifically, the current driver includes a current sensing circuit that determines the average current being generated. Using a feedback loop, the measured current is compared to a reference current to determine if the correct tactile sensation is perceived by the user. As the impedance changes, the current driver detects the resulting change in the signal's current and adjusts the voltage amplitude of the generated tactile signal in order to match the measured current to the reference current.
US09122322B2

A stylus for use with a digitizer sensor includes a housing confined by a first and second end, a primary tip positioned at the first end of the housing and associated with a first transmitting element, the first transmitting element having a first diameter, a secondary tip positioned at the second end of the housing and associated with a second transmitting element, the second transmitting element having a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter, a transmitting unit for transmitting a first signal with a first amplitude via the first transmitting element and for transmitting a second signal with a second amplitude via the second transmitting element, wherein the first amplitude is at least twice the second amplitude and a powering unit for powering transmission of the first and second signal.
US09122316B2

Methods and apparatus for facilitating virtual input in devices that differentiates input objects are provided. Various methods for automatically configuring component settings and features of such devices are described. Changes in the component settings of the device and the corresponding operational characteristics of the device that triggered said changes may be grouped into profiles and selected by users. The component settings may include useful assisting features such as additional lighting provide by a LED and illuminated visual guides of the virtual input interface projected by a laser or LED. The characteristics of such assisting features may be modified dynamically in response to changes in the state of a reference object.
US09122308B2

A tactile feedback apparatus, system, and a method of operating the tactile feedback apparatus may detect a finger of a user touching a disk unit, determine a height at which the disk unit is supported, based on a signal generated by a sensor, and support a lower portion of the disk unit by controlling N driving units to be set at the determined height, thereby providing power sensed by the sensor to the finger of the user touching the disk unit.
US09122306B2

The invention provides an instrument control panel that is easily customized and reconfigured, and yet provides the familiar tactile sensation of physical knobs, sliders, and buttons. The instrument control panel comprises one or more interface components that are removably coupled to an interface display wherein the interface components communicate with one or more control components disposed behind the interface display. The present invention lends itself particularly well to an instrument panel.
US09122302B2

A method and system are provided for remotely monitoring the open and close status of a garage door via the internet based on the internet of things concept and NFC (Near Field Communication) technology. The system includes a Door Monitoring & Controlling Device (DMCD) and a web based Advanced Door Management System. The DMCD contains a NFC module, and one or more NFC close/open status tags which work together to monitor the status of the garage door. The NFC tag in this system not only provides status signal but also provides network configure data that eliminates the need to make standalone device configurable for network connectability. The use of NFC technology here will reduce manufacturing cost significantly, and make the configuration easy. The method and system also enable users to remotely open and close the garage door via the internet.
US09122301B2

A tractor steering and braking arrangement has a substantially vertically extending structural support column 11 for connection at a lower end 12 to a floor 13 of a tractor cab and carrying means 18 to support a steering wheel 15 at its upper end. At least one hydraulic master cylinder 29, 30 for operation of brakes of the tractor is supported within the column 11. The master cylinder 29, 30 includes an operating rod 27, 28 and an associated piston which is moved substantially vertically by an associated brake operating pedal 19, 20. The pedal is positioned at one side of the structural support column 11 and supported for pivoting from the column. Where separate left and right brakes are used, separate left and right master cylinders are mounted vertically within the support column 11. Both pedals are also mounted for pivoting from the column at a position 21 inside the column.
US09122296B2

An adaptive dc-link voltage controlled LC coupling hybrid active power filter (LC-HAPF) for reactive power compensation includes: two dc capacitors to provide dc-link voltage; a three-phase voltage source inverter to convert dc-link voltage into compensating voltages; three coupling LC circuits to convert compensating voltages into currents; and an adaptive dc voltage controller with reactive power compensation control algorithm. The control algorithm includes: first, calculating required minimum dc-link voltage in each phase with respect to loading reactive power; three-phase required minimum dc-link voltage will be maximum one among their minimum values; compare it with predetermined voltage levels to determine final reference dc-link voltage. A dc-link voltage feedback P/PI controller outputs dc voltage reference compensating currents. An instantaneous power compensation controller outputs reactive reference compensating currents. The final reference compensating currents will be sum of them. A PWM circuit provides LC-HAPF adaptive dc-link voltage control and dynamic reactive power compensation.
US09122290B2

A circuit for generating a temperature-stabilized reference voltage on a semiconductor chip includes a differential amplifier having a first input, a second input and an output. The circuit further includes a CTAT circuit configured to generate a CTAT voltage at an output thereof. A first resistor is coupled between the output of the differential amplifier and the output of the CTAT circuit. Further, the first resistor is connected between the first input and the second input of the differential amplifier.
US09122286B2

The present invention provides a three-dimensional integrated circuit wherein generation of hot spot which makes a high temperature part as a result of intensively generated heat can be suppressed in. The integrated circuit apparatus comprises: a first circuit made of a memory circuit, a second circuit made of an arithmetic circuit, and a control circuit. The first circuit is partitioned into a plurality of circuit blocks according to the distance from the arranged position of the second circuit, and the control circuit controls the partitioned respective circuit blocks separately.
US09122285B2

A virtual thermostat system and method are provided. The method accepts commands via a virtual thermostat interface for establishing temperature set points for a plurality of zones. Energy consumption information is also accepted from a plurality of energy consumption units. Each unit consumes energy at an associated peak power to supply a controlled temperature medium to a corresponding zone. The method also accepts temperature measurements for each zone. Then, consumption commands are sent to each energy consumption unit in response to associated zone temperature set points, while insuring that a combined peak power of the energy consumption units is less than a maximum peak power threshold. In one aspect, the virtual thermostat accepts temperature measurements from a plurality of physical thermostats, each associated with an energy consumption unit. Then, consumption commands are relayed to the energy consumption units via associated physical thermostats.
US09122273B2

The invention is related to a system and a method to determine whether a target equipment deviates from a normal state. If it is determined that the target equipment to be diagnosed deviates from the normal state, the degree of deviation of each parameter from the normal state as the reference is calculated as an abnormal contribution ratio. A failure cause is estimated from a similarity ratio between the calculated abnormal contribution ratio and the abnormal contribution ratio of each of the failure causes collected in the past and including failure phenomena and failure parts.
US09122270B2

A computer program product for processing a model of an object according to a set of instructions includes a non-transitory computer-readable memory storing a model of an object represented by a hybrid adaptively sampled distance field (ADF), wherein the model includes a hierarchy of cells, wherein at least one cell includes a set of distance functions forming at least part of a boundary of the object and a set of distance samples of at least some of the distance functions, such that a processor executing the set of instructions processes the model of the object.
US09122269B2

In a method and system for operating a machine from the field of automation engineering, operating inputs entered at an operating unit of the machine and an identification code are transmitted via a data network to communication server software running on an external computing device. The communication server software determines MMI (machine-machine-interface) application software associated with the machine and with the operating inputs and transfers the operating inputs to the MMI application software, which in turn determines visualization data on the basis of the operating inputs. The visualization data specify a graphical output image to be represented on a display screen and are transferred to the machine via the communication server software and the data network for display. The performance characteristics of the machine can thereby be enhanced, without increasing demands on the hardware.
US09122267B2

An interference checking device includes a contour shape analyzing unit that extracts a contour shape of a tool cross section and a tool length by analyzing a two-dimensional image of a rotating tool, a rotation center analyzing unit that obtains a rotation center of the rotating tool by analyzing the contour shape, a three-dimensional-rotation-shape generating unit that generates a three-dimensional shape of the rotating tool on the basis of the contour shape, the tool length, and the rotation center, and an interference check processing unit that checks whether the rotating tool and a component other than the rotating tool interfere with each other when numerical control machining is performed on a workpiece by using the rotating tool, by using the three-dimensional shape, in which the three-dimensional-rotation-shape generating unit generates the three-dimensional shape by using a left-side contour shape.
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