US09131586B2
A method is used for measuring injection energy associated with an organic light emitting diode display device. The method includes disposing the display panel inside a chamber and controlling temperature inside the chamber. The method further includes determining a plurality of electric current values corresponding to a plurality of temperature values for each voltage value of plurality of voltage values, the plurality of voltage values being associated with voltages provided to the organic light emitting member. The method further includes calculating a plurality of injection energy values using the plurality of electric current values and the plurality of temperature values.
US09131583B2
The present invention provides an LED backlight drive circuit, which includes a first power supply module, an electrical inductor, a rectifier diode, a MOS transistor, an electrolytic capacitor, an LED light string, a voltage division module, a voltage comparator, a second power supply module, and an LED constant-current drive chip. The LED backlight drive circuit is arranged to include a voltage comparator in an external circuit of the LED constant-current drive chip to detect output voltage of the drive circuit so that high voltage, the voltage comparator is caused to supply a low voltage level to forcibly pull down a PWM dimming signal or an ENA enabling signal of the LED constant-current drive chip to achieve an over-voltage protection function and also enable removal of over-voltage protection module from a conventional LED constant-current drive chip.
US09131582B2
In one embodiment, an LED driving circuit can include: (i) a sense circuit configured to sense an inductor voltage, and to generate a sense voltage signal; (ii) a protection control circuit configured to activate a first protection control signal in response to a comparison of the sense voltage signal against a first reference voltage to indicate an LED device is in a first load state; (iii) the protection control circuit being configured to activate a second protection control signal in response to a comparison of the sense voltage signal against a second reference voltage to indicate the LED device is in a second load state; and (iv) a PWM control circuit configured to control a power switch according to the first protection control signal or the second protection control signal, based on the load state of the LED device.
US09131581B1
A dimming and CCT tuning system comprises a controller and multiple LED-based lighting devices. Each lighting device comprises a control circuit, at least two LED driving circuits, and at least two types of LED-based light sources. When the controller receives the dimming and CCT tuning signals from its inputs, it generates a modulated dimming and CCT tuning signal portion in the AC voltage delivered to the multiple lighting devices. Afterwards, a regular AC power is delivered. In receiving, each lighting device demodulates such signal portion and generates at least two control signals to the at least two LED driving circuits which then individually power the at least two types of LED-based light sources to emit desired light levels and CCTs. The system eliminates extra wires required in 0-10 V dimming control and maintains an undistorted AC waveform in most of operating time, not like a TRIAC dimming.
US09131579B2
A driving apparatus for LED chips includes: a driving unit, a voltage measuring unit, and a feedback control module. The driving unit provides a driving voltage and a driving current to a LED chip; the voltage measuring unit measures the driving voltage; the feedback control module is built-in with a default power; According to the driving voltage measured by the voltage measuring unit and the default power, the feedback control module controls the driving unit to maintain the driving current at a working current, wherein the working current matches the rated current of the LED chip. Whereby, the driving apparatus could drive LED chips of different specifications.
US09131573B2
A tunable LED lamp for producing biologically-adjusted light having a housing, a power circuit, a driver circuit disposed within the housing and electrically coupled with the power circuit, and a plurality of LED dies electrically coupled to and driven by the driver circuit. The driver circuit may drive the plurality of LED dies to emit a pre-sleep light having a first spectral power distribution and a general illuminating light having a second spectral power distribution. The pre-sleep light may be configured to affect a second biological effect in an observer. The LED lamp may be configured to fit in a troffer fixture. The LED lamp may also be a troffer fixture.
US09131570B2
A lighting device includes a switching regulator having an inductor and a switching device, and a controller. The controller includes a peak current detector that outputs a peak detection signal when detecting that a current flowing through the switching device reaches a threshold, a zero-cross detector that outputs a zero-cross detection signal when a current discharged from the inductor reaches a predetermined lower limit value or less, a synchronization signal controller that outputs a periodic synchronization signal, and a switching controller. The switching controller turns on the switching device in synchronization with a start of an on-period of the synchronization signal and the zero-cross detection signal, and turns off the switching device in synchronization with the peak detection signal. The peak current detector reduces the threshold when an on-period of the synchronization signal finishes, and increases the threshold to an original value when an on-period of the synchronization signal starts.
US09131567B2
An apparatus includes an input node, a light-emitting diode (LED) string to receive a current from the input node, a voltage divider to output a control voltage, and a switch to receive the control voltage. The switch coupled to the LED string controls the current through the LED string according to the control voltage.
US09131564B2
A light emitting element lighting device includes: a rectifying unit which rectifies an AC voltage; a smoothing unit which smoothes a ripple voltage from the rectifying unit; a power supply unit having a switching element; and a control unit which controls on/off of the switching element. Further, the smoothing unit servers as a partial smoothing circuit for partially smoothing a low voltage period of the ripple voltage outputted from the rectifying unit. The power supply unit supplies a lighting power to a light source unit including one or more light emitting elements. The control unit controls a switching frequency of the switching element to decrease as the output voltage of the smoothing unit decreases.
US09131558B2
A direct lighting system and method is provided that includes a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) secured within a light fixture. The lighting system further includes a diffusive transmissive element adapted to transmit light from the LEDs therethrough and provide diffused light to an area requiring illumination.
US09131551B2
There is provided a system and method for a coordinated visual presentation using audience display devices. The method comprises determining a plurality of variables, wherein each of the plurality of variables include at least one process for execution by a first audience display device, determining a macro command including at least one of the plurality of variables, and transmitting the macro command for storage by the first audience display device. The method may further comprise transmitting a first trigger signal, wherein the first trigger signal includes a countdown timer for the initiating the macro command, and transmitting a second trigger signal, wherein the second trigger signal includes a second countdown timer for initiating the macro command, and wherein the second countdown timer includes the first countdown timer modified to account for a time difference between the receiving the first trigger signal and the receiving the second trigger signal.
US09131550B2
It is presented a lighting device (2) arranged to embed light quality data in light emanating from the lighting device. The light quality data pertains to a status of the lighting device (2), e.g. with respect to its end of operational life. The light may be detected by a monitoring device (3) external to the lighting device (2). The monitoring device (3) can then help to determine the status of the lighting device (2), whereby maintenance operations of the lighting device (2) may be carried out.Maintenance personnel may thus replace lighting devices and/or light sources in need of maintenance as indicated by the status of each lighting device, before any lighting device in the system has reached an end of operational life.
US09131535B2
An object of the present invention is to suppress the decrease in the insulation resistance between an electrode and a case resulting from condensed water in an electric heating catalyst (EHC). The EHC includes a heat generating element which generates heat by applying electricity and which heats a catalyst, a case which accommodates the heat generating element, and an insulating member which is provided between the heat generating element and the case, and which provides insulation from electricity. An electrode chamber, which is a space formed around an electrode connected to the heat generating element, is occluded by an occluding member, which has an airtightness higher than those of the heat generating element and the insulating member, in the case of the EHC.
US09131532B2
A unitary handheld portable module includes a keypad for entering data and a display for displaying data. A base module is configured to be coupled with and communicate through a telephone line and includes a keypad for dialing a telephone number and a display for displaying information. The portable and base modules are configured to have a mounted configuration in which the portable module is removably mounted on the base module and covers the base module's display, and the modules communicate with each other for the portable module's display to display information relating to operation of the base module.
US09131530B2
Wireless devices capable of supporting multiple wireless configuration profiles are presented. A wireless device determines an environmental context, which is used to select a profile traversal method. A profile selection module configures itself to traverse available profiles according the traversals method to identify an acceptable profile. Once identified, the wireless device's communication port is configured to operate according to the profile.
US09131527B2
A means and method to connect multiple IC chips to a single apparatus where the IC chips may function as a passive system or network in space. The collection of antennae and coupled near field devices form a pool of energy in which multiple devices may be introduced so as to provide a pool of energy and/or to function as a network or networks of devices including IC chips.
US09131522B2
A user equipment (UE) uses information regarding dynamic resource allocation in a mobile wireless service (MWS) radio access technology (RAT) to improve MWS and wireless connectivity network (WCN) RAT coexistence. The UE may receive an indication of time and frequency resources of future activity of the MWS RAT. The UE may schedule communications of the WCN RAT based at least in part on the indication of the time and frequency resources of the future activity.
US09131520B1
The present specification describes techniques for packet exchange arbitration. In some embodiments, a request is maintained to an arbiter at least until a packet exchange has been communicated and/or at least until a time-sensitive packet is communicated. In some other embodiments, a grant of a request is delayed at least until the communication of an isochronous packet.
US09131509B2
In a wireless communication network, to reduce the polling overhead it is proposed to poll several stations using the same polling frame. In order to be able to poll more than one station in the same frame, an access point can make use of the locations of stations relative to the access point. The location of each station relative to the access point will cause a different propagation delay for radio communications between the station and the access point. Based on the propagation delays, two or more stations may be grouped together for subsequent transmissions to the access point.
US09131503B2
A mobile station includes, where the mobile station supports a first frequency band and a second frequency band, an information element generating unit configured to generate an information element indicating at least one of whether a receiver sensitivity is degraded in the second frequency band, whether a certificate has been obtained for communications in the second frequency band, and whether transmission and reception bands of the mobile station correspond to a portion of a bandwidth of the second frequency band, and a transmitting unit configured to transmit the generated information element.
US09131498B2
Methods and devices are provided for communicating data in a wireless channel. In one example, a method includes adapting the transmission time interval (TTI) length of transport container for transmitting data in accordance with a criteria. The criteria may include (but is not limited to) a latency requirement of the data, a buffer size associated with the data, a mobility characteristic of a device that will receive the data. The TTI lengths may be manipulated for a variety of reasons, such as for reducing overhead, satisfy quality of service (QoS) requirements, maximize network throughput, etc. In some embodiments, TTIs having different TTI lengths may be carried in a common radio frame. In other embodiments, the wireless channel may partitioned into multiple bands each of which carrying (exclusively or otherwise) TTIs having a certain TTI length.
US09131477B2
A system and method for addressing RLC unrecoverable errors experienced by User Equipment (UE) in a wireless network help the network to resolve the errors without shifting the UE into an Idle mode and dropping voice calls. A measurement event provides the buffer occupancy and identifies the affected radio bearer to the network. If the state of the bearer is not changed, the UE provides a Signaling Connection Release Indication message or a Radio Bearer Release Indication message to the network, the latter message identifying the radio bearer to be released without taking down the entire signaling connection for the domain.
US09131475B2
A method and apparatus configured to perform fast acquisition in multi-subscription multi-active devices are described. The apparatus may establish a first traffic call associated with a first subscription using a first radio frequency chain and a second traffic call associated with a second subscription using a second radio frequency chain. A subscription corresponding to a third subscription may enter an out-of-service mode when the first and second traffic calls are established. A first network may be acquired for the first subscription using the first RF chain after the first traffic call is terminated. The third subscription may be transitioned from out-of-service mode to idle mode using acquisition information inherited from the subscription corresponding to the first SIM after the first network is acquired. The third subscription and the first network may be associated with a same radio access technology and a same network operator.
US09131473B2
The present disclosure relates to the field of communications technologies and discloses a method, a device, and a communication system for establishing a connection with a network management system. The method includes: obtaining, by a relay node, a first IP address of the relay node; obtaining, by the relay node, an IP address of a security gateway by using the first IP address of the relay node; establishing, by the relay node, an IP security tunnel with the security gateway according to the IP address of the security gateway; obtaining, by the relay node, a second IP address of the relay node and an IP address of the network management system through the IP security tunnel; and establishing, by the relay node, a connection with the network management system by using the second IP address of the relay node and the IP address of the network management system.
US09131472B2
System and method embodiments are provided for provisioning a quality of cellular user experience (QoE) or quality of service (QoS) specified device in a wireless local area network (LAN). The embodiments enable a QoE or QoS specified by a service agreement for a device to be maintained during periods when the device is transmitting data to and receiving data from the wireless LAN (e.g., a WiFi hotspot). In an embodiment, a method includes determining that at least one QoS-sensitive device is communicating with a wireless LAN access point (AP), reserving a contention free period (CFP) in a superframe for the at least one QoS-sensitive device to communicate with the AP, and allocating a contention period (CP) in the superframe for non-QoS-sensitive devices to communicate with the AP, wherein the non-QoS-sensitive devices are prohibited from transmitting during the CFP.
US09131470B2
One embodiment disclosed in the present description relates to a coexistence manager which can adaptively select channels in a coexistence environment between disparate systems with channel use constraints that inherently exist with use of TVWS. Accordingly, the embodiment disclosed in the present description provides a resource allocation method for a manager device, comprising the steps of: receiving a channel allocation request from a first network or device; determining a second network or device for switching channels based on the benefits of each channel or device, if a channel cannot be assigned to the first network or device; switching the channel used by the second network or device to another channel and raising its priority; and assigning the channel used by the second network or device to the first network or device.
US09131464B2
Systems and methods for utilizing paging group IDs and paging indicators are disclosed for PDCCH and PDSCH transmissions to mobile terminals in a mobile communication system. By use of the paging group IDs and paging indicators, various groups of mobile terminals, including subsets of those groups can be paged with reduced decoding requirements. Nesting of the grouping is exploited and packing of the PDCCH frame to accomplish efficient use is described.
US09131458B2
The method is for sending power control commands in a CDMA cellular radio system from a mobile station to a plurality of base stations with which the mobile station is in soft handoff. The mobile station receiving a signal from each of said base stations determines a power control command based upon the received signals. Such power control command is sent during a plurality of power control groups.
US09131453B2
Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide closed loop and open loop power control techniques for each antenna of the user equipment (UE). The access point may measure the received signals from each antenna of the user equipment, calculate a power adjustment parameter for each antenna of the UE, and transmit the parameters to the UE. The UE may use the adjustment parameters to determine the transmit power value for each antenna. In addition, the UE may measure the path loss for each antenna and update the transmit power per antenna based on the path loss and other parameters.
US09131452B2
Method and apparatus for adjusting transmission power in a two-way device based on battery impedance
A method and apparatus for adjusting transmission power in a portable two-way radio device allows the device to determine an expected battery voltage drop for a subsequent transmit event, based on present transmit power settings and battery impedance, and change the power setting for the subsequent transmit event if the battery voltage is likely to drop below a shutdown threshold at the present power setting or if the expected battery voltage drop will cause the battery voltage to be substantially above the shutdown voltage level and the present power setting is below an optimal level.
US09131450B2
Disclosed are a method for controlling uplink transmission power for transmitting a plurality of codewords in a wireless communication system that supports a plurality of antennas, and a terminal apparatus for the method. The terminal apparatus for controlling uplink transmission power for transmitting a plurality of codewords in a wireless communication system that supports a plurality of antennas comprises a receiver for receiving, from a base station, a first transmission power control parameter including a first transmission power control indication value related to the uplink transmission power control; and a processor for determining uplink transmission power for transmitting said plurality of codewords based on the amount of information for each unit resource for each code word, if said first transmission power control indication value is not zero, wherein said first transmission power control indication value may be a value corresponding to each codeword.
US09131441B2
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for performing a better PLMN (BPLMN) search during connected mode DRX. In one aspect, a user equipment (UE) detects a trigger to begin a BPLMN search while in connected mode discontinuous reception (CDRX); determines whether it is configured for a manual BPLMN search; determine whether the CDRX duration is greater than or equal to the minimum amount of time required to perform the manual BPLMN search; and when determined that the CDRX duration is greater than or equal to the minimum amount of time required for the BPLMN search, performs the manual BPLMN search while in the CDRX.
US09131440B2
An integrated circuit (IC) includes a multi-input multi-output transceiver system that includes a plurality of RF transceivers. Each RF transceiver includes an RF transmitter that transmits a transmit signal at a selected transmit power, based on a transmit power control signal and a corresponding RF receiver for receiving a corresponding one of a plurality of received signals from an external device and for generating a signal strength indication corresponding to each of the plurality of received signals. A processing module generates the transmit power control signal for each RF transmitter based on the signal strength indication of the corresponding RF receiver, and that generates a power mode signal for adjusting a power consumption parameter of each RF transmitter in accordance with the selected transmit power for each RF transmitter.
US09131434B2
Information is communicated indicating whether a cell on a first carrier of a first type is to be used as a reference cell, wherein the reference cell is at least one selected from among a pathloss reference cell and a timing reference cell, and wherein the first carrier of the first type is part of a carrier aggregation that further includes at least a second carrier of a second, different type.
US09131427B2
A Closed Subscriber Group (CSG) information processing method, an access control method, and the corresponding system and devices are disclosed herein. The CSG information processing method includes: obtaining modified CSG information of User Equipment (UE); and sending a message that carries the CSG information to the UE. The method and the corresponding system and devices enable the UE to know the change of the stored CSG information. The access control method includes: obtaining modified CSG information; and detaching a UE from an accessed CSG area when discovering that the UE is not allowed to access the accessed CSG area any longer according to the modified CSG information. The access control method and the corresponding system and devices implement access control under a CSG mechanism.
US09131425B2
Systems and methods are described that facilitate multiple registrations and flow based mobility in a wireless communication network. A flow routing component can be included in a mobile device, home agent/p-gateway, or a policy and charging rules function server that determines the manner in which to route one or more IP flows through a set of network access entry points. The flow routing component can determine the routing based on a set of policies and/or network data, such as quality of service requirements, bandwidth requirements, network congestion, currently active IP flows, and so forth.
US09131422B2
Examples are disclosed for user feedback to enable a handoff profile for a dual-mode hybrid mobile device. In some examples communication link handoff logic may be executed by the processor component to receive user feedback during a test voice call mediated with a call server, the user feedback pertaining to one or more Voice-over Internet Protocol (VoIP) communication link parameters for the communication link between the hybrid mobile device and the call server. The communication link parameters are correlated with a call quality threshold based on the user feedback and a handoff profile is established for the hybrid mobile device based on the call quality thresholds, the handoff profile operative to establish criteria for switching the VoIP communication link to a communication link over a different network.
US09131421B2
Systems and techniques for handover management between adjacent cells. A base station, such as a macro base station serving a macro cell identifies a user device as a candidate for handover based on specified criteria and communicates a handover request to a femto base station. The femto base station evaluates specified conditions, such as energy efficiency, for the cell it is serving and allows the handover only if the handover would improve the conditions.
US09131417B2
Example implementations are directed to systems and methods based on physical broadcast channel (PBCH) muting are utilized to avoid frequent cell selection/reselection and handover in a LTE-advanced heterogeneous network. In the example implementations, a pico eNB that is fully covered by a macro eNB or other pico eNBs transmits blank PBCH such that it is inaccessible to the UEs who perform cell selection/reselection. Furthermore, a macro eNB may handover a UE to the inaccessible pico eNB by signalling the necessary information to the UE to detect the inaccessible pico eNB. Frequent cell selection/reselection and handover may therefore be avoided in a dense deployment situation.
US09131415B2
A mobile first terminal (1) has a call in progress with a second terminal (2) under a first communications service via a base station (10) of the access network of a first subsystem. A condition for transferring the call to a base station (20) of the radio access network of a second subsystem is detected in a radio network controller (11) of the first subsystem. A core network switch (12) which is linked to the radio network controller (11) of the first subsystem is informed of said detection of a call transfer condition. If the second subsystem cannot process the call under the first communications service, a service change is requested so that said call can continue under the second communications service.
US09131407B2
A wireless network (100) includes a plurality of wireless stations (QSTAs) (102) and an access point (QAP) (101). The QAP, or one or more of the QSTAs, or both, measure delay data, or queue data, or both, per one or more traffic type. A network parameter of the QSTA or QAP can be adjusted based on the measured delay data, queue length, or both. A method of wireless communication is also described.
US09131404B2
The invention provides a method and a network node for controlling configuration of measurements to be performed by a user equipment (150a, 150b) operating in a wireless communication system (101). A configured measurement corresponds to at least one reporting criteria and the user equipment (150a, 150b) is able to support a limited number of parallel reporting criteria. Measurements to be performed by the user equipment in parallel may be requested by different network nodes such as a positioning server (140) and an eNodeB (110a, 110b). By letting a network node, such as the positioning server (140) or the (eNodeB 110a, 110b), obtain information on measurements requested by another network node the network node is able to configure the user equipment with a set of measurements that does not exceed at least one predetermined threshold for parallel reporting criteria.
US09131393B2
A method for optimizing the resources of a data transmission, based on a set of pairs of modulation and first correcting code, includes: determining, for each pair, maximum rate of a second correcting code applied to data transmitted before application of the first correcting code and of modulation wherein the error rate in data received is maximum a target error rate; the second correcting code applied at the medium access layer, to generate packets of redundancy bits based on packets of data bits received supplemented with padding sections, all having the same size; evaluating an item of information representative of the ratio between bits at input of the medium access layer and bits actually transmitted or of transmission bitrate required for solutions associating modulation, first and second correcting codes; selecting, from among solutions associating modulation, first and second correcting codes, to maximize the ratio or to minimize the transmission bitrate.
US09131390B2
Network parameters implemented in a number of network devices may be optimized. In one implementation, a device may receive values for a network parameters, the network parameters including network parameters associated with devices in a network. At least a first portion of the network parameters may relate to traffic control in transmission control protocol (TCP) sessions in the network and at least a second portion of the network parameters may relate to data transmission in a radio access interface in the network. The device may further receive values for performance indicators that define a performance of one or more aspects of the network. The device may further modify one or more of the network parameters based on the received values for the network parameters and based on the received performance indicators, to optimize performance of the network with respect to the performance indicators.
US09131383B2
A communication apparatus comprises a reception unit that receives a reception signal from a metal cable and extracts reception data; a transmission unit that sends a transmission signal obtained by modulating transmission data with a frequency included in a first frequency band to the metal cable; an interference signal detection unit that detects a signal used in wireless communication, modulated by a frequency included in a second frequency band, and transmitted over the metal cable as an interference signal; and a signal transmission control unit that instructs the transmission unit to modulate transmission data using a frequency included in a third frequency band that does not have any frequency band overlapping the second frequency band when the interference signal is detected and a frequency band overlapping both the first frequency band and the second frequency band exists.
US09131379B2
A method and system for data session establishment from a mobile device in a multiple networks scenario, the method including, checking whether an identifier for an first network is on a blacklist on the mobile device; if the first network identifier is not on the blacklist, attempting to establish a data connection with the first network; and if the first network identifier is on the blacklist, establishing a data connection with a second network. The method and system for data session establishment include deriving and maintaining the blacklist.
US09131373B2
A secure network access point transmits a beacon transmission. A user device receiving it determines it does not have credentials necessary to attach with the secure network access point, and so a preliminary association is formed between the user device and the secure network access point. During the preliminary association, the user device receives or creates credentials necessary to associate with the secure network access point, forms an association with the secure network access point using the received or created credentials, and obtains internet connectivity via the secure network access point. In this embodiment there is only the secure network access point, but in another embodiment there is also a non-secure network access point which transmits a beacon using the same SSID as the secure network access point, and the preliminary association is with the non-secure network access point.
US09131368B2
A method for increasing coverage in a wireless communication system is described. The method comprises, at the network element: transmitting a first portion of subframes comprising a number of resource blocks to a first wireless communication unit in a first mode of operation, wherein the number of resource blocks are transmitted at a first power level per resource block; and transmitting, a second portion of subframes to a second wireless communication unit in a second mode of operation at a second power level, wherein the second portion of subframes comprise a lower number of resource blocks than the first portion of subframes and the lower number of resource blocks is transmitted at a second power level per resource block that is higher than the first power level per resource block.
US09131366B2
To unify virtualizations in a core network and a wireless access network, a virtual wireless network is mapped to a virtual network in the core network. Based on the mapping, data associated with a communications session can be communicated through the virtual wireless network and core virtual network.
US09131351B2
Methods and apparatus of supporting multi-media broadcast services in a wireless communication system include generating a carrier capable of carrying data traffic including broadcast data and unicast data, wherein the carrier comprises a carrier type that is non-backward compatible with existing carriers. Aspects of the methods and apparatus include transmitting broadcast data in at least one subframe of a plurality of subframes. Aspects also include providing control information at least for unicast data associated with the at least one subframe and transmitting the carrier.
US09131346B1
A method comprising establishing a call between an apparatus and a separate apparatus, establishing a homing session between the apparatus and the separate apparatus, receiving separate apparatus location information from the separate apparatus, determining apparatus location information, receiving orientation sensor information from at least one orientation sensor, determining an apparatus orientation, determining a homing direction to the separate apparatus, determining a separate apparatus direction indicator that represents the homing direction to the separate apparatus, causing display of the separate apparatus direction indicator, terminating the homing session between the apparatus and the separate apparatus, and precluding display of the separate apparatus direction indicator in response to the termination of the homing session between the apparatus and the separate apparatus is disclosed.
US09131343B2
Systems and methods for performing automatic social check-ins are disclosed. In one embodiment, in response to physical proximity between a user device and a venue-operated device located at a venue, an automatic check-in process is performed on behalf of a user of the user device. In one embodiment, the automatic check-in process is performed by first determining whether to perform an automatic check-in for the user of the user device at the venue based on one or more predefined automatic check-in rules and a user context and/or venue data that describes the venue. Upon determining that an automatic check-in is to be performed, a check-in for the user of the user device is performed to check the user into the venue via one or more check-in services.
US09131339B1
A content item may be associated with criteria that are to be performed to unlock the content items. In response to a user action, a determination as to whether the user action satisfies the criteria may be made. In response to determining that a user satisfied the criteria, the content item may be unlocked with respect to that user, meaning that the content item may become available to that user, such as via a corresponding user device. If it is determined that the criteria is not satisfied, the content item will remain unavailable to the user. Either a service provider or a user may associate the criteria with the content item, which may include video content, audio content, textual content, or image content.
US09131332B2
The systems, methods, and devices of the various embodiments provide call control information from a mobile phone to another device by moving the functionality enabling the separation of call control commands from audio data off the mobile phone. The various embodiments handle the separation of call control commands from audio data at an ear piece or other peripheral device, such as a personal hub, which is part of a multiple subscriber device system. The various embodiments enable the standard Bluetooth® Hands-Free Profile to be used by a multiple subscriber device system to interact with a mobile phone.
US09131331B2
Systems, methods, and devices are directed to wireless proximate-based communications with privacy support. A first wireless communication device is configured to discover and wirelessly communicate with one or more proximately-located wireless devices. The first wireless communication device includes logic configured to generate a temporary transformed address and expiration time and to format the temporary transformed address and expiration time into a packet and a communications module configured to transmit the packet directly to the one or more proximately-located wireless devices during discovery. The first wireless communication device is capable of exchanging information directly with the one or more proximately-located wireless devices based on the transformed address, until the expiration time has lapsed.
US09131330B2
A Machine-to-Machine (M2M) services enablement architecture for a cellular Access Network (AN) that allows the cellular AN operator to not only deploy its M2M Services Capabilities (SC) as an M2M SC Server within its network domain, but to also use its M2M SC to work as an M2M SC Proxy when communicating with an M2M Service Provider (SP) network that also deploys an M2M SC Server. The M2M SC Proxy in the cellular AN relays all signaling plane communications between an M2M device's/gateway's SC and the SP's M2M SC Server. The M2M SC Proxy provides the cellular AN with an access to all of the Across-Layers (Transport and Service Layers) information needed for the M2M services enablement in the cellular AN. This proxy-based solution allows the cellular AN to serve all types of M2M SPs, and relieves the M2M SP from the need to support different cellular AN interworking interfaces.
US09131329B2
This invention provides the processes to efficiently evaluate a Boolean expression of events used to determine if a Smartphone app is to be invoked. Its basis is to establish, for each app, a minimal inverted tree that terminates with leaves that indicate the Boolean expression evaluation of “True” or “False”, where a “True” value indicates the associated app is to be invoked or a “False” indicates the associated app is not to be invoked. The process for minimizing the inverted tree is part of this invention. A metric to measure the efficacy of any inverted tree is also included.
US09131324B2
A method for operating a hearing prosthesis is provided. A plurality of settings are provided, each setting providing a different operating functionality for the hearing prosthesis suitable for different situations. A signal analysis is executed on input signals to the hearing prosthesis. The signal analysis monitors characteristics of a current situation to detect any change and, in the case of detecting change, classifies the current situation into one of a plurality of predefined states. The suitability of the settings is compared with the determined state. One or more optimal choice(s) of setting(s) is identified for the current situation. The one or more optimal choice(s) of setting(s) is presented to a user. The user is then allowed to make a selection from the presented choice(s) of setting(s). If a selection is received from the user, the selected setting is executed. A hearing prosthesis is also provided.
US09131320B2
A portable audio device has a voice coil audio signal processor in which a desired audio content signal is combined with an anti-noise signal produced by an active noise cancellation block. A voice coil amplifier receives a volume setting and is coupled to an output of the voice coil audio signal processor. A speaker is coupled to an output of the voice coil amplifier. In addition, a telecoil audio signal processor also receives the desired audio content, and feeds a telecoil amplifier that receives a telecoil coupling strength setting, followed by a telecoil. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US09131313B1
Systems and methods of audio reproduction are described. In one embodiment, one or more processors can be configured, for example, to receive an L channel signal and an R channel signal, to combine the L channel signal and the R channel signal, to average the combined signal, to detect an impulse signal in the averaged signal, to multiply the impulse signal, to scale the multiplied impulse signal, and to add the scaled impulse signal to the averaged signal to form a resultant signal. Sound can be generated, for example, by speakers based on at least the resultant signal.
US09131305B2
A method and a system for simultaneously generating configurable three-dimensional (3D) sounds are provided. A 3D sound processing application (3DSPA) in operative communication with a microphone array system (MAS) is provided on a computing device. The MAS forms acoustic beam patterns and records sound tracks from the acoustic beam patterns. The 3DSPA generates a configurable sound field on a graphical user interface using recorded or pre-recorded sound tracks. The 3DSPA acquires user selections of configurable parameters associated with sound sources from the configurable sound field. The 3DSPA dynamically processes the sound tracks using the user selections to generate a configurable 3D binaural sound, surround sound, and/or stereo sound. The 3DSPA measures head related transfer functions (HRTFs) in communication with a simulator apparatus that simulates a human's upper body. The 3DSPA generates the binaural sound by processing the sound tracks with the HRTFs based on the user selections.
US09131299B2
Provided is an electronic device 1, including: a piezoelectric element 30; a panel 10 configured to support the piezoelectric element 30; and a housing 60 configured to hold the panel 10 and conduct a vibration through the panel 10, the panel 10 generating air-conduction sound and vibration sound that is transmitted by vibrating a part of a human body. The housing 60 includes a first housing portion 62 and a second housing portion 61 located inward of the first housing portion 62, and rigidity-reinforcing portions (63, 150; 64, 160; 65, 66, 170) are disposed between the first housing portion 62 and the second housing portion 61 for improving rigidity of the housing 60.
US09131294B2
An apparatus includes first and second microphone arrangements, arranged to output first and second signals respectively and is operable in a first mode and a second mode. In the first mode, an output signal is generated based on the second signal and a third signal, where the second signal and, optionally, the first signal, can be used to compensate for ambient noise, for example, for noise cancellation when a telephone call is relayed through a speaker. In the second mode, an output signal is generated based on the first and second signals. In this manner, the combination of the first and second microphone arrangements provides a directional sensitivity that can pick up sound from a remote source, for example, in an audio or video recording session. The apparatus may include a sensor to allow automatic switching between one or more of modes, directional sensitivity patterns and types of recording session.
US09131287B1
A system and method of processing management frames implement a switching strategy is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of processing frames received in a network switch comprises identifying control frames from the received frames, wherein a control frame includes instruction messages, and identifying non-control frames that include data traffic. For identified control frames, the control frames are modified by inserting a value for an EtherType within the control frame. The value of the EtherType is not inserted within the non-control frames. The method transmits the frames to a central processing unit (CPU) or other frame processing device within the network switch wherein the CPU is configured to identify the control frames from the non-control frames by the value of the EtherType in the frames.
US09131285B2
In an embodiment, a system and method permit an IPTV subscriber to display on a channel of an IPTV network video data from a subscriber video database. The system may include, in addition to the IPTV network and the subscriber database, an IPTV server and an IPTV set top box. The IPTV set top box is configured to receive commands causing the IPTV set top box to retrieve video data from an IPTV subscriber database, display the video data on an IPTV display unit; and to transmit the video data over an IPTV network to an IPTV server. The IPTV server is configured to transmit the video data from the IPTV server over the IPTV network such that the video data is displayable on a channel of the IPTV network.
US09131280B2
The display of information supplied from a remote source is customized. Profile data identifying user preferences or display characteristics associated with a user's display device is transmitted to the remote source. Descriptive closed caption data disposed in a predetermined location in the data structure of the information is received from that remote source. The descriptive closed caption data is parsed from the received information; and the user's preference or display characteristic is recognized from the parsed data. The parsed data is used to control the user's display device, thereby displaying the supplied information in accordance with the user's preference or in accordance with the particular display characteristics of the user's display device.
US09131278B2
A method in a server for providing various Internet Protocol television signal qualities involves an IPTV signal having a first signal quality that is transmitted over a first network connection to a first device. A request to receive the IPTV signal over a second network connection at a second device with the IPTV signal having a second signal quality is received. A determination is made that the second network connection has sufficient bandwidth to transmit the IPTV signal at the second signal quality, and that the second device is capable of receiving IPTV signal. The transmission of the IPTV signal over the first network connection to the first device is ended. An endpoint for the transmission of the IPTV signal to the first device is determined. The IPTV signal is transmitted over the second network connection to the second device at the second signal quality beginning at the determined endpoint.
US09131276B2
A method and system for capturing, storing, and streaming over the air broadcasts based on user requests is disclosed. The system and method utilize subarrays of antenna elements for receiving over the air broadcasts. Processing pipelines are used to demodulate, transcode and index the content transmissions to produce content data that are streamed to users. In this way, the feeds from antennas can be accessed by users over a network connection.
US09131271B2
A computer-implemented method for real-time adaptation of multimedia data. A first multimedia stream is monitored. A determination is made as to whether an attribute of the first multimedia stream satisfies a predefined threshold. When the attribute of the first multimedia stream satisfies the predefined threshold a request is made to a switch from the first multimedia stream to a second multimedia stream. When the data packet from the second multimedia stream is received, transmission of the first multimedia stream is terminated. The data packet from the second multimedia stream is marked as a splicing point. When the value of the timestamp of the data packet from the second multimedia stream is determined in relation to the value of the timestamp of the data packet from the first multimedia stream, transmission of the second multimedia stream is initiated.
US09131270B2
Example methods disclosed herein to identify media sources include determining whether a first time difference between a first meter signature and a second meter signature associated with presented media is equivalent to a second time difference between a first reference signature determined to match the first meter signature and a second reference signature determined to match the second meter signature, the first and second reference signatures being associated with a first one of a plurality of media sources. Such example methods also include, in response to determining that the first time difference and the second time difference are equivalent, appending the second reference signature to a first tracking segment associated with the first one of the media sources to cause a first time length associated with the first tracking segment to be increased based on at least a respective timestamp associated with the second reference signature.
US09131267B2
An apparatus and a method of a portable terminal for dual display of a broadcasting receiver by a High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) signal are provided. The method includes receiving at least one input signal from a broadcasting receiver, generating an output signal based on the received input signal, and transmitting the output signal to the broadcasting receiver so that the output signal can be output from the broadcasting receiver.
US09131262B2
A DTV receiver includes a receiver to receive a digital television signal including a plurality of extended text table (ETT) instances that appear in transport stream packets with common PID values, the ETT instances having common table ID values, each ETT instance comprising a section header and a message body, the section header containing a table identification (ID) extension field that serves to establish uniqueness of each ETT instance, the message body containing an extended text message (ETM) which provides detailed descriptions of a virtual channel or an event associated with each ETT instance, wherein the section header further contains a protocol version field indicating a protocol version and a section length field indicating a section length, a demodulator to demodulate the digital television signal and an identifier to identify at least one pertinent ETT instance from the plurality of ETT instances.
US09131259B2
An electronic device including a display, a receiver to receive, from an input device, a first information about a movement of the input device and a second information indicating whether a predetermined button on the input device is pressed, and a controller to control the display to display a plurality of visual guide items representing a plurality of functions of the electronic device for guide a user how to move the input device to select a function among the plurality of functions, determine a movement direction of a pointing position while the predetermined button of the input device is pressed based on the first and the second information, detecting whether the predetermined button is released based on the second information and in response to the detecting that the predetermined button is released, executing a function among the plurality of functions based on the movement direction of the pointing position and displaying a visual guide item among the plurality of visual guide items corresponding to the executed function in a highlight state.
US09131256B2
An approach for facilitating the playback of content concurrently on multiple devices is described. A time reference associated with a first device is provided to a synchronization platform for corresponding to playback of content on the first device. The synchronization platform also receives a request from a second device to synchronize concurrent playback of a version of the content on the second device. Timing information is generated for transmission to the second device in response to the request for enabling the second device to playback its version of the content in synchronization with that of the first device.
US09131247B2
There are provided methods and apparatus for stereoscopic video coding using scalable video coding. A scalable video encoder includes an encoder for encoding at least two views corresponding to multi-view video content by, encoding a particular view of the at least two views as a base layer, and encoding each of at least one other view of the at least two views as an enhancement layer using a prediction from a lower layer corresponding to at least one of the particular view and the at least one other view. The at least two views are encoded based on a selection from among at least two of temporal, spatial, and signal to noise ratio scalability techniques.
US09131246B2
An artifact in a discrete cosine transform based decoder output may be detected by developing a set of templates. An average intensity within each block in a reconstructed picture is calculated (34). The differences of each pixel value from the average output intensity within each block is determined (36). That difference is then multiplied by one of the templates within each block and the results of the multiplications are summed to obtain a calculated result (38). The calculated result is then compared to a threshold to detect an artifact such as ringing or mosquito noise artifacts (40).
US09131239B2
A unified candidate block set for both adaptive motion vector prediction (AMVP) mode and merge mode for use in inter-prediction is proposed. In general, the same candidate block set is used regardless of which motion vector prediction mode (e.g., merge mode or AMVP mode) is used. In other examples of this disclosure, one candidate block in a set of candidate blocks is designated as an additional candidate block. The additional candidate block is used if one of the other candidate blocks is unavailable. Also, the disclosure proposes a checking pattern where the left candidate block is checked before the below left candidate block. Also, the above candidate block is checked before the right above candidate block.
US09131238B2
A source channel encoder, source channel decoder and methods for implementing such devices are disclosed herein. The source channel encoder includes a linear transform encoder configured to generate a plurality of source components. A successive refinement quantizer is configured to generate a plurality of bit planes based on the source components. A systematic linear encoder configured to map the bit planes into channel-encoded symbols. The linear transform encoder may be configured to apply a Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) or a Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT). The linear transform encoder may be configured for differential encoding.
US09131231B2
An apparatus for decoding an image includes an encoding information extractor which extracts split information indicating whether to split a coding unit of an upper depth into coding units of deeper depths and skip information indicating whether a prediction mode of a current coding unit is a skip mode, from image data and a decoding unit which determines a split structure of a maximum coding unit, according to the split information so that the maximum coding unit is hierarchically split as a depth increases and determines whether the prediction mode of the current coding unit is the skip mode according to the skip information.
US09131226B2
A projector displays, together with an input image, an OSD image different from the input image. The projector includes an image output unit configured to output image data of an image for the left eye and image data of an image for the right eye, an image processing unit configured to read out a different image data from a RAM, apply, to the image data of the image for the left eye, processing for arranging the different image data in a position for the left eye and combining the different image data with the image data of the image for the left eye, and apply, to the image data of the image for the right eye, processing for arranging the different image data in a position for the right eye and combining the different image data with the image data of the image for the right eye.
US09131221B2
A camera and camera system is provided with an optical device (8). The optical device creates simultaneously two or more images of object on a sensor (4) forming a compound image. The distance d between the constituting images of objects in the compound image is dependent on the distance Z to the camera. The compound image is analyzed (9), e.g. deconvolved to determine the distances d between the double images. These distances are then converted into a depth map (10).
US09131220B2
There is provided in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention an optical assembly including a set of optical paths, wherein two or more optical paths receive an image from a common surface. The optical paths may direct received images onto a common image sensor generating a complex multidimensional data set, an image processing block may extrapolate each of the subset of optical paths printed on the image sensor and may generate a multidimensional data set based on the collected images.
US09131218B2
Provided is a video encoding/decoding technique for improving the compression efficiency by reducing the motion vector code amount. In a video decoding process, the prediction vector calculation method is switched from one to another in accordance with a difference between predetermined motion vectors among a plurality of motion vectors of a peripheral block of a block to be decoded and already decoded. The calculated prediction vector is added to a difference vector decoded from an encoded stream so as to calculate a motion vector. By using the calculated motion vector, the inter-image prediction process is executed.
US09131210B2
Methods are provided for reducing the size of a transpose buffer used for computation of a two-dimensional (2D) separable transform. Scaling factors and clip bit widths determined for a particular transpose buffer size and the expected transform sizes are used to reduce the size of the intermediate results of applying the 2D separable transform. The reduced bit widths of the intermediate results may vary across the intermediate results. In some embodiments, the scaling factors and associated clip bit widths may be adapted during encoding.
US09131208B2
An opt-keyframe reconstruction technique for selecting and reconstructing optimizing keyframes to provide a better reconstruction in a structure from motion (SFM) technique. The technique may, for example, be used in an adaptive reconstruction algorithm implemented by a general SFM technique. This technique may add and reconstruct optimizing frames to a set of keyframes already generated by an initialization technique and by an adaptive technique for iteratively selecting and reconstructing additional keyframes. In addition, the technique may determine and remove outlier points from the projection, and determine and recover inlier points in the projection. Adding the opt-keyframes and inlier points may result in additional, and possibly shorter, point trajectories being included in the reconstruction, thus providing a better reconstruction that may be more suited for later operations that may be applied to the image sequence.
US09131205B2
A system and method for reducing anxiety of a patient during medical scanning in a medical scanner which may produce significant levels of acoustic noise. A processor or control unit receives a measure of variation in a parameter of the scanner noise during the medical scanning. The processor then generates outputs to audio and video playback units that present an audio-video scenery to the patient during the scanning in accordance with the measure of variation in the parameter of the scanner noise. An image object in the video imagery is linked to the audio signal, so as to distract the patient's attention away from the scanner noise. The audio-video scenery may be switched according to an estimated scanner noise level. An effective distraction of the patient is obtained with a limited audio signal level which is far lower than the scanner noise.
US09131203B2
Where 3D conversion complementary information for 3D conversion of a TV program is pre-recorded on a first information recording area of an optical disc, a content recording area is set to an area on which the TV program relating to the 3D conversion complementary information is recordable. Where the 2D video content is pre-recorded on the first information recording area, download information, etc for recording the 3D conversion complementary information on a 3D conversion complementary information recording space is pre-recorded on a third information recording area so that 2D video content can be reproduced as 3D video. This allows recording and viewing 3D video by easily converting 2D video content, without changing standards and communication formats of generally available 2D video contents and while suppressing an increase in distributed information amount caused by conversion to 3D video.
US09131195B2
An apparatus and a method that allow users to mount digital media players to screens.
US09131194B2
A display apparatus in which a user can view a 3D image using shutter glasses is provided. The display apparatus, in which a user can view a three-dimensional (3D) image using shutter glasses, may include: a cover; a display module which is disposed in the cover and displays an image; and a transmitter which is disposed in the cover and transmits a synchronization signal to the shutter glasses to synchronize the image displayed by the display module with the shutter glasses.
US09131175B2
There is provided a solid state imaging apparatus, including a plurality of line sensors including a plurality of pixels arrayed in a line, each of the pixels including an amplifier which amplifies a signal corresponding to a charge accumulated in a photoelectric transducer, and signal lines each for reading a signal of each pixel of the line sensors. The plurality of line sensors are discretely arranged, and the signal lines are gathered and wired along a region in which a circuit block including the line sensors is arranged.
US09131156B2
The apparatus of the invention is characterized by executing radius-of-rotation calculation operation for calculating a radius of rotation from a velocity change found by time integration of acceleration, and an angular velocity; velocity calculation operation in which during a given time from a start of exposure, velocity is calculated based on the angular velocity and the radius of rotation calculated before the start of exposure, and after a lapse of the given time, the acceleration is cumulatively added to the velocity detected during the given time to calculate the velocity, and amount-of-movement calculation operation for time-integrating the velocity calculated in the velocity calculation operation to calculate the amount of movement.
US09131152B2
An image processing apparatus including an interface that receives an input identifying a subject, and a processor that generates a panoramic image based on captured image data so that the subject is positioned in a reference position in the panoramic image.
US09131147B2
Systems and methods directed to detecting crowds and sharing content based on the devices in proximity to the detected crowd. Systems and methods may utilize a camera included in most mobile devices to estimate how many people are involved in an interaction with the mobile device. Depending on the number of people detected, the systems and methods may invoke appropriate actions. Appropriate actions may involve sharing information by various methods, such as sharing content on a large display, printing or emailing documents. The systems and methods may also be extended to generally detecting a crowd in proximity to a device, and invoking appropriate actions based on the number of people detected.
US09131146B2
A communication device includes: a receiving unit that receives image data generated by an imaging process of an imaging device facing a predetermined imaging direction and imaging direction information representing the predetermined imaging direction; an operating unit that generates direction instruction information indicating an imaging direction of the imaging device in response to an operation of the user; an image clipping unit that clips a predetermined region of the image data; a display unit that displays an image based on the image data of the predetermined region; and a region position adjusting unit that adjusts a position of the predetermined region in the image data based on the imaging direction information and the direction instruction information.
US09131140B2
Disclosed is a technique for allowing proper classification information to be provided to an edited image. When it is determined that the editing is cropping, a system controller cuts a decompressed image down to a desired size using an image processor and performs face detection on a crop image. The system controller generates a header for image data of an edited image. When the setting of automatically providing classification information is “ON”, classification information is automatically provided based on the detected face information.
US09131139B2
One of a plurality of image sensing modes is set, and an image sensing process including a plurality of processes is performed based on the set image sensing mode. Whether or not each of the plurality of processes is to be performed by an external apparatus is decided based on the set image sensing mode. Image data obtained by image sensing is transmitted to the external apparatus so that the decided process is performed by the external apparatus.
US09131138B2
A photographing apparatus including an imaging unit to photograph a subject to acquire image data; an object detection unit to detect a predetermined object from the image data; and a detection condition setting unit to allow a detection condition for the object detection unit to be set according to a photographing mode.
US09131136B2
A method for imaging includes focusing optical radiation so as to form respective first and second optical images of a scene on different, respective first and second regions of an array of detector elements. The focused optical radiation is filtered with different, respective first and second passbands for the first and second regions. A difference is taken between respective first and second input signals provided by the detector elements in the first and second regions so as to generate an output signal indicative of the difference.
US09131134B2
A camera includes: a ring-like body mount having an inside diameter smaller than about 48 millimeters; and a solid-state image pickup device arranged oppositely to the body mount, the solid-state image pickup device having a rectangle light receiving section with a diagonal line length of about 43 millimeters or more. An apparent shape of the solid-state image pickup device viewed from a front surface side of the body mount is a rectangle in which one or more corners are oblique.
US09131115B2
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a set top box having a controller to present media content, and provide access to related media content based upon access information, where the related media content is determined based upon monitoring of the media content, where the related media content is retrieved based on a query of a plurality of sources over the internet for ancillary information, and where the access information is associated with each of the plurality of sources and the ancillary information is at least one among a video blog, a pod cast or a website. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09131107B2
A telepresence unit control and communication methods are disclosed. The telepresence unit enables a virtual presence of a controller, a human being, located away from the telepresence unit. The telepresence unit control and communication methods enable a mechanical motion control of the telepresence unit by utilizing a visual communication between the telepresence unit and a computer administered by the controller. The telepresence unit utilizes a mobile computing device to establish the visual communication channel to the computer via the internet. Once the visual communication channel is established, the present invention provides a video modification as means of controlling and communicating with the telepresence unit.
US09131106B2
Techniques are presented herein to terminate output of video captured by a video camera. Detection is made whether a camera lens of a video camera has been obscured by an intentional act of a person. Video output of the video camera is terminated in response to detecting that the camera lens has been obscured. These techniques allow a user to quickly and easily terminate output of video without the need for a dedicated switch or button, or some other special procedure.
US09131087B2
Tools (e.g., systems, apparatuses, application software, etc.) are provided for managing print services provided to terminal apparatuses. More specifically, each of the terminal apparatuses has deployed thereon a print manager service client agent that communicates with a print manager service providing apparatus over a network, in an automated manner and transparent to a user, without requiring administrative login on either end.
US09131086B2
An image forming apparatus includes a communication portion arranged inside a cover covering an image forming portion in the main body of the apparatus and including an antenna surface for use in establishing near field communication. The cover includes a stacking portion in its upper section. The stacking portion is configured to receive a recording medium with an image thereon, the recording medium being discharged outside the main body of the apparatus. The antenna surface faces a region of the upper section of the cover downstream in a direction of discharging the recording medium. The antenna surface at least partially faces a region of the upper section of the cover outside the stacking portion in a direction perpendicular to the direction of discharging the recording medium. The communication portion is capable of communicating with another communication portion using near field communication.
US09131078B2
This disclosure details the implementation of apparatuses, methods, and systems for a portable, image-processing transmitter. The transmitter provides a platform capable of managing, manipulating, storing, and transmitting digital media files across a wide array of transmission means and protocols. In one embodiment, the transmitter may be employed by photographers, photojournalists, and/or the like to rapidly process, edit, and send photographs or video to multiple news agencies, newspapers, magazines, television studios, websites, and/or the like while maintaining control over their photographs by allowing them to send reduced quality and watermarked proofs. The transmitter may be configured to allow users to first generate and transmit low-resolution preview images, thereby saving on transmission time and resources, and only send full resolution versions once approvals of the preview versions are received. The transmitter's broad communication capabilities ensure that it is maximally effective in locating and exploiting available communication networks, even from remote locations.
US09131065B2
A method of notifying an operation state change of a device is provided. The method includes forming a network including at least one device that is used by a user and that performs network communication; and when the operation state change of one of the at least one device in the network occurs, transmitting information regarding the operation state change of the one of the at least one device to another one of the at least one device. The information is displayed on a display unit of the another one of the at least one device.
US09131064B2
A communication apparatus for an information processing apparatus includes: a data acquiring unit which acquires data; a determination unit which determines whether a volume of the data is greater than a reference value or not; a wireless communication method deciding unit which decides a wireless communication method, and which decides a wireless communication method to be used for data transmission, based on a communication speed of each method if the determination unit determines that the volume of the data is greater than the reference value, and decides a wireless communication method, based on power consumption if the volume of the data is determined as equal to or smaller than the reference value; and a wireless communication processing control unit which controls processing to transmit the data.
US09131063B2
Telephonic computing devices having touch screen displays with new and improved methods and user interfaces for performing actions related to selected messages in a message in-box and for transferring calls, thereby increasing the effectiveness, efficiency, and user satisfaction with such devices. Such methods, devices, and interfaces may complement or replace existing methods, devices, and interfaces for performing actions related to selected messages in a message in-box and for transferring calls.
US09131062B2
A mobile terminal device able to automatically set suitable field break positions in accordance with the situation, able to realize a skip operation and back skip operation by specific operations, able to efficiently utilize a readout function, and able to improve convenience to a user is provided. It has an operation unit 19 for instructing a readout function, a memory 12 storing text, a text-to-speech unit 20 for converting text data stored in the memory 12 to speech data at the time of readout, an audio output unit 21 for outputting the speech data, and a control unit 26 for recognizing predetermined breaks from the text to be read out when outputting the speech data at the audio output unit 21 and performing control so as to output the words from either a break position before or after the readout target text at the point of time of the input of instruction as the speech data by the audio output unit when there is a predetermined instruction by the operation unit 19.
US09131060B2
Techniques and technologies are presented for adapting an attribute magnification for a mobile communication device. An output device for the attribute is connected to the mobile communication device. A sensor tracks distance of a user's head in relation to the mobile communication device; while a controller initiates a setting phase for magnification change and subsequently a tracking phase, opposite from the setting phase, for dynamically adjusting the attribute from the mobile communication device.
US09131050B2
A method and an apparatus to disambiguate requests are presented. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a request for information from a user. Then data is retrieved from a back-end database in response to the request. Based on a predetermined configuration of a disambiguation system and the data retrieved, the ambiguity within the request is dynamically resolved.
US09131047B2
A method of displaying a tutorial to a user of a mobile device is disclosed. In some examples, the mobile device receives an input associated with one or more user functions of the mobile device and launches a locally based application in response to the received input. The locally based application may output instructions to the user explaining to the user how to implement the one or more user functions.
US09131044B2
In a packet-switching and/or cell-switching communication network which comprises a plurality of switching nodes and in which the individual switching nodes in the communication network are each allocated a unique identification, eavesdropping measures are provided in order to eavesdrop on at least one data link that has been formed between two communication subscribers, in which case one of the two communication subscribers is identified by means of at least one eavesdropping measure as a communication subscriber to be eavesdropped on. The switching nodes which are intended for activation of eavesdropping measures are each allocated at least one activation database which has the identifications of the switching nodes which are enabled for activation of further eavesdropping measures. In this case, a further eavesdropping measure is activated in the switching node to be eavesdropped on only if the identification of the switching node to be eavesdropped on matches at least one identification which is contained in the activation database.
US09131043B2
A smart phone device is fitted with a dual mode communications interface device having a housing wherein the housing provides access via an exterior of the smart phone device to both an infrared communications pathway and an electrical communications pathway each of which are coupled to one or more processing devices carried within the smart phone device. To this end, the communications interface device may be in the form of an audio jack having a plug receiving opening wherein the plug receiving opening is in communication with the electrical communications pathway and wherein at least a portion of the housing surrounding the plug receiving opening forms a light pipe for the infrared communications pathway.
US09131040B2
The present invention allows an alarm monitoring to use satellite broadband services as a data link for communication between an alarms system and a monitoring station, middleware provider, individual user, or other alarm monitor. Standard alarm system protocols are modified to make the communication protocol compatible with the features of satellite broadband. These modifications compensate for the time delay in data transmission inherent in satellite communications, as well as other limitations of satellite communications. In particular, the “handshake” tone, instead of “1400 hz for 100 ms, silence for 100 ms, 2300 hz for 100 ms”, is changed to “DTMF ‘A’ for at least 100 milliseconds”. In a preferred embodiment the receiver transmits the DTMF A tone for 250 milliseconds. In addition, the delay for “wait for the Acknowledge tone” is extended from 1.25 seconds, to 5 seconds. The “acknowledge” tone, instead of “1400 hz for 400 ms”, is changed to “DTMF ‘D’ for at least 100 milliseconds”. In a preferred embodiment, the receiver transmits the DTMF D tone for 250 milliseconds.
US09131025B1
Techniques described herein provide a system and methods for adding latency to improve the perceived performance of computing devices. For instance, the techniques may calculate transaction latencies for a given session based on the time between sending requests for content and receiving the requested content. The calculated latencies may be aggregated or averaged in such a way that a specific latency may be selected for improving the perceived performance. A client device may then render subsequent content based on the selected latency or a server may serve subsequent content based on the selected latency. This artificial addition of latency may enhance the user experience by creating a more consistent environment.
US09131022B2
In one embodiment, a method includes displaying a plurality of tiles on a user's computer screen, each of the tiles comprising shared data, and receiving new shared data and processing the new shared data to update the shared data displayed on the user's computer screen. The shared data is collected at a centralized device and distributed by the centralized device to the user, the centralized device operable to organize and transmit the shared data contained in one or more of the tiles to a plurality of users. An apparatus and logic are also disclosed herein.
US09131021B2
Illustrative embodiments disclose sharing an area of a computer system screen. A first computer system configures a sharing session for sharing a region of the screen with a second computer system. The first computer system assesses information on performance of the sharing session, determining from the information a minimum size of the region based on the assessment, and then selects the region to share based on the assessment and a designation by a user.
US09131020B2
Aspects of the present invention disclose a system, method and computer program product for focused real time collaboration. In an example, a computer receives an electronic message from a first user, the electronic message being addressed to an intended recipient. The computer determines that a posted status of the intended recipient indicates that the intended recipient is not available to actively receive electronic messages from users. The computer analyzes whether the first user is on a list of users in a collaborative event with the intended recipient. The computer stores the electronic message in local storage. The computer determines that a natural breakpoint is reached in the collaborative event by the intended recipient indicating that the intended recipient is available to actively receive electronic messages from users regardless of the status of the intended recipient. The computer transmits the electronic message to a computer of the intended recipient.
US09131018B2
A method of displaying social media data is provided. The method includes accessing stored social media data from a plurality of social media outlets and obtaining social media data having associated context information. The obtained social media data includes at least first social media data from a first social media outlet and second social media data from a second social media outlet. The method includes providing a user interface that displays representations of the first and second social media data as a function of the context information.
US09131010B2
A method supports data communication in a mobile application by specifying in the mobile application a program intent and one or more course or fine-grained properties of data objects in terms of tolerance to delay and loss; selecting a transfer policy for a set of data objects based on the application intent; receiving and coalescing intents of one or more applications for object data for the one or more applications; crafting an aggregate transfer policy, and communicating data from one or more applications as an aggregate based on the aggregate transfer policy to programmatically incorporate and benefit from tolerance to delay in the transfer of data.
US09131007B2
A communications method and system which can accommodate changes in various parameters on a dynamic basis. A communications method and system utilizing a proxy for delivery of content at an optimal level to a client, even in the face of constantly changing client, channel conditions, or content parameters.
US09131002B2
Gathering analytic information for dynamic web applications. A method includes determining that statistic information should be gathered for a particular dynamic web application. The method further includes substituting native methods in the application with custom methods configured to gather statistic information when called. The method further includes providing any statistics information gathered to an analytics engine for analysis.
US09130994B1
Techniques for avoiding dynamic domain name system (DNS) collisions are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for avoiding dynamic domain name system (DNS) collisions comprising: storing a first location associated with a first client device, a second location associated with a second client device, and a third location associated with a network, receiving, from the first client device, a first notification indicating an Internet Protocol (IP) address via the network, receiving, from the second client device, a second notification indicating the IP address via the network, determining a most likely owner of the network between the first client device and the second client device based on the first location, the second location, and the third location, and applying a content filtering policy associated with the first client device when the first client device is determined to be the most likely owner.
US09130986B2
A system and method for identifying infection of unwanted software on an electronic device is disclosed. A software agent configured to generate a bait and is installed on the electronic device. The bait can simulate a situation in which the user performs a login session and submits personal information or it may just contain artificial sensitive information. Parameters may be inserted into the bait such as the identity of the electronic device that the bait is installed upon. The output of the electronic device is monitored and analyzed for attempts of transmitting the bait. The output is analyzed by correlating the output with the bait and can be done by comparing information about the bait with the traffic over a computer network in order to decide about the existence and the location of unwanted software. Furthermore, it is possible to store information about the bait in a database and then compare information about a user with the information in the database in order to determine if the electronic device that transmitted the bait contains unwanted software.
US09130985B1
Data driven device detection is provided, whereby a device is detected by obtaining a plurality of feature values for a given device; obtaining a set of device attributes for a plurality of potential devices; calculating a probability value that the given device is each potential device within the plurality of potential devices; identifying a candidate device associated with a maximum probability value among the calculated probability values; and labeling the given device as the candidate device if the associated maximum probability value satisfies a predefined threshold. The predefined threshold can be a function, for example, of whether the given user has previously used this device. The obtained feature values can be obtained for a selected set of features satisfying one or more predefined characteristic criteria. The device attributes can be obtained, for example, from a profile for each of the plurality of potential devices.
US09130974B2
A system and method of detecting and limiting unsolicited data uploads. Downloaded content such as web pages and emails are scanned for web forms and/or links. A watermark is added where appropriate and the modified downloaded content is forwarded to the person who requested the content. A check is made to determine whether information received from a user includes appropriate watermarks. If so, the watermark is removed and the information is forwarded to its destination.
US09130972B2
The disclosed embodiments provide systems, methods, and apparatus for efficient detection of fingerprinted content and relate generally to the field of information (or data) leak prevention. Particularly, a compact and efficient repository of fingerprint ingredients is used to analyze content and determine the content's similarity to previously fingerprinted content. Some embodiments employ probabilistic indications regarding the existence of fingerprint ingredients in the repository.
US09130970B2
An exemplary system for accelerating content delivery via DNS overriding may comprise a network storage device communicatively coupled to a network and storing a routing table for a CDN, the routing table map one or more edge server IP addresses for one or more edge servers to each of one or more geographic regions. The network storage device may be configured to transmit the routing table to one or more DNS servers communicatively coupled to the network.
US09130965B2
The present invention provides methods of inter-technology handoff of a multi-mode mobile unit in a packet-switched communication system. One embodiment of the method includes establishing a call from a first application layer client in the first mobile unit using a first wireless communication link that operates according to a first wireless access technology. The method also includes sending, in response to detecting changing conditions of the first wireless communication link, a request to form a conference call including the first application layer client and inviting a second application layer client in the first mobile unit to join the conference call. The second application layer client uses a second wireless communication link that operates according to a second wireless access technology. The method further includes handing off the call from the first application layer client to the second application layer client.
US09130954B2
A global server load-balancing (GSLB) switch serves as a proxy to an authoritative DNS and communicates with numerous site switches that are coupled to host servers serving specific applications. The GSLB switch receives from site switches operational information regarding host servers within the site switches neighborhood. This operational information includes health check information that is remotely obtained in a distributed manner from remote metric agents at the site switches. When a client program requests a resolution of a host name, the GSLB switch, acting as a proxy of an authoritative DNS, returns one or more ordered IP addresses for the host name. The IP addresses are ordered using metrics, including the health check metric that evaluates these IP addresses based on the health check information communicated to the GSLB switch in a distributed manner by the distributed health check site switches. In one instance, the GSLB switch places the address that is deemed “best” at the top of the list.
US09130944B2
An apparatus for authorizing a bilateral session between two websites, comprising a processor configured to grant authorization for a first website to access a first resource located on a second website, grant authorization for the second website to access a second resource located on the first website, and establish the bilateral session between the first website and the second website when authorization is granted for the first website to access the first resource and authorization is granted for the second website to access the second resource, wherein the bilateral session supports the transfer of the first resource to the first website and the transfer of the second resource to the second website.
US09130941B2
A method for managing a data item includes a hub receiving a first access request from a first engine executing on a computing device operated by a first host and sending the first access request to a second engine executing on a first computing device of a second host. The second host owns the data item. The hub receives, from the second engine, the data item and an access rule set by the second host for the first host, and sends the first access rule and the data item to the first engine for storage. The first engine grants the first host access to the data item according to the first access rule.
US09130933B2
The present invention relates to a communication system and method, an information processing terminal and method, and an information processing device and method which enable simple and secure restricted access. When a PDA 11 is brought close, a reader 2 of a personal computer 1 reads a device ID form an IC tag 12. The personal computer 1 registers device IDs on a connection permission list, and permits only devices registered on the list to connect. When being instructed to perform accessing, the PDA 11 controls a communication unit to access the personal computer 1 and to transmits its device ID. The personal computer 1 determines whether or not the transmitted ID is registered on the connection permission list, and permits the connection when determining that the ID is registered. The present invention can be applied to various information processing devices such as a personal computer and a PDA.
US09130928B2
A method for updating network-enabled devices with new identity data includes generating a plurality of new identity data records and loading the new identity data records onto an update server. A request is received at the update server for new identity data from at least one network-enabled device having a previously assigned identity linked to an identifier. The previously assigned identifier is linked to a new identifier that is linked to one of the new identity data records. One or more new identity data records are securely delivered to the network-enabled device.
US09130926B2
A computer-implemented method for authorizing access by a client application to a resource of a user maintained on a first server computing system, the client application being implemented on a second server computing system, includes receiving a delegation message from the first server computer system to initiate authorization of the access by the client application, issuing an authorization message to the first server computer system, the authorization message comprising an authorization data package for redemption by the client application, the authorization data package comprising first through fourth integral delegation data indicative of the user, the client application, the resource, and a timestamp, respectively, receiving a redemption message from the second server computing system comprising the authorization data package, conducting an analysis of the authorization data package, and sending an access token to the second server computing system based on the analysis.
US09130915B2
A privacy preference editor enables a user to institute privacy preferences relative to user identity information on a card-based and category-based basis. An identity selector furnishes information cards representative of user identities. The editor allows the user to set a privacy preference for each information card. Any proposed disclosure of an information card invokes its corresponding privacy preference. In turn, an agent engine evaluates the invoked privacy preference against the privacy policy of a relying party seeking the card information. The editor also permits the user to create information categories, populate the categories with a group of relevant user identity attributes, and set a privacy preference to the category. In this way, a category-specific privacy preference can be invoked by using the attribute required by the security policy as an index to the appropriate categorized group where the required attribute resides.
US09130912B2
A system and method for instantiation of a virtual machine (VM) in a datacenter includes providing a network appliance in a location for listening to management information traffic. Indices are created for data center images in the network appliance. VM instantiation requests are intercepted in the network appliance. Locations from which blocks for the VM should be fetched based upon network cost are determined. VM image blocks are populated from the locations.
US09130910B1
Methods and systems for causing a device to join a network or fabric. A joining device sends an indication that the electronic device is not connected to a network type and receives a device ID for an assisting device to assist the electronic device in joining a network of the network type. Moreover, the assisting device resides on the network. The joining device then authenticates to the assisting device from the assisting device and receives network credentials for the network. Furthermore, the joining device joins the network using the network credentials.
US09130906B1
The present disclosure relates to a method and system for one-way data transmission from an open network to a closed network. A data transmission controller on an open network provides a data stream to first, second, and third transmitter nodes on the open network. The first and second transmitter nodes transmit the data stream to corresponding receiver nodes on a closed network. The third transmitter node transmits the data stream to a receiver node on the open network. Data transmission verification is performed at both the open network and the closed network.
US09130899B1
Techniques are provided for establishing a Unified Communications (UC) session between a client endpoint device and remote endpoint devices, the client endpoint device managing the session using a first-party call control protocol in response to commands from a third-party control protocol and user input. A hosted virtual desktop (HVD) generates an HVD image and communicates it to the client endpoint device for display, via a virtual desktop interface (VDI) protocol. The HVD image comprises a UC user interface generated by a UC application on the HVD, the user interface comprising at least one user interface element and at least one placeholder where a client-provided user interface element may be inserted. A client UC application receives the HVD image and inserts client-provided user interface elements over the placeholders before sending the integrated image to a client operating system to be rendered on the display of client endpoint device.
US09130897B2
A method and system for securing web services on one or more server computers by one or more client computers, the computers connected to one or more networks through one or more network interfaces, each computer having one or more memories and one or more central processing units (CPUs), the system including one or more logical expressions that define constraints on one or more service releases; a gateway process receiving service request messages from one or more of the clients for i) identifying the service request message, ii) processing the service request message in accordance with one or more of the logical expressions associated with the requested service and iii) providing access to the requested service if the constraints are satisfied.
US09130896B2
According to one embodiment, a method comprises an operation of identifying a plurality of network devices, and detecting a presence of firewall processing functionality in a subset of the network devices. At least one of the network devices not in the firewall subset is configured to forward packets to a network device of the subset for firewall processing.
US09130892B2
A system may initiate a chat session between a first user device and a second user device, may receive a desired attribute associated with a multimedia item, and may provide information associated with multimedia items based on the desired attribute. The system may receive a selection of information associated with a multimedia item, may provide the multimedia item to the first user device based on the selection, and may enable the first user device to share the multimedia item with the second user device via the chat session. The system may receive an annotation to the multimedia item to generate an annotated multimedia item, and may enable the first user device and the second user device to share the annotated multimedia item via the chat session.
US09130891B2
A method for quickly adding a recipient includes: receiving mail information, where the mail information includes information of at least two recipients; creating a recipient group according to the recipient information; and when a user needs to add a recipient to send a mail, if the added contact is in the recipient group, displaying information of other recipients in the recipient group, and prompting the user whether to add other recipients. The technical solutions of embodiments of the present invention make an operation of adding a recipient quite flexible and intelligent, and provide an intelligent group contact recommendation function, so that the user can quickly add a contact when sending a mail or information.
US09130885B1
A method in a network element includes processing input packets using a set of two or more functions that are defined over parameters of the input packets. Each function in the set produces respective interim actions applied to the input packets and the entire set produces respective end-to-end actions applied to the input packets. An end-to-end mapping, which maps the parameters of at least some of the input packets directly to the corresponding end-to-end actions, is cached in the network element. The end-to-end mapping is queried with the parameters of a new input packet. Upon finding the parameters of the new input packet in the end-to-end mapping, an end-to-end action mapped to the found parameters is applied to the new input packet, without processing the new input packet using the set of functions.
US09130878B2
Embodiments enable an Ethernet over Coaxial (EoC) Coaxial Media Converter (CMC) that implements only a subset of the functions (e.g., MAC and PHY) of a cable modem termination system (CMTS). The CMC sits between an optical line terminal (OLT) and a plurality of cable modems (CMs) that it serves. From the network management side at the OLT, the CMC appears and can be managed like an optical network unit (ONU). From the subscriber side, the CMC provides the same connectivity functions to the CMs as a CMTS and serves to terminate coaxial connections from the CMs.
US09130875B2
Each node of a telecommunications network determines a connection type attributes available for each signal type supported by the node. Each signal type represents a different connection routing layer within the telecommunications network. Adaptation costs involved in traversing from one connection routing layer to another connection routing layer in the node are calculated. The connection type attributes and adaptation costs are included in a link state advertisement broadcasted by each node in the telecommunications network. A route calculation is performed for a desired signal to determine a route through the telecommunications network for the signal. The route calculation takes into account the various connection type attributes, availability, and adaptation costs in determining the shortest route for the signal through the telecommunications network.
US09130864B2
A network shaping engine can be used to optimize network traffic by employing means to prioritize data packets assigned to a network traffic class over other network traffic. The network shaping engine accomplishes network traffic optimization by determining whether received data packets comprise a traffic class mark or indicia that indicates the data packets are part of a minimum latency traffic class. After analyzing the packets, the network optimization engine sorts the data packets according to the identified traffic classes and transmits the packets. Data packets comprising a traffic class marking are transmitted according to a first transmission scheme while data packets that do not comprise a traffic class marking are transmitted according to a second transmission scheme that differs from the first transmission scheme.
US09130854B2
The performance of a test apparatus for a communications network may be inferred by analyzing a set of performance data results measured on a number of different lines in the network. Once a sample of sufficient size for a particular test apparatus has been created then it is possible to infer the performance of the test apparatus based on the ratio of passes to fails recorded.
US09130853B2
Systems and methods for identifying Foundation Fieldbus linking devices are described. A Foundation Fieldbus linking device may be identified by a gateway device that includes one or more computers. An operational status for the identified linking device may be determined by the gateway device. A virtual address representative of the identified linking device may be determined by the gateway device. A message associated with operation of the identified linking device may be provided by the gateway device to an external system, and the virtual address may be utilized to represent the linking device.
US09130847B2
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for managing policies on a computer having a foreign operating system. Policies may specify hardware or software configuration information. Policies on a first computer with a native operating system are translated into configuration information usable on a second computer having a foreign operating system. In an embodiment, a translator manager manages the association between the policy on the first computer and the translator on the second computer. Computer management complexity and information technology management costs are reduced by centralizing computer management on the native operating system. Further reductions in management complexity are realized when the present invention is used in conjunction with network directory services.
US09130843B2
A method of sending hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) adaptive streaming (HAS) content from a content source to a client over a transmission control protocol (TCP) connection between the content source and the client may include receiving a request for one or more first HAS data chunks from the client; sending the one or more first HAS data chunks to the client; generating idle delay values indicating an amount of delay in the TCP connection during an idle time period, the idle time period being a time period over which no HAS data chunks are being sent from the content source to the client; receiving a request for a second HAS data chunk from the client; setting the size of a starting TCP congestion window based on the idle delay values; and sending the second HAS chunk to the client using the starting TCP congestion window.
US09130839B1
Disclosed is a method and system allowing for network-wide synchronization of performance tests. The system consists of network collection devices or test probes and a central management system with pre-configured data structures, a test trigger mechanism and control algorithm for providing a precise control of traffic load and network-wide coordination of executing performance tests. In addition, multiple test patterns can be selected and customized for the specific needs and constraints of different types of networks to form the basis of scheduling performance tests to optimize the performance testing efficiency.
US09130838B2
Systems, apparatuses and methods are provided for managing information technology devices through a network, in which a power filter can be customized to provide a dynamic and customized view of device status information, as well as to modify device settings, of the devices.
US09130827B2
The present disclosure is directed to systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for sampling from distributed data streams. Data elements are received at site servers configured to collect and report data to a coordinator device. The site servers assign a binary string to each of the data elements. Each bit of the binary strings can be independently set to a 0 or a 1 with a probability of one half. The binary string is used to sample from the received data elements, and the data elements and/or the sampled data elements can be transmitted to a coordinator device. The coordinator device can examine one or more bits of the binary string to draw samples of the received data elements in accordance with desired probabilities.
US09130823B2
A method and an apparatus are provided for configuring a Personal Network (PN). A connection request message is received from a Personal Network Entity (PNE) at the PN gateway. A registration request message for a PN, to which the PNE belongs, is transmitted from the PN gateway to a server located in a Wide Area Network (WAN). An authentication request message including ID information of the PN is received at the PN gateway from the server. The authentication request message is forwarded from the PN gateway to one or more PNEs mapped to the ID information of the PN, with reference to a PN routing table in which information about the one or more PNEs is mapped to the ID information of the PN. The one or more PNEs receive a service from the server through the PN gateway.
US09130822B2
Embodiments disclosed herein may intercept, quarantine, and moderate communications internal to an uncontrolled system. An example of an uncontrolled system may be a web application associated with a social networking site. In accessing the social networking site, a user may type in a message. An instance of the uncontrolled system running on the user's device may prepare a request containing the message. Some embodiment disclosed herein may determine that the message is subject to moderation, intercept the request, and place the message in a queue. This determination may be based on the destination of the request as well the type of the message. Some embodiments may reconstruct the original request for resubmission. If the session is expired, some embodiments may log in for the user and resubmit the reconstructed request. Some embodiments may simply wait for the next time the user logs in to resubmit the reconstructed request.
US09130815B2
A method of compensating phase error of a received signal is disclosed. The signal comprises a symbol set comprising a plurality of symbols of a first type having an N-Quadrature Amplitude Modulation, N-QAM, signal configuration, where N is an integer larger than 4, and at least one symbol of a second type having an Amplitude and Phase-Shift Keying, A-PSK, signal configuration, wherein both the symbols of the first type and of the second type carries data and wherein the symbols of the second type also are arranged as pilot symbols for determination of phase rotation determination. A receiver and transmitter, as well as a communication system, employing the symbol set are disclosed.
US09130814B2
An interleaving method performed by a transmitter for a communication system with quasi-cyclic low-density parity-check codes, spatial multiplexing, and T transmit antennas is used for applying permutation to N cyclic blocks of a codeword in order to map bits of the permutated cyclic blocks onto T constellation words constituting multiple spatial-multiplexing blocks from the codeword. Each cyclic block consists of Q bits.
US09130796B2
A method and apparatus for characterized pre-distortion calibration is provided. The method begins with the selection of a number of devices to be characterized. The number of devices selected may be a subset of a larger group of devices. The selected number of devices is then characterized. The method avoids characterizing the large group of devices. The calibration of the group of devices is then based on the characterization of the selected number of devices.
US09130794B2
Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to elements to counter transmitter circuit performance limitations. An embodiment of an apparatus for driving data on a differential channel including a first output terminal and a second output terminal includes a differential driver circuit; and a first pre-driver and a second pre-driver, where each pre-driver has an output, wherein the first output terminal of the apparatus is coupled to the output of the first pre-driver, and the second output terminal of the apparatus is coupled to the output of the second pre-driver, where each pre-driver includes one or more capacitors, a first end of each capacitor being connected to the output of the pre-driver and a second end of each of the capacitors being connected to a sub-pre-driver circuit.
US09130790B2
Upstream frequency response measurement and characterization. Signaling is provided between respective communication devices within a communication system. Based upon at least one of these signals, one of the communication devices captures a number of sample sets corresponding thereto at different respective frequencies (e.g., a different respective center frequencies, frequency bands, etc.). Then, spectral analysis is performed with respect to each of the sample sets to generate a respective and corresponding channel response estimate there from. After this number of channel response estimates is determined, they are combined or splice together to generate a full channel response estimate. In implementations including an equalizer, different respective sample sets may correspond to those that have undergone equalization processing and those that have not.
US09130787B2
According to various embodiments, devices and methods disclosed herein include performing, using a processor, a linear operation on a first plurality of channel frequency responses and a plurality of corresponding predictor coefficients to estimate a new channel frequency response. Each of the plurality of corresponding predictor coefficients may be updated based on an error value and a second plurality of channel frequency responses to obtain an updated predictor coefficient. The error value may be computed based on an estimated current channel frequency response and a predicted current channel frequency response. The new channel frequency response may be used to equalize a received modulated signal including a single-carrier modulated signal, e.g., a signal modulated using a vestigial sideband modulation scheme, or a quadrature amplitude modulation scheme.
US09130785B2
A method and system for analyzing an electromagnetic (EM) carrier signal that is operating outside transmission parameters by determining that an original carrier signal is operating outside one or more transmission parameters, modulating the original carrier signal and a meta-carrier signal, the meta-carrier signal comprising meta-data that identifies a transmission source, such that a modulated composite carrier signal results, and transmitting the composite carrier signal to a remote receiving device.
US09130780B2
A system and method for implementing interactive operations between a mobile communication terminal and an Email box. The system includes a database (DB) server, a format transforming Email-box server and an intermediate processing server. The method includes the following: performing, by the mobile communication terminal, interactive operations with an Email-box server where the Email box located via an intermediate server; first determining, by the intermediate server, communication mode set by a corresponding user according to set user information, during process of performing an interactive operation procedure; and providing, by the intermediate server, an interactive-operations processing service for the user's mobile communication terminal and the user's Email box with determined communication mode.
US09130776B2
A processing core includes a packet classifier, implemented in a single processing core, configured to classify incoming data packets into first data packets of a known data packet flow and into second data packets of an unknown data packet flow, a first path thread, implemented in the single processing core, configured to process ones of the first data packets at least by forwarding the first data packets to a destination that corresponds to a previously determined destination associated with the known data packet flow, and a second path thread, implemented in the single processing core, configured to process a received second data packet at least to determine a new data packet flow for the second data packet.
US09130768B2
Methods and apparatus for providing path characterization information relating to a network characteristic such as network congestion to nodes in a data network using data units being forwarded from a source to a destination via a plurality of nodes in the network, the method comprising: receiving, at a first proxy node, data units from a source, each data unit comprising a destination indication indicative of an intended destination; identifying, in respect of an intended destination indicated, a second proxy node in the network to which data units may be forwarded before being forwarded to the intended destination; and forwarding a first and at least one subsequent data unit from the first to the second proxy node via ‘one or more intermediate nodes; the method further comprising assigning conditions to path characterization metrics in respect of data units traversing a path across the network from the first to the second proxy node, the initial condition being dependent on information received by the first from the second proxy node.
US09130762B2
A method, apparatus and computer-readable storage medium distribute a non-live content stream in a network. An initial meta-file is transmitted in response to a request for the content, which identifies a division of the content stream into blocks, and available sources for delivery of the blocks. The initial meta-file can identify a first multicast and a second multicast server, assigning a first and second portion of the blocks for delivery using the first and second multicast source server, respectively. The first and second portions are transmitted using the first and second multicast source servers, respectively. The first and second portions correspond to distinct non-overlapping portions of the non-live content stream. The initial meta-file can also identify a unicast source server, assigning a third portion of the blocks for delivery using the unicast source server, the third potion being transmitted by the unicast source server.
US09130755B2
A method provides cross enterprise communication in which intermediary communication components carry out cross enterprise communication. The method at a first sending enterprise includes: receiving a signed encrypted message from a sender within a first enterprise; validating the sender; decrypting the message; encrypting the message for receipt by a second enterprise; signing the encrypted message by the first enterprise; and sending the re-signed re-encrypted message to a second enterprise. The method at the second receiving enterprise includes: receiving a signed encrypted message from a first enterprise; validating that the first enterprise is the sender; decrypting the message; encrypting the message for receipt by one or more recipients at the second enterprise; signing the encrypted message by the second enterprise indicating that the message is from the first enterprise; and sending the re-signed re-encrypted message to the one or more recipients of the second enterprise.
US09130753B1
An authentication technique employs a security device that communicates with a software token construct installed on a user device via a connector. The technique includes secure provisioning of an authentication seed and safe storage of the seed in encrypted form on the user device. A key for decrypting the seed is stored within the security device, and token codes are generated by physically connecting the security device to the user device and conveying the encrypted seed from the user device to the security device over the connector.
US09130748B2
A multi-bit HARQ feedback is transmitted by a receiver to a transmitter. The multi-bit feedback is a function of a level of convergence reached by a decoder when the previously transmitted coded data bits bit were decoded. The transmitter is configured to select a set of coded data bits for a retransmission as a function of the multi-bit feedback. In some embodiments, different redundancy versions of the coded data bits may be selected as a function of the multi-bit feedback. In other embodiments, a bit puncturing or bit repetition pattern may be selected as a function of the multi-bit feedback.
US09130741B2
A data protection system includes terminals, and an encryption device that encrypts distribution data distributed to each terminal. Each terminal corresponds with one node on a lowest level of a tree structure having hierarchies. A data protection system excludes nodes on the lowest level, determines a plurality of combination patterns that include combinations of two or more of all four nodes that are reached one level below the node, decides an individual decryption key for each determined combination pattern, and decides an individual decryption key for each node on the lowest level. The data protection system prescribes nodes that are reached from the node on the lowest level and a terminal to the node on the highest level that is an invalid node. For invalid nodes, the data protection system designates an encryption key that corresponds to the decryption key determined in correspondence with the combination pattern that combines all nodes, excluding invalid nodes, and encrypts distribution data that uses each of the designated encryption keys.
US09130738B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a sequence synchronization apparatus and method and a receiver. The sequence synchronization apparatus includes: a signal receiving unit configured to receive a clock synchronized signal including a training symbol, the training symbol being in-phase modulated or being modulated with a fixed phase difference based on all or part of subcarriers; and a symbol detecting unit configured to detect the training symbol, so as to achieve sequence synchronization of the signal. With the embodiments of the present disclosure, not only sequence synchronization may be achieved by using minimum complexity as possible, but also the sequence synchronization apparatus is made simple, fast and accurate.
US09130728B2
A decoder for decoding a concatenated code includes a storage input interleaver for storage-interleaving of received data using a storage interleaving operation. A data memory is coupled to an output of the storage input interleaver for temporary storage of storage-interleaved data. A first storage output interleaver is coupled to an output of the data memory for interleaving of data read from the data memory, and a plurality of processors are coupled to an output of the first storage output interleaver to access the data memory. Further, an encoder for generating a concatenated code sequence includes a code interleaver coupled to an input of the encoder for applying a code generation interleaving operation, a first convolutional encoder having an input coupled to an output of the code interleaver, and a storage interleaver coupled to an input of the encoder for applying a storage interleaving operation.
US09130719B2
A control information interpretation method for use in a mobile communication system including a terminal and a base station, wherein the terminal receives, from the base station, control information including transport block information and DeModulation Reference Signal (DM-RS) antenna port allocation indication information, checks a number of the transport blocks allocated to the terminal based on the transport block information, and interpreting the DM-RS antenna port allocation indication information according to the number of transport blocks.
US09130717B2
A method of receiving a sounding reference signal (SRS). The method includes transmitting, to a user equipment, a radio resource control (RRC) message transmitting, to the user equipment, a medium access control (MAC) message, the MAC message including a bitmap for indicating at least one second CC to be activated and the at least one second CC being activated based on the bitmap; transmitting, to the user equipment, a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) including a carrier indicator field (CIF) and an SRS field via the first CC, the CIF indicating a CC of the at least one second CC and the SRS field indicating whether the user equipment has to transmit the SRS via the CC indicated by the CIF; and receiving, from the user equipment, the SRS on an uplink subframe via the CC indicated by the CIF, when the SRS field is enabled.
US09130715B2
In order to acquire first subbands in at least a central band of a broad frequency band, in which subbands frames are transmitted by a base station (BSBB) of a broadband network (RBB) which is co-located with a network (RNB) having narrow subbands comprised in the broadband, a mobile (MBBB) which does not know the distribution of the subbands correlates subsequences of a generated reference signal with subsequences which are respectively detected in the subbands and compares correlation coefficients against a threshold. By knowing the distribution of the first subbands, the mobile is able to process the signaling transmitted by the base station, in order to access allocated resources, after a synchronization phase.
US09130712B2
A wireless communication transmitter (200) configured to segment a transport block into C segments, encode each segment into a set of encoded bits, determine, for γ encoded segments, a subset of size M0′ of encoded bits for each encoded segment and for C−γ encoded segments, a subset of size M1′ of encoded bits for each encoded segment, wherein the subset sizes M0′ and M1′ differ at most by P bits, where P is a product of a modulation order and a number of transmission layers over which the transport block is transmitted. The selected subsets of encoded bits are concatenated and grouped to form modulation symbols of the modulation order.
US09130710B2
The disclosure discloses a method and system for processing control channel information. A receiving side is notified, by a network side via one or more types of the following signaling, of the information required to receive or perform blind detection for a control channel, wherein the signaling part comprises at least: a Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling, a System Information Block (SIB)x (x=2, 3) signaling, and a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) signaling located at the first n (n=1, 2, 3, 4) Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbols. In the control channel information processing technology of the disclosure, the receiving side can be notified, via signaling configuration, of at least the time domain or frequency domain location occupied by the control channel. This scheme allows for full utilization of space division technology, thus reducing the load on a physical downlink control channel, and reducing interference between control channels.
US09130705B2
A method for transmitting high rate data within a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) wireless local area network (WLAN) begins by determining a data transmission rate. The method continues by, when the data transmission rate is between a first data rate and a second data rate, enabling two transmission paths. The method continues by, for each of the two transmission paths, determining at least one of: level of constellation, number of data subcarriers, rate code, and cyclic prefix duration.
US09130702B2
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate providing flow control feedback for controlling downlink data transmission rates. Various schemes can be utilized to send the flow control feedback from an access terminal to a base station. For example, a control PDU (e.g., MAC control PDU, PDCP control PDU) can be generated based upon a level of resource utilization of the access terminal, and sent to the base station for controlling the downlink data transmission rate. Following this example, a type of control PDU, a value included within the control PDU, etc. can be selected as a function of the level of resource utilization. By way of another illustration, a CQI report that includes a value selected as a function of the level of resource utilization associated with the access terminal can be generated and transmitted to the base station for controlling the downlink data transmission rate.
US09130700B2
Interpolator and decimator apparatuses and methods are improved by the addition of an elastic storage element in the signal path. In one exemplary embodiment, the elastic element comprises a FIFO which advantageously allows short term variation in sample clocks to be absorbed, and also provides a feedback mechanism for controlling a delta-sigma modulated modulo-N counter based sample clock generator. The elastic element combined with a delta-sigma modulator and counter creates a noise-shaped frequency lock loop without additional components, resulting in a much simplified interpolator and decimator.
US09130699B2
A transmitting device for a mobile communication system employing a multicarrier scheme includes a mapping unit configured to map control information to subcarriers in a subframe; an inverse Fourier transform unit configured to inverse-Fourier-transform a signal of the mapped control information; and a transmitting unit configured to wirelessly transmit a transmission signal including the inverse-Fourier-transformed signal to a receiving device. The control information is mapped to control frequency bands that are discontinuous in the frequency domain and are provided across the subframe separately from frequency bands for a shared data channel. The mapping is performed such that the control information for the receiving device mapped to one of the control frequency bands is transmitted at the same time as the control information or the shared data channel for the receiving device mapped to a different frequency band.
US09130698B2
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate indicating a loss of channel quality on a component carrier of a plurality of component carriers. A UE can monitor configured component carriers to determine channel qualities associated therewith. The UE can transmit carrier quality information that includes the channel qualities of the plurality of component carriers. In addition, the UE can identify a component carrier experiencing a loss of channel quality and notify a base station of the component carrier with poor channel conditions. In one aspect, the UE can incorporate additional information into a scheduling request. In addition, the UE can generate a CQI report that contains the carrier quality information. Further, the base station, when a loss of channel quality occurs, can retry transmission on different carriers. Moreover, the base station can employ information provided by the UE when selecting a component carrier for a transmission.
US09130695B1
A 10GBASE-T circuit is disclosed. The circuit includes a physical (PHY) integrated circuit and a media access control (MAC) integrated circuit. The PHY couples to a data transfer medium and carries out data transfers at a PHY data rate. The MAC integrated circuit controls access to the date transfer medium and couples to the PHY via a bidirectional link operating at a MAC data rate. Rate control logic detects the PHY data rate, and adjusts the MAC data rate to the PHY data rate. Changes to the PHY and MAC data rates may be made at rates higher than 1 Gbps.
US09130693B2
A method and apparatus is used for generating a perfectly random secret key between two or more transceivers in a wireless communication network. In a point-to-point system, both transceivers produce an estimate of the channel impulse response (CIR) based on the received radio signal. The CIR estimation is synchronized and may include error correction and detection. A long secret key of bits is generated from a digitized version of the CIR estimate, from which a perfectly secret encryption key is derived by privacy amplification.
US09130680B2
An optical transmitter includes: an optical modulator including a first modulation unit and a second modulation unit respectively configured to propagate a first optical signal and a second optical signal that are obtained by splitting input light; a signal generator configured to generate a first drive signal and a second drive signal that are respectively supplied to the first modulation unit and the second modulation unit; a phase controller configured to control a phase difference between the first optical signal and the second optical signal in the optical modulator; and a phase difference detector configured to detect the phase difference between the first optical signal and the second optical signal controlled by the phase controller. The signal generator generates the first drive signal and the second drive signal based on the phase difference detected by the phase difference detector.
US09130662B2
Systems and methods for band hopping and power conservation in a wireless network are described. At least one embodiment is directed a method of hopping channels by a device within a wireless network. The method comprises hopping from a first channel to a target channel, resetting a virtual carrier sense after hopping to the target channel to enable service on the target channel, waiting for a pre-determined period of time, and setting a virtual carrier sense on the target channel after expiration of the pre-determined period of time and prior to hopping to a next target channel.
US09130660B2
A communication device, such as a smartphone or tablet, includes a communication interface with noise cancellation logic. The noise cancellation logic includes a lead path and a reference path. A signal source provides a signal to the lead path and the references path. The signal is amplified along the lead path and the reference path. Distortion is imparted onto the signal during amplification on the lead path. A correction signal based on the difference between the amplified signal on the lead path and the amplified signal on the reference path is generated by the noise cancellation logic. The correction signal may reflect to distortion imparted during amplification on the lead path. The correction signal is differentially combined with the amplified signal on the lead path to attempt to remove the distortion and generate an output.
US09130648B2
A radio network with at least one sending station, at least one relay station and at least a first and a second receiving station transmits data organized in at least a first and a second layer, where at least the first layer is routed via a first path from the base station to the relay station to a first receiving station and at least the second layer is routed to the second receiving station via a different second path.
US09130640B2
A mobile wireless communications device may include a portable housing, a wireless transceiver carried by the portable housing, and a plurality of antennas also carried by the portable housing. Each antenna may have a different gain pattern at a different respective operating frequency, and the antennas may have different shapes to define different gain patterns at a given operating frequency. The mobile wireless communications device may further include a frequency/pattern diversity controller for controlling the wireless transceiver to preferentially operate with the plurality of antennas.
US09130639B2
A frequency resolver and a method for using the resolver. The resolver includes an oscillator circuit, a mixer circuit, and a controller circuit. The oscillator circuit is configured to provide at least two oscillated signals. The mixer circuit is coupled to the oscillator circuit and includes a first frequency mixer and a second frequency mixer for mixing an incoming RF transmission with the two oscillated signals. The mixer circuit further is configured to provide a first output signal from the first mixer and a second output signal from the second mixer. The controller circuit is coupled to the mixer circuit and configured to determine whether at least one of the first or second output signals are associated with an upper sideband (USB) frequency or a lower sideband (LSB) frequency of the RF transmission.
US09130637B2
An electronic receiver comprises a nonlinear distortion modeling circuit and a nonlinear distortion compensation circuit. The nonlinear distortion modeling circuit is operable to determine a plurality of sets of nonlinear distortion model parameter values, where each of the sets of nonlinear distortion model parameter values representing nonlinear distortion experienced by signals received by the electronic receiver from a respective one a plurality of communication partners. The nonlinear distortion compensation circuit is operable to use the sets of nonlinear distortion model parameter values for processing of signals from the plurality of communication partners. Each of the sets of nonlinear distortion model parameter values may comprises a plurality of values corresponding to a plurality of signal powers. The sets of nonlinear distortion model parameters may be stored in a lookup table indexed by a signal strength parameter.
US09130635B2
A wireless communication system includes a transmitting device and a receiving device each including a plurality of antennas. A plurality of streams are subjected to spatial multiplexing and are transmitted in a downlink in which packets are transmitted from the transmitting device to the receiving device. In the transmitting device, each of the plurality of transmission streams is divided into a plurality of bit-series groups having decoding characteristics to which priority levels are assigned, the bit-series groups are subjected to encoding processes and modulating processes in accordance with the priority levels and further subjected to weighting and synthesizing, and each of the plurality of transmission streams in which a plurality of bit series items are synthesized with one another is spatially multiplexed and transmitted.
US09130628B1
A digital pre-distorter (DPD) for an RF transceiver system having multiple antennas includes a DPD controller, first and second address generators, stream select and antenna select muxes, first and second lookup tables (LUTs), first and second dynamic routing logic units, multipliers, an adder, and an accumulator. The DPD controller generates antenna select, stream select and stream routing signals indicative of selection of antennas, the first and second LUTs, and input signals. The DPD controller configures the DPD to share the multipliers and the first and second LUTs between multiple antennas by providing the antenna select signal to the antenna select mux, the stream select signal to the stream select mux, and the stream routing signals to the first and second dynamic routing logic units.
US09130620B2
There is provided a method for generating transmit precoders for a communication system having a plurality of transmitters and a plurality of receivers forming a plurality of transmitter-receiver pairs. Each of the transmitters and receivers has a respective plurality of antennas. The method includes initializing the transmit precoders. The method further includes updating a plurality of receiver filters and a plurality of slack variables using closed form expressions. The method also includes updating the transmit precoders responsive to an output of said prior updating step. The method additionally includes iteratively repeating the updating steps until convergence is reached to obtain a final set of transmit precoders. The transmit precoders are updated to perform precoding for multiple stream data transmission for each of the plurality of transmitter-receiver pairs on each of a plurality of slots under a per-antenna power constraint imposed on each of the plurality of antennas.
US09130619B2
Multiple antennas employed at the transmitter and receiver can significantly increase a MIMO system capacity, especially when channel knowledge is available at the transmitter. Channel state information may be provided to the transmitter by the receiver in a codebook based precoding feedback. In a proposed approach is proposed in which the receiver conducts a search of precoder elements of a codebook to provide the transmitter with rank information and precoder control index that enhances capacity. Unlike the conventional exhaustive search, the proposed approach reduces complexity by reducing the search space of precoder elements for consideration. Performance loss is minimized by reducing the search space of higher rank precoder elements. For some ranks, the complexity is reduced without any performance sacrifice by grouping the precoder elements of the rank into groups of equivalent capacities and including at most one precoder element from each group into the search space.
US09130616B2
A user apparatus in a multi input multi output (MIMO) mobile communications system using pre-encoding is disclosed. The user apparatus includes a PMI generator which generates a pre-encoding matrix indicator (PMI) which indicates a pre-encoding matrix to be used by a base station; a transmitter which feeds back the PMI to the base station; and a receiver which receives a signal from the base station, wherein the signal received at the receiver includes information on whether it is according to PMI information fed back from the user apparatus after a predetermined elapsed time from a timing at which the PMI information is fed back from the user apparatus.
US09130611B2
The disclosure is directed to a wireless communications device. In an embodiment, the wireless communications device comprises a phased antenna array comprising a plurality of antennas, a transceiver operatively coupled to the phased antenna array and configured to control the plurality of antennas and an antenna weight vector (AWV), a memory storing a spherical zoning map, and a beam controller configured to control the transceiver by setting the AWV for each antenna of the plurality of antennas.
US09130606B2
The present disclosure describes apparatuses, methods and systems for high-speed, capacitive wireless data transmission between electronic devices. A transmitting apparatus is coupled to a data stream and comprises a signal preparer and two transmitting terminals. The signal preparer provides a copy of the data stream to a first transmitting terminal and an inverted version to a second transmitting terminal. Each transmitting terminal emanates an electric field representative of the signal it has received from the signal preparer. A receiving apparatus, separated in space from the transmitting apparatus by nonconductive material, comprises two receiving terminals separated in space from each other and a data stream restorer. Each receiving terminal detects the electric field emanated by the corresponding transmitting terminal, such that a received repeated signal is induced on the first receiving terminal and a received inverted signal is induced on the second receiving terminal. These received signals are combined to produce a received data stream.
US09130601B2
An NFC communicator has a coupler operable to couple with a coupler of a near field RF communicator in near field range to enable communication of data between the communicators by modulation of a magnetic field, a demodulator to extract modulation from a modulated signal coupled to the coupler, and a modulator to modulate an RF signal in accordance with data to be communicated by the NFC communicator. The NFC communicator communicates with a data source and is arranged to at least one of provide timing data to the data source and receive timing data from the data source.
US09130593B2
A data receiving circuit includes: a first de-interleave circuit configured to de-interleave first data which is demodulated and is soft-decision-processed; a second de-interleave circuit configured to de-interleave second data which is demodulated and is soft-decision-processed; a memory configured to be shared by the first de-interleave circuit and the second de-interleave circuit and store respective hard decision information and respective soft decision information of the first data and the second data; and a memory control circuit configured to vary a first through fourth number of bits stored in the memory, the first number corresponding to the hard decision information of the first data, the second number corresponding to the soft decision information of the first data, the third number corresponding to the hard decision information of the second data, the fourth number corresponding to the soft decision information of the second data.
US09130592B2
The ECC circuit includes a Chien search unit configured to determine whether there is an error in each bit of a data sequence. The Chien search unit selects a coefficient of a nonlinear term from among terms of an error locator polynomial as a nonlinear coefficient, separates the error locator polynomial into a first location equation including only linear terms and a second location equation including only nonlinear terms, determines a third location equation by dividing the first location equation by the nonlinear coefficient, determines a fourth location equation by dividing the second location equation by the nonlinear coefficient, and determines whether there is an error for each of the bits by performing an XOR operation on a result of the third location equation using the substitution value and a result of the fourth location equation using an arbitrary element of the error locator polynomial as a substitution value.
US09130590B2
A non-binary layered low density parity check decoder includes a variable node processor operable to generate variable node to check node messages and to calculate perceived values based on normalized check node to variable node messages and on normalized decoder inputs, and to output normalized decoded values, and a check node processor operable to generate the check node to variable node messages based on normalized variable node to check node messages.
US09130587B2
A digital to analog converter (DAC) includes a thermometer coder that generates a plurality of micro-current source analog controls on a frame-by-frame or symbol-by-symbol basis and to process digital inputs from symbols or frames of data based on a thermometer coding to generate a plurality of micro-current source inputs. A plurality of micro-current sources generate a corresponding plurality of micro-current source outputs in response to the plurality of micro-current source inputs, wherein first selected ones of the plurality of micro-current sources are powered-off in response to the plurality of micro-current source analog controls for a first symbol or frame of the plurality of symbols or frames of data. A summing circuit generates an analog output based a sum of the corresponding plurality of micro-current source outputs.
US09130580B2
Low-power pulse width encoding scheme and counter-less shift register that may be employed therewith
A method of decoding an encoded signal includes steps of receiving the encoded signal, creating a decoding signal by delaying the encoded signal by a predetermined amount of time Δ, sampling the encoded signal using the decoding signal, and determining a value of each of a plurality of decoded bits represented by the encoded signal based on the sampling. Also, a method of operating a shift register wherein the shift register has an initialization state wherein a first binary symbol is stored in a first position and a second binary symbol different than the first binary symbol is stored in each of one or more intermediate positions and a last position. The method includes determining that the shift register is full responsive to detecting that the first binary symbol has been stored in either one of the intermediate positions or the last position.
US09130576B2
One embodiment of communication system comprises a crystal oscillator configured to output a reference clock; cellular radio frequency (RF) and baseband phase locked loops configured to receive the reference clock within a cellular module and compensate for calculated frequency errors between a received cellular downlink signal and a cellular local oscillator signal during operation of the cellular module; global positioning system (GPS) frequency compensation circuitry configured to receive the reference clock within a GPS module and compensate for calculated frequency errors during operation of the GPS module; and a temperature sensing circuit which includes a plurality of sensing resistors and is configured to output a signal corresponding to a temperature of a reference crystal which is translated to a frequency deviation, wherein the (GPS) frequency compensation circuitry is configured to offset the frequency deviation and output a temperate compensated signal to meet GPS clock frequency requirements.
US09130574B2
A semiconductor device which makes it possible to reduce a wasteful standby time at power-on is provided. In this semiconductor device, a reset of an internal circuit is canceled as described below. When a data signal stored in a storage section is at “0,” the reset is canceled by bringing an internal reset signal to the “H” level when a relatively short time has passed after the rising edge of a power on reset signal. When the data signal is at “1,” the reset is canceled by bringing the internal reset signal to the “H” level when a relatively long time has passed after the rising edge of the power on reset signal. Therefore, a wasteful standby time at power-on can be reduced by writing the data signal logically equivalent to the rise time of supply voltage to the storage section.
US09130571B2
An apparatus, system, and method that initialize a capacitive sensing switch and detects a pushed button are described. The apparatus comprises a keypad, a logic component, an initialization threshold, a measured capacitive value, and a processor. The keypad comprises at least one capacitive sensing switch. The logic component is configured to determine a capacitive sensing range for each capacitive sensing switch, wherein the range corresponds to the difference between the maximum and minimum capacitance. Each capacitive sensing switch is initialized when the capacitive sensing range exceeds the initialization threshold. The measured capacitive value measures the capacitive value for each switch and a corresponding push-button threshold determines whether the button has been pushed. The processor is configured to process computer instructions that correspond to each switch when the capacitive sensing range exceeds the initialization threshold and when the measured capacitive value for each capacitive sensing switch exceeds the push-button threshold.
US09130569B2
Two semiconductor switches are arranged in parallel in a load circuit for connecting a power source with a load. Further, the semiconductor switches are controlled so as to be alternately tuned on and off. As a result, since a current flows through only either of the semiconductor switches, an offset error detected by current sensors includes only an offset error of either of the semiconductor switches, the detection of current with high accuracy can be accomplished. Therefore, when performing the control of shutting off the circuit to cope with the occurrence of an overcurrent flowing through the load, the shutoff control with high accuracy can be accomplished.
US09130554B2
A high-frequency power source device includes switching element groups having a configuration in which a plurality of switching elements turned on/off cyclically are connected in parallel. One parallel connection terminal of the switching element group is connected to a positive electrode terminal of a DC power source, and one parallel connection terminal of the switching element group is connected to a negative electrode terminal of the DC power source. Respective other parallel connection terminals of the switching element groups are connected via a reactor. A pulse voltage that appears at opposite ends of the reactor due to a cyclic on/off operation of the switching element groups is applied to a load through a coaxial cable and a matching circuit.
US09130543B2
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an adaptive impedance matching network having an RF matching network coupled to at least one RF input port and at least one RF output port and comprising one or more controllable variable reactive elements. The RF matching network can be adapted to reduce a level of reflected power transferred from said at least one input port by varying signals applied to said controllable variable reactive elements. The one or more controllable variable reactive elements can be coupled to a circuit adapted to map one or more control signals that are output from a controller to a signal range that is compatible with said one or more controllable variable reactive elements. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
US09130537B2
A radio frequency transmitter includes: power amplifier stages having paired output terminals, where a pair of output terminals is coupled to a respective amplifier stage. A power combining arrangement includes: first paired input terminals, second input terminals, such that each input of the first paired input terminals is coupled to the same second input terminal; and a power transfer circuit coupling the second input terminals. A first pair of cross coupled bond wires couples a pair of amplifier stage output terminals with a different second input terminal via terminals of different pairs of the first paired input terminals; and a second pair of cross coupled bond wires overlays the first pair of cross coupled bond wires and couples a further pair of amplifier stage output terminals with a different second input terminal via terminals of different pairs of the first paired input terminals.
US09130535B2
A driver amplifier with asymmetrical T-coil matching network is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, an apparatus includes a first inductor configured to receive an input signal at an input terminal and to provide an output signal at an output terminal that is matched to a resistive load. The apparatus also includes a second inductor connected to the first inductor and coupled to the first inductor by a coupling coefficient, the second inductor having a first terminal connected to a supply voltage.
US09130526B2
A signal processing apparatus is configured to change volume level or frequency characteristics of an input signal with a limited bandwidth in a first frequency range. The apparatus includes: an information extracting unit configured to extract second frequency characteristic information from a collection signal with a limited bandwidth in a second frequency range different from the first frequency range; a frequency characteristic information extending unit configured to estimate first frequency characteristic information from the second frequency characteristic information extracted by the information extracting unit, the first frequency characteristic information including the first frequency range; and a signal correcting unit configured to change volume level or frequency characteristics of the input signal according to the first frequency characteristic information obtained by the frequency characteristic information extending unit.
US09130524B2
Disclosed is a linear amplifier which includes: a common source transistor with the gate connected with an input node; a first common gate transistor connected with the common source transistor in a cascode type, with the drain connected with an output node; and a second common gate transistor connected in parallel with the first common gate transistor, with the gate connected with the input node and the drain connected with the output node.
US09130520B2
A highly reliable circuit is realized using the transistors having a lower withstand voltage. There are provided a differential pair including a first and a second transistor which respectively receive input signals having mutually reversed phases; a third and a fourth transistor respectively cascode-coupled to the first and the second transistor, and having the same conductivity type as the first and the second transistor; a first and a second output terminal coupled to respective drains of the third and the fourth transistor; and a voltage divider circuit which divides an intermediate potential between respective potentials of the first and the second output terminal and supplies the divided potential to gates of the third and the fourth transistor.
US09130514B2
Certain electronic devices with displays, such as LCDs, are configured to provide a common voltage to a display backplane. The common voltage is supplied by a common voltage application circuit coupled to the display. The common voltage application circuit includes a switching amplifier configured to output the common voltage. The switching amplifier functions as a switching power supply having improved power efficiency compared to conventional common voltage application circuits.
US09130507B1
A digital gain estimation loop and a gain smoothing method for burst demodulation in a servo channel are disclosed. The gain estimation is performed on digital samples obtained from a digital finite impulse response (DFIR) filter, wherein the digital samples include at least a portion of a servo address mark (SAM) and gray data in the servo sector. The gain estimation method includes the steps of: generating a reference signal based on the digital samples obtained from the DFIR filter; generating a comparison signal by delaying the digital samples obtained from the DFIR filter; determining a gain error gradient by comparing the reference signal and the comparison signal; and calculating the second gain adjustment based on the gain error gradient.
US09130501B2
A storage section stores, as stored current values, currents flowing when a voltage application section applies voltage vectors to a three-phase rotary machine. A position estimation section estimates the rotor position of the rotary machine in a stopped state based on the stored current values. An adjustment section adjusts a minimum necessary application time that allows the rotary machine to be magnetically saturated by voltage vector application, to enable rotor position estimation. Further, the adjustment section uses, as an adjustment evaluation value, the magnitude |ΔY| of differential admittance obtained by dividing a summed current value calculated from the stored current values by the voltage amplitude value of the voltage vector instruction when the voltage vector based on the voltage vector instruction is applied with the application time being set at an arbitrary application time, and adjusts the application time based on |ΔY|.
US09130499B2
A system and method for determining rotor speed of an AC induction machine is disclosed. The system is programmed to estimate a rotor speed of the induction machine according to a linear speed estimation algorithm and based on name plate information (NPI) of the induction machine and parameters of the AC induction machine during operation thereof. The rotor speed estimation system is also programmed to estimate a rotor speed of the AC induction machine according to a frequency-domain signal processing algorithm and determine if the rotor speed estimated thereby is valid. If the rotor speed estimated by the frequency-domain signal processing algorithm is valid, then a tuned rotor speed of the AC induction machine is estimated according to the linear speed estimation algorithm and based, in part, on the rotor speed estimated by the frequency-domain signal processing algorithm.
US09130493B2
A method of controlling a brushless motor that includes rectifying an alternating voltage to provide a rectified voltage, exciting a winding of the motor with the rectified voltage for a conduction period over each electrical half-cycle of the motor, and updating the conduction period in response to a zero-crossing in the alternating voltage. Additionally, a control system that implements the method, and a motor system that incorporates the control system.
US09130489B2
A vehicle converts DC power from a power storage device into AC power by an inverter to run by driving a three-phase motor generator. A switching unit is provided at a path electrically connecting the motor generator and the inverter. The switching unit includes a relay corresponding to each phase. Each relay is configured to connect a coil of a corresponding phase in the motor generator to a corresponding driving arm in the inverter, or to a connection node of capacitors connected in series between direct current side terminals of the inverter. When short-circuit failure is detected at a switching element of any one of the phases in the inverter, an ECU switches the relay of the corresponding phase in the switching unit to the side of the connection node.
US09130486B2
Provided is a motor position detecting unit that includes a first computing element configured to output three-phase back-electromotive foreces (back-EMFs) based on a linear computation; a second computing element configured to output three-phase back-EMF based on a non-linear computation; and a computing controller configured to receive a control signal, three-phase voltage and current, and selecting any one of the first and second computing elements based on the received control signal, the received three-phase voltages and currents, wherein the control signal includes information on operation modes of an external motor.
US09130484B2
An electroadhesive gripping system includes a vacuum-augmented gripper. The gripper can include an electroadhesive surface associated with one or more electrodes and a load-bearing backing structure coupled to the electroadhesive surface. The backing couples to the backside of the electroadhesive surface so as to at least partially define a shape of the electroadhesive surface. The backing is configured to flex between a curled shape and an uncurled shape. A spreading arm is configured to apply force to the backing so as to flex the backing from the curled shape to the uncurled shape. When positioned next to a substrate, the uncurling motion of the backing can cause the electroadhesive surface to become vacuum sealed to the substrate. A power supply can be configured to apply voltage to the electroadhesive surface.
US09130483B2
A piezoelectric power generator that includes a first elastic body, which deforms along a first direction x upon receiving a stress, and a piezoelectric power-generating element. A second elastic body is arranged on a y1 side of the first elastic body and a piezoelectric element is fixed to a y1-side surface of the second elastic body. When the first elastic body bends into a shape that is concave toward the y1 side, the second elastic body receives a stress from the first elastic body. When the first elastic body bends into a shape that is convex toward the y1 side, the second elastic body does not receive a stress from the first elastic body. The piezoelectric power generator further includes a vibration suppressing member that is arranged between the first elastic body and the second elastic body and suppresses bending mode vibration of the second elastic body.
US09130482B2
A method of performing space vector modulation for PWM control for creating AC waveforms includes generating and sampling a reference signal to generate reference samples and performing a reference vector approximation to synthesize a reference vector associated with at least one of the reference samples. The reference vector approximation employs active vectors, one or more zero vectors, and one or more pseudo zero vectors in the formation thereof. Another method of performing space vector modulation (SVM) includes generating a reference signal and sampling the reference signal at a sampling frequency to generate a plurality of reference samples. The method also includes performing a reference vector approximation to synthesize a reference vector associated with at least one of the reference samples, wherein the reference vector approximation has a first portion that employs two adjacent active vectors and a remaining portion that employs two non-adjacent active vectors in the formation thereof.
US09130481B2
In a power converting apparatus having a plurality of phases on an AC side and configured to perform conversion between DC power and AC power, a current detector detects currents flowing through a DC source line through which a plurality of phase currents commonly flow. A control unit sets a current detection period and a succeeding current control period in each successive control cycle. Using first gate signals based on reference gate signals for PWM control, the control unit calculates values of the individual phase currents from the first gate signals and the detected currents during the current detection period. Then, during the current control period, the control unit performs PWM control using phase voltage commands generated by correcting phase voltage target values so as to cancel out voltage errors that occur during the current detection period.
US09130480B2
A device for applying a high voltage using a pulse voltage is provided which applies a high voltage having a pulse width τ0 to a capacitive load (1) through a pulse transformer (4), the high voltage having pulse-like peaks with a steep leading edge, wherein a capacitance C1 of the capacitive load (1) and a secondary side leakage inductance L1 of the pulse transformer (4) satisfy the equation: L1=(τ0/π)2×(1/C1). This enables enlargement of the pulse-like peaks and application of any pulse repetition frequency when the high voltage having the pulse-like peaks is applied to the capacitive load through the pulse transformer.
US09130477B2
A submodule of a high-voltage inverter has a first sub-unit with a first energy storage device, a first series circuit of two power semiconductor switching units connected in parallel with the first energy storage device, each including a switchable power semiconductor, having the same pass-through direction, and each being conductive opposite the nominal pass-through direction. A first connection terminal is connected to the potential point between the power semiconductor switching units of the first series circuit. A second sub-unit has a second energy storage device, a second series circuit of two power semiconductor switching units connected in parallel with the second energy storage device, each including a switchable power semiconductor, having the same pass-through direction, and each being conductive opposite the nominal pass-through direction. A second connection terminal is connected to the potential point between the power semiconductor switching units of the second series circuit, limiting short circuit currents quickly, reliably, and effectively in case of a fault. The first and second sub-units are connected to each other by connections designed such that a current flow between the first connection terminal and the second connection terminal in both directions takes place only via the first energy storage device and/or the second energy storage device in a selected switching state of all power semiconductor switching units.
US09130475B2
A switched-mode power supply (SMPS), capable of catching radiated electromagnetic interference (EMI) and using its energy, includes a specific component, an antenna, a rectifier, and an energy storage capacitor or a rechargeable battery. The specific component generates radiated EMI. The antenna is disposed on or embedded in the specific component, and the frequency range of the antenna corresponds to the frequency band of the radiated EMI generated by the specific component. The rectifier is electrically connected with a terminal of the antenna. The energy storage capacitor or the rechargeable battery is electrically connected with the rectifier. The SMPS may simplify the design of circuits for suppressing radiated EMI to reduce cost, and to achieve the purpose of power saving by recycling and reuse of dissipated energy.
US09130469B2
An error amplifier, a controller using the error amplifier, and a primary-side feedback controlled AC/DC converter using the controller are discussed. When the output voltage of the primary-side feedback controlled AC/DC converter according to present invention changes, the alternating current path enjoys a fast response and adjusts the output voltage quickly with a lower precision, avoiding large voltage fluctuate, then the direct current path functions slowly to reduce equivalent output error. In such a way, the output voltage precision is enhanced while the stability of the primary-side feedback controlled AC/DC converter is maintained.
US09130464B2
A switching power converting apparatus includes a voltage conversion module, a detecting unit, and a switching signal generating unit. The voltage conversion module converts an input voltage into an output voltage associated with a secondary side current, which flows through a secondary winding of a transformer and is generated based on a switching signal. The detecting unit generates a detecting signal based on the output voltage and a predetermined reference voltage. The switching signal generating unit generates the switching signal based on the detecting signal and an adjusting signal so that the secondary side current is gradually increased during a start period of the switching power converting apparatus.
US09130461B2
Methods and systems for transforming electric power between two or more portals. Any or all portals can be DC, single phase AC, or multi-phase AC. Conversion is accomplished by a plurality of bi-directional conducting and blocking semiconductor switches which alternately connect an inductor and parallel capacitor between said portals, such that energy is transferred into the inductor from one or more input portals and/or phases, then the energy is transferred out of the inductor to one or more output portals and/or phases, with said parallel capacitor facilitating “soft” turn-off, and with any excess inductor energy being returned back to the input. Soft turn-on and reverse recovery is also facilitated. Said bi-directional switches allow for two power transfers per inductor/capacitor cycle, thereby maximizing inductor/capacitor utilization as well as providing for optimum converter operation with high input/output voltage ratios. Control means coordinate the switches to accomplish the desired power transfers.
US09130457B2
Simple and efficient techniques for closed loop control of a boost converter. In an aspect, a current feed-forward (CFF) mode of operation includes providing current information to a control logic block controlling transistor switches of the boost converter to advantageously smooth the signals present in the closed loop control of the system. In another aspect, a modified peak current (MPC) mode of operation includes providing a simplified control mechanism based on a peak current mode of operation. Both CFF mode and MPC mode may share similar circuit elements, allowing a single implementation to selectively implement either of these modes of control. Further techniques are provided for determining average current information for the logic block.
US09130455B2
The present invention relates to nonlinear and time-variant signal processing, and, in particular, to methods, systems, and apparatus for adaptive filtering and control applicable to switching power supplies.
US09130439B2
A method of flaring stator windings includes supporting a first axial end of a stator core having first and second end turn portions on a first cuff having a first central opening. The first end turn portion extends through the first central opening. The method further includes positioning a second cuff having a second central opening upon a second axial end of the stator core with the second end turn portion extending through the second central opening, positioning a flaring guide having an angled surface upon the second cuff about the second end turn portion, aligning a flaring portion of a flare tool with the second end turn portion, urging the flaring portion between first and second stator winding layers forming the second end turn portion, and flaring the second stator winding layer radially outward of the stator core.
US09130426B2
A method for securing a plurality of permanent magnets about a perimeter of a rotor core is described that includes positioning the plurality of magnets with respect to the rotor core, the magnets including at least one feature formed at each side thereof, each feature opposing a feature formed in an adjacent magnet, and applying a material between the magnets that engages the features formed in the magnets to form a molded material, the material extending into a groove formed within the rotor core such that the molded material operates to engage the rotor core, the engagement of the molded material with the rotor core and the engagement of the molded material with the magnets operative to maintain a position of the magnets with respect to the rotor core.
US09130424B2
A rotor of an interior permanent magnet motor includes a rotor core configured to form a body of the rotor. An upper permanent magnet group is configured to be inserted into the rotor core to form a magnetic pole. A lower permanent magnet group is configured to be inserted into the rotor core below the upper permanent magnet group to form a two-layered structure with the upper permanent magnet group. Each of the upper and lower permanent magnet groups may include two V-shaped permanent magnets. A polar arc angle formed by the two permanent magnets of the upper permanent magnet group may be different from a polar arc angle formed by the permanent magnets of the lower permanent magnet group.
US09130423B2
Magnets may be embedded in first recessed portions of a rotor core, and at least one stopper is each attached to an axial end of the rotor core. The rotor core may include second recessed portions each including a locking portion arranged to project inward therein. The stopper may include a base portion arranged to close the first recessed portions, and elastically deformable hook portions each arranged to be inserted into a separate one of the second recessed portions to be engaged with the locking portion. The rotor core may include first plates and second plates placed upon one another. Each first plate may include first locking elements each defining an opening, while each second plate may include second locking elements each defining a larger opening. The locking portions may be defined by arranging the second plates axially inward and placing the first plates upon the second plates.
US09130414B2
The earth's magnetic field has not been mined as a source of energy for electric vehicles. With average field strength of 0.5×10−4 Tesla around the world it is easy to understand why it has been overlooked. A disruptive technology is needed to mine the earth's magnetic field for powering electric vehicles. Such a technology, graphene, is now at an early stage of development with excellent properties in the form of high conductivity, low resistivity sheets that are durable, light weight, and low cost. Electrical properties of multiple sheets of graphene provide a significant multiplier to earth's weak magnetic field yielding a feasible source of ecologically clean power for electric vehicles. Graphene based EcoCharge systems can be mounted on a vehicles drive shaft and axles putting graphene in motion to mine the earth's magnetic field. Estimates show that EcoCharge can generate 15.1 kW at 60 mph while weighing only 10 oz.
US09130402B2
A utility employs a method for generating available operating reserve. Electric power consumption by at least one device serviced by the utility is determined during at least one period of time to produce power consumption data, stored in a repository. A determination is made that a control event is to occur during which power is to be reduced to one or more devices. Prior to the control event and under an assumption that it is not to occur, power consumption behavior expected of the device(s) is generated for a time period during which the control event is expected to occur based on the stored power consumption data. Additionally, prior to the control event, projected energy savings resulting from the control event, and associated with a power supply value (PSV) are determined based on the devices' power consumption behavior. An amount of available operating reserve is determined based on the projected energy savings.
US09130400B2
Power converters are provided that convert alternating current (AC) power to direct current (DC) power. A power converter may have multiple ports. Each port may have an associated connector with multiple power and data terminals. When an electronic device is connected to a given port, the electronic device draws DC power from the power converter. To ensure that the capacity of the power converter is not exceeded when multiple devices are connected to the ports of the power converter, the power converter may actively monitor its ports for active loads. Load detection circuitry can determine what number of ports are active. Control circuitry can compute a per-port available DC power level based on the number of active ports and can provide this information to connected devices.
US09130391B2
A charge balancing system for a power battery includes a number of modules connected in series, each having two accumulator stages, each having an accumulator and isolated parallel converters connected to associated accumulator stages and to a low-voltage power system for supplying auxiliaries of an automobile. The converters have first unidirectional converters, each connected across terminals of a module and to the supply system, and second unidirectional converters each connected to the supply system and across the terminals of the accumulator stages, and a control unit for the first and second unidirectional converters. The control unit is configured for controlling a first converter to bring the modules to a similar charge level, for controlling a energy transfer from the battery to the supply system via the first converters, and for controlling a second converter to bring the associated accumulator stages of a module to a similar charge level.
US09130388B2
There is provided a contactless electricity-supplying device that can safely and efficiently supply power to a load.A contactless electricity-supplying device includes a plurality of electricity-supplying coils; a DC/AC converter that converts an output voltage from a DC supplying unit into an AC voltage to be applied to each electricity-supplying coils; a plurality of electricity-receiving coils selectively and detachably mounted on positions where the electricity-receiving coils are electromagnetically coupled to the electricity-supplying coils to receive AC voltages from the corresponding electricity-supplying coils in a contactless manner; a plurality of rectifying/smooth units that each convert an AC voltage output from each electricity-receiving coil into a DC voltage and smooth the DC voltage; a switching device that connects the DC voltages output from the rectifying/smoothing units to a single load; an electricity-reception detection sensor for detecting that the electricity-receiving coils receive the AC voltages from the corresponding electricity-supplying coils; and a control unit that turns on the switching device when it is detected that all of the electricity-receiving coils receive the AC voltages from the corresponding electricity-supplying coils.
US09130387B2
The invention relates to a hybrid integrated wind-solar-diesel-city power supply system, which comprises at least one subsystem selected from wind power subsystems or solar power subsystems and at least one diesel-city power subsystem, a direct-current bus unit, a main control unit, multiple high frequency rectifiers and a direct-current distribution unit. Each one subsystem has a DC output coupled to said direct-current bus unit for afflux. Said main control unit is configured to select a set of subsystems from the wind and solar power subsystems and enable the selected set of subsystems but disable others, so as to let a sum of maximum power output of all enabled subsystems to be larger than or equal to power demanded while minimize the number of the enabled subsystems contained in the selected set of the subsystems, and adjust operation of the selected subsystems so as to optimize the system efficiency, and also configured to control current and voltage output of said high frequency rectifier according to the operation status of said direct-current distribution unit and the voltage and current output of said direct-current bus unit, thereby advantageously increasing efficiency and reducing the power consumption of the system, and thus also improve reliability and life of the system apparatus.
US09130382B1
Provided is a charging protection circuit. The charging protection circuit includes a wireless charging base and a charging receiving circuit. The charging receiving circuit includes first receiving coils configured to receive electromagnetic waves from the wireless charging base; a high-permeability magnetic core coupled to the first receiving coils and configured to block electromagnetic waves opposite to the electromagnetic waves from the wireless charging base; a detection circuit coupled to the high-permeability magnetic core and configured to detect whether the high-permeability magnetic core has failed; and a power supply circuit coupled to the high-permeability magnetic core and configured to convert electromagnetic energy generated by electromagnetic waves into electric energy to supply power to a power receiving device. With the technical solution, the serious result caused by continuous charging of a wireless charger after a high-permeability magnetic core has failed is avoided, thus guaranteeing the security of a power receiving device.
US09130377B2
Predictive battery pack cell balancing apparatus and methods are presented in which active bypass current switching is controlled according to initial balancing bypass current values to balance the cell depth of discharge (DOD) values by the end of a charging/discharging time period, and according to continuous balancing bypass current values representing an amount of bypass current needed to maintain a present relationship of the cell DOD values.
US09130373B2
The present invention is directed to an intelligent dimmer that is capable of “learning” the type of load it is controlling, and adjusts its operating parameters accordingly. The present invention can adaptively drive electrical loads over a wide range of wattages. The intelligent dimmer of the present invention is configured to automatically calibrate itself based on the load current demands of a particular electrical load. The intelligent dimmer of the present invention also adaptively limits in-rush currents to extend the life expectancy of the solid state switching components used therein.
US09130372B2
A system for transmitting alternating current power and communication signals between a first location and a second location through a communication path which includes at least one inductive load and at least one switch configured to switch power to the at least one inductive load on and off is disclosed herein. The system comprises a control configured to control the at least one switch so that, if the power is switched on during a particular phase of the power, is the power is switched off during the opposite phase of the power, and if the power is switched off during a particular phase of the power, the power is switched on during the opposite phase of the power.
US09130370B2
A system includes a control module and a monitor module. The control module selectively operates a component of the system in an ON state. The system receives power from an electrical grid. The monitor module selectively detects a fault event of the electrical grid in response to (i) an amount of current drawn by the component or (ii) a voltage of power received by the component. In response to detecting the fault event, the control module switches the component from the ON state to a second state, determines a first delay period according to a random process, identifies an apparent conclusion of the fault event, and in response to the apparent conclusion of the fault, waits for the first delay period before switching the component back to the ON state. The component consumes less power in the second state than in the ON state.
US09130369B2
Systems, methods, and apparatus for overvoltage protection in a wireless power receiver are disclosed. One aspect of the disclosure is a wireless power receiver apparatus. The apparatus includes an antenna circuit configured to wirelessly receive power, from a transmitter, at a level sufficient to power or charge a load, wherein the antenna circuit is electrically connected to an overvoltage protection circuit that is electrically connected between the antenna circuit and the load. The apparatus also includes a matching circuit electrically connected to the antenna circuit and a switching element electrically connected to the matching circuit. At least one of the matching circuit or the switching element is configured to control an amount of the received power flowing into the overvoltage protection circuit.
US09130347B2
A nanopillar photonic crystal laser includes a plurality of nanopillars and a support structure in contact with at least a portion of each of the nanopillars. Each nanopillar has an axial dimension and two mutually orthogonal cross dimensions. The axial dimension of each of the nanopillars is greater than the two mutually orthogonal cross dimensions, where there mutually orthogonal cross dimensions are less than about 1 μm and greater than about 1 nm. The support structure holds the plurality of nanopillars in preselected relative orientations and displacements relative to each other to form an array pattern that confines light of a preselected wavelength to a resonance region that intercepts at least one nanopillar of the plurality of nanopillars. The at least one nanopillar includes a lasing material to provide an output laser beam of light at the preselected wavelength.
US09130346B2
A device includes a first resonating cavity and a second resonating cavity. The first resonating cavity includes a first end surface and a second end surface. The first resonating cavity has a first free spectral range. The first free spectral range is a first frequency of a wavelength dependent ripple in a gain of the device that is a function of a first distance between the first end surface and the second end surface. The second resonating cavity includes a third end surface and a fourth end surface. A second distance between the third end surface and the fourth end surface is set such that an amplitude of the wavelength dependent ripple is reduced.
US09130343B2
A gas laser oscillator including a discharge tube provided in a gas channel through which a laser gas circulates; an output command part outputting a power output command; a power supply part applying to the discharge tube a discharge tube voltage corresponding to a power output command value; a voltage detector detecting the discharge tube voltage; and a discharge start judging part judging if a discharge has been started in the discharge tube based on a ratio of change of the discharge tube voltage. The output command part increases the power output command value in steps by an increment obtained by dividing a power output command value corresponding to a discharge start voltage serving as a predetermined reference by a number of steps of 2 or more, at a step time interval determined by using as a reference the time required until the power supply part responds to the power output command.
US09130340B1
The system contains an input fiber section coupled in optical communication with an optical input signal. A length of doped optical gain fiber is optically coupled with the input fiber section. A pumping mechanism is coupled to the doped optical gain fiber. An output port is formed at a distal end of the doped optical gain fiber, wherein the output port is approximately less than twenty centimeters long.
US09130324B2
A connector 1 has a housing 4 including a side wall 42 extending from a base plate 41, a pair of projections 45 projecting from the side wall, and a lever 5 including a pair of plate members 50A having a guide groove 53 and a plate connecting member 50B connecting the pair of plate members. The lever is positioned from a release position to a slide start position, at which the surface of the base plate is in parallel to and slid along the lengthwise direction of the guide groove 53, and tube members 59, 71 and locking members 46, 58 are engaged. A first surface 5a at a side apart from the guide groove is perpendicular to a slide direction at the slide position and a second surface 5b at a side near to the guide groove is perpendicular to a connecting direction Z at the release position. When the lever 5 reaches a lock position, detect connectors in tube members 59, 71 become engaged to close the power circuit.
US09130322B2
An electrical connector assembly includes a first electrical connector, a second electrical connector and an adapter assembled between the first and second electrical connector. The first electrical connector includes a first insulating housing and a plurality of first contacts received in the first insulating housing. The second electrical connector includes a second insulating housing and a plurality of second contacts received in the second insulating housing. The adapter includes a base and a plurality of pin contacts retained in the base, the pin contacts run through the base and contact the first and second contacts simultaneously.
US09130319B2
A male connector and/or a female connector portion having a sealed chamber are utilized, and connection and separation of a first electrode and a facing second electrode are performed inside the sealed chamber. That is, the female connector portion is provided with: a casing; seal sections for sealing off the interior of the casing; first and second electrodes provided inside the casing; and an electrode connection control section that separates the first and second electrodes from each other in a state in which the female connector portion is not fitted to the male connector portion, and connects the electrodes together in a fitted state.
US09130314B2
A terminal lead frame comprises a frame and a plurality of terminal pairs set in the frame. The frame is a first dielectric material. The terminal pairs include a first terminal and a second terminal. The first terminal and the second terminal include a first and second extensions extending into the frame along with a first path and a second path, respectively. The first path is longer than the second path, wherein the first extension contacts with a second material to form a first area of contact while the second extension has a second area of contact with respect to the second dielectric material. The first area of contact is larger than the second area of contact.
US09130304B2
A specially designed sealing element (17) for a circular connector in which the sealing surface is subdivided into two areas, a first sealing section being designed to have a mainly radial sealing effect and a second sealing section being designed to have a mainly axial sealing effect. As a result, an effective sealing is achieved even in the case of counterparts having higher tolerances.
US09130298B1
A vehicle includes a body panel defining a pass-through, a grommet sealed against the body panel, an electrical connector having a surface defining a sleeve and a tab, and a walled retainer in the grommet and seated within the pass-through. The walled retainer has a prong formed thereon. The prong is configured to slidably receive the sleeve orienting the electrical connector within the pass-through. The prong further defines a channel terminating a ledge. The channel, ledge, and tab are arranged such that the channel and ledge cooperate to retain the tab to prevent movement of the connector relative to the walled retainer.
US09130291B2
In one implementation a device connector includes a first electronic device magnet, second electronic device magnet, and third electronic device magnet to connect to a power supply. The power supply magnet can be oriented to the opposite pole of one of the electronic device magnets.
US09130285B2
An electrical connector includes a housing and a conductive contact assembly disposed in the housing. A first contact member of the contact assembly receives a blade contact of an electrical device. A second contact member receives an electrical wire through a push-in connection. The electrical connector is receivable by an aperture in a rear surface of the electrical device.
US09130282B2
A coupling portion is approximately U-shaped with two side plates extending up from a bottom plate. Front and rear ends of the bottom plate are respectively joined to a bottom wall of a box and a mounting plate of a crimping portion. Front and rear ends of the side plates are respectively joined to side walls of the box and crimping pieces of the crimping portion. In the crimping portion, an electric wire is crimped by wrapping the first crimping pieces around a terminal portion of the electric wire mounted on a mounting plate while deforming and bending them. In respective end edges of the side plates in an upward extending direction, reinforcing portions are formed continuously extending from respective front ends that are joined to the side walls to rear ends that are joined to the crimping pieces and having regions that are bent inward.
US09130279B1
Antenna structures and methods of operating the same of a multi-feed antenna of an electronic device are described. A multi-feed antenna includes a first antenna element coupled to a first tuner circuit that is coupled a first radio frequency (RF) feed, and a second antenna element coupled to a second tuner circuit that is coupled to a second RF feed. The first tuner circuit is programmable to independently adjust a first impedance of the first antenna element and the second tuner circuit is programmable to independently adjust a second impedance of the second antenna element.
US09130275B2
An open-loop GPS antenna configured on an insulation object is provided. The open-loop GPS antenna includes a feed, a high frequency circuit, a low frequency circuit and a ground. The high frequency circuit includes a first end, connected to the feed, and a second end. The low frequency circuit includes a third end and a fourth end. The third end is disposed parallel to the second end so as to couple to the second end and generate a capacitance effect to transmit a signal. The fourth end is connected to the ground.
US09130269B2
An exemplary wireless communication device includes a circuit board, a metal end portion, an antenna, and a connecting member. The antenna is positioned on the circuit board. The connecting member interconnects the circuit board and the end portion. The connecting member serves as a feeding point of the antenna. The end portion is a portion of a housing of the wireless communication device and further serves as a radiating portion of the antenna.
US09130266B2
A communication method used in a handheld communication device is provided. The communication method comprises the steps outlined below. Whether a voice communication is established is determined. When the voice communication is established, a sensing element is activated to determine whether the handheld communication device is operated in a hand mode. When the handheld communication device is not operated in the hand mode, an antenna module of the handheld communication device would be operated in a first operation frequency band to perform the voice communication. When the handheld communication device is operated in the hand mode, the antenna module of the handheld communication device would be operated in a second operation frequency band to perform the voice communication, in which the second operation frequency band is higher than the first operation frequency band. A handheld communication device is disclosed herein as well.
US09130252B2
Wideband balun having good performance characteristics for use in feeding differential antenna elements in array antennas, balanced amplifier circuits and other applications is described. Also described is a common mode isolation circuit suitable for integration with the balun.
US09130235B2
The present invention provides a cable-type secondary battery capable of wireless charge. The cable-type secondary battery according to the present invention can be applied in a wireless charging method, thereby being conveniently charged as compared with conventional batteries which are charged with wires, and has an outer current collector configured in a wound form, which can overcome the problem of local charge caused by the shape of conventional cable-type batteries. Also, the outer current collector configured in a wound form acts as a current of electrodes, and also can act as a charger which generates a current by external magnetic field, thereby simplifying battery configuration.
US09130227B2
A photonic crystal electrical property indicator for a battery comprising: an electrically conductive working electrode and an electrically conductive counter electrode; an electrically-responsive photonic crystal material in contact with at least one of said first and second electrically conductive electrodes; an ionically conductive electrolyte provided between the working and counter electrodes; and electrical conductors for connecting the indicator to terminals of the battery; wherein the photonic crystal material has a reflectance spectrum that is responsive to a change in at least one electrical property of the battery, thereby providing an optically detectable indication of the at least one electrical property of the battery.
US09130224B2
A battery pack and a method of manufacturing the battery pack. An embodiment of a battery pack includes: a bare cell including an electrode assembly, a can containing the electrode assembly and having an opening at an end thereof for receiving the electrode assembly, and a cap plate sealing the opening; a protection circuit module for protecting the bare cell during charging; and a lead plate press-fit coupled to the cap plate and electrically connecting the bare cell to the protection circuit module.
US09130221B2
A squeeze pin and a secondary battery using the same improve the coupling intensity of an electrode tab and a lead terminal, prevent damage of a protection circuit module, and reduce the cost. The secondary battery includes an outer case; an electrode assembly accommodated in the outer case and including a positive electrode plate connected to a positive electrode tab, a negative electrode plate connected to a negative electrode tab, and a separator; a protective circuit board including first and second connection terminals; and a first lead terminal connecting the positive electrode tab to the first connection terminal and a second lead terminal connecting the negative electrode tab to the second connection terminal, wherein at least one of the first lead terminal and the positive electrode tab, or the second lead terminal and the negative electrode tab are physically electrically connected to each other.
US09130220B2
Power source apparatus equipped with a service plug and vehicle carrying that power source apparatus
A power source apparatus provided with battery blocks (2) that have a plurality of battery cells (1) connected together, an outer case (3) that houses the battery blocks and/or electrical components connected to the battery blocks, a socket (4) connected in series with the battery blocks and disposed on the outer case, and a service plug (5) that connects with the socket in a removable manner. The service plug connects with the socket to connect the service plug in series with the batteries via the socket. The outer case is provided with a socket and service plug thermal isolation region (8) sectioned-off by a heat-shielding plate (7), and the socket and service plug are disposed in the thermal isolation region.
US09130219B1
A method of forming a redox couple bed for a solid oxide redox flow battery is described. The method includes mixing together carbon and metal oxide. The method further includes heating the mixture while feeding an inert gas into the mixture, the inert gas removing gas products CO and CO2. The metal oxide is reduced to a metal resulting in formation of a redox couple bed.
US09130209B2
An electric storage apparatus includes a holder for holding a plurality of electric storage devices. An inter-electric storage device air passage is formed between the electric storage devices. A holder body of the holder includes: at least one wall portion extending in a second direction, the at least one wall portion being opposed from outside to an electric storage device located at one end in a first direction among the plurality of electric storage devices; and an air vent portion formed side by side with the wall portion in a third direction orthogonal to the first and second directions, the air vent portion being opened to the first and second directions.
US09130204B2
A system for the drying of exhaust gases from a fuel cell system includes two heat exchangers alternately exposed to an exhaust gas, which ice and accumulate water vapour from the exhaust gas by cooling through a coolant. A valve arrangement with a number of valves is adapted in such a manner that it operates one of the heat exchangers in an icing phase, in which the icing of water vapour is conducted, and the other heat exchanger in a regeneration phase, in which the accumulated ice melts and is extracted, in an alternating manner. This system is especially suitable in aircraft for drying an oxygen depleted exhaust gas from a fuel cell system for inerting a tank.
US09130202B2
A method includes an in-stop-mode power generating process and a first startup process. In the a first startup process, if an operation start instruction to start a fuel cell system is detected after the in-stop-mode power generating process, supply of a fuel gas from a fuel-gas supply apparatus is started, and supply of an oxide gas from an oxide-gas supply apparatus is started after a predetermined time has elapsed from the starting of supply of the fuel gas, when a pressure of an anode side is equal to or lower than a first threshold pressure.
US09130200B2
Polymer-fused batteries are provided. The battery includes a casing, an anode coupled to the casing, an electrical source disposed between the casing and the anode, and a fuse over at least a portion of the anode. The polymer fuse comprises an electrically-conductive material formulated to decompose upon contact with a bodily fluid and to provide electrical communication between the anode cap and the electrical source when the polymer fuse is intact.
US09130196B2
A light-emitting component may include: an electrically active region, including a first electrode, a second electrode, an organic functional layer structure between the first electrode and the second electrode, a cover arranged above the electrically active region, and a layer structure arranged between the cover and the electrically active region. The component may have at least one layer having a refractive index which is less than the refractive index of the cover.
US09130192B2
A organic light emitting diode display including an organic light emitting display panel displaying an image, and a lower passivation film attached to a bottom of the organic light emitting panel and including a polymer resin and an antistatic agent, wherein the lower passivation film includes a plurality of stress adjustment patterns disposed to be adjacent to each other wherein decreasing the bending interval between the bending stress adjustment patterns formed at the lower passivation film processed with the antistatic agent and attached at the position corresponding to the bending portion of the organic light emitting panel, thereby selectively minimizes the stress of the bending portion of the organic light emitting panel, therefore, asymmetry of strains of the bending portions of the organic light emitting display panel can be prevented to remove a picture abnormality, and static electricity may be prevented.
US09130191B2
Provided are display panel, method of manufacturing the same, and frit composition used in the display panel. A display panel comprising: a first substrate, a second substrate facing the first substrate and a frit bonding the first substrate and the second substrate together, wherein the frit has an optical density of more than about 0.0683/μm for laser light of any one wavelength in a wavelength range of about 760 to about 860 nm.
US09130174B2
A material for organic EL device which includes a compound having a specific structure: an azine ring having a cyano-substituted aromatic hydrocarbon group, an azine ring having a cyano-substituted heterocyclic group, or an azine ring having a cyano group directly bonded to the azine ring. An organic electroluminescence device including an organic thin film layer between a cathode and an anode, wherein the organic thin film layer includes a light emitting layer and at least one layer containing the material for organic electroluminescence device, has a long lifetime.
US09130169B2
A piezoelectric element includes, as a piezoelectric layer, a thin film of potassium sodium niobate that is a perovskite compound represented by a general expression ABO3, in which Sr (strontium) is substituted on both of an A site and a B site and Mn (manganese) is substituted only on the A site. Accordingly, the piezoelectric element is provided to decrease a leak current of the piezoelectric element using the thin film of potassium sodium niobate, to increase a withstand voltage thereof and to improve piezoelectric characteristics thereof.
US09130162B2
A semiconductor structure includes a resistance variable memory structure. The semiconductor structure also includes a dielectric layer. The resistance variable memory structure is over the dielectric layer. The resistance variable memory structure includes a first electrode disposed over the dielectric layer. The first electrode has a sidewall surface. A resistance variable layer has a first portion which is disposed over the sidewall surface of the first electrode and a second portion which extends from the first portion away from the first electrode. A second electrode is over the resistance variable layer.
US09130156B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure are a method of forming a semiconductor device, a method of forming an MRAM device, and a method of forming a semiconductor device. An embodiment is a method of forming a semiconductor device, the method comprising forming a second layer over a first layer, and performing a first etch process on the second layer to define a feature, wherein the first etch process forms a film on a surface of the feature. The method further comprises performing an ion beam etch process on the feature, wherein the ion beam etch removes the film from the surface of the feature.
US09130153B2
A semiconductor device includes a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer spaced from the first conductive layer, a variable resistance layer interposed between the first and second conductive layers, and an impurity-doped layer provided over a side surface of the variable resistance layer. The variable resistance layer has a smaller width than the first and the second conductive layers.
US09130140B2
A light-emitting device includes a thermally conductive substrate, a wiring electrode formed on the thermally conductive substrate, a resist formed on the wiring electrode except a terminal thereof, and a light-emitting element that is disposed in an element mounting region of the thermally conductive substrate and electrically connected to the terminal of the wiring electrode. A heat dissipation hole is formed in a region of the resist outside the element mounting region so as to expose a surface of the thermally conductive substrate.
US09130139B2
Packaging photon building blocks having only top side connections in a molded interconnect structure
Standardized photon building blocks are packaged in molded interconnect structures to form a variety of LED array products. No electrical conductors pass between the top and bottom surfaces of the substrate upon which LED dies are mounted. Microdots of highly reflective material are jetted onto the top surface. Landing pads on the top surface of the substrate are attached to contact pads disposed on the underside of a lip of the interconnect structure. In a solder reflow process, the photon building blocks self-align within the interconnect structure. Conductors in the interconnect structure are electrically coupled to the LED dies in the photon building blocks through the contact pads and landing pads. Compression molding is used to form lenses over the LED dies and leaves a flash layer of silicone covering the landing pads. The flash layer laterally above the landing pads is removed by blasting particles at the flash layer.
US09130136B2
A leadframe for producing a number of optoelectronic components is specified. At least one mounting region includes a number of chip mounting areas for a number of semiconductor chips. Alongside the mounting region at at least one main area of the leadframe one or more of grooves for reducing mechanical stresses in the leadframe are formed. The groove(s) do not completely penetrate through the leadframe. A method for producing a number of optoelectronic components on a leadframe of this type is furthermore specified.
US09130134B2
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor light emitting device includes: a stacked body and an insulative optical path control section. The stacked body includes: a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type; a second semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type; and a light emitting layer provided between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer. The first semiconductor layer, the second semiconductor layer, and the light emitting layer are stacked along a stacking direction. The insulative optical path control section penetrates through the second semiconductor layer and the light emitting layer, has a refractive index lower than refractive index of the first semiconductor layer, refractive index of the second semiconductor layer, and refractive index of the light emitting layer. The insulative optical path control section is configured to change traveling direction of light emitted from the light emitting layer.
US09130132B2
The present invention provides a package for a light-emitting device, including the light-emitting device configured to provide light having a specific wavelength region, electrode pads formed on the light-emitting device, and a phosphor layer formed over the light-emitting device other than regions where the electrode pads are formed and configured to convert the light of the light-emitting device into white light by changing the wavelength of the light provided by the light-emitting device, wherein the phosphor layer is formed in a conformable thickness and is formed in a region wider than an upper region of the light-emitting device other than the regions where the electrode pads are formed.
US09130121B2
In the nitride semiconductor device of the present invention, an active layer 12 is sandwiched between a p-type nitride semiconductor layer 11 and an n-type nitride semiconductor layer 13. The active layer 12 has, at least, a barrier layer 2a having an n-type impurity; a well layer 1a made of a nitride semiconductor that includes In; and a barrier layer 2c that has a p-type impurity, or that has been grown without being doped. An appropriate injection of carriers into the active layer 12 becomes possible by arranging the barrier layer 2c nearest to the p-type layer side.
US09130115B2
A light-emitting diode (LED) device is provided. The LED device has raised semiconductor regions formed on a substrate. LED structures are formed over the raised semiconductor regions such that bottom contact layers and active layers of the LED device are conformal layers. The top contact layer has a planar surface. In an embodiment, the top contact layers are continuous over a plurality of the raised semiconductor regions while the bottom contact layers and the active layers are discontinuous between adjacent raised semiconductor regions.
US09130096B2
A high-concentration photovoltaic solar module is formed by a casing (1) that contains photovoltaic receivers (2) in the base (3) thereof, which are interconnected with one another, and in the upper part thereof has Fresnel concentrator lenses (7) in a plane parallel to that of the photovoltaic receivers (2), which close the casing in a leak-tight manner. Each of the Fresnel concentrator lenses (7) is arranged on one of the photovoltaic receivers (2). Furthermore, the module includes secondary optical elements (8), each arranged on the photovoltaic cell (5) of each photovoltaic receiver (2). The casing (1) is produced by injection-molding of plastic and incorporates cavities (9) in the base (3), each of the cavities housing a photovoltaic receiver (2), and metal laminar elements (10) for interconnecting the photovoltaic receivers (2).
US09130094B2
A method and apparatus for dividing a thin film device having a first layer which is a lower electrode layer, a second layer which is an active layer and a third layer which is an upper electrode layer, the layers each being continuous over the device, into separate cells each having a width W, which are electrically interconnected in series by interconnect structures. The dividing of the cells and the formation of the interconnect structures between adjacent cells are carried out by a process head which is arranged to operate on more than one interconnect structure at a time in a sequence of passes to and fro over the device, the process head performing the following steps: a) making a first cut through the first, second and third layers; b) making a second cut through the second and third layers, the second cut being adjacent to the first cut; c) making a third cut through the third layer the third cut being adjacent to the second cut and on the opposite side of the second cut to the first cut; d) using a first ink jet print head to deposit a non-conducting material into the first cut; and e) using a second ink jet print head to apply conducting material to bridge the non-conducting material in the first cut and either fully or partially fill the second cut such to form an electrical connection between the first layer and the third layer, wherein step (a) precedes step (d), step (d) precedes step (e) and step (b) precedes step (e), (otherwise the steps may be carried out in any order in the single pass of the process head across the device). The thin film device may be a solar panel, a lighting panel or a battery.
US09130089B2
A device for supporting and attaching panels to a roof including an added sealing covering on the surface thereof includes brackets for tiltedly supporting and bearing the panels, including a bottom bearing portion and at least one top portion for supporting the panels, the brackets having a triangular structure and consisting of a hollow body. The device is characterized in that the bottom portion (4) of the brackets (3) is provided, on the underside thereof, with at least one added plate (5) secured to the console (3), wherein the plate(s) (5) consist of a material or contain a material that is compatible with and/or similar to the layer or the surface coating of the roof covering (2), and are bonded to the layer or the covering by an adhesive bond, and in that the top portion (4′) provides bearing surfaces for the edges of the panels or profile members for mounting such panels.
US09130088B2
An integral mounting and shipping support device. The device includes a mounting structure and a shipping support structure. The shipping support structure is configured to grip an object to be shipped. The device also includes a first stacking structure and a second stacking structure. The first stacking structure of a first mounting and shipping support device is configured to couple with the second stacking structure of a second mounting and shipping support device.
US09130069B2
According to one embodiment, a method is disclosed for manufacturing a nitride semiconductor layer. The method can include forming a first nitride semiconductor layer on a substrate in a reactor supplied with a first carrier gas and a first source gas. The first nitride semiconductor layer includes indium. The first carrier gas includes hydrogen supplied into the reactor at a first flow rate and includes nitrogen supplied into the reactor at a second flow rate. The first source gas includes indium and nitrogen and supplied into the reactor at a third flow rate. The first flow rate is not less than 0.07% and not more than 0.15% of a sum of the first flow rate, the second flow rate, and the third flow rate.
US09130067B2
In order to take advantage of the properties of a display device including an oxide semiconductor, a protective circuit and the like having appropriate structures and a small occupied area are necessary. The protective circuit is formed using a non-linear element which includes a gate insulating film covering a gate electrode; a first oxide semiconductor layer over the gate insulating film; a channel protective layer covering a region which overlaps with a channel formation region of the first oxide semiconductor layer; and a first wiring layer and a second wiring layer each of which is formed by stacking a conductive layer and a second oxide semiconductor layer and over the first oxide semiconductor layer. The gate electrode is connected to a scan line or a signal line, the first wiring layer or the second wiring layer is directly connected to the gate electrode.
US09130065B2
Provided are a power module having a stacked flip-chip and a method of fabricating the power module. The power module includes a lead frame; a control device part including a control device chip; a power device part including a power device chip and being electrically connected to the lead frame; and an interconnecting substrate of which the control and power device parts are respectively disposed at upper and lower portions, and each of the control and power device chips may be attached to one of the lead frame and the interconnecting substrate using a flip-chip bonding method. The method includes forming bumps on power and control device chips on a wafer level; separately sawing the power and control device chips into individual chips; adhering the power device chip onto a thermal substrate and the control device chip onto an interconnecting substrate; combining a lead frame, the thermal substrate, and the interconnecting substrate with one another in a multi-jig; and sealing the power and control device chips, and the control and power device chips may be attached to one of the lead frame and the interconnecting substrate using a flip-chip bonding method.
US09130062B2
Provided is a semiconductor device having improved reliability. In the semiconductor device in an embodiment, a mark is provided correspondingly to the bonding area of a belt-like wiring exposed from an opening provided in a solder resist. As a result, in an alignment step for the wire bonding area, the coordinate position of the wire bonding area can be adjusted using not the end portion of the opening formed in the solder resist, but the mark formed correspondingly to the wire bonding area as a reference. Also, in the semiconductor device in the embodiment, the mark serving as a characteristic pattern is formed. This allows the wire bonding area to be adjusted based on camera recognition.
US09130051B2
A semiconductor device having a highly responsive thin film transistor (TFT) with low subthreshold swing and suppressed decrease in the on-state current and a manufacturing method thereof are demonstrated. The TFT of the present invention is characterized by its semiconductor layer where the thickness of the source region or the drain region is larger than that of the channel formation region. Manufacture of the TFT is readily achieved by the formation of an amorphous semiconductor layer on a projection portion and a depression portion, which is followed by subjecting the melting process of the semiconductor layer, resulting in the formation of a crystalline semiconductor layer having different thicknesses. Selective addition of impurity to the thick portion of the semiconductor layer provides a semiconductor layer in which the channel formation region is thinner than the source or drain region.
US09130049B2
A novel amorphous oxide applicable, for example, to an active layer of a TFT is provided. The amorphous oxide comprises microcrystals.
US09130045B2
The present invention relates to a thin film transistor and a method of manufacturing the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a thin film transistor that includes a zinc oxide material including Si as a channel material of a semiconductor layer, and a method of manufacturing the same.
US09130042B2
Disclosed is a thin film transistor and a method of fabricating the same which includes a light-shielding layer made of the same material as a semiconductor layer on a substrate, wherein the light-shielding layer absorbs light incident upon the semiconductor layer, thereby preventing deterioration in characteristics of the thin film transistor caused by exterior light.
US09130033B2
The invention provides a semiconductor device, including: a semiconductor device includes: a substrate having a first conductivity type, including: a body region having the first conductivity type; a source region formed in the body region; a drift region having a second conductivity type adjacent to the body region, wherein the first conductivity type is opposite to the second conductivity type; and a drain region formed in the drift region; a trench formed in the substrate between the body and drift regions; a gate dielectric layer disposed adjacent to the trench; a liner lining the trench and adjoining with the gate dielectric layer; and a gate electrode formed over the gate dielectric layer and extending into the trench.
US09130031B2
A wafer processing method including a modified layer forming step of applying a laser beam having a transmission wavelength to a substrate from the back side of the substrate along division lines. The modified layer forming step includes the steps of making the polarization plane of linearly polarized light of the laser beam parallel to the direction perpendicular to each division line, shifting the beam center of the laser beam from the optical axis of a focusing lens of a focusing unit for focusing the laser beam, in the direction perpendicular to each division line, and shifting the focal point of the laser beam by the focusing lens in the same direction as the direction where the beam center of the laser beam has been shifted.
US09130028B2
A normally OFF field effect transistor (FET) comprising: a plurality of contiguous nitride semiconductor layers having different composition and heterojunction interfaces between contiguous layers, a Fermi level, and conduction and valence energy bands; a source and a drain overlying a top nitride layer of the plurality of nitride layers and having source and drain access regions respectively comprising regions of at least two of the heterojunctions near the source and drain; a first gate between the source and drain; wherein when there is no potential difference between the gates and a common ground voltage, a two dimensional electron gas (2DEG) is present in the access region at a plurality of heterojunctions in each of the source and drain access regions, and substantially no 2DEG is present adjacent any regions of the heterojunctions under the first gate.
US09130021B2
A method of three-dimensionally integrating elements such as singulated die or wafers and an integrated structure having connected elements such as singulated dies or wafers. Either or both of the die and wafer may have semiconductor devices formed therein. A first element having a first contact structure is bonded to a second element having a second contact structure. First and second contact structures can be exposed at bonding and electrically interconnected as a result of the bonding. A via may be etched and filled after bonding to expose and form an electrical interconnect to interconnected first and second contact structures and provide electrical access to this interconnect from a surface. Alternatively, first and/or second contact structures are not exposed at bonding, and a via is etched and filled after bonding to electrically interconnect first and second contact structures and provide electrical access to interconnected first and second contact structure to a surface. Also, a device may be formed in a first substrate, the device being disposed in a device region of the first substrate and having a first contact structure. A via may be etched, or etched and filled, through the device region and into the first substrate before bonding and the first substrate thinned to expose the via, or filled via after bonding.
US09130014B2
A method for fabricating shallow trench isolation structure is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: (a) providing a substrate; (b) forming a trench in the substrate; (c) forming a silicon layer in the trench; and (d) performing an oxidation process to partially transform a surface of the silicon layer into an oxide layer.
US09130013B2
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming isolation layers in a first direction at trenches at isolation regions defined at a semiconductor substrate and forming gate lines in a second direction crossing the first direction over the isolation layers and active regions defined between the isolation layers, performing a dry-etch process to remove the isolation layers, and forming an insulating layer over the semiconductor substrate to form a first air gap extending in the first direction in the trenches and a second air gap extending in the second direction between the gate lines.
US09130012B2
Without sacrificial layer etching, a microstructure and a micromachine are manufactured. A separation layer 102 is formed over a substrate 101, and a layer 103 to be a movable electrode is formed over the separation layer 102. At an interface of the separation layer 102, the layer 103 to be a movable electrode is separated from the substrate. A layer 106 to be a fixed electrode is formed over another substrate 105. The layer 103 to be a movable electrode is fixed to the substrate 105 with the spacer layer 103 which is partially provided interposed therebetween, so that the layer 103 to be a movable electrode and a layer 106 to be a fixed electrode face each other.
US09130009B2
A device includes a semiconductor region surrounded with the isolation region and includes a first active region, a channel region and a second active region arranged in that order in a first direction. A first side portion of the first active region and a second side portion of the second active region faces each other across a top surface of the channel region in the first direction. A gate electrode covers the top surface and the first and second side portions and extends in a second direction that intersects the first direction. A first diffusion layer is formed in the first active region. A second diffusion layer is formed in the second active region. An embedded contact plug is formed in the first active region and extends downwardly from the upper surface of the semiconductor region and contacts with the first diffusion layer.
US09130000B2
A wafer bonding method includes: holding a first substrate with an upper holding mechanism 7 by applying a voltage to the upper holding mechanism 7; generating a bonded substrate by bonding the first substrate and a second substrate held with a lower holding mechanism 8; and dechucking the bonded substrate from the upper holding mechanism 7 after a voltage which attenuates while alternating is applied to the upper holding mechanism 7. By applying the voltage which attenuates while alternating to the upper holding mechanism 7, residual attracting force between the bonded substrate and the upper holding mechanism 7 is reduced, thereby enabling the bonded substrate to be dechucked from the holding mechanism more surely in a shorter time period. As a result, the first substrate and the second substrate can be bonded in a shorter time period.
US09129999B2
The treatment device 100 of the present invention is a treatment device for carrying out treatment to a treatment object 18 whose treatment surface includes a second treatment surface 18b and a first treatment surface 18a surrounding the second treatment surface 18b, the treatment device including: a table section 10 for placing the treatment object 18 thereon; and a first feeding section 24 for feeding a first treatment liquid to an approximate boundary between the first and the second treatment surfaces 18a, 18b and a second feeding section 46 for feeding a second treatment liquid to the second treatment surface 18b. Thus, the present invention provides a treatment device, a treatment method, and a surface treatment jig, each of the treatment device and the treatment method being capable of carrying out independent treatments to a treatment surface and an exposed surface surrounding the treatment surface, respectively.
US09129998B2
An apparatus for cleaning at least one object may include a cleaning chamber, an air-blowing unit, a rotating unit and a collecting unit. The at least one object may be received within the cleaning chamber. The air-blowing unit may be configured to blow air to the at least one object in the cleaning chamber to float particles from the at least one object. The rotating unit may be configured to rotate the at least one object to provide the at least one object with the air in at least two directions from the air-blowing unit. The collecting unit may be configured to collect the floated particles.
US09129996B2
A method of making a semiconductor device includes depositing a layer of polysilicon in a non-volatile memory (NVM) region and a logic region of a substrate. The layer of polysilicon is patterned into a gate in the NVM region while the layer of polysilicon remains in the logic region. A memory cell is formed including the gate in the NVM region while the layer of polysilicon remains in the logic region. The layer of polysilicon in the logic region is removed and the substrate is implanted to form a well region in the logic region after the memory cell is formed. A layer of gate material is deposited in the logic region. The layer of gate material is patterned into a logic gate in the logic region.
US09129993B1
Fabricating a vertical thin film transistor includes printing a polymeric inhibitor in a cap pattern on a structural polymer layer on a substrate. A polymeric inhibitor is printed in a gate pattern on the substrate, in a dielectric pattern on the substrate, in a semiconductor pattern on a patterned conformal dielectric layer, and in an electrode pattern. The electrode pattern includes an open area over a portion of a reentrant profile that allows the polymeric inhibitor to wick along the reentrant profile in the open area. Fabrication of the vertical transistor also includes depositing an inorganic thin film, a first conductive thin film, a dielectric thin film, a semiconductor thin film, and a second conductive thin film using an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process.
US09129991B2
A method to manufacture a vertical capacitor region that comprises a plurality of trenches, wherein the portions of the semiconductor region in between the trenches comprise an impurity. This allows for the trenches to be placed in closer vicinity to each other, thus improving the capacitance per unit area ratio. The total capacitance of the device is defined by two series components, that is, the capacitance across the dielectric liner, and the depletion capacitance of the silicon next to the trench. An increase of the voltage on the capacitor increases the depletion in the silicon and the depletion capacitance as a result, such that the overall capacitance is reduced. This effect may be countered by minimizing the depletion region which may be achieved by ensuring that the silicon adjacent to the capacitor is as highly doped as possible.
US09129983B2
A memory cell includes a thyristor having a plurality of alternately doped, vertically superposed semiconductor regions; a vertically oriented access transistor having an access gate; and a control gate operatively laterally adjacent one of the alternately doped, vertically superposed semiconductor regions. The control gate is spaced laterally of the access gate. Other embodiments are disclosed, including methods of forming memory cells and methods of forming a shared doped semiconductor region of a vertically oriented thyristor and a vertically oriented access transistor.
US09129978B1
Integrated circuit packaging system with void prevention mechanism and method of manufacture thereof
An integrated circuit packaging system, and a method of manufacture of an integrated circuit packaging system thereof, includes: a singulation substrate having an air vent portion having longitudinal grooves in the air vent portion, the longitudinal grooves all parallel to each other; an integrated circuit die attached to the singulation substrate; and a molding compound on the singulation substrate, on the air vent portion, in a portion of the longitudinal grooves, and on the integrated circuit die.
US09129969B2
The invention provides a fast, scalable, room temperature process for fabricating metallic nanorods from nanoparticles or fabricating metallic or semiconducting nanorods from carbon nanotubes suspended in an aqueous solution. The assembled nanorods are suitable for use as nanoscale interconnects in CMOS-based devices and sensors. Metallic nanoparticles or carbon nanotubes are assembled into lithographically patterned vias by applying an external electric field. Since the dimensions of nanorods are controlled by the dimensions of vias, the nanorod dimensions can be scaled down to the low nanometer range. The aqueous assembly process is environmentally friendly and can be used to make nanorods using different types of metallic particles as well as semiconducting and metallic nanotubes.
US09129964B2
A method of forming an electronic fuse including forming a first metal line and a second metal line in a first interconnect level, the first metal line is electrically insulated from the second metal line, forming a single via in a second interconnect level above the first interconnect level, the via is made from the same material as either the first metal line or the second metal line, and the via is in direct contact with both the first metal line and the second metal line, a contact area between the via and the first metal line or the second metal line ranges from about 5% to about 25% of a total cross-sectional area of the via, the via has a height to width ratio greater than 1, and forming a third metal line in the second interconnect level in direct contact with the via.
US09129959B2
A number of semiconductor chips each include a first main face and a second main face opposite from the first main face. The second main face includes at least one electrical contact element. The semiconductor chips are placed on a carrier. A material layer is applied into intermediate spaces between adjacent semiconductor chips. The carrier is removed and a first electrical contact layer is applied to the first main faces of the semiconductor chips so that the electrical contact layer is electrically connected with each one of the electrical contact elements.
US09129955B2
A semiconductor chip (102) assembled on a substrate (101). The substrate has a first surface (101a) including conductive traces (110), which have a first length (111) and a first width (112), the first width being uniform along the first length, and further a pitch (114) to respective adjacent traces. The semiconductor chip has a second surface (102a) including contact pads (121); the second surface faces the first surface spaced apart by a gap (130). A conductive pillar (140) contacts each contact pad; the pillar includes a metal core (141) and a solder body (142), which connects the core to the respective trace across the gap. The pillar core (141) has an oblong cross section of a second width (151) and a second length (152) greater than the second width. Trace pitch (141) is equal to or smaller than twice the second width (151). The trace pitch is equal to or smaller than the second length (152).
US09129946B2
A semiconductor device includes a header, a semiconductor chip fixed to the header constituting a MOSFET, and a sealing body of insulating resin which covers the semiconductor chip, the header and the like, and further includes a drain lead contiguously formed with the header and projects from one side surface of the sealing body, and a source lead and a gate lead which project in parallel from one side surface of the sealing body, and wires which are positioned in the inside of the sealing body and connect electrodes on an upper surface of the semiconductor chip and the source lead and the gate lead, with a gate electrode pad arranged at a position from the gate lead and the source lead farther than a source electrode pad.
US09129942B2
A method for shaping a laminate substrate includes characterizing the laminate substrate for warpage characteristics over a range of temperatures. The laminate substrate is placed into a shaping fixture with any necessary correction to obtain a flat laminate substrate chip site area at a chip join temperature. The laminate substrate is shaped at a temperature greater than or equal to a maximum laminate substrate fabrication temperature. The shape of the laminate substrate is retained when it is removed from the shaping fixture.
US09129941B2
The wireless module according to the present invention includes a wireless IC chip for processing transmission/reception signals, a substrate on which the wireless IC chip is mounted, an antenna provided on the substrate, and a plurality of terminals extending off from the substrate in an in-plane direction of the substrate.
US09129939B2
In some aspects of the invention, a layer containing titanium and nickel is formed on an SiC substrate. A nickel silicide layer containing titanium carbide can be formed by heating. A carbon layer precipitated is removed by reverse sputtering. Thus, separation of an electrode of a metal layer formed on nickel silicide in a subsequent step is suppressed. The effect of preventing the separation can be further improved when the relation between the amount of precipitated carbon and the amount of carbon in titanium carbide in the surface of nickel silicide from which the carbon layer has not yet been removed satisfies a predetermined condition.
US09129938B1
Methods of forming gate-all-around transistors which include a germanium-containing nanowire and/or an III-V compound semiconductor nanowire. Each method includes the growth of a germanium-containing material or an III-V compound semiconductor material that includes an upper portion and a lower portion within a nano-trench and on an exposed surface of a semiconductor layer. In some instances, the upper portion of the grown semiconductor material is used as the semiconductor nanowire. In other instances, the upper portion is removed and then a semiconductor etch stop layer and a nanowire template semiconductor material of a Ge-containing material or an III-V compound semiconductor material can be formed atop the lower portion. Upon subsequent processing, each nanowire template semiconductor material provides a semiconductor nanowire.
US09129936B2
N-channel power semiconductor devices in which an insulated field plate is coupled to the drift region, and immobile electrostatic charge is also present at the interface between the drift region and the insulation around the field plate. The electrostatic charge permits OFF-state voltage drop to occur near the source region, in addition to the voltage drop which occurs near the drain region (due to the presence of the field plate).
US09129928B2
Disclosed herein is a display apparatus, including: a plurality of subpixels disposed adjacent each other and forming one pixel which forms a unit for formation of a color image; the plurality of subpixels including a first subpixel which emits light of the shortest wavelength and a second subpixel disposed adjacent the first subpixel; the second subpixel having a light blocking member disposed between the second subpixel and the first subpixel and having a width greater than a channel length or a channel width of a transistor which forms the second subpixel.
US09129920B2
The present application discloses a display panel including flexible substrates on which first power lines are mounted to supply power; a substrate including a first surface provided with a display area, a second surface opposite to the first surface, and second power lines for connecting the first power lines to the display pixels; a thermal conduction member partially covering the second surface and conducting heat in an in-plane direction; and a thermal conduction seal covering a periphery of the thermal conduction member. The first surface includes an arrangement area to arrange the second power lines between the flexible substrates and the display area. The second surface includes a first area opposite to the display area and a second area opposite to the arrangement area. The thermal conduction member covers at least the first area. The thermal conduction seal covers the second area.
US09129916B2
A display device including a touch sensor is disclosed. In one aspect, the display device includes a lower substrate and a display layer formed over the lower substrate. An upper substrate is formed over the display layer and a touch sensing layer is formed over the upper substrate. The display device also includes a first flexible printed circuit board electrically connected to the display layer and attached to a surface of the lower substrate and a second flexible printed circuit board electrically connected to the touch sensing layer and attached to the surface of the lower substrate. The second flexible printed circuit board includes a body having a first end connected to the touch sensing layer and a tail extending from a second end. The tail includes a connection portion electrically connected to the first flexible printed circuit board and at least a portion of the tail is bent.
US09129908B2
A method and apparatus are provided in which a cavity is formed in a support structure, the support structure being operable to support a semiconductor device, disposing at least a portion of a circuit element in the cavity in the support structure, filling the cavity in the support structure with an electrically non-conductive filling material so as to at least partially surround the circuit element with the non-conductive filling material, and electrically connecting the semiconductor device to the circuit element. In an example embodiment, the circuit element is operable to substantially block direct current that is output by the semiconductor device or another semiconductor device.
US09129906B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure are a method of forming a semiconductor device and methods of patterning a semiconductor device. An embodiment is a method of forming a semiconductor device, the method including forming a first hard mask layer over a semiconductor device layer, the first hard mask layer comprising a metal-containing material, forming a second hard mask layer over the first hard mask layer, and forming a first set of metal-containing spacers over the second hard mask layer. The method further includes patterning the second hard mask layer using the first set of metal-containing spacers as a mask, forming a second set of metal-containing spacers on sidewalls of the patterned second hard mask layer, and patterning the first hard mask layer using the second set of metal-containing spacers as a mask.
US09129905B2
Approaches for providing a planar metrology pad adjacent a set of fins of a fin field effect transistor (FinFET) device are disclosed. A previously deposited amorphous carbon layer can be removed from over a mandrel that has been previously formed on a subset of a substrate, such as using a photoresist. A pad hardmask can be formed over the mandrel on the subset of the substrate. This formation results in the subset of the substrate having the pad hardmask covering the mandrel thereon and the remainder of the substrate having the amorphous carbon layer covering the mandrel thereon. This amorphous carbon layer can be removed from over the mandrel on the remainder of the substrate, allowing a set of fins to be formed therein while the amorphous carbon layer keeps the set of fins from being formed in the portion of the substrate that it covers.
US09129903B2
A semiconductor device is fabricated by forming first holes arranged along a first direction on an etch-target layer, forming dielectric patterns in the first holes, conformally forming a barrier layer on the dielectric patterns, forming a sacrificial layer on the barrier layer to define a first void, partially removing the sacrificial layer to expose the first void, anisotropically etching the barrier layer to form second holes below the first void, and etching portions of the etch-target layer located below the first and second holes to form contact holes. The first void may be formed on a first gap region confined by at least three of the dielectric patterns disposed adjacent to each other, and the sacrificial layer may include a material having a low conformality.
US09129898B2
A semiconductor encapsulation adhesive composition comprising (a) an epoxy resin, (b) a curing agent and (c) an antioxidant.
US09129895B2
The disclosure provides a real-time wafer breakage detection method. The detection method includes the following operations. A wafer is positioned on a wafer holder of a process chamber in which a thermal process is being performed. Then, the temperature at the wafer holder is measured. And, a notification for corrective action is issued if the temperature is out of a predetermined alarm range.
US09129891B2
A semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor layer provided over a substrate; an electron transit layer contacting a top of the first semiconductor layer; and a second semiconductor layer contacting a top of the electron transit layer, wherein the electron transit layer has a dual quantum well layer having a structure where a first well layer, an intermediate barrier layer, and a second well layer are sequentially stacked, an energy of a conduction band of the intermediate barrier layer is lower than an energy of conduction band of the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer, and a ground level is generated in the first and second well layers, and a first excitation level is generated in the dual quantum well layer.
US09129886B2
A semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor wafer; a piezoelectric resonator formed on the wafer, and an active circuit also formed on the wafer. The active circuit (e.g., a frequency divider) is electrically connected to the piezoelectric resonator.
US09129882B2
Provided is a method of fabricating a graphene nano device. The method includes forming a first metal mask pattern on a substrate on which a graphene layer is formed, and forming a graphene pattern by performing an etching process on the graphene layer using the first metal mask pattern as an etching mask. The forming of the first metal mask pattern includes forming a first adhesive layer on the graphene layer, disposing the first metal mask pattern prepared in advance on the first adhesive layer, and heating the first adhesive layer to attach the first metal mask pattern on the substrate.
US09129879B2
An MOS type solid state imaging device in which unit pixels 10 each having a photodiode 11, a transfer transistor 12 for transferring the signal of the photodiode 11 to a floating node N11, an amplifier transistor 13 for outputting the signal of the floating node N11 to a vertical signal line 22, and a reset transistor 14 for resetting the floating node N11 are arrayed in a matrix and in which a gate voltage of the reset transistor 14 is controlled by three values of a power source potential (for example 3V), a ground potential (0V), and a negative power source potential (for example −1V).
US09129877B2
A first waveguide member is formed, as viewed from above, in an image pickup region and a peripheral region of a semiconductor substrate. A part of the first waveguide member, which part is disposed in the peripheral region, is removed. A flattening step is then performed to flatten a surface of the first waveguide member on the side opposite to the semiconductor substrate.
US09129874B1
Techniques are described to furnish a light sensor that includes a patterned IR interference filter integrated with a patterned color pass filter. In one or more implementations, the light sensor includes a substrate having a surface. An IR interference filter configured to block infrared light is disposed over the surface of the substrate. The light sensor also includes one or more color pass filters placed above or below the IR interference filter. The color pass filters are configured to filter visible light to pass light in a limited spectrum of wavelengths to the one or more photodetectors.
US09129872B2
A photodiodes may be formed on a substrate such as an imager substrate. The photodiode may include first and second layers in the substrate that form a p-n junction. The first layer may have a first doping type such as p-type doping, whereas the second layer may have a second, opposite doping type such as n-type doping. A counter-doping implant region may be provided that only partially overlaps with the second layer of the photodiode. The counter-doping implant region may have an opposite doping type to the second layer and may have a dopant concentration that is less than the dopant concentration of the second layer. The counter-doping implant region may extend into a third layer of the substrate that may have the same doping type of the second layer but at a lower concentration than the counter-doping implant region.
US09129870B2
A package structure having an embedded electronic component includes: a carrier having a cavity penetrating therethrough; a semiconductor chip received in the cavity and having solder bumps disposed thereon; a dielectric layer formed on the carrier and the semiconductor chip so as to encapsulate the solder bumps; a wiring layer formed on the dielectric layer; an insulating protection layer formed on the dielectric layer and the wiring layer; and a solder material formed in the dielectric layer and the insulating protection layer for electrically connecting the wiring layer and the solder bumps, thereby shortening the signal transmission path between the semiconductor chip and the carrier to avoid signal losses.
US09129859B2
A method to fabricate a three dimensional memory structure includes forming an array stack, creating a layer of sacrificial material above the array stack, etching a hole through the layer of sacrificial material and the array stack, creating a pillar of semiconductor material in the hole to form at least two vertically stacked flash memory cells that use the pillar as a common body, removing at least some of the layer of sacrificial material around the pillar to expose a portion of the pillar, and forming a field effect transistor (FET) using the portion of the pillar as the body of the FET.
US09129857B2
According to example embodiments, a semiconductor device includes horizontal patterns stacked on a substrate. The horizontal patterns define an opening through the horizontal patterns. A first core pattern is in the opening. A second core pattern is in the opening on the first core pattern. A first active pattern is between the first core pattern and the horizontal patterns. A second active pattern containing a first element is between the second core pattern and the horizontal patterns. The second active pattern contains the first element at a higher concentration than a concentration of the first element in the second core pattern.
US09129848B2
Methods for fabricating integrated circuits include fabricating a logic device on a substrate, forming an intermediate semiconductor substrate on a surface of the logic device, and fabricating a capacitor-less memory cell on the intermediate semiconductor substrate. Integrated circuits with capacitor-less memory cells formed on a surface of a logic device are also disclosed, as are multi-core microprocessors including such integrated circuits.
US09129846B2
The semiconductor package includes: a package substrate comprising a bonding pad; a plurality of semiconductor chips stacked on the package substrate; and a bonding wire configured to electrically connect the semiconductor chips and the bonding pad. For at least one of the plurality of semiconductor chips: the semiconductor chip comprises: a semiconductor device; a first pad electrically connected to the semiconductor device; a conductive pattern; and a second pad electrically connected to the first pad, spaced apart from the conductive pattern, and extending over the conductive pattern; and the bonding wire is connected to the second pad.
US09129843B1
A method of forming an inductor in a crystal semiconductor layer is provided, including generating an ion beam, directing the ion beam to a surface of the crystal semiconductor layer, applying a magnetic field to the ion beam to generate a helical motion of the ions and forming a three-dimensional helical structure in the crystal semiconductor layer by means of the ions of the ion beam.
US09129842B2
Methods of forming silicide contacts in semiconductor devices are presented. An exemplary method comprises providing a semiconductor substrate having an n-type field effect transistor (nFET) region and a p-type field effect transistor (pFET) region; performing a pre-amorphized implantation (PAI) process to an n-type doped silicon (Si) feature in on the nFET region and a p-type doped silicon germanium (SiGe) feature in the pFET region, thereby forming an n-type amorphous silicon (a-Si) feature and a p-type amorphous silicon germanium (a-SiGe) feature; depositing a metal layer over each of the a-Si and a-SiGe features; performing an annealing process on the semiconductor device with a temperature ramp-up rate tuned according to a silicide growth rate difference between the n-type a-Si and the p-type a-SiGe features. During the annealing process the n-type a-Si and the p-type a-SiGe features are completely consumed, and amorphous silicide features are formed in the nFET and pFET regions.
US09129838B2
According to a semiconductor device (101), a first switching active element (103) of a normally-on type and a second switching active element (104) of a normally-off type are cascode-connected to each other. This causes an electric current path to be formed. The first and second switching active elements (103, 104) are provided and connected so that loop area of the electric current path is a minimum area in a plan view of the semiconductor device (101).
US09129837B2
A semiconductor device has an active region defined by a device isolation region arranged on a surface of a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of transistor pillars arranged along a first direction within the active region, and a first dummy pillar disposed in the device isolation region. The first dummy pillar is arranged on a line extending along the first direction from the transistor pillars. The semiconductor device also has a second dummy pillar disposed between the transistor pillars and the first dummy pillar, a gate electrode continuously extending so as to surround each of side surfaces of the transistor pillars, a first power supply gate electrode surrounding a side surface of the first dummy pillar, and a second power supply gate electrode surrounding a side surface of the second dummy pillar. The second power supply gate electrode is connected to the gate electrode and the first power supply gate electrode.
US09129834B2
A light emitting diode (LED) assembly may include an LED semiconductor attached to a first surface of a submount made of optically transparent material. The submount may redirect back side light emitted by the LED semiconductor light away from the LED semiconductor to increase recovery of back side light. The submount may be used with an external bulk reflecting element. The submount may itself include a reflective coating at a second surface opposite from the first surface and be mounted on a reflecting substrate. The submount may include a phosphor forming the first surface or the second surface. The first surface or the second surface may be a textured surface. An array of LED semiconductors may be mounted to the submount. The array of LED semiconductors may be disposed on the submount in an arrangement that optimizes total light output of the LED assembly.
US09129822B2
A semiconductor power device formed in a semiconductor substrate comprising a highly doped region near a top surface of the semiconductor substrate on top of a lightly doped region supported by a heavily doped region. The semiconductor power device further comprises source trenches opened into the highly doped region filled with conductive trench filling material in electrical contact with the source region near the top surface. The semiconductor power device further comprises buried P-regions disposed below the source trenches and doped with dopants of opposite conductivity from the highly doped region. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.
US09129817B2
Semiconductor packages including magnetic core inductor (MCI) structures for integrated voltage regulators are described. In an example, a semiconductor package includes a package substrate and a semiconductor die coupled to a first surface of the package substrate. The semiconductor die has a first plurality of metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor layers thereon. The semiconductor package also includes a magnetic core inductor (MCI) die coupled to a second surface of the package substrate. The MCI die includes one or more slotted inductors and has a second plurality of MIM capacitor layers thereon.
US09129814B2
A method of forming a target pattern includes forming a plurality of lines over a substrate with a first mask and forming a spacer layer over the substrate, over the plurality of lines, and onto sidewalls of the plurality of lines. The method further includes removing at least a portion of the spacer layer to expose the plurality of lines and the substrate. The method further includes shrinking the spacer layer disposed onto the sidewalls of the plurality of lines and removing the plurality of lines thereby resulting in a patterned spacer layer over the substrate.
US09129812B2
In directed self-assembly (DSA) of a block copolymer (BCP), a patterned sublayer on a substrate serves as a guiding chemical prepattern on which BCPs form more uniform and/or denser patterns. A layer of a blend of a BCP and functional homopolymers, referred to as inks, is deposited on the patterned sublayer and annealed to change the initial chemical prepattern to a 1:1-like chemical pattern that is more favorable to DSA. After annealing, the inks selectively distribute into blocks by DSA, and part of the inks graft on the substrate underneath the blocks. The BCP blend layer is then rinsed away, leaving the grafted inks. A second layer of BCP is then deposited and annealed as a second DSA step to form alternating lines of the BCP components. One of the BCP components is removed, leaving lines of the other BCP component as a mask for patterning the substrate.
US09129804B2
The present invention provides a silicon carbide semiconductor device having an ohmic electrode improved in adhesion of a wire thereto by preventing deposition of carbon so as not to form a Schottky contact, as well as a method for manufacturing such a silicon carbide semiconductor device. In the SiC semiconductor device, upon forming the ohmic electrode, a first metal layer made of one first metallic element is formed on one main surface of a SiC layer. Further, a Si layer made of Si is formed on an opposite surface of the first metal layer to its surface facing the SiC layer. The stacked structure thus formed is subjected to thermal treatment. In this way, there can be obtained a silicon carbide semiconductor device having an ohmic electrode adhered well to a wire by preventing deposition of carbon atoms on the surface layer of the electrode and formation of a Schottky contact resulting from Si and SiC.
US09129803B2
Methods, devices, systems and/or articles related to techniques for forming a graphene film on a substrate, and the resulting graphene layers and graphenated substrates are generally disclosed. Some example techniques may be embodied as methods or processes for forming graphene. Some other example techniques may be embodied as devices employed to manipulate, treat, or otherwise process substrates, graphite, graphene and/or graphenated substrates as described herein. Graphene layers and graphenated substrates produced by the various techniques and devices provided herein are also disclosed.
US09129798B1
A semiconductor structure comprising aluminum oxide. The semiconductor structure comprises a dielectric material overlying a substrate. The aluminum oxide overlies the dielectric material in a first region of the structure. A second region of the structure includes a first titanium nitride portion overlying the dielectric material, magnesium over the first titanium nitride portion, and a second titanium nitride portion over the magnesium. Methods of forming the semiconductor structure including aluminum oxide are also disclosed.
US09129796B2
A process of forming an integrated circuit including an MOS transistor, in which a pre-metal deposition cleanup prior to depositing metal for silicide formation includes an HF etch, a first SC1 etch, a piranha etch and a second SC1 etch, so that a native oxide on the source/drain regions is less the 2 nanometers thick before deposition of the silicide metal. A process of forming a metal silicide layer on an integrated circuit containing an MOS transistor, in which a pre-metal deposition cleanup prior to depositing metal for silicide formation includes an HF etch, a first SC1 etch, a piranha etch and a second SC1 etch, so that a native oxide on the source/drain regions and the MOS gate is less the 2 nanometers thick before deposition of the silicide metal.
US09129795B2
Internal components of plasma reactors are composed of a toleratable, ceramic filled plasma-useful polymer such as a high temperature engineering thermoplastic, preferably a polyamideimide. The parts exhibit a low erosion rate upon exposure to plasma at low pressure.
US09129794B2
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a tubular lamp with a coiled filament having an overwind wrapped around the coil. In one embodiment, the tubular lamp has a coiled coil filament, and the coiled coil has an overwind wrapped around the coiled coil.
US09129790B2
Mass spectrometry systems include an electronic controller and a time-of-flight mass analyzer in communication with the electronic controller. The time-of-flight mass analyzer includes a pulsing region defining a channel that extends along an axis. The pulsing region includes: a first electrode extending along the axis, the first electrode defining one or more apertures; a second electrode extending along the axis, the first and second electrodes being positioned on opposing sides of the axis in a first direction perpendicular to the axis. The electronic controller is programmed to apply a first set of voltages to the electrodes to constrain a motion of ions propagating along the axis in a radial direction relative to the axis, and apply a second set of voltages to the electrodes to accelerate the ions out of the pulsing region through the one or more apertures.
US09129788B2
A lens for electron capture dissociation may include: a first electrode and a second electrode spaced apart from each other and arranged along a first direction; and a third electrode and a fourth electrode spaced apart from each other and arranged along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The first electrode and the second electrode may be disposed in a space in which a magnetic field is formed in the first direction and trap electrons. The third electrode and the fourth electrode may be in the form of a flat plate and may apply an electric field to the trapped electrons in the second direction.
US09129781B2
A method of mass spectrometry is disclosed comprising separating ions according to one or more physico-chemical properties. Ions which are onwardly transmitted to a Time of Flight mass analyzer are controlled by attenuating ions which would otherwise be transmitted to the Time of Flight mass analyzer and cause saturation of an ion detector and which have been determined or which are predicted to have a relatively high intensity.
US09129778B2
A fluid distribution member assembly for use in a substrate processing system includes a fluid distribution member having a central portion and a perimeter portion. The fluid distribution member defines at least one slot formed there-through and the at least one slot extends along a non-radial path configured to allow the central portion to expand and rotate with respect to the perimeter portion.
US09129775B2
The present invention has an object to perform specimen charge measurement or focusing at a high speed and with high precision also for a specimen in which fixed charge and induced charge may be mixedly present.As one mode to achieve the object, there are proposed a specimen potential measuring method and a device to implement the method characterized in that when specimen potential information obtained by a first specimen potential measuring device disposed outside a specimen chamber or specimen potential information beforehand obtained is equal to or more than a predetermined threshold value or is more than the threshold value, measurement of specimen potential is selectively conducted by use of a second specimen potential measuring device in the specimen chamber.
US09129771B2
There is provided an emitter structure, a gas ion source including the emitter structure, and a focused ion beam system including the gas ion source. The emitter structure includes a pair of conductive pins which are fixed to a base member, a filament which is connected between the pair of conductive pins, and an emitter which is connected to the filament and has a sharp tip. A supporting member is fixed to the base material, and the emitter is connected to the supporting member.
US09129762B2
There is provided a push switch including an insulating case, a conductive member, a movable electrode and an operating member. The insulating case has a wall portion defining a recess. The conductive member has a first portion embedded into the wall portion and a second portion disposed in the recess as a fixed electrode. The movable electrode is disposed in the recess and is displaced between a first position and a second position. The operating member is moved to displace the movable electrode from the second position to the first position. An anchor member protrudes from the conductive member in a direction not parallel to the direction in which the operating member is moved, and embedded into the wall portion.
US09129754B2
To provide an electrode for a power storage device, which has high reliability and can be miniaturized. To provide a power storage device including the electrode. In the electrode, a stress-relieving layer which relieves internal stress of an active material layer including a whisker is provided over a current collector. By the stress-relieving layer, deformation of the current collector can be suppressed and the productivity of the power storage device can be increased. In addition, the size of the power storage device can be reduced and the reliability thereof can be increased. Graphene may be formed so as to cover the active material layer including a whisker.
US09129749B2
An example includes a capacitor case sealed to retain electrolyte, at least one anode disposed in the capacitor case, the at least one anode comprising a sintered portion disposed on a substrate, an anode conductor coupled to the substrate in electrical communication with the sintered portion, the anode conductor sealingly extending through the capacitor case to an anode terminal disposed on the exterior of the capacitor case with the anode terminal in electrical communication with the sintered portion, a cathode disposed in the capacitor case, a separator disposed between the cathode and the anode and a cathode terminal disposed on an exterior of the capacitor case and in electrical communication with the cathode, with the anode terminal and the cathode terminal electrically isolated from one another.
US09129747B2
A wet electrolytic capacitor that includes a porous anode body containing a dielectric layer, an electrolyte, and a cathode containing a metal substrate on which is disposed a conductive coating is provided. Prior to application of the conductive coating, the metal substrate is blasted with abrasive particles to enhance the ability of the substrate to adhere to the coating. The micro-roughened metal substrate can be treated after blasting so that substantially all of the abrasive particles are removed. This is accomplished by contacting the metal substrate with an extraction solution to remove the particles, and also by selectively controlling the nature of the abrasive particles so that they are dispersible (e.g., soluble) in the solution.
US09129741B2
Embodiments of the invention relate to a method and system for transferring power wirelessly to electronic devices. The system can utilize magnetic coupling between two coils at close proximity to transfer sufficient power to charge an electronic device. Embodiments of the invention pertain to an array of spiral coils that can be used to transmit power for transfer to receiver coils. Potential applications of this technology include charging consumer electronic devices (cell phones, laptops, PDAs, etc), developing hermetically sealed devices for extreme environments, and less invasive transcutaneous energy transfer (TET) systems. Various embodiments of the subject system can be referred to as PowerPad system. Embodiments can incorporate one or more of the following: planar inductors, PCB transformers, and very high frequency power supplies. Embodiments of the invention also pertain to planar inductors having characteristics that allow the production of even magnetic field, as well as systems that incorporate such planar inductors.
US09129740B2
An ignition coil, in particular for an internal combustion engine in a vehicle, is described. The ignition coil includes a housing, a primary winding and a secondary winding, and an electronic component, a highly heat-conducting, electrically insulating, elastic heat-conducting element, which is situated between the electronic component and the housing, and a thermally and electrically insulating casting compound, which is introduced into the housing in order to fill interspaces in the housing, the heat-conducting element touching the electronic component.
US09129737B2
A laminated inductor includes: a laminate having an insulating part constituted by non-magnetic layers, as well as a coil part constituted by conductors positioned between the non-magnetic layers; and external electrodes that are electrically connected to the ends of the coil part and positioned on the exterior surfaces of the laminate; wherein the external electrodes each have a first electrode layer whose primary constituent is Ag, as well as a second electrode layer whose primary constituent is Cu and which is positioned on the outer side of the first electrode layer and has a thickness of 4 μm or more, and the total thickness of the first electrode layer and second electrode layer is 5 μm or more and preferably 10 μm or less.
US09129732B2
The present invention provides a magnetorheological fluid composition and method for forming the same. The magnetorheological fluid composition comprises a carrier fluid and a nano-magnetic-responsive composite dispersed uniformly in the carrier fluid. The nano-magnetic-responsive composite is formed by having carbonyl iron microparticles react with a grafting agent to form a modified carbonyl iron nanoparticles and blending the modified carbonyl iron nanoparticles with acid-treated graphene or carbon nanotubes.
US09129727B2
A layered tape having pockets therein is used as part of a communication cable to improve alien crosstalk attenuation. In one embodiment, a single layered tape has an embossed layer bonded to a matrix tape layer having non-continuous conductive traces, with the resulting layered tape reducing alien crosstalk between cables. Pockets resulting from the embossing are filled with a gas such as dry air to decrease the dielectric constant through the effective thickness of the tape. A layered tape may alternatively be provided as a separate tape from a matrix tape, such that coupling between conductive pairs of the cable and the matrix tape is reduced. Decreasing the dielectric constant of materials between adjacent cables also decreases alien crosstalk coupling between the cables.
US09129726B2
Provided are a rubber composition for a tire which achieves a balanced improvement in tensile properties at break and fuel economy while providing excellent conductivity; and a pneumatic tire including the rubber composition. The present invention relates to a rubber composition for a tire, including: a rubber component; a carbon black having a nitrogen adsorption specific surface area of 20 to 110 m2/g and a DBP oil absorption of 60 to 130 ml/100 g; and a conductive carbon black having a nitrogen adsorption specific surface area of 900 m2/g or larger, a DBP oil absorption of 300 ml/100 g or more, and a volatile content of 0.8% by mass or more, the rubber composition containing 0.1 to 3 parts by mass of the conductive carbon black per 100 parts by mass of the rubber component.
US09129718B2
A X-ray waveguide includes a core for guiding X-rays having a wavelength band in which the real part of refractive index of material is smaller than 1 and a cladding for confining the X-rays in the core. The core has a one-dimensional periodic structure in which a plurality of layers respectively formed of inorganic materials having different real parts of refractive index are periodically laminated. The core and the cladding are configured so that a critical angle for total reflection for the X-rays at an interface between the core and the cladding is larger than a Bragg angle due to a periodicity of the one-dimensional periodic structure. A critical angle for total reflection for the X-rays at an interface between layers in the one-dimensional periodic structure is smaller than the Bragg angle due to the periodicity of the one-dimensional periodic structure.
US09129712B2
A controller including a non-volatile memory to store a repair address, and a memory control unit operatively coupled with the non-volatile memory. The memory control unit comprising a memory test function configured to detect a malfunctioning address of primary data storage elements within a memory device. The memory device being another semiconductor device separate from the controller. The memory test function configured to store the repair address in the non-volatile memory, the repair address indicating the malfunctioning address of the primary data storage element.
US09129697B2
A method of providing an operating voltage in a memory device includes applying a read voltage to a selected word line while applying a first pass voltage to at least one unselected word line among word lines adjacent to the selected word line; and while applying a second pass voltage to the remaining unselected word lines (other than the at least one unselected word line to which the first pass voltage is applied). The level of the first pass voltage is higher than the level of the second pass voltage. The level of the first pass voltage may be set based on the level of the read voltage.
US09129681B2
Disclosed herein are thin film transistors (TFTs) and techniques for fabricating TFTs. A major plane of the gate electrode of the TFT may be vertically oriented with respect to a horizontal layer of polysilicon in which the TFT resides. An interface between the gate electrode and gate dielectric may be vertically oriented with respect to a horizontal layer of polysilicon in which the TFT resides. The TFT may have a channel width that is defined by a thickness of the horizontal layer of polysilicon. The TFT may be formed by etching a hole in a layer of polysilicon. Then, a gate electrode and gate dielectric may be formed in the hole by depositing layers of dielectric and conductor material on the sidewall. The body may be formed in the horizontal layer of polysilicon outside the hole.
US09129678B2
A memory including a memory cell and first and second modules. The memory cell has first and second states, where the second state is different than the first state. The first module, subsequent to an initial forming of the memory cell and subsequent to a read cycle or a write cycle of the memory cell, determines a first difference between the first state and a first predetermined threshold or a second difference between the first state and the second state. The second module, subsequent to the first module determining the first difference or the second difference, reforms the memory cell to reset and increase the first difference or the second difference. The second module, during the reforming of the memory cell, applies a first voltage to the memory cell. The first voltage is greater than a voltage applied to the memory cell during the read cycle or the write cycle.
US09129661B2
A single-port memory that operates in single-cycle dual-port mode has a logical capacity of N=k·m memory words and (k+1) single-port RAM having an overall physical capacity of (k+1)·m memory words. A status register holds words identifying which RAM bank has the last data at the ith address in the RAM banks and defining k status words for valid data among the (k+1) RAM banks. Write data is written to the write address of a valid RAM bank for a write operation in the absence of RAM bank read address contention. Write data is written to the write address of a different RAM bank that has no valid data for a write operation if there is contention with the RAM bank read address RADDR of a read operation. The status register is updated to identify the RAM bank of the write operation.
US09129660B2
Embodiments described herein generally relate to resistive shunt design in a read sensor for providing accurate measurements from an electronic lapping guide (ELG). More specifically, embodiments described herein relate to a transducer resistor shunt structure for low cost probing. A bleed resistor network for a read sensor may comprise one or more first resistors arranged in parallel with one another and a second resistor arranged in series with the one or more first resistors. The resistor arrangement may require a small physical area and reduce or prevent ELG measurement errors.
US09129650B2
A magnetic recording system includes an array of analog inputs operable to receive analog signals retrieved from a magnetic storage medium, a modulator operable to combine the analog signals to yield a frequency division multiplexed signal, a demodulator operable to yield a plurality of demodulated signals from the frequency division multiplexed signal corresponding to each channel of the array, and a joint equalizer operable to filter the plurality of demodulated signals to yield an equalized output.
US09129639B1
A disk clamp that can engage a disk hub to couple a disk media to a disk hub, the disk clamp having a body portion, and a groove formed in a surface of the body portion and extending at least in a circumferential direction substantially parallel to at least a portion of the circumference of the disk clamp; and a balance weight installed in the groove formed in the surface of the disk clamp, the balance weight having a quantity of material applied in the groove. A disk drive assembly using the disk hub and a method of correcting a drive imbalance using the disk hub.
US09129636B2
The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a magnetic recording medium by mounting a substrate for film formation on a carrier, sequentially transporting said substrate into a plurality of connected chambers, and forming at least a magnetic film and a carbon protective film on said substrate for film formation within said chambers, wherein said method comprises a step of conducting ashing to remove an accumulated carbon protective film adhered to a carrier surface, which is performed following a step of removing a magnetic recording medium from said carrier following film formation, but prior to a step of mounting a substrate for film formation on said carrier.
US09129635B2
There are provided a magnetic recording medium and a magnetic memory device capable of implementing high recording density, in the case of using a microwave assisted magnetic recording (MAMR) scheme. In a magnetic memory device including a magnetic recording medium having a recording film with three or more layers, a recording magnetic pole generating a recording magnetic field, an opposed magnetic pole, a high frequency magnetic field generating element generating a microwave for recording assist, and a magnetic reproduction element, an anisotropic field of a first layer which is a top layer of the recording film is larger than 20 kOe.
US09129627B1
A method or system comprises determining a target sector of a write operation in response to a request for the write operation to a band in a storage device, determining a plurality of down-track data sectors in the band, and performing a band rewrite operation on the target data sector and the down-track data sectors.
US09129626B2
Embodiments are directed to an apparatus having an air-bearing surface that is configured to interact with magnetic medium. The apparatus includes a waveguide and a plasmonic near-field transducer positioned at or near the air-bearing surface. The plasmonic near-field transducer is operatively coupled to the waveguide. The plasmonic near-field transducer includes an enlarged region and a peg region. The peg region extends from the enlarged region towards the air-bearing surface. The peg region has at least a portion of a periphery of its cross-sectional shape include curvature or at least one substantially obtuse angle.
US09129623B2
A method for measuring noise of a magnetic head includes setting a plurality of threshold values, applying bias current or voltage to a read element of the magnetic head, applying an external transverse magnetic field to the magnetic head, amplifying output signal from the read element to produce an amplified signal, filtering the amplified signal to produce a filtered signal, generating an enable signal for each threshold value in a predetermined time window by a counting control means with input signals which include the filtered signal and the threshold value, measuring the cumulative time duration of each enable signal, making an amplitude-duration distribution according to the cumulative time durations and the threshold values, calculating a plurality of parameters according to the amplitude-duration distribution and analyzing the parameters with a plurality of predetermined criteria to determine the defects of the magnetic head. Accordingly, the invention also discloses a system for measuring noise of a magnetic head.
US09129617B2
An example magnetic recording apparatus includes a magnetic recording medium, a magnetic recording head and a signal processor. The magnetic recording head includes a first magnetic pole; a second magnetic pole; a spin torque oscillator; a first coil to magnetize the first magnetic pole; and a second coil through which a current is passed independently of the first coil. The signal processor writes and reads a signal on the magnetic recording medium by using the magnetic recording head and includes a first current circuit to supply a recording current to the first coil and a second current circuit to supply a modulating current to the second coil.
US09129615B2
Provided is a tilt adjusting apparatus of an optical disc drive for adjusting a tilt of an optical pickup unit. The tilt adjusting apparatus includes an optical pickup unit moving in a radial direction of the disc, along first and second guide shafts. The tilt adjusting unit also includes a fixing support unit that fixes the first guide shaft and an adjustment supporting unit that supports the second guide shaft and enables the height of both ends of the second guide shaft to be adjusted.
US09129599B2
A method for execution on a server for serving presence information, the method for providing dynamically loaded speech recognition parameters to a speech recognition engine, can be provided. The method can include storing at least one rule for selecting speech recognition parameters, wherein a rule comprises an if-portion including criteria and a then-portion specifying speech recognition parameters that must be used when the criteria is met. The method can further include receiving notice that a speech recognition session has been initiated between a user and the speech recognition engine. The method can further include selecting a first set of speech recognition parameters responsive to executing the at least one rule and providing to the speech recognition engine the first set of speech recognition parameters for performing speech recognition of the user.
US09129594B2
A signal processing apparatus feeding a frame of a signal in frequency domain of a reception voice signal into a sound echo canceler includes a first reception section for receiving frames of the reception voice signal in frequency domain before having a rate-of-speech change process applied; a second reception section for receiving frames of a signal in time domain having the rate-of-speech change process applied by units of frames; and a frequency-domain frame synthesis section for synthesizing a frame of the signal in frequency domain of the reception voice signal based on the signal in time domain having the rate-of-speech change process applied at a frame currently being processed by the signal processing apparatus, and a frame of the reception voice signal in frequency domain corresponding to the signal in time domain having the rate-of-speech change process applied.
US09129592B2
A method and apparatus are provided for processing a received digital radio broadcast signal to efficiently remove signal interference artifacts from digital and/or analog signals by using signal quality information extracted from audio samples in one or more buffered audio frames to detect audio frames containing clipped noise artifacts and weaker noise artifacts and to selectively apply anti-interference processing to remove the signal interference artifacts.
US09129584B2
A user interface implemented on a touch-sensitive display for a virtual musical instrument comprising a plurality of chord touch regions configured in a predetermined sequence, each chord touch region corresponding to a chord in a musical key and being divided into a plurality of separate touch zones, the plurality of chord touch regions defining a predetermined set of chords, where each of the plurality of separate touch zones in each region is associated with one or more preselected MIDI files stored in a computer-readable medium. In some embodiments, the touch zones are configured to provide different harmonic configurations of a base chord associated with the chord touch region. Some harmonic configurations provide progressively wider harmonic ranges across each adjacent touch zone. Other harmonic configurations can provide chords with a progressively higher relative pitch across each adjacent touch zone.
US09129577B2
A display apparatus includes a display panel including a plurality of pixel columns to display an image, wherein each of the pixel columns includes a plurality of pixels arranged in a first direction and sequentially turned-on in the first direction; a gate driver disposed on the display panel and including a plurality of stages connected to the pixels to sequentially apply a gate signal to the pixels, where at least two stages of the stages are disposed adjacent to each other in a second direction different from the first direction; and a data driver which applies a data voltage to the pixels.
US09129576B2
A gate driver and associated method for a double gate liquid crystal display (LCD) is disclosed. A gate driving signal generating circuit, such as coupled shift registers, generates the gate driving signals in response to horizontal synchronization signal. In one embodiment, a phase control circuit, such as logic AND gates, is coupled to receive the outputs of the shift registers for determining phase relationship between the outputs of the shift registers and the horizontal synchronization signal.
US09129575B2
In a liquid crystal display device having a configuration in which one pixel is divided into a plurality of sub-pixels to improve the view angle characteristic, the number of IC chips for driving a panel is reduced more than that in the conventional technique. A gate driver is provided with a first shift register (20A) corresponding to first gate bus lines (GLAi) (i=1 to n), a second shift register (20B) corresponding to second gate bus lines (GLBi), and AND operation circuits (ANDi) each outputting a signal indicating AND between an output signal (QAi) from the first shift register (20A) and an output signal (QBi) from the second shift register (20B). To the first gate bus line (GLAi), the output signal (QAi) from the first shift register (20A) is applied as it is as a scanning signal (GAi). To the second gate bus line (GLBi), an output signal from the AND operation circuit (ANDi) is applied as a scanning signal (GBi).
US09129571B2
A display apparatus and an operation method thereof are provided. The display apparatus includes a display panel. The display panel includes a plurality of data lines, a plurality of scan lines and a plurality of pixels. The pixels are arranged in a matrix manner, and each pixel is electrically connected to one of the data lines and one of the scan lines. The operation method includes steps of: dividing the scan lines into N scan line groups, wherein N is an integer from 2 to the number of the scan lines; and in N frame periods sequentially driving the N scan line groups of scan line respectively and thereby sequentially updating display data of the pixels electrically connected to the N scan line groups of the scan line respectively.
US09129569B2
A liquid crystal display device (100A) according to the present invention includes a plurality of pixels (10) which are arranged in columns and rows to form a matrix pattern. Each of the plurality of pixels (10) includes first and second subpixels (10a, 10b), which are arranged in a column direction, one of which is a bright subpixel that exhibits a higher luminance than the other at least at a particular grayscale, and the other of which is a dark subpixel. The plurality of pixels define a plurality of color display pixels, each of which includes an even number of pixels including first, second, third and fourth pixels (Y, R, G, B) that are arranged in a row direction. In an arbitrary row of pixels, a row of subpixels including the bright subpixels includes the respective bright subpixels of all of the first, second, third and fourth pixels.
US09129560B2
A display device includes: a display panel for displaying frames during an elapse of time; and an emission driver for providing first and second emission power sources to the display panel, wherein: each of the frames comprises a first light emitting period, a light non-emitting period and a second light emitting period according to a time sequence, a difference value between the first and second emission power sources is substantially equal to or greater than a reference value during the first and second light emitting periods, and is less than the reference value during the light non-emitting period, and the difference value between the first and second emission power sources decreases over an elapse of time during the first light emitting period, and increases over an elapse of time during the second light emitting period.
US09129553B2
A display device is disclosed. The display device includes: a pixel array unit and a driving unit which drives the pixel array unit. The pixel array unit includes rows of first scanning lines and second scanning lines, columns of signals, pixels in a matrix state arranged at portions where the scanning lines and the signal lines cross each other and power supply lines and ground lines supplying power to respective pixels. The driving unit includes a first scanner performing line-sequential scanning to pixels by each row by supplying a first control signal to each first scanning line sequentially, a second scanner supplying a second control signal to each second scanning line sequentially so as to correspond to the line-sequential scanning and a signal selector supplying a video signal to rows of signal lines so as to correspond to the line-sequential scanning.
US09129551B2
Disclosed are a driving circuit of a display apparatus and a driving chip, which shuts off the output of image data, in a display apparatus in which a plurality of driving chips is connected to each other in a daisy chain method to correspond to a single display panel, when serial communication of the driving chips is not completed successfully, or when any one of the driving chips is not operated normally, thereby preventing an abnormal screen from being displayed.
US09129550B2
When a device is rotated from a portrait orientation to landscape orientation, or vice versa, the display device rotates the content items within distinct respective content regions of a page template (“slots”) that each appear to stay in their same position with respect to a frame of reference of the display device. While the content regions stay in their same positions, the content within each content region counter-rotates in place to offset the rotation of the display device. Thus, the content within the content regions maintains an orientation with respect to a constant (non-rotating) frame of reference, regardless of the orientation or rotation of the display device. In one embodiment, a slot's position, height, and width in a template in a second orientation are determined from the slot's position, height, and width in the template in a first orientation.
US09129540B2
A flashing beacon may include a signal unit, a control unit associated with the signal unit, a solar panel or collector, and an activation device that may all be mounted or otherwise positioned on a post of a roadway sign. Light units associated with the signal unit may be programmed to flash on and off in a unique wig-wag pattern. Further, a light bar may also be used with the beacon to generate an intense flash of light soon after activation of the beacon as an additional means of grabbing the attention of the operator of a vehicle.
US09129536B2
Embodiments of electronic circuits enable security of sensitive data in a design and manufacturing process that includes multiple parties. An embodiment of an electronic circuit can include a private key embedded within the electronic circuit that is derived from a plurality of components including at least one component known only to the electronic circuit and at least one immutable value cryptographically bound into messages and residing on the electronic circuit, public key generation logic that generates a public key to match the private key, and message signing logic that signs messages with the private key.
US09129527B2
Disclosed is a sound playing system of a cluster which improves a driver's recognition of and quality of sounds played by the cluster. The sound playing system transmits driving information of a vehicle to a driver through the sound played by the cluster, and may include: a micom mounted in the cluster for supervising various controls such as sound control; a sound source chip mounted in the cluster for selecting sound sources according to a command of the micom; and a speaker for generating sound waves by the selected sound sources and outputting a sound. A database of sounds may be stored in the micom, and the micom may transmit information regarding sounds to the sound source chip based on the database so as to control selection of the sound sources.
US09129523B2
A computer-implemented method and system for automatically detecting an obstacle from a moving vehicle using a planar sensor mounted on the vehicle.
US09129522B2
Estimation of traffic speed includes applying data processing functions to determine missing speed information by smoothing spatial and temporal GPS data to achieve an accurate estimation of link speed over all links of a transportation network at all time periods. This estimation of traffic speed uses one link's observed speed information to estimate neighboring links without observed speed information and therefore provides a system and method of processing collected GPS data to obtain a thorough understanding of traffic flow conditions for all represented links without further collection of GPS data. The present invention also provides a framework for analyzing and improving real-time collection of GPS speed data.
US09129521B2
A dynamic runway indicator is displayed overlying a conformal runway for assisting a pilot in completing an approach to landing on a runway. The dynamic runway indicator includes a polygon, that by changing position with respect to the conformal runway, provides advanced instrumentation cues to the pilot for adjusting the aircraft flight path to a normal, or recommended, path to the runway for landing, thereby assisting the pilot to improve the accuracy and safety of the approach and landing.
US09129507B2
A portable electrical apparatus includes a sensor, a micro-controller, and a wireless positioning module. The sensor is configured for sensing a movement of the portable electrical apparatus to generate a sensing signal. The micro-controller is configured for receiving the sensing signal and comparing a threshold value with a sensing value corresponding to the sensing signal. The wireless positioning module is configured for positioning the portable electrical apparatus to generate a plurality of position data corresponding to a location of the portable electrical apparatus. When the sensing value is greater than the threshold value, the micro-controller loads the position data generated within a predetermined period, which is right after the sensing value being greater than the threshold value, compares the loaded position data with each other, and an alarm signal is sent out according to a comparison result.
US09129500B2
An apparatus includes a headset having one or more speaker units. Each speaker unit is configured to provide audio signals to an operator. Each speaker unit includes an ear cuff configured to contact the operator's head. The headset further includes multiple sensors configured to measure one or more characteristics associated with the operator. At least one of the sensors is embedded within at least one ear cuff of at least one speaker unit. The sensors could include an electrocardiography electrode, a skin conductivity probe, pulse oximetry light emitting diodes and photodetectors, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, or a temperature sensor. The apparatus could also include a processing unit configured to analyze audio signals captured by a microphone unit of the headset to identify respiration by the operator or at least one voice characteristic of the operator.
US09129494B2
An alarm device configured to monitor retail merchandise on a retail pusher system is provided. The alarm device includes a triggering mechanism that activates an alarm when retail merchandise is removed from the retail pusher system. The alarm makes store personnel aware that retail merchandise has been removed from a particular pusher system. In certain embodiments of the invention, the alarm device is disposed on a front stop of the retail pusher system. A biasing member of the pusher system biases retail merchandise into a switch of the alarm device. In this configuration, the alarm device may include a plunger switch that activates an alarm when retail merchandise is not biased into the plunger switch.
US09129491B2
The controller of the gaming machine executing processing operations of: (a) determining a magnification of a respective one of plural kinds of colors which are produced in a color displayable manner by means of the multiple color light emitting backlight and then displaying on the display; (b) determining a light emitting color by means of the multiple color light emitting backlight and then controlling light emission in the determined color; and (c) executing a payout of a number which is obtained by multiplying the magnification that corresponds to the color determined in the processing (b), from among the magnifications of the respective colors, the magnifications being determined in the processing (a), for a payment that corresponds to the pattern of the specific symbols.
US09129489B2
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.
US09129488B2
A gaming machine reel having a motor capable of rotating the reel operatively coupled to a controller to control a reel rotation speed, a support mechanism coupled to the motor having an outer circumferential region, a rotatable display mounted on the outer circumferential region operable to rotate about an axis of the reel. The rotatable display may be used to display game play indicia utilized in a wager-based game of chance. A game controller coupled to the rotatable display may be configured to determine a portion of the rotatable display that is visible through a viewing window on the gaming machine at a particular, determine pixel locations associated with the visible portions and map visual content to the visible portions as a function of time while the rotatable display is rotating.
US09129480B2
To provide a gaming machine and a control method therefor, having a new entertainment characteristics, a slot machine 10 of the present invention, when a “BONUS” symbol 250 associated with a pick-up bonus game is selected, receives selection of any one of twenty little pig's noses 210 displayed. Then, a benefit associated with the selected little pig's nose 210 is awarded. When the benefit to be awarded is a “stick house” 218 which means “step-up”, a step-up occurs to the stick house stage and the expectation value for a payout is raised. Thus, when one little pig's nose 210 is selected out of the twenty little pig's noses 210 displayed in the stick house stage, the payout amount of the benefit associated with the little pig's nose 210 is increased.
US09129465B2
Provided is a medium sensing apparatus. The medium sensing apparatus comprises a first frame having a hole in a side surface thereof, a second frame coupled to the first frame, a first sensor mounted on the first frame, a bracket connected to the first sensor, the bracket contacting the second frame, and a shaft disposed on the first sensor or the bracket to pass through the hole, the shaft being movable within the hole.
US09129461B2
A collection, charging and distribution machine collects, charges and distributes portable electrical energy storage devices (e.g., batteries, super- or ultracapacitors). To charge, the machine employs electrical current from an external source, such as the electrical grid or an electrical service of an installation location. The machine determines a first number of devices to be rapidly charged, employing charge from a second number of devices identified to sacrifice charge. Thus, some devices may be concurrently charged via current from the electrical service and current from other devices, to achieve rapid charging of some subset of devices. The devices that sacrifice charge may later be charged. Such may ensure availability of devices for end users.
US09129450B2
A wireless device access system employs short-range wireless communication to require the proximity of a user device to a structure prior to communicating an unlock request. The access system authenticates the unlock request and the proximity of the user to the structure prior to transmitting an unlock command to the structure. Additionally, the wireless device may require the proximity of a user token prior to operation and/or the access system may include an override within the structure blocking any unlock command.
US09129447B2
A method generates an image from a set of image zones each delimited by a contour of polygonal shape defined by a set of vertexes, and comprising pixels having an attribute value which can be deduced from the value of a corresponding attribute of each of the vertexes of the image zone. The method includes determining to within a pixel the pixels that belong to each image zone according to the dimensions in number of pixels of the image to be generated; associating the pixels of each image zone in blocks of pixels; and determining an attribute value for each block of pixels of each image zone as a function of the value of the corresponding attribute of each vertex of the image zone.
US09129446B2
An entertainment device comprises an input, a marker detector and a failure boundary calculation processor. The input is operable to receive a captured image from a video camera. The marker detector is operable to detect a fiduciary marker within the captured image, and is also operable to estimate a distance and angle of the fiduciary marker. The failure boundary calculation processor is operable to calculate at least one of an additional distance and an additional angle from the currently estimated distance and angle of the fiduciary marker at which recognition of the fiduciary marker is assumed to fail.
US09129443B2
A cache-efficient processor and method for rendering indirect illumination using interleaving and sub-image blur. One embodiment of the processor is configured to render an indirect illumination image and includes: (1) a buffer restructurer configured to organize a reflective shadow map (RSM), rendered with respect to a reference point, into a plurality of unique sub-RSMs, each having sub-RSM pixels, (2) an indirect illumination computer configured to employ interleaved sampling on the plurality of unique sub-RSMs to generate a plurality of indirect illumination sub-images, and (3) a filter operable to smooth accumulated light values of the indirect illumination sub-images for subsequent interleaving into the indirect illumination image.
US09129435B2
A method of creating a 3-D model by capturing partial 3-D models each comprising a sequence of 2-D images, analyzing each of the partial 3-D models to identify image features in the sequence of 2-D images of each of the partial 3-D models, identifying pairs of overlapping image features between the 2-D mages of each of the partial 3-D models by identifying image features in each 2-D image in the sequence of 2-D images of each of the partial 3-D models that overlaps image features in 2-D images of the sequence of 2-D images of the other partial 3-D models and selecting a 2-d image from each of the partial 3-D models, computing an initial transformation between 3-D coordinates of individual pairs of identified image features between the selected 2-D image from each of the partial 3-D models; and generating a final 3-D model based on the initial transformation.
US09129426B2
Methods and systems for processing a set of images are described. In accordance with this disclosure, images are registered and an analysis is performed in view of one or more constraints (such as constraints based upon anatomical or physiological considerations). Weighting factors are determined based on the analysis. The weighting factors are used in subsequent processing of the registered (and/or unregistered) images and/or to formulate a visualization that conveys the degree of confidence in the motion estimation used in the registration process.
US09129425B2
Disclosed is a method of reconstructing a multi-dimensional data set representing a dynamic sample at a series of reconstruction instants. The multi-dimensional data set comprises a static component and a dynamic component. The method comprises acquiring a plurality of projection images of the dynamic sample; reconstructing a static component of the multi-dimensional data set from the acquired projection images; acquiring a further plurality of projection images of the dynamic sample; and reconstructing a dynamic component of the multi-dimensional data set at each reconstruction instant from the further plurality of acquired projection images using a priori information about the sample. The multi-dimensional data set is the sum of the static component and the dynamic component at each reconstruction instant.
US09129411B2
A signal processor selects an element from a rendition of a signal at a first level of quality to upsample into multiple elements of a rendition of the signal at a second (higher) level of quality. The signal processor produces a metric based on settings of elements in a vicinity of the selected element in the rendition of the signal at the first level of quality. The metric defines a boundary between a first set of elements in a vicinity of the selected element and a second set of elements in a vicinity of the selected element. The signal processor utilizes the metric to calculate settings for the multiple elements in the signal at the second level of quality. A location and orientation of the boundary with respect to the selected element depends on the settings of elements in the vicinity of the selected element.
US09129404B1
An image of an environment including an object (i.e., object in reality, physical object) can be captured and be displayed by a computing device. The size of an image representation of the object can be determined. Information about a physical size of the object and about a distance between the computing device and the object in the environment can be obtained/determined. A comparison of the size of the image representation of the object and the physical size of the object can be used to calculate a scale for converting between an actual size of a real-world item and a size of the item as displayed. The information about the distance can optionally be used to determine/adjust/modify the scale. A virtual article depicting/representing a real-world article/item/object (i.e., real-world correspondence) can be displayed with the captured image. The virtual article displayed can be scaled to an appropriate size using the scale.
US09129396B2
A display driving architecture that can include two graphics pipelines with an optional connection between them to provide a mirrored mode. In one embodiment, one of the two pipelines can be automatically configured (e.g. routed in one of a plurality of ways, such as routing to do color conversion) based upon the type of cable that is coupled to a connector of the one pipeline. In another embodiment, a connection of a cable can cause display information (e.g. resolutions of an external display) to be provided to an application which can select a display mode while one of the graphics pipelines is kept in a low power state.
US09129395B2
A method for implementing a graphic rendering engine may be provided. In the method, rendering function information of a first graphic processing interface and a second graphic processing interface may be extracted. The first graphic processing interface and the second graphic processing interface may be encapsulated as a graphic rendering engine interface. Member functions of the graphic rendering engine interface may be defined according to the rendering function information. A rendering function corresponding to the member functions may be implemented by calling the first graphic processing interface or the second graphic processing interface with the graphic rendering engine interface.
US09129394B2
Embodiments described herein relate to improving throughput of a CPU and a GPU working in conjunction to render graphics. Time frames for executing CPU and GPU work units are synchronized with a refresh rate of a display. Pending CPU work is performed when a time frame starts (a vsync occurs). When a prior GPU work unit is still executing on the GPU, then a parallel mode is entered. In the parallel mode, some GPU work and some CPU work is performed concurrently. When the parallel mode is exited, for example when there is no CPU work to perform, the parallel mode may be exited.
US09129393B2
An embodiment relates to a method and an image processor for reducing chroma noise in digital-image data. An embodiment performs noise reduction in the color-filter-array domain prior to demosaicing in order to prevent spreading of noise in subsequent stages of the image-processing pipeline. Peaks in the CFA data are attenuated in order to prevent any undesired color cast. Specifically, any correction to a certain pixel is made in accordance with the amplitude of digital gains applied, as well as with the local luminance and the contribution of the current color channel to the local luminance. In this manner, corrections are restricted to image areas that are subject to high digital amplification, that are comparatively dark, and that are not dominated by the current color channel.
US09129385B2
The present invention provides an image processing device, an image processing method and an apparatus so as to improve at least the precision of extracting document corners in image processing performed on an image captured for a document. The image processing device includes: an extracting unit for extracting boundaries of a document in a first direction and roughly-detected document corners, where the first direction is a horizontal direction or a vertical direction of the document image; a determining unit for determining candidate page corners on the boundaries in the first direction around the roughly-detected document corners; and a selecting unit for determining document corners of the document among the candidate page corners. With the foregoing technology of the invention, more precise document corners can be extracted, a better effect of image processing can be obtained, and applications in the field of image processing are possible.
US09129384B2
A medical image processing device includes an input section to which a biological mucous membrane image obtained by picking up an image of a biological mucous membrane is inputted, a region extracting section that extracts a mucous membrane microstructure region corresponding to a mucous membrane microstructure from the inputted biological mucous membrane image, a closed region identifying section that identifies at least one closed region regarded as being surrounded by the mucous membrane microstructure region, and a unit region setting section that sets a biologically histological unit region on the basis of the mucous membrane microstructure region and the closed region.
US09129383B2
A character string detection device for detecting a character string including at least one character in an image has a clustering unit that defines at least one cluster including at least a fixed number of pixel groups having similar colors based on color information included in each pixel configuring the image, a clipping unit that partitions the image into a region of the pixel groups belonging to the cluster defined by the clustering unit and a region of other pixel groups, and generating a clipped image excluding the region of the other pixel groups from the image, and a character string detection unit that detects each character in a detection target character string to be detected so as to detect the detection target character string in the clipped image generated by the clipping unit.
US09129380B2
Long-term understanding of background modeling includes determining first and second dimension gradient model derivatives of image brightness data of an image pixel along respective dimensions of two-dimensional, single channel image brightness data of a static image scene. The determined gradients are averaged with previous determined gradients of the image pixels, and with gradients of neighboring pixels as a function of their respective distances to the image pixel, the averaging generating averaged pixel gradient models for each of a plurality of pixels of the video image data of the static image scene that each have mean values and weight values. Background models for the static image scene are constructed as a function of the averaged pixel gradients and weights, wherein the background model pixels are represented by averaged pixel gradient models having similar orientation and magnitude and weights meeting a threshold weight requirement.
US09129379B2
A method and an apparatus for bilayer image segmentation are described. A set of segmentation seeds for the image is generated by analyzing a depth histogram of the image. Then a segmentation map is generated by minimizing an objective function, which models a directed flow from the foreground segmentation seeds towards the background segmentation seeds.
US09129373B2
A measuring image acquisition means 2 acquires a 3-D measuring image in which a phantom filled with the radioactive material into a necessary part is measured with a SPECT system. A measuring image Fourier transform means 4 operates the 3-D measuring image with the 3-D Fourier transform. An actual image acquisition means 6 acquires a 3-D actual image of the part of the phantom which is filled with the radioactive material. An actual image Fourier transform means 8 operates a 3-D actual image with the 3-D Fourier transform. An error image calculation means 10 divides each Fourier transform value of the 3-D Fourier transform measuring image by each Fourier transform value of the corresponding 3-D Fourier transform actual image and acquires a 3-D Fourier transform error image. A point spread function calculation means 12 operates the 3-D Fourier transform error image with the inverse Fourier transform and determines the point spread function image by calculation. A measurement accuracy processing means 14 calculates the measurement accuracy of the measuring apparatus based on the point spread function image.
US09129370B2
The CT image processor determines the position of the liver in the body of a subject based on CT image. The PET image processor determines the position of the liver in the body of a subject based on PET image. The CT image processor calculates the displacement in the positions of the liver determined by the CT and PET images. The CT image processor extracts the contour of the liver from a CT image. The CT image processor generates a correction CT image by modifying a CT image by moving a CT image to decrease the displacement of the extracted contour in the internal area. The PET image processor performs decrease correction based on the modified CT image.
US09129368B2
The thermal image smoothing method, which is a method for smoothing thermal images produced on the basis of thermal image values measured with a work that has been coated with a black body coating, is provided with a removal process wherein estimated thermal image values are set as values on respective line segments between maximum points and thermal image values that are smaller than the estimated thermal image values are removed from the thermal image values as anomalous thermal image values.
US09129363B2
A method of automatic tooth segmentation, the method executed at least in part on a computer system acquires volume image data for either or both upper and lower jaw regions of a patient and identifies image content for a specified jaw from the acquired volume image data. For the specified jaw, the method estimates average tooth height for teeth within the specified jaw, finds a jaw arch region, detects one or more separation curves between teeth in the jaw arch region, defines an individual tooth sub volume according to the estimated average tooth height and the detected separation curves, segments at least one tooth from within the defined sub-volume, and displays the at least one segmented tooth.
US09129353B2
In a scanning electron microscope, if a failure is caused to occur in a SEM image by the influence of a disturbance such as magnetic field or vibration inside and from outside the device, the cause is identified simply and accurately using this SEM image. There is provided a measurement technique whose measurement accuracy is not influenced by a roughness of SEM image pattern. A one-dimensional scanning is performed in a scanning-line direction (X direction) by setting the Y-direction scanning gain at zero at the time of acquiring the SEM image, and a two-dimensional image is created by arranging image information, which is obtained by the scanning, in a time-series manner in the Y direction. A shift-amount data on the two-dimensional image is acquired using a correlation function, and the magnetic field or vibration included within the SEM image is measured by a frequency analysis of the data.
US09129338B2
A social networking system leverages information obtained regarding user interactions with applications hosted through the social networking system as well as information obtained regarding purchases of application-related digital items and digital currencies to provide insight into user behavior. The social networking system can use these insights to enhance the user's experience of the applications, purchases, and the social networking system generally. For example, the social networking system can customize transaction flows, provide credit referrals, and provide users with aggregated yet personally tailored sales information.
US09129335B1
Disclosed are various embodiments for localization of merchant data. A computing device provides at least one localization option to a merchant, where the localization option relates to an offer listing associated with an item. A localization request is obtained from the merchant relating to the offer listing, and the content contained in the offer listing is parsed. Based at least in part on the localization request, the content is translated to generate a localized offer listing.
US09129331B2
A method and system for making a requisition for one or more items including providing a requisition module written as a service, using the requisition module to place one or more orders for one or more items, and monitoring the status of the one or more orders or the one or more items. When one or more orders is placed by a user of the module, an instant message or an email is provided to the user, wherein the instant message or email specifies the status of the one or more orders to the user.
US09129327B1
Provided are computer systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable medium configured for analyzing and using screenshots. The analysis and use can entail receiving a screenshot comprising identifying information of a merchandise, retrieving a candidate merchandise, offered for sale by a vendor, which candidate merchandise is a potential match to the merchandise according to the identifying information; and displaying the candidate merchandise.
US09129324B2
A social platform ecommerce system, method and computer-readable medium to engage in real-time communication through real time announcements or blogging are provided. The social platform ecommerce system, method and computer-readable medium may include a selling module for implementing social selling and determining a preferred selling method for an item, and a shipping module for determining the preferred method of shipping and the cost of shipping an item to a location designated by a buyer. Such methods and systems are socially conscious and may further include a giving application for providing a charitable contribution. A fraud checking module may also be included to check for, determine and prevent fraud by interrupting the sale and shipping process to ensure both the buyer and seller are protected during the ecommerce transaction.
US09129320B2
A consumer payment control system receives a request to increase a stored value of the consumer account by a credit value, transmits a funding request to a consumer account funding infrastructure, the funding request including a credit value, and increases a stored value of the consumer account by the credit value. A communication and routing module receives a charge request, including an amount and identifies a selected one of the consumer accounts. A transaction processing system processes the charge request based on an account detail of the selected consumer account. The consumer payment control system determines whether a top-up confirmation has been received from the consumer account funding infrastructure after a predetermined period of time, and causes charging of the consumer account if the top-up confirmation has not been received.
US09129317B2
A system and method in accordance with exemplary embodiments may include receiving, from a seller system, seller classified profile information via a network, receiving, from a buyer system, buyer classified profile information via the network, receiving, from a Global Positioning System (GPS) enabled device associated with a buyer, polling information via the network, matching the buyer classified profile information to the seller classified profile information in response to receiving the polling information based on at least one of the seller classified profile information, the buyer classified profile information, and the polling information, and transmitting a notification of the match to the Global Positioning System (GPS) enabled device via the network.
US09129316B2
Receiving from a wireless electronic device, positioning data indicating that the wireless electronic device is within a predetermined range of a particular geographical location that is of a type authorized to service a device is disclosed. A current condition of the device may also be provided. Triggering a new location sensitive trigger event based on the current condition of the device indicating the device needs to be serviced and the positioning data indicating that the wireless electronic device is within the predetermined range of the particular geographical location is also disclosed.
US09129315B2
A bill folder for providing a user with relevant information when paying for a service such as in a restaurant, hotel, etc., in which said bill folder comprises a first portion that has a coating and one or more holding elements, and a second portion that has a coating and one or more holding elements, in which both portions are joined by an intermediate hinged portion that forms a spine. The first portion contains a first enclosure and includes at least one visual device, and the first enclosure contains a motherboard, the second portion contains a second enclosure, in which the at least one visual device is able to display dynamic information obtained from a content updating system. The present invention overcomes the technical problem of integrating an information content updating system dynamically and in a manner suitable to all locations, orders, levels and types of service.
US09129314B1
A system and method for communicating between a mobile communication device and a venue apparatus is disclosed herein. The system comprises a mobile communication device, a venue apparatus, and a wireless local area network (WLAN) for a venue. The venue apparatus comprises a beacon for transmitting low energy BLUETOOTH transmissions. The mobile application is configured to verify a transmission from the venue apparatus in a registry when the mobile communication device is within three feet of the venue apparatus.
US09129308B2
The present invention provides method and system for associating an advertisement with one or more content on Internet. The method comprising gathering one or more feeds associated with the one or more content from a plurality of content. The method further comprises categorizing the one or more content into at least one general web-based category belonging to a set of general web-based categories based on the one or more feeds. Thereafter, the set of general web-based categories is translated to a set of pre-defined categories, such that one or more general web-based categories are translated to a pre-defined category. Finally, the advertisement is associated with the one or more content in one or more pre-defined categories based on at least one predetermined criterion.
US09129307B2
Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for commercial transactions for the sale of images carried out over short-range wireless transmissions. In one embodiment, the transaction may be initiated by a vendor (e.g., a professional photographer), who transmits a wireless signal including an offer for sale of an image. A customer wishing to purchase the image responds by sending a wireless signal including an acceptance of the offer. In another embodiment, the transaction may be initiated by a customer, who transmits a wireless signal including a request for an image to be fulfilled by a vendor. A vendor agreeing to supply the image responds by sending a wireless signal including an acceptance of the request. By offering the images to customers who are in close proximity to the image capture, the vendor may increase the likelihood that the images will be purchased.
US09129304B2
In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method comprises: receiving, by a social networking system, location information for a device associated with a first user of the social networking system; associating the location information with the first user in a user profile associated with the first user of the social networking system; sending, from the social networking system, to a second user a communication generated based at least in part on the location information.
US09129299B1
Computerized systems and methods compute performance metrics for a sourcing department of a firm that measure the value-added from sourcing-related activities. Evaluation of the firm's sourcing department with the metrics should drive behaviors that optimize performance across the firm's entire sourcing portfolio. The new performance metrics include several metrics that isolate the impact of price changes and quantity changes on the overall run-rate of sourcing contracts, and several that measure of the attribution of run-rate impacts to both the sourcing department and the relevant business units. Other new metrics measure the changes in run-rate that are expected from and uncorrelated to, respectively, changes in market prices. The performance metrics can be aggregated across an expense category (or categories) and/or vendor (or vendors) to enhance expense management analytics.
US09129291B2
Methods for personalized sound management are provided. A module comprising hardware and software is provided to manufacturers to build a device. A process is architected for remote enabling of a device with personalized sound management applications. Consumers select applications for managing their sound environment through purchased and subscription hardware and applications via a web environment. All products developed by manufacturers are tested and certified running the personalized sound management applications. Manufacturers and consumers may both be covered under liability insurance. Users may remotely purchase, update hardware, and add and download subscription based applications through the web environment.
US09129289B2
The invention relates to methods and systems for receiving, processing and fulfilling remotely placed orders. In one aspect, requests to place an order are received from a remote location, and based on a customer identifier included in the request, customer preference data is retrieved. An electronic selection menu based on customer preference data is transmitted to the customer, the order is received and prepared. The customer's arrival is automatically detected, and the completed order is provided to the customer.
US09129287B2
A system and method for gathering data for detecting fraudulent transactions includes, in one embodiment, a web page that contains a fraud data gathering script and causes a client device to download a fraud detection applet. The fraud data gathering script causes the client device to collect information from the client device that is usable to identify the client device. The fraud detection applet causes the client device to connect to an identification echo service server to obtain the actual IP address of the client device. The fraud detection data, including the identifying information and the actual IP address, are then sent to a web server and/or a fraud data gathering server for further processing and to determine whether a transaction with the client device is likely to be fraudulent.
US09129284B2
A method for authorizing recurring transaction according to one embodiment includes receiving a defined payment amount associated with a user or entity. Additionally, the method includes receiving a first code associated with a first predetermined currency value, where the first code is also associated with the user or entity. Furthermore, the method includes verifying an availability of funds to pay the defined payment amount and authorizing payment of the defined payment amount if funds are available to pay the defined payment amount. Further still, the method includes generating a new code associated with a new predetermined currency value, and sending the new code to a sender of the defined payment amount.
US09129282B2
The present disclosure provides a terminal comprising: a socket configured to receive a security module; an NFC (Near Field Communication) unit configured to communicate with an external reader or another terminal; and a protocol identifying unit configured to supply a voltage to the security module and to identify whether the security module supports a first protocol by transmitting a signal for using the first protocol through a first contact of the security module and receiving from the security module a first information associated with a protocol supported by the security module, wherein the terminal additionally receives a second information associated with the protocol supported by the security module through a second contact of the security module, and wherein the NFC unit receives a information from the security module through the first contact based on the first protocol identified by the protocol identifying unit, and transmits the received information to the external reader or another terminal.
US09129281B2
A method is disclosed. The method includes receiving transaction data in an authorization request message from an access device, where the transaction data is associated with a merchant and a transaction location. The method also includes analyzing the transaction data to determine if a location database comprises location data corresponding to the merchant associated with the transaction data, and adding the transaction location and information regarding the access device to the location database.
US09129280B2
A smart card usable in magnetic stripe swipe transactions with a transaction terminal configured to read transaction information encoded on a magnetic stripe of a standard transaction card includes a card body, which includes a magnetic stripe emulator for use with the transaction terminal, a smart card chip programmed with at least one transaction application for providing secured data for use in a transaction and dynamic card verification data, a power supply, and a card controller in communication with the magnetic stripe emulator. The card controller is configured to receive the dynamic card verification data and control the magnetic stripe emulator to emit a magnetic field encoded with at least a portion of the secured data and the dynamic card verification data.
US09129270B2
Universal cards are used in place of all the other traditional cards which a person may want to carry. The universal card can include a short range communications transceiver to communicate with a mobile device. The mobile device can include a user interface and an e-wallet application so that the user can interface with the e-wallet application for programming the universal card via the short range communication link. Once programmed, the universal card emulates a function of a traditional card.
US09129267B2
Project management systems and methods to streamline project planning, task management, time management, and other similar applications. The method includes filing a request to start a project on a project management system. The method further includes receiving notice that role handlers have been assigned to a plurality of tasks required to complete the project. The method further includes performing at least one task of the plurality of tasks. The method further includes receiving notice that the at least one task has been reviewed by at least one of the assigned role handlers.
US09129266B2
Automated notification and acceptance/rejection of appointment or opening in a calendar/schedule via network-based systems and methods, including application over social networks and website based connection between users and service providers.
US09129261B2
The present invention has an object to enrich expression of contents of an e-mail message. In a mobile phone (1), text data (TxD) is input, and a 3D authoring operation is carried out. The text data (TxD) and 3D authoring instruction data (DD) are transmitted from the mobile phone (1) to a server (3), and then, scenario data (SD) which is control information about 3D graphics is generated in the server (3). The text data (TxD) and scenario data (SD) are stored in the server (3) as 3D message information (MD). When access information to the 3D message information (MD) is notified from the mobile phone (1) to a mobile phone (2), the mobile phone (2) makes access to the server (3) to download the 3D message information (MD) and a necessary 3D font. 3D character mail is thereby reproduced in the mobile phone (2).
US09129251B2
Examples of a rail-mounted robotic inventory system are provided. The system includes a rail-mounted robot having an electronic tag reader configured to receive electronic tag data from electronic tags associated with inventory items. The system can include a navigation module configured to direct the rail-mounted robot along a rail through an inventory area, detect obstacles, and determine a position of the rail-mounted robot within the inventory area. The system can include an inventory identification module configured to receive the electronic tag data from the rail-mounted robot and identify and/or locate the inventory items in the inventory area based at least partly on the electronic tag data.
US09129250B1
Some examples include using an inventory tracking device to track the addition of inventory items to an inventory holder of an inventory system or removal of inventory items from the inventory holder. The inventory holder may include one or more trays to store one or more inventory items, with each tray including one or more bins that may be defined by dividers on the tray. The inventory tracking device may use inventory holder configuration data that identifies locations of the bins to determine that the inventory item was added to or removed from a particular bin of the inventory holder.
US09129249B2
The subject disclosure provides systems and methods for enhancing a purchasing experience by enabling a purchaser to receive a variety of real-time updates or recommendations regarding products that the purchaser, such as a user, may need or intend to purchase. A recommendation provided by the system may be based upon comparing the product with a plurality of sources. The recommendation may include a recommendation that a product may near depletion and thus may need to be replaced, a recommendation that the user may already have a sufficient amount or number of the product, a recommendation that the product may or may not match an existing item owned by the user, or a recommendation not to purchase a product. A virtual closet may also be created according the systems and methods of the subject disclosure, allowing users and contacts selected by the user to collaborate on products.
US09129231B2
The claimed subject matter relates to an architecture that can facilitate analysis, processing, or reporting in connection with energy consumption data and/or emissions or sustainability factors associated with an automation process. In particular, the architecture can obtain process-level or machine- or device-level energy consumption data collected during execution of an automation process. The data can be analyzed or processed, with general or application-specific results output to a specified recipient and/or formatted (e.g., parsed, filtered, or transformed) according to a general or application-specific scheme.
US09129230B2
A system, method, and device comprising a virtual badge are disclosed. A virtual badge can be displayed on a cell phone or in another linked portable device, and for security purposes, has images which can be scanned, and the capability to alternate colors and/or self-destruct on a pre-set schedule. Whether for after a disaster or for daily use, the system uses cell phones or mobile devices loaded with specialized software. Using plugin technologies, the system optionally can enable field collected photos and notes on customizable forms to be mapped, tracked, and time/date stamped—including in a 100% disconnected environment. A modifiable virtual badge can aid in inventory, accountability, organization, and efficiency. The system can be employed by the “Whole Community”—citizens, businesses, not-for-profits, and government agencies—for social media, business, cleanup, insurance adjusters, or personnel focused on day to day operations or on mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.
US09129224B2
Increasing the energy scale of a quantum processor improves its performance. Energy scale of a quantum processor may be increased by increasing the coupling strength of communicatively coupled superconducting devices comprised in the quantum processor. Configuring the physical dimensions of communicatively coupled superconducting devices such that an intentional direct coupling is induced between a pair of superconducting devices communicatively coupled by a coupling device may controllably add an additional mutual inductance to the mutual inductance of the pair of superconducting devices. Furthermore, reducing the beta parameter of a coupling device may improve the tunability of the coupling device. The combined effects of improved tunability of the coupling devices and the increased coupling strength between superconducting devices communicatively coupled by respective coupling devices comprised in the quantum processor may thus improve the performance of the quantum processor.
US09129221B2
In one approach, spiking neurons receive sensory stimulus and context signal that correspond to the same context. When the stimulus provides sufficient excitation, neurons generate response. Context connections are adjusted according to inverse spike-timing dependent plasticity. When the context signal precedes the post synaptic spike, context synaptic connections are depressed. Conversely, whenever the context signal follows the post synaptic spike, the connections are potentiated. The inverse STDP connection adjustment ensures precise control of feedback-induced firing, eliminates runaway positive feedback loops, and enables self-stabilizing network operation. In another aspect, the connection adjustment methodology facilitates robust context switching when processing visual information. When a context (such an object) becomes intermittently absent, prior context connection potentiation enables firing for a period of time. If the object remains absent, the connection becomes depressed thereby preventing further firing.
US09129219B1
A computer-based crime risk forecasting system and corresponding method are provided for generating crime risk forecasts and conveying the forecasts to a user. With the conveyed forecasts, the user can more effectively gauge both the level of increased crime threat and its potential duration. The user can then leverage the information conveyed by the forecasts to take a more proactive approach to law enforcement in the affected areas during the period of increased crime threat.
US09129202B2
The present invention relates to a device for automated and secure fuel delivery authorization and in particular, to such a device in which fuel delivery authorization device comprises a vehicle RFID tag disposed on the filler neck of a vehicle having a simplified installation process.
US09129200B2
A system for protecting radio frequency (RF) communications and related techniques includes generating masking signals at an RF device such as a radio frequency identification (RFID) card.
US09129196B2
An image capturing device includes: a housing; a reference pattern used for color measurement and arranged in the housing; an image capturing element that captures an image of the reference pattern in a first area and an image of an object in a second area of the image capturing area; an image forming element causing the image of the reference pattern and the image of the object to be formed on the image capturing element by being arranged on a first optical path between the image capturing element and the reference pattern and a second optical path between the image capturing element and the object; and an optical member that guides any one of the images of the reference pattern and the object formed by the image forming element so that the images are to be formed on an element surface of the image capturing element.
US09129184B2
An image processor includes an image degradation measuring unit configured to compute a degradation level of block data with respect to each of blocks within an image, a degradation determining unit configured to select, with respect to each of the blocks within the image, the block data of a target block of one of a plurality of the images based on degradation levels of respective block data of the target blocks of the plurality of the images, and an image synthesis unit configured to generate a sheet of an image by synthesizing the block data selected with respect to the blocks within the image.
US09129179B1
Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for identifying objects within images. Analysis are performed, comparing metadata, tags, and similarity of images, to determine trends and similarity. Based on these trends and similarities, metadata and tags are copied and generated, with the associated images then being more closely associated with one another. These images can then be organized in more meaningful and useful formats. The associated objects can also be used to provide a user with information about an object located in an image provided by a user, where the information can include location, pricing, availability, or other such information that can be determined from the metadata, tags, and other information associated with the images.
US09129176B2
An optical code scanner is presented for assembling an image of a document from multiple images captured by the optical code scanner. A document is presented to the optical code scanner which captures multiple images where each image includes only a portion of the document. Once every part of the document has been captured in at least one image, the optical code scanner processes the images to generate a single image of the entire document.
US09129174B2
A mobile unit (MU) is described. The MU includes a handle configured for gripping the MU with fingers of one hand of a user's arm. The MU includes a trigger switch positioned on the handle and configured to activate a data capture function of the MU when the trigger switch is depressed. The MU includes a display device positioned above the handle of the MU such that the display device is viewable to the user when the fingers grip the handle of the MU and the user's arm is maximally extended. The MU includes a data acquisition device located on an opposite side of the display device so as to capture data from an object positioned in a field of view of the data acquisition device when the trigger switch is depressed.
US09129167B2
An electronic baggage tag is self-reliant and self-regulating and provides the underlying foundation for a baggage tracking and management system, the center of which operates one or more tag service provider servers. The tag is attached to a baggage and is loaded with various data, including passenger itinerary, GPS data, and journey profile data. The tag has sensors, such for detecting different vibrations, electro-magnetic sensor, GPS, and others. As the baggage to which the tag is attached goes on its journey, the sensors detect stimuli and ascertain where in the journey the baggage is and use itinerary and other data to determine where the baggage should be. The tag service provider server communicates with the tag at various stages in the journey, providing up-to-date itinerary data to the tag. The tag automatically shuts off to be compliant with government regulations for devices in flight.
US09129165B2
An RFID tag reader is disclosed that includes a signal intensity obtaining part configured to obtain signal intensities of a first RFID tag and a second RFID tag that are read at plural read processes, a read-number obtaining part configured to obtain a number of RFID tags, among the first and the second RFID tags, that are read at the same read process, a processing part configured to weight the signal intensity of the first RFID tag obtained by the signal intensity obtaining part based on the number obtained at the corresponding read process, and a selecting part configured to select a read result of the first RFID tag based on the signal intensity of the first RFID tag weighted by the processing part.
US09129155B2
Systems and methods for initializing motion tracking of human hands within bounded regions are disclosed. One embodiment includes: a processor; reference and alternate view cameras; and memory containing a plurality of templates that are rotated and scaled versions of a base template. In addition, a hand tracking application configures the processor to: obtain reference and alternate view frames of video data; generate a depth map; identify at least one bounded region within the reference frame of video data containing pixels having distances from the reference camera that are within a specific range of distances; determine whether any of the pixels within the at least one bounded region are part of a human hand; track the motion of the part of the human hand in a sequence of frames of video data obtained from the reference camera; and confirm that the tracked motion corresponds to a predetermined initialization gesture.
US09129154B2
Provided is a gesture recognition apparatus. The gesture recognition apparatus includes a human detection unit, a gesture region setting region, an arm detection unit and a gesture determination unit. The human detection unit detects a face region of a user from an input image. The gesture region setting unit sets a gesture region, in which a gesture of the user's arm occurs, with respect to the detected face region. The arm detection unit detects an arm region of the user in the gesture region. The gesture determination unit analyzes a position, moving directionality and shape information of the arm region in the gesture region to determine a target gesture of the user. Such a gesture recognition apparatus may be used as a useful means for a human-robot interaction in a long distance where a robot has difficulty in recognizing a user's voice.
US09129152B2
In an example embodiment, for each of the image exemplars, a first location offset between an actual landmark location for a first landmark in the image exemplar and a predicted landmark location for the first landmark in the image exemplar is determined. Then, a probability that the image recognition process applied using the first feature produces an accurate identification of the first landmark in the image exemplars is determined based on the first location offsets for each of the image exemplars. A weight may then be assigned to the first feature based on the derived probability. An image recognition process may then be performed on an image, the image recognition process utilizing a voting process, for each of one or more features, for one or more landmarks in the plurality of image exemplars, the voting process for the first feature weighted according to the weight assigned to the first feature.
US09129145B2
An identification apparatus includes a classification unit that determines two or more classes into which input biometric data is classified out of a plurality of classes based on features of the input biometric data, where a plurality of items of registered biometric data have been classified into at least one of the plurality of classes, a calculation unit that calculates similarity between the input biometric data and each item of the registered biometric data registered in each of the two or more classes into which the input biometric data is classified, and an identification unit that identifies data on a user who has entered the input biometric data among the registered biometric data registered in any of the two or more classes into which the input biometric data is classified, based on the similarity to the input biometric data.
US09129144B2
Disclosed is radio frequency identification (RFID) middleware system and method of detecting the load of reader connections occurs during the middleware is running and balancing the load in real-time so as to minimize a decrease of the performance of the RFID middleware system. The RFID middleware system comprises: a client; a RFID middleware; RFID readers; and RFID tags, wherein the RFID middleware comprises: a middleware engine which filters tag events collected according to queries registered in the client; and a reader framework which detects the load of the connections of the RFID readers occurs while the RFID middleware is running and balances the load in real-time.
