US09253963B2

Described herein is a marking system for marking animals. The marking system comprises a restraining device, a controller, and a robot assembly wherein the robot assembly comprises a robotic arm, a marking device attached thereto, and one or more actuators for manipulating the robotic arm and marking with the marking device; the robot assembly and the restraining device are positioned in a fixed manner relative to one another; the restraining device is sized and configured for restraining an animal or animal body part thereof and oriented such that the marking device can make a mark on a substrate portion of the animal body part; and the controller is configured to control the position of the marking device and to make a mark on the substrate portion of the animal body part by actuating the one or more actuators. Also described herein are media transfer assemblies and animal restraints.
US09253961B2

Composite particles and methods for making the same. An absorbent material is formed into a particle. An optional performance-enhancing active is coupled to the absorbent material before, during, or after the particle-forming process, homogeneously and/or in layers. Additionally, the composite absorbent particle may include a core material. Preferred methods for creating the absorbent particles include a pan agglomeration process, a high shear agglomeration process, a low shear agglomeration process, a high pressure agglomeration process, a low pressure agglomeration process, a rotary drum agglomeration process, a mix muller process, a roll press compaction process, a pin mixer process, a batch tumble blending mixer process, an extrusion process, and a fluid bed process.
US09253959B2

A robotic attacher retrieves cups from the left side of an equipment area located behind a dairy livestock and attaches the cups to the teats of the dairy livestock in sequence. The sequence comprises attaching a first cup to the left front teat, a second cup to the right front teat, a third cup to the left rear teat, and a fourth cup to the right rear teat.
US09253957B2

A novel maize variety designated PH1M77 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PH1M77 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH1M77 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. Hybrid maize seed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the variety PH1M77 or a locus conversion of PH1M77 with another maize variety.
US09253956B2

A novel maize variety designated PH1V69 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PH1V69 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH1V69 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. Hybrid maize seed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the variety PH1V69 or a locus conversion of PH1V69 with another maize variety.
US09258934B2

An in-vehicle electronic device is provided which can ensure resistance to static electricity for the in-vehicle electronic device covered with a resin case, is more downsized smaller in the number of components, and inexpensive. An in-vehicle electronic device 43 includes: a resin housing (resin case) 5; a control board 7 that is covered with the housing, and accommodated within the housing a battery harness 27 that is a power wiring which supplies power to the control board; a signal harness 31 that is an input/output signal wiring that transmits an input/output signal to the control board; and a metal bracket 1 that fixes the resin housing to a vehicle main body. In the device, a distance between a projection 35 of the metal bracket 1 and the battery harness 27 is set to be shorter than a distance between the projection 25 of the metal bracket 1 and the signal harness 31 to form a discharge gap 33.
US09258927B2

A heat transfer arrangement for heat exchange between an inside of an electronic component housing and an ambient environment. The heat transfer arrangement comprises a refrigerant circuit with an evaporator a condenser and conduits (202). A refrigerant is arranged to self-circulate in a refrigerant flow in the refrigerant circuit. A flow control device (124) comprises a movable member (206) adapted to control the refrigerant flow. The movable member (206) affects a through flow area of one of the conduits (202). The movable member (206) is adapted to move in response to a pressure change inside the refrigerant circuit by being affected from a first side by a refrigerant pressure inside the refrigerant circuit and from a second side by a spring force such that the refrigerant flow is changed.
US09258921B1

This disclosure relates to systems and methods for securing a port component of a user that receives a connection component to a remote device. The port component may be secured by a docking component that may include compressible features that apply a force to the port component to insure proper alignment or orientation to receive the connection component.
US09258918B2

A housing concept for integrated control electronics, comprising a housing bottom, a circuit carrier populated with electronic components of the central control electronics, and a signal and current distribution component as the electric connection between the central control electronics and peripheral components. The housing bottom is configured in the shape of a basin, the circuit carrier for the electronic components of the central control electronics being disposed therein such that the same can be electrically connected on at least one upwardly curved edge region to the signal and current distribution component disposed above the same via contact points, and wherein the housing bottom may also be connected circumferentially to the signal and current distribution component.
US09258915B2

A hidden handle module is adapted to a tray accommodated in a chassis. The hidden handle module includes a shaft, a handle, and first and second elastic components. The shaft is pivoted on the tray and interfered with the chassis to stop the tray moving out of the chassis. The handle is pivoted on the shaft and stopped in the tray by a stopping portion of the tray to limit the position of the shaft. The first elastic component is disposed in the tray and stops the handle moving away from the stopping portion. The second elastic portion is connected between the shaft and the tray. When the handle resists elastic force of the first elastic component and moves away from the stopping portion, the handle protrudes out of the tray by elastic force of the second elastic component, and the shaft rotates to be released by the chassis.
US09258906B2

An electronic device may be provided with electronic device structures such as housing structures, antenna structures, printed circuits, and structures associated with electrical components. The structures may be attached to each other using adhesive. A liquid pressure sensitive adhesive precursor material is deposited onto one or more surfaces of structures to be bonded. Light or heat can be applied to cure the liquid adhesive material and form pressure sensitive adhesive layers. During curing, chemical bonds are formed between the adhesive material and the structures. Assembly equipment may press the structures together to form pressure sensitive adhesive bonds that can be reworked without disturbing the chemically bonded portions of the adhesive material. The pressure sensitive adhesive may include conductive particles for forming conductive paths.
US09258901B2

A microcircuit deposition system incorporates a first printing engine for depositing a dielectric on a substrate. A microwire spooling machine houses a microwire spool and incorporates a tension guide to position a microwire trace onto the dielectric layer. A second printing engine trails the microwire spooling machine to deposit a covering dielectric layer over the microwire trace.
US09258896B2

A multilayer ceramic capacitor may have low equivalent series inductance (ESL), in which via electrodes are opposed to each other diagonally and be off-centered from positions corresponding to center points of external electrodes, so that a distance between the via electrodes is significantly reduced and a current path is reduced.
US09258893B2

There is provided a multilayer ceramic electronic part including: a ceramic body including dielectric layers; an active layer including a plurality of first and second internal electrodes formed to be alternately exposed to both end surfaces of the ceramic body; upper and lower cover layers formed on upper and lower portions of the active layer; and first and second external electrodes formed on both end portions of the ceramic body, wherein the first external electrode includes a first base electrode, a first conductive layer formed on the first base electrode at a corner portion of the ceramic body, and the second external electrode includes a second base electrode, a second conductive layer formed on the second base electrode at a corner portion of the ceramic body, the first and second conductive layers being positioned outside the active layer in a thickness direction of the ceramic body.
US09258891B2

Provided is a prepreg suffering little resin particle fall-off and little resin peeling during prepreg production and during handling in order to have excellent dielectric properties for PPE and favorable adhesiveness. A PPE-containing prepreg constituted of a base material and a curable resin composition including PPE particles, wherein the prepreg is characterized in that (1) PPE extracted from the prepreg using a mixed solvent of toluene and methanol in a mass ratio of 95:5 includes PPE particles (A) insoluble in the mixed solvent, (2) the amount of PPE contained in the PPE particles (A) is 70 mass % or higher, and (3) the number-average molecular weight of the PPE contained in the PPE particles (A) is 8,000-40,000.
US09258889B2

Provided are a conductive structure including a) a base, b) a conductive pattern provided on at least one side of the base, and c) a darkening layer provided on the upper surface and lower surface of the conductive pattern, provided on at least a part of the side of the conductive pattern, and provided in an area corresponding to the conductive pattern area, and a touch panel including the same and a manufacturing method thereof.
US09258888B2

A printed circuit board package structure includes a substrate having a first surface and a second surface, a ring-shaped magnetic element, an adhesive layer, conductive portions and conductive channels. The first and second surfaces respectively have first and second metal portions. A ring-shaped concave portion is formed on a position not covered by the first metal portions of the first surface. The ring-shaped magnetic element is placed in the ring-shaped concave portion. The adhesive layer covers the first metal portions and the ring-shaped magnetic element. The conductive portions are formed on the adhesive layer. The conductive channels penetrate the conductive portions, the adhesive layer, and the substrate, and are respectively located in an inner wall and outside an outer wall of the ring-shaped concave portion. Each of the conductive channels includes a conductive film electrically connects to the aligned conductive portion and second metal portion.
US09258882B2

An electronic device may include at least one power component and a printed circuit board. The at least one power component may include a main body and a lead. The printed circuit board may include at least two conductive layers parallel to a plane. The printed circuit board may further include a mounting element and a conductor. The mounting element may include first conductive tubes. The conductor may include second conductive tubes. The first conductive tubes and the second conductive tubes may elongate through a thickness of the printed circuit board along a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane. The main body of the at least one power component may be fixed to the mounting element. The lead of the at least one power component may be fixed to the conductor.
US09258880B2

A layer or layers for use in package substrates and die spacers are described. The layer or layers include a plurality of ceramic wells lying within a plane and separated by metallic vias. Recesses within the ceramic wells are occupied by a dielectric filler material.
US09258865B2

An LED lighting device includes multiple luminescent devices driven by a rectified AC voltage. The multiple luminescent devices are turned on flexibly in a multi-stage driving scheme using multiple current control units. At least one charge storage unit is coupled in parallel with at least one luminescent device. When the rectified AC voltage is still insufficient to turn on the at least one luminescent device, the at least charge storage unit is configured to discharge energy to the at least one luminescent device, thereby keeping the at least one luminescent device turned on.
US09258862B2

A light emitting diode (LED) backlight driving circuit includes an LED light bar, a power supply that drives the LED light bar to light, a short-circuit protection unit, and a divider resistor. An output end of the LED light bar is coupled to the short-circuit protection unit and the divider resistor. The short-circuit protection unit includes a comparing unit and a driving unit coupled to the comparing unit. Voltage of two ends of the divider resistor is regarded as a feedback voltage, and the feedback voltage and a first reference voltage are input to the comparing unit. When a difference value of the first reference voltage subtracted from the feedback voltage is greater than a preset deviation value, the driving unit controls the power supply to turn off. When brightness of one normal LED light bars reaches a maximum, the first reference voltage is greater than or equal to voltage of two ends of the divider resistor corresponding to the one normal LED light bar.
US09258860B2

A load driving apparatus relating to light-emitting-diodes (LEDs) is provided. In the invention, a compensation voltage on a compensation pin (CMP) of a control chip does not change in response to (or with) the variation (i.e. enabling and disabling) of a pulse-width-modulation (PWM) signal for dimming. In other words, regardless of whether the PWM signal for dimming is enabled or disabled, the compensation voltage on the compensation pin of the control chip maintains unchanged. Therefore, an LED string at the current switching transient does not have the generation of over-shoot current. Furthermore, by detecting the compensation voltage on the compensation pin of the control chip, the control chip would enter into a shutdown status in response to the detected compensation voltage being greater than a predetermined threshold voltage for a predetermined counting time in case that the LED string is failure.
US09258844B2

A method and an apparatus for transmitting content in a portable terminal are provided. The method includes searching for devices, to each of which content is to be transmitted, by a first communication module, and displaying information indicating devices discovered as a result of the search; determining, when a particular portable terminal to which the content is to be transmitted is selected among the displayed information, whether the selected particular portable terminal is currently performing a communication connection with another portable terminal; requesting and receiving, through a second communication module, in response to determining that the particular portable terminal is currently performing the communication connection with the another portable terminal, an address of a device matched to a selected transmission method; and making a communication connection with the particular portable terminal; transmitting the content to the particular portable terminal, through a third communication module matched to the selected transmission method.
US09258835B2

A direct-mode communication system comprises a first client direct-mode communication apparatus and a backhaul network. The first client direct-mode communication apparatus transmits a register signal to the backhaul network to register with the backhaul network. After the first client direct-mode communication apparatus is registered, the backhaul network determines a location relationship between the first client direct-mode communication apparatus and a second client direct-mode communication apparatus, and transmits a wi-fi connection signal to the first client direct-mode communication apparatus according to the location relationship. The first client direct-mode communication apparatus creates a wi-fi direct-mode communication connection with the second client direct-mode communication apparatus according to the wi-fi connection signal.
US09258814B2

Techniques for supporting operation on multiple carriers are described. In an aspect, a carrier indicator (CI) field may be used to support cross-carrier assignment. The CI field may be included in a grant sent on one carrier and may be used to indicate another carrier on which resources are assigned. In one design, a cell may determine a first carrier on which to send a grant to a UE, determine a second carrier on which resources are assigned to the UE, set a CI field of the grant based on the second carrier and a CI mapping for the first carrier, and send the grant to the UE on the first carrier. The UE may receive the grant on the first carrier from the cell and may determine the second carrier on which resources are assigned to the UE based on the CI field of the grant and the CI mapping for the first carrier.
US09258811B2

The present invention discloses a signaling method, an apparatus and a computer program for controlled transmission signal deferring utilizing both licensed and unlicensed frequency bands for carrier aggregation. In the method, a connection is established between a User Equipment and a base station. For example, based on a sensed interference level, a transmission deferring indication is generated regarding a secondary component carrier locating on an unlicensed band, in case the secondary component carrier is occupied. This indication may be generated and sent either by the base station or by the User Equipment. Finally, the secondary component carrier is deactivated for data transmission, for deferring data transmission for a certain time period. After the deferring time has passed, the data transmission can be re-performed on the same secondary component carrier, or through switching to another secondary component carrier in unlicensed spectrum.
US09258801B2

Time-frequency resources in a single PRB pair are used for both frequency-localized transmissions as well as distributed transmissions. A first control message is transmitted (2710) to a first user equipment (UE) using a first PRB pair, using first subsets of resource elements that are aggregated in a frequency-localized manner and that are transmitted using a single antenna port. A second control message to a second UE is simultaneously transmitted (2710), also using the first PRB pair, using second subsets of resources that are aggregated in a frequency-distributed manner across the first PRB pair and one or more additional PRB pairs and that are transmitted using at least two antenna ports, including the single antenna port used to transmit the symbols in the first non-overlapping subsets of resource elements.
US09258794B2

A method, comprising: detecting, at an apparatus, one or more radio signals from a first location; using the one or more detected radio signals to estimate a bearing from the first location; and using the bearing estimate to determine whether further detection of one or more radio signals is required before positioning the apparatus; and positioning of the apparatus using a bearing and constraint information.
US09258792B2

Methods and apparatuses are provided for reporting power headroom for a UE. At least one of power control information associated with a PUSCH transmission in a subframe and power control information associated with a PUCCH transmission in the subframe is received. One of a first power headroom information and a second power headroom information is conditionally generated. One of the first power headroom information and the second power headroom information is conditionally transmitted. If the UE transmits the PUSCH without the PUCCH in the subframe, the second power headroom information is generated by subtracting the transmit power for the PUSCH transmission and a transmit power for a PUCCH from the maximum transmit power of the UE in the subframe based on the power control information associated with the PUSCH transmission and power control information associated with the latest PUCCH transmission.
US09258790B2

The present invention provides a dynamic power spectrum management method, a spectrum optimization system, and a client device, which can improve spectrum management. The method includes: calculating, from a tax factor containing user crosstalk information, a water-filling parameter corresponding to the case that total power of each user is below or equal to a threshold of total power of the user; calculating, from the water-filling parameter, power allocated to each user in each sub-carrier until convergence is attained for all users. Correspondingly, the present invention further provides a spectrum optimization system and a client device. In effect, the present invention can improve the spectrum management.
US09258787B2

The disclosure relates to a method of globally balancing the transmit power in a cellular radio system with tight reuse of frequencies, to a central controller node, and to an access point that in combination with conventional power control schemes balances the downlink transmission power on re-used frequencies in order to balance co-channel interference in a multi-cell environment. The power balancing scheme takes the instantaneous channel variation and co-channel interference into account and satisfies the throughput requirements of the different cells when allocating downlink power to the user equipments. Global power balancing dynamically assigns a token to or takes a token away from an individual reused radio channel based on quality of, or based on transmission power in the channel. The balancing of transmission power, along with the conventional power scheme, prevents a global increase or global decrease of interference in the multi-cellular system.
US09258782B2

A configurable transceiver may include a configurable receiver, a configurable transmitter, and a digital signal processor (DSP). One or more components of the configurable receiver and/or the configurable transmitter may be a block that includes an array of components, such as an array of amplifiers, an array of filters, etc. The DSP may determine a configuration of the configurable receiver that satisfies a bit error rate threshold and minimizes power consumption. The DSP may configure the blocks of the configurable receiver in accordance with the determined configuration of the configurable receiver. The DSP may receive an indication of a modulation scheme being used for transmitted data and may determine a configuration of the configurable transmitter for the modulation scheme that satisfies an error vector magnitude threshold and minimizes power consumption. The DSP may configure the blocks of the configurable transmitter in accordance with the determined configuration of the configurable transmitter.
US09258781B2

Methods and apparatus for wireless communication for improving the call performance and power consumption during the connection state of a user equipment (UE). Aspects of the methods and apparatus relate to receiving a transmit power control (TPC) command from a network entity and decoding every TPC slot of the TPC command. Aspects of the methods and apparatus include ceasing the decoding of a TPC slot set when the current decoded symbol of the TPC slot is in disagreement with the previous decoded symbol of the TPC slot. The receiver of the UE is then deactivated until the end of the TPC slot set.
US09258779B2

Some demonstrative embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices and/or methods of wireless communication during a power save state. For example, a wireless network interface may be configured to interface between a wireless communication device and a wireless network. The wireless network interface may include a controller to receive an indication of a power save state of the wireless communication device, and to generate an Information Element (IE) including Transmit (Tx) filter setup information defining allowed frames, which are allowed to be transmitted to the wireless communication device during the power save state; and a transmitter to transmit the IE via the wireless network.
US09258774B2

A method for information processing and an electronic device thereof are provided. The method includes: obtaining, in the case that a first application runs, a first control operation for the first application; during a process for establishing a group in response to the first control operation, controlling a first wireless communication module to serve as a wireless access point and naming the wireless access point with parameter information for the first group; establishing, after response information is obtained, a communication path directly connected to at least one second electronic device, the response information being response information generated in the case that the at least one second electronic device scans and selects the wireless access point; and obtaining, via the communication path, information indicating that the at least one second electronic device joins the first group.
US09258770B2

Aspects of the subject technology relate to systems, methods, and machine-readable media for providing an access point recommendation to a client system. A system may be configured to receive, from a plurality of reporting systems, access point reports for a plurality of access points, each access point report comprising information about an access point, prioritize the plurality of access points based on the access point reports, and provide an access point recommendation to a client system based on the prioritization of the plurality of access points.
US09258766B2

An apparatus and a method for performing a point-to-multi point communication in a communication system are provided. The apparatus includes a base station configured to receive and transmit at least one of data on a mobile station, control information of the mobile station, schedule information on the mobile station, and control information on a communication link with at least one base station with respect to at least one base station in which a communication link is not set up through a core network. The base station services at least one mobile station at the same time together with a base station in which a communication link is set up through a core network.
US09258765B1

A wire-less/Wired mesh network is described, using a multi-slot modular mesh node to house diverse transceiver elements (e.g. IR, Wi-Fi, Powerline). A radio agnostic tree based mesh network is formed, based on what type of wire-less links are formed on the uplink and downlink of the backhaul and what type of radios etc are used for the Access Points AP, see FIG. 17,23.In addition to servicing IP based clients (e.g. Wi-Fi, WiMax, Bluetooth), the modular mesh nodes APs may also serve as receivers/collectors for low cost chirp devices. These devices are not “agile” and therefore contentious. APs, servicing these devices, alleviate potential contention by multiple means including: sending out a “incoming” CTS, efficient delivery through container based schedulable bus deliveries, and its reverse (moving chirp transmission times to be sequential).Multiple approaches for “pollen” to reach the intended “flower” in a timely manner are described. The method of transport is standard IP based packets yet security is inherent in this pollen-flower based system: only mesh nodes are privy to the routing tables that indicate that packet addresses are not IP. Multiple options to further obfuscate packet flow are presented.A multi-agent based approach driving business process flow is described. Such agents can also provide specialized mesh network routing e.g. navigation agents for chirp devices.Tree based routing and logical radio abstractions are revisited.An organic approach to providing category/class based form of data type identification is proposed, to efficiently match publishers and subscribers, based on the type of data being sought. A private, secure and natively Publish/Subscribe M2M community is engendered at the edge. It has loosely, dynamic and ad hoc couplings to big data servers, also operating on their own private exchange/market place, using a real time publish/subscribe infrastructure with content categories used as part of pollen identification.
US09258762B2

In general, techniques are described for atomically installing and withdrawing host routes along paths connecting network routers to attenuate packet loss for mobile nodes migrating among wireless LAN access networks and a mobile network. In some examples, whenever the mobile node moves from one attachment point to the next, it triggers the distribution of its host route from the new attachment point toward the service provider network hub provider edge (PE) router that anchors the mobile node on a service provider network. Routers participating in the Mobile VPN install the host route “atomically” from the attachment point to the mobile gateway so as to ensure convergence of the network forwarding plane with the host route toward the new attachment point prior to transitioning mobile node connectivity from a previous attachment point.
US09258760B2

An in-vehicle apparatus that is a radio communication apparatus includes: a radio communication unit capable of performing radio communication using at least a 5-GHz band; a present-position detecting unit that detects a present position of the own apparatus; and a radio-communication-zone predicting unit that determines, when the radio communication unit is performing communication, whether switching of a channel of the radio communication unit is necessary on a basis of interference data, which is information concerning a coverage of a radio wave transmitted from another system that uses a 5-GHz band and transmits and receives a radio wave in a stationary state, map data, and the present position detected by the present-position detecting unit, and, when switching is necessary, further selects a switching destination channel or causes the radio communication unit to select the switching destination channel.
US09258759B2

Embodiments described herein generally relate to providing communication services to client devices in a transport system. In some examples, methods of providing communication services to client devices in a transport system are described. The methods can include exchanging, among a multiple number of routers provided in a transport system, status information of each of the multiple number of routers. The methods can also include receiving, at a given router included in the multiple number of routers, a communication addressed to a remote server accessible through a first network. The communication may be received from a client device connected to the given router through a second network different than the first network. The methods can also include, based on the status information, routing the communication to the remote server through at least the given router and the first network.
US09258757B1

A method and system for dynamically controlling the transmission of reverse-link control signals to help reduce interference on the reverse link. A RAN identifies a mobile device whose transmission of reverse-link control signals best represents the reverse-link air interface condition of each other mobile device in a plurality of mobile devices. Then the RAN causes each mobile device in the plurality other than the identified mobile device to not send its respective reverse-link control signal at a given time, thereby reducing the number of mobile devices that transmit reverse-link control signals at the given time.
US09258756B2

According to some embodiments, a radio network controller (RNC) facilitates a communication session for a wireless device in soft handover with an active set of cells. The active set of cells includes a serving cell (which provides an HS-DSCH connection) and a plurality of non-serving cells. The RNC attempts to admit the HS-DSCH connection in a first non-serving cell that satisfies each of one or more HS-DSCH cell change requirements and provides the best signal strength to the wireless device. If a failure occurs, the RNC attempts to admit the HS-DSCH connection in a second non-serving cell that satisfies each of the HS-DSCH cell change requirements and provides the second best signal strength to the wireless device. If successful, the RNC facilitates moving the HS-DSCH connection from the serving cell to the second non-serving cell.
US09258753B2

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for configuring an access point in a wireless network. During operation, the access point discovers one or more existing access points associated with the wireless network. The access point then obtains a set of configuration information from one existing access point, and synchronizes a local timestamp counter to a selected existing access point, thereby allowing the access point to be configured without using a centralized management station.
US09258749B1

Embodiments of the present invention include devices, systems and methods for recovery after radio link failure (RLF). For example, a method for wireless communication is described. The method includes performing a base station identity code (BSIC) reconfirmation for a number of top ranked cells in a received neighbor cell list when a radio link timeout (RLT) counter is less than a counter threshold before radio link failure (RLF). A signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for the top ranked cells is determined during the BSIC reconfirmation. The method also includes scheduling a system information (SI) decode upon RLF for the top ranked cells that have an SNR greater than an SNR threshold. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also claimed and described.
US09258747B2

Embodiments of User Equipment (UE) and methods for fast handover failure recovery in a 3GPP LTE network are generally described herein. In some embodiments, the UE may initiate handover (HO) failure recovery by transmission of a random-access channel (RACH) 2 message when both a radio-link failure (RLF) timer and a time-to trigger (TTT) timer are concurrently running. The RACH 2 message may be a message transmitted on a random-access channel for radio-resource control (RRC) connection re-establishment. The RLF timer may be activated as part of a radio-link monitoring (RLM) process based on radio-link conditions with a serving cell, and the TTT timer may have been activated as part of a HO process based on a measurement reporting event.
US09258746B2

A method for a terminal reporting system information in a wireless communication system is disclosed. The method comprises: receiving a system information report request of a neighboring cell from a serving cell; and transmitting a system information report to the serving cell as a response to the system information report request. If the terminal has system information that is obtained in advance of the neighboring cell that is obtained before receiving the system information report request, the system information report comprises the system information that is obtained in advance and validity information on the system information that is obtained in advance.
US09258744B2

A system that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a processor which when executing computer instructions performs the operations including receiving network operator-approved credentials associated with a first communications device. Pre-assigned network resources are accessible by the first communications device by way of the network operator-approved credentials. The processor also performs operations including replicating the network operator-approved credentials, and receiving a request from a second communications device for access to the pre-assigned network resources of the first communications device. A copy of the replicated network operator-approved credentials is forwarded to enable the second mobile device to access the pre-assigned network resources. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09258741B2

Systems, methods, and user equipment can involve transmitting Acknowledgement/Negative Acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) bits for carrier aggregation between a first cell and a second cell in a User Equipment (UE). With the UE, for a sub-frame, a first number of ACK/NACK bits for the first cell can be compared with a second number of ACK/NACK bits for the second cell. If a first number of ACK/NACK bits for the first cell is less than a second number of ACK/NACK bits for the second cell, an ACK/NACK bit position from the first cell can be used to transmit an ACK/NACK bit for the second cell. In some implementations, one or more DTX bits can be used to set the number of ACK/NACK bits in the first cell equal to the number of ACK/NACK bits in the second cell.
US09258739B2

The present invention provides an offloading method and device for enhancing mobility, used for solving the technical problem of poor mobility in the current offloading and network construction solution. The present invention discloses that: a Network Address Translating (NAT) gateway is deployed in an upper layer of a Femto Node B; a dedicated tunnel for transmitting the offloading data between the Femto Node B and the NAT gateway is established; the NAT translation of the offloading data message is performed by the NAT gateway and the offloading data is forwarded through the dedicated tunnel according to a continuation relationship; when a User Equipment (UE) performs a handover across two Femto Node B's due to mobility, it is only necessary to modify the continuation relationship of the UE, without disconnecting and reconnecting the link of the offloading data stream, thereby improving the system's mobility.
US09258734B2

Embodiments of the present disclosure describe techniques and configurations for resource management associated with communications in multiple radio access networks. In one example, a method of resource management may include obtaining quality of experience (QoE) information from a network server running deep packet inspection or an application executing on a computing device and configured to provide content to the computing device for user access, and determining whether to adjust the content delivery via at least one of the two radio access networks, based at least in part on the quality experience information. The adjustment may include increasing or reducing the content delivery via one of the radio access networks. The content may be delivered to the computing device via at least two radio access networks substantially simultaneously. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US09258732B2

A radio communication control device accepts a call-up from a radio communication terminal and includes a unit configured to detect the degree of jamming in a cell, a unit configured to confirm the intention of a user of a terminal concerned as to whether the call-up is continued regardless of addition of an extra to the user's telephone call charge when the call-up has been made from a radio communication terminal in the cell concerned in a specific jammed state, a unit configured to block the call-up concerned in accordance with the confirmed intention of the user of the terminal concerned and a unit configured to change charge setting so as to add an extra to the user's telephone call charge when the call-up has not been blocked in the specific jammed state.
US09258728B2

The invention relates to a method for receiving and a method for reconstructing channel quality information in a communication system. Further, the invention also provides a transmitter and receiver performing these methods, respectively. The invention suggests a scheme for communicating channel quality measures that on the one hand allows for an accurate reconstruction of the channel quality measures at the receiver and on the other hand requires an acceptable transmission overhead. This is achieved by partitioning channel quality measures into at least two partitions and to compress the values partition-wise, for example, by means of a discrete cosine transform and the transmission of only a subset of the resulting coefficients.
US09258727B2

The present invention pertains to a method for efficiently determining the validity of terminal location information in a minimization of drive test (MDT) measurement report procedure in a 3GPP system. The method for reporting channel measurement information of a terminal in a wireless communication system according to the present invention comprises: a reception step of receiving setup information for wireless channel measurement from a base station; an acquisition step of acquiring wireless channel information, location information of the terminal, and time information when the location information is collected according to the setup information; a determination step of determining whether the location information of the terminal is valid; and a transmission step of generating and transmitting channel measurement information including the time information to the base station when valid.
US09258726B2

In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a spectral scanning controller configured to interrupt service at a wireless access point (WAP) such that the WAP performs spectral scanning during service interruption. The spectral scanning controller is configured to interrupt service at the WAP at a first scanning frequency when the spectral scanning controller is in a first configuration. The spectral scanning controller is configured to interrupt service at the WAP at a second scanning frequency different from the first scanning frequency when the spectral scanning controller is in a second configuration. The spectral scanning controller is configured to move from the first configuration to the second configuration in response to a change in at least one of a service demand, a service quality, a spectral scanning demand or a spectral scanning quality.
US09258722B2

A method and apparatus for reliable wireless voice, data and location communication for deployment in underground, industrial and other hazardous environments using a wireless mesh network. The network includes protocol for dispatch operation, emergency operation, remote supervision, remote status, asset control, machine state of health and operational management. The architecture is based on localized clusters of autonomous nodes capable of ad hoc interconnection with nearby nodes and connection to gateway nodes. The resulting network is an ad hoc mesh topology comprised of fixed mesh nodes with approximately 50% coverage overlap between nodes. This provides a reliable communication network for mobile nodes carried by personnel and sensor nodes that are fixed or mobile that supports voice, data and tracking/situation awareness. Each cluster of nodes transfers digital voice and data to gateway nodes either directly or through multi-hop transactions.
US09258712B2

Example method, apparatus, and computer program product embodiments are disclosed to improve user experience and security in sharing wireless network configurations. An embodiment comprises reading, by a guest wireless device, data from a machine readable medium, including accessing information, to enable the guest device to obtain credentials from an access rights server, to access an access point or network, based on the accessing information; transmitting by the guest device, a wireless message to the access rights server, requesting credentials to enable accessing the access point or network, the request including the accessing information addressing a storage partition in a database associated with the access rights server, the storage partition being accessible with the accessing information; and receiving by the guest device from the access rights server, the credentials to enable the guest device to gain access to the access point or network by using the credentials.
US09258711B2

A wireless communication system and an authentication method thereof are provided. The wireless communication system includes a User Equipment (UE), an Evolved Node B (eNodeB), a Home Subscriber Server (HSS), and a Mobility Management Entity (MME). Before the UE enters an Attachment Procedure, the MME is configured to acquire an Authentication Vector from the HSS in advance, and transmit, based on the Authentication Vector, a first Authentication Vector corresponding to the UE to the UE and a second Authentication Vector corresponding to the eNodeB to the eNodeB in advance. The eNodeB is configured to transmit a UE identifier to the UE. The UE is configured to complete an Authentication procedure with the eNodeB according to the UE identifier and the Authentication Vector.
US09258699B2

The present document provides a method and wireless device for implementing route transmission based on a single IPv6 address prefix. The method includes: when a wireless device succeeds in IPv6-based dialing and obtains one 64-bit-long IPv6 address prefix from a network side, the wireless device first setting apart a 126-bit IPv6 address prefix from the prefix, and then allocating the 126-bit IPv6 address prefix to a WAN interface, allocating the 64-bit-long IPv6 address prefix to a LAN interface, and notifying a user terminal connected to the LAN interface of the IPv6 prefix of the LAN interface, so that the user terminal connected to the LAN interface generates its own IPv6 address through a stateless address auto-configuration mechanism for communication. With the technical solutions of the present document, in an IPv4/IPv6 dual stack mode, IPv4 and IPv6 protocol stacks operate normally, and the radio resource consumption is reduced.
US09258695B2

Embodiments enable discovery of services in a wireless communications medium. In example embodiments, a method comprises inserting, by an apparatus, an indication associated with a service requested by the apparatus to an apparatus address field of a wireless service discovery packet; and transmitting, by the apparatus, the wireless service discovery packet including the inserted indication associated with the requested service. The packet may be a Bluetooth Low Energy SCAN_REQ PDU packet. The apparatus's address field may be a non-resolvable private address format in a ScanA field of the Bluetooth Low Energy SCAN_REQ PDU packet. The apparatus may be functioning as a subscriber in a Neighbor Awareness Networking (NAN) network.
US09258685B2

The present disclosure is directed to a photo controller. In one embodiment, the photo controller includes a central processing unit (CPU), a local area connection (LAN) interface in communication with the CPU, a wide area network (WAN) interface in communication with the CPU and an electrical power control component in communication with the CPU to control a lighting device.
US09258677B2

Systems and methods disclosed herein may include tracking one or more geo-fences using a GNSS hardware processor within a computing device. The tracking may use at least one GNSS signal. State changes of the one or more geo-fences during the tracking may be saved in a shared state database. The shared state database may be shared between the GNSS hardware processor and an application processor within the computing device. Upon detecting a deterioration of the at least one GNSS signal, tracking the one or more geo-fences may be switched from using the GNSS hardware processor to using the application processor. After the switching, an initial state of each of the one or more geo-fences may be set by using states currently stored in the shared state database prior to the switching.
US09258657B2

A soft custom ear mold (300) comprising: an inner ear mold part (100) consisting of a first bushing (101), a sound tube (102) and an ear wax guard bushing (103), and an outer ear mold part (200) that is adapted to fit an individual ear canal and comprises a sound conduit having holding means adapted to engage said inner part (100). The holding means defines the correct positioning of said inner part (100) in the sound conduit of said outer part (200) whereby a precise and stable positioning of the ear wax guard bushing (103) in the soft custom ear mold (300) is provided. The invention also relates to a hearing aid comprising such an ear mold (300, 900), a method for manufacturing such an ear mold and a tool for carrying out a part of said manufacturing method.
US09258653B2

In accordance with an embodiment, a system for processing an incoming signal for audio application includes a parameter extraction module coupled for receiving an incoming signal having a first frequency that is configured to extract at least one parameter from the incoming signal. The system includes at least one oscillator and at least one processing engine processing that receives a clock signal from the at least one oscillator. In accordance with another embodiment, a method is provided that performs a first processing with the clock signal and generates an oscillator control signal for adjusting the frequency of the clock from the oscillator adaptively depending on parameters of the incoming signal extracted or analyzed in the first processing.
US09258648B2

A loudspeaker includes an acoustic diaphragm, an oscillatory force source, a lever that couples the oscillatory force source to the acoustic diaphragm, and a pivot that is coupled to the lever such that the lever pivots about a pivot axis when the oscillatory force source applies a force to the lever. The pivot includes a pair of rotational joints which are spaced apart to allow the diaphragm to pass therebetween as the lever pivots about the pivot axis.
US09258635B2

A cord-based controller for an auxiliary device, such as a headset, is provided for use with a portable electronic device. A pressure-sensitive, and preferably bendable, material such as a piezoelectric pressure sensor is placed within or on an or cord of a headphone lead, such as by wrapping it within the outer shielding of the cord. A self-powered controlling sensor is arranged to control the electronic device using a generated control signal. The controlling sensor comprises a sensor material. The control signal is generated by deformation of the sensor material independent of power supplied to the headset and independent of power supplied to the portable electronic device. This is achieved without requiring a separate housing for the controller, which typically protrudes from the cord. A plurality of control sensor elements can be provided, each producing a different control signal voltage transmitted along a single control signal electrical.
US09258629B2

In one embodiment, a cloud radio access network (C-RAN) includes a first plurality of antennas and a first plurality of radio remote units (RRUs) coupled to the plurality of antennas. The C-RAN also includes a first plurality of broadband base units (BBUs) and a first photonic switch optically coupled between the first plurality of RRUs and the first plurality of BBUs.
US09258625B2

A method and system for balancing the load and resource requirements in a digital video distribution system between a video server and its video clients by allowing the server and the clients to exchange resource capabilities with each other. Upon receipt of a request for a video stream from among available video content, the server determines whether it or the requesting client should scale the video stream based on which entity, client or server, is better equipped to scale the requested video stream to comply with the requesting client's resources and resolution capacity.
US09258619B2

Provided are a method and apparatus for performing an internet protocol television (IPTV) communication service. The method includes: acquiring an application message providing the IPTV communication service from an external input with respect to a general-purpose web application by using plug-in application programming interfaces (APIs) of a web browser which are independent of an IPTV communication service provider; sending the application message to an IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) gateway (IG) functional entity apparatus; and receiving a response message comprising a result of processing the application message as a response to the sending of the application message, from the IG functional entity apparatus.
US09258617B2

A system and method in a television system for presenting information associated with a user-selected object in a television program, substantially as shown in and/or described in connection with at least one of the figures, as set forth more completely in the claims.
US09258608B2

A system and method for determining entitlement to content residing on a server. A subscriber account with a multi-channel video program distributor (MVPD) includes subscription information indicative of the services provided by the MVPD to the subscriber. A computing device operated by the subscriber sends a request for access to content controlled by the MVPD. The request is received by the MVPD and forwarded to an entitlements server. The entitlement server sends an access granted message to the MVPD when the subscriber is entitled to receive the requested content. The IP address of the subscriber computing device is used to determine whether the computing device is connected to the network via a network access device authorized by the MVPD. The “on-net” or “off-net” status of the computing device may be used to determine whether the subscriber receives the requested content and/or a quality of service level applied to the content.
US09258607B2

A disclosed example method involves determining, using a neural network at a stationary unit, a first distance of a first portable audio detector from the stationary unit, the first portable audio detector associated with a first panelist, the stationary unit located in proximity to the media presentation device. The example method also involves determining, using the neural network, a second distance of a second portable audio detector from the stationary unit, the second portable audio detector associated with a second panelist. In response to the first distance being less than a threshold distance, the media is credited as exposed to the first panelist. In response to the second distance being more than the threshold distance, the media is not credited as exposed to the second panelist.
US09258605B2

A multimedia program type of a received multimedia data is determined. Based on the determined multimedia program type, a peak bit rate limit and/or an average bit rate limit are determined. In instances where a transrated version of the multimedia data is to be stored, a remaining storage capacity of a storage device is determined and the peak bit rate limit and/or the average bit rate limit can be adjusted based on the remaining storage capacity. The multimedia data then is transrated to generate transrated multimedia data that has a peak bit rate that does not exceed the selected peak bit rate limit and/or having an average bit rate that does not exceed the selected average bit rate limit. The transrating of the multimedia additionally can include the application of rule sets based on content characteristics. After transrating, the multimedia data can be transmitted via a network to a destination multimedia device, stored locally for subsequent use, or a combination thereof.
US09258596B2

In one form, a multi-chip module for a multi-mode receiver includes an MCM substrate and first and second demodulator die. The MCM substrate has first and second satellite input ports, first and second terrestrial/cable input ports, and first and second transport stream ports. The first demodulator die has a satellite port coupled to the first satellite input port of the MCM substrate, a terrestrial/cable port coupled to the first terrestrial/cable input port of the MCM substrate, and first and second transport stream ports coupled to the first and second transport stream ports of the MCM substrate. The second demodulator die has a satellite port coupled to the second satellite input port of the MCM substrate, a terrestrial/cable port coupled to the second terrestrial/cable input port of the MCM substrate, and first and second transport stream ports coupled to the first and second transport stream ports of the MCM substrate.
US09258594B1

An entertainment delivery system including a delivery station configured for receiving an order for entertainment content from a telephone, the telephone being configured to receive entertainment content over a wireless network, the telephone also having a display device adapted to display said entertainment content, a database coupled to the delivery station, wherein the delivery station is configured for retrieving the entertainment content from the database when the order is received, the entertainment content including video content for display, and a billing database coupled to the delivery station, wherein the delivery station is configured for sending a billing record corresponding to a user account associated with the telephone to the billing database when the order is received.
US09258592B2

A method and apparatus for secure transfer of previously broadcasted content enables the secure transfer of previously broadcasted content between DVRs on a computer network.
US09258587B2

Content, such as audio or video content, is streamed to portable devices based on an entitlement determination that includes determining the location of the portable device and whether the content is subject to blackout restrictions. In one implementation, requests may be received for content that is to be streamed to a portable device and a location of the portable device may be determined. Entitlements may be determined, where the entitlements define whether the content is permitted to be viewed by the portable device, where the entitlements are determined based at least on the indication of the location of the portable device and based on blackout restrictions applicable to the content. The content may be selectively streamed to the portable device based on the applicable blackout restrictions.
US09258579B1

A method, system, and media are provided for delivery of content from a communication device. A temporal shifting server enables delivery of temporal shifting messages. The temporal shifting server checks conditions associated with a communication network connected to the communication device and determines whether conditions of the communication network support delivery of content stored in a large file. If the communication network can support the large file, the large file is communicated over the communication network to a recipient and a copy may be retained by the temporal shifting server. If the communication network is unable to transmit the large file, the temporal shifting server generates an identifier for the content, transmits the identifier to the communication device, receives a small file that stores a version of the content, and stores the small file.
US09258574B2

Provided are a filtering method and apparatus for removing blocking artifacts and ringing noise. The filtering method includes transforming video data on a block-by-block basis, and detecting the presence of an edge region in the video data by checking the distribution of values obtained by the transformation. Accordingly, it is possible to completely remove blocking artifacts and/or ringing noise by more effectively detecting the presence of an edge region in video data.
US09258573B2

The present invention relates to spatial prediction of pixels of a block, the block being a block of a digital image. In particular, for a block pixel at least one reference pixel(s) is selected and out of the selected reference pixel(s), the block pixel is predicted. In particular, the prediction of the block pixel is performed depending on the distance of this pixel to the reference pixel(s) from which it is to be predicted.
US09258567B2

In a video processing system, a method and system for using motion estimation to equalize video quality across intra frames are provided. Inter-prediction processing may be enabled for macroblocks in an “I” frame to generate temporal statistics. The inter-prediction processing may comprise motion estimation and motion compensation. Spatial statistics may be generated from the macroblocks in the “I” frame. A rate control may be determined based on the inter-prediction processing and spatial statistics.
US09258562B2

In some example techniques for generating and updating depth map estimates used for inter-view motion prediction and/or inter-view residual prediction for coding multiview video data, each of a plurality of dependent views is associated with a dependent depth view estimate, which may be generated or updated based on coding of the texture data of the dependent view relative to a base view. In such examples, each of the dependent depth map estimates may be warped to the base view to produce a respective one of a plurality of base depth map estimates. Each dependent depth map estimate and the respective base depth map estimate for a depth map estimate pair associated with the respective one of the plurality of dependent views.
US09258555B2

Provided is an apparatus of determining a defect pixel which includes at least one of a first edge periphery defect determiner and a second edge periphery defect determiner, wherein the first edge periphery defect determiner is configured to determine if a central pixel of a pixel group is the defect pixel by using pixel values of pixels adjacent to the central pixel disposed close to an image edge, wherein the edge includes at least one of right, left, upper, lower, lower-left, lower-right, upper-left and upper-right pixels of the central pixel, and wherein the second edge periphery defect determiner is configured to determine if the central pixel is the defect pixel by using a pixel disposed at at least one of the lower-left, lower-right, upper-left and upper-right of the central pixel.
US09258554B2

A stereo video image display apparatus includes a data obtaining unit, a video image generator and an image quality degradation unit. The data obtaining unit obtains left eye video image data and right eye video image data. The video image generator generates sequential data in which a left eye video image data sequence repeating the left eye video image data and a right eye video image data sequence repeating the right eye video image data are arranged alternately to generate a control signal controlling opening and closing of shutter glasses according to the sequential data. The image quality degradation unit processes image quality degradation for object data which is frame data corresponding to one frame either before the switching between the left eye video image data and the right eye video image data and one frame after the switching, or two frames before and after the switching.
US09258553B2

A multi-view display device display images based on received image signals, received request signals, and transmits timing control signals. When the device receives request signals with distinct channel information during a given period, the device displays a first image signal and transmits a first timing control signal that includes one of the distinct channel information during a first period of an image frame, and displays a second image signal and transmits a second timing control signal that includes the other of the distinct channel information during another second period of the image frame. User controllers having glasses are activated or deactivated to view or obscure the displayed images based on receipt of the timing control signals.
US09258552B2

There is provided: a CPU that, in at least one case among a case in which fluctuation of a fixed interval in the acquired parallax amount is greater than a predetermined value, and a case in which the parallax amount reaches a predetermined allowed limit value, or a case in which an object of acquisition of the parallax amount can no longer be detected, judges that there is an abnormality in the parallax amount, and that, in a case that is none of these, judges that there is no abnormality in the parallax amount, and that, when it is judged that there is no abnormality in the parallax amount, carries out first parallax adjustment, and that, when it is judged that there is an abnormality in the parallax amount, switches to control of a second parallax adjustment and carries out parallax adjustment.
US09258533B2

The invention relates to a method for configuring a monitoring system which is based on a recording of altitude maps, comprising the following steps:—an altitude map of a monitored area is recorded with the monitoring system in a state in which no objects or persons to be detected are located in the monitored area,—determination of destruction points, caused by obstacles, in the altitude map which is recorded in this way,—definition of a detection area as a component area of the altitude map in such a way that all the disruption points, or at least some of said disruption points, lie outside the detection area,—setting of an evaluation unit of the monitoring system such that it only evaluates movements within the detection area. The invention also relates to a correspondingly configurable monitoring system.
US09258516B2

An example news production system includes a scheduling system, a composite display with multiple display panels, and a driver and a controller for the composite display. The controller receives data from the scheduling system. The controller then identifies a digital video effect to be run by the driver. The digital video effect involves the driver using an input video stream, at least in part, to generate output video streams for the display panels. In response, the controller prompts a user for an input, and then receives a timing signal based on a user input. In response to receiving the timing signal, the controller causes a video feed network to route the input video stream to the driver and causes the driver to run the digital video effect using the input video stream to thereby generate video streams to the composite display.
US09258512B2

A secondary media stream is displayed within a primary media stream. In response to receiving a first user selection of two media streams for simultaneous viewing on a display device, a second user selection of a primary media stream and a secondary media stream from the two media streams selected for simultaneous viewing is received. A set of inset definitions is extracted from metadata in the secondary media stream. A third user selection of an inset definition from the set of inset definitions is received. A user input is received to display the primary media stream to accommodate a size of the inset definition selected. The primary media stream is displayed to create an inset area for displaying the secondary media stream within the primary media stream based on the user input. The secondary media stream is displayed within the inset area of the displayed primary media stream for user viewing.
US09258511B2

Embodiments include a television appliance configured to display a selected on-screen viewing activity, and a client application. The client application is configured to maintain a list of contacts and allow a user of the media appliance to establish communication events with contacts via a network interface and packet-based network. The client application is further configured to receive a machine-readable data item via the network interface and packet-based network from a television appliance of one or more of said contacts, the machine-readable data item indicating a current television channel being viewed by the respective contact. In at least some embodiments, the client application may control operation of said user's television appliance in relation to the contact's television appliance based on the data item.
US09258509B2

A broadcast receiving apparatus includes a receiving unit which receives a broadcast signal, a graphic user interface (GUI) generating unit which generates a GUI, a signal processing unit which generates a video frame to which the GUI is added, a display unit which displays the video frame to which the GUI is added, a communication unit which establishes a communication connection with a user terminal device that executes a smart view function, and a control unit which controls the broadcast receiving apparatus to perform a corresponding operation according to a touch coordinate value transmitted from the user terminal device. Thus, the broadcast receiving apparatus can be controlled in various forms through the user terminal device.
US09258492B2

An image processing apparatus includes an image acquisition unit configured to acquire a first image and a second image taken at a different focus position from the first image, an image magnification calculator configured to calculate a first image magnification of an object in the first image and a second image magnification of the object in the second image, an image size changer configured to change an image size of at least one of the first and second images so as to reduce a difference between the first and second image magnifications that are calculated by the image magnification calculator, according to the difference between the first and second image magnifications, and a processor configured to perform a calculation using the first and second images after the image size is changed by the image size changer.
US09258488B2

It is arranged so that the user of a camera will not experience a sense of incongruity when the camera is switched between an optical viewfinder and an electronic viewfinder. When the electronic viewfinder function is set, the image of a subject captured by a solid-state electronic image sensing device is displayed on the display screen of a liquid crystal device and a viewfinder shutter closes. When the optical viewfinder function is set, the viewfinder shutter opens and the image of the subject is not displayed on the liquid crystal device. At the time of a changeover between the electronic viewfinder function and the electronic viewfinder function, the image of the subject being displayed on the liquid crystal device gradually vanishes, or the image of the subject is gradually displayed on the liquid crystal device, while the opening and closing of the viewfinder shutter is tracked. Sudden darkening and sudden brightening at the time of the viewfinder changeover is prevented.
US09258485B2

Reducing consumption of image sensor processor bandwidth includes capturing an image containing subject matter with an image sensor and cropping the image to generate a cropped image. Cropping the image is performed by the image sensor in response to coordinates received from an image sensor processor. The cropped image is sent from the image sensor to the image sensor processor and new coordinates based on a position of the subject matter in the cropped image are determined with the image sensor processor. The new coordinates are then sent to the image sensor.
US09258478B2

An imaging apparatus has a display control unit that causes a display unit to display target information indicating a direction to a target position with an optical axis of the imaging apparatus being a reference, based on an azimuth angle of the imaging apparatus detected by an azimuth detecting unit and an elevation angle detected by a tilt angle detecting unit.
US09258476B2

An automatic image-capturing system is used for capturing an image and transmitting the image to a remote device. The automatic image-capturing system includes a photography module for capturing the image; a storage module for storing the image captured by the photography module; a transmission module for receiving a control instruction sent by the remote device; a master core module for making the photography module to capture the image based on the control instruction, and segmenting the image into a plurality of files and segmenting the files into a plurality of packets to be transmitted to the remote device by the transmission module, and a slave core module for monitoring the operations of the master core module to turn off and restart the master core module when there is an abnormal operation in the master core module.
US09258469B2

An optical device includes a base; an image sensor disposed on the base; an outer frame connected to the base and having a flat surface; an inner frame having a protrusion and movable between a first position and a second position with respect to the base; and a lens group disposed on the inner frame and having an optical axis, wherein the protrusion abuts the flat surface and the optical axis extends through the image sensor when the inner frame moves to the first position, and the inner frame is accommodated in a space when the inner frame moves to the second position.
US09258456B2

An image reading device includes an image reading section, an image processing section, and a density reference member. Based on a location of a defect in the image reading section or in the density reference member, the image processing section determines whether or not to at least partially restrict either a read range of the image reading section when the image reading section reads an original document or usage of a result obtained by reading the original document by the image reading section. The image processing section determines whether or not to apply a smoothing process to each density value detected by reading the original document by the image reading section. The determination is made based on a comparison between a normal-value determining threshold and each density value detected by reading the density reference member by the image reading section.
US09258452B1

Systems and methods scan a previously printed sheet using a scanner to create an original scan, and evaluate the original scan to identify marks printed on the printed sheet. For example, any marks, such as the straight and curved marks located in separation areas (areas separating data areas of the printed sheet) of the printed sheet can be evaluated using a specialized image processor. Then, these systems and methods alter the pixels of such marks to add security features (e.g., microtext, microprinting, etc.) to the marks that identify the time, place, and user of the scanner, and this process produces an altered scan. Rather than outputting the original scan, these systems and methods instead substitute the altered scan in place of the original scan and, therefore, output the altered scan from the image processor in place of the original scan.
US09258451B2

An information transmitting apparatus includes a recipient information memory storing multiple pieces of recipient information and recipient identification information that is associated with each of the multiple pieces of recipient information and is used for identifying each piece of recipient information; a user information memory storing user selection identification information, which is the recipient identification information selected by a user from the recipient information memory, and storing information indicating a time when the user selection identification information is selected by the user; an information transmitting unit reading out the recipient information corresponding to the user selection identification information from the recipient information memory to transmit information to the recipient identified by the recipient information that is read out; and a notification unit notifying the user of change if the recipient information stored in the recipient information memory is changed after the selection.
US09258449B1

An image processing apparatus includes a first memory, a reception unit, a storage controller, and an image processing executing unit. The first memory temporarily stores data and the data reading and writing speed of the first memory is higher than that of a second memory. The reception unit receives instruction data indicating the content of image processing that is directed. The storage controller stores the received instruction data in the first memory if an attribute of the received instruction data meets a predetermined condition and, otherwise, stores the received instruction data in the second memory. The image processing executing unit executes the image processing indicated by the stored instruction data.
US09258448B2

An overhead scanner successively obtains a plurality of images by controlling an area sensor, calculates a movement pattern by image difference extraction by using the obtained images, detects a page turning movement on the basis of the movement pattern, and determines that a read operation be started when the page turning movement is detected.
US09258446B2

An image processing apparatus, includes: an acceptance unit that accepts image data and reading data read from a medium; an extraction unit that extracts a rectangular image by segmenting one image of the image data and the reading data to have a size calculated based on an error; a searching unit that searches for a matching position of a rectangular image in the other image of the image data and the reading data, which corresponds to a position of the rectangular image extracted by the extraction unit within a range of a movement amount calculated based on the size of the rectangular image extracted by the extraction unit and a predetermined size calculated by the error; and a comparison unit that compares the rectangular image extracted by the extraction unit with the rectangular image in the other image at the position searched by the searching unit.
US09258435B2

One or more embodiments may provide an apparatus, a computer readable medium, a non-transitory computer readable medium, and a method for operating in a non-sharing capture mode, receiving an indication associated with joining a capture share group, the capture share group comprising at least one other apparatus, transitioning from the non-sharing capture mode to a sharing capture mode associated with the capture share group, based, at least in part, on the indication, causing capturing of a captured image, and sending a representational image indicative of the captured image to the at least one other apparatus.
US09258434B1

A method, system, and medium are provided for using a mobile device (e.g., a smart phone, personal digital assistant (“PDA”), reading device, cell phone) as a external monitor for a computing device (e.g., a laptop, a desktop personal computer). A mobile device may also be used as an input device for the computing device. For example, a trackball, touch screen, keypad, or other input device on the mobile device may be used to control applications operating on the computing device. The mobile device may send and receive communications at the same time a computing device is utilizing the mobile device's input and output components. The mobile device's battery may be charged while the computing device controls the mobile device's input and output mechanisms.
US09258430B2

A communication server enabling the provision of services offered by a second private communication network to terminals connected to a first communication network. The terminals are capable of simultaneously exchanging signaling data on a first transmission channel and voice data on a second transmission channel, in accordance with a selected protocol. The server is capable of transmitting configuration data to a terminal connected to the first network over the first channel and in accordance with a selected criterion. The configuration data is designed to enable a connection with the server to be set up on the first channel by the terminal, during a voice link on the second channel, so as to provide the terminal, during the voice link, with services offered by the second network.
US09258424B2

A microprocessor executable contact manager operable to determine, for selected different types of customer communication devices, a likelihood of contacting successfully a customer at a respective type of customer communication device and select, based on the likelihood, an order and/or sequence in which to contact customer communication devices of the different customer communication device types.
US09258422B2

Methods, systems, and products enable a healthcare facility or server to process incoming communications. When a communication is received, the time and a recipient's address may be compared to a schedule of procedures. The recipient's address may be associated with a patient or with medical personnel, such as a physician or nurse. If the time and the recipient's address match an entry in the schedule of procedures, then an alternate destination may be chosen for the communication.
US09258421B2

Agents of a contact center often encounter conversational delays when speaking with a customer. These delays may be introduced by transmission delays, which include the distance between the agent and the customer, and processing delays, such as those introduced by systems and processes within a contact center. By providing an agent with information based on the amount of the delay, the agent can be prompted to overtalk the customer by a target amount. As a result, the customer may experience a more natural conversation with the agent. Furthermore, if a customer prefers more or less of a delay, such as based on their cultural norms, the delay may be modified to account for those cultural norms and better accommodate the conversational preferences of a diverse customer base.
US09258419B2

A system and method for managing emergency calls are disclosed herein. The method includes receiving an emergency related call at a call center, and during the emergency related call, retrieving information related to i) a type of incident being reported, ii) a location of the incident being reported, and iii) a description of the incident being reported. A public safety answering point to notify of the incident is identified, where such identification is based upon at least some of the retrieved information. A database is searched for outgoing calls to the identified public safety answering point, and based upon results from the searching, a determination is made as to whether to contact the identified public safety answering point.
US09258415B1

Communication devices configured to assist hearing-impaired users and related methods are disclosed that synchronize unclean data records of a local database with a remote database of a backend server. Communication elements are configured to receive audio signals from a far end communication device, and to receive text captions corresponding to the audio signals from a relay service for display by the communication device during a call. The memory device stores a local database of data records for the communication device. Each data record has at least one flag associated therewith indicating whether the data record is involved in a modification to the local database by the hearing-impaired user. The processor is configured to synchronize unclean data records from the local database with a remote server associated with the relay service responsive to querying flags in the local database that indicate data records that are unclean.
US09258412B1

Service levels for call-processing are enhanced based on the subscriber status of at least one of the calling party and the called party. In one example, a calling party (caller) places a call to a called party (recipient). At least one of the parties subscribes to a call-processing service and the call normally would be processed according to a predetermined service level. However, the service level is enhanced in response to a subscriber status for at least one of the parties, and the call is processed according to the enhanced service level.
US09258408B2

An approach is provided for enabling third-parties to manage a mobile device when within a third party's domain range. Data regarding a point-of-interest and an associated action by a mobile device is received. The action is defined by a third-party. Whether the mobile device is within a predetermined range of the point-of-interest is detected. The action is invoked if the mobile device is within the predetermined range.
US09258406B2

An apparatus for controlling a mobile device according to the present invention includes: a conversation recognition unit configured to recognize a conversation between users through mobile devices; a user intent verification unit configured to verify an intent of at least one user among the users based on the recognition result; and an additional function control unit configured to execute an additional function corresponding to the verified user's intent in a mobile device of the user. According to the present invention, great contribution may be made to improve communication between users by recognizing the conversation between the users, thereby directly providing information associated with the conversation or providing a service.
US09258404B2

The present invention relates to a mobile terminal and a method of controlling the same. A result, which will be displayed at a destination when a message created on a message creation screen is sent to the destination, is provided in advance. Messages having various formats can be generated on one message creation screen. Various functions relating to the message creation are provided.
US09258403B2

The mobile terminal adequately reports when the mobile terminal receives an impact due to an accident of a vehicle. When it is determined in step S1 that the mobile terminal is set on a charge pad and it is determined in step S2 that the mobile terminal is set to a normal mode, the mobile terminal is set to an automatic report mode in step S3. Meanwhile, when it is determined in step S1 that the mobile terminal is not set on the charge pad and it is determined in step S6 that the mobile terminal is set to the automatic report mode, and when a timeout time is set in step S7 and it is determined in step S10 that the timeout time passes, the mobile terminal is set to the normal mode in step S11.
US09258401B2

Disclosed are an apparatus and method of performing automated administrative operations on a mobile device. One example method may include determining via a hosted server that an action needs to be performed by a mobile device under management. The method may further include generating a message via the hosted server, the message includes the action, and transmitting the message to the mobile device under management, and receiving a result message from the mobile device under management responsive to the transmitted message, the result message indicating that the action has been satisfied.
US09258399B2

A method of providing a Social Networking Service (SNS) based on a phone book of a mobile terminal is provided. The method includes executing the phone book, receiving a selection of a group tab of the phone book from a first user of the mobile terminal, displaying a list of social groups that shares group activity information of its group members including a second user registered in the phone book in response to the selection of the group tab, and, when at least one social group is selected from the list of social groups, providing at least one piece of information from among group information, a group share space including group activity information, and link information corresponding to the selected at least one social group.
US09258396B2

A hand-held electronic device having a rolled-up screen comprises a flexible screen which can be partially received within a casing by a reeling mechanism in such a manner that the displaying function can still be performed by the flexible screen partially exposed outside the casing. When the flexible screen is pulled out and entirely exposed outside of the casing, the entire flexible screen can be used for image-displaying. Thus, advantages in both the high displaying quality of a large screen and excellent portability of a small-sized hand-held electronic device can be attained.
US09258391B2

A processing apparatus externally receives a processing request and executes the requested processing. The processing apparatus transmits the result of the processing to a processing request source if a connection to the processing request source is maintained until the requested processing is executed. The processing apparatus stores the result of executing the processing in a memory if the connection to the processing request source is disconnected before the end of the requested processing. The processing apparatus transmits the processing result stored in the memory to the processing request source if the processing requested when the processing request is received is executed but is stored in the memory.
US09258369B2

A method of providing a network-based service can include receiving a request for a service at a proxy server, wherein the request identifies a user. The method can also include identifying an application associated with the service based on the request and identifying a user data element required by the application for the user to access the application. The method can also include creating an application request element that includes the identified data element and proxying the request to the application using the created application request element.
US09258367B2

A technique for managing sessions in a communication network that does not subscribe to registration events immediately after an entity in the network is registered but rather delays subscribing to these events until a time that such notification would be normally used, such as after a revocable session has been established with the entity. An entity registers to enable sessions to be established with other entities in the communication network. After a session is established, a check is performed to determine if a subscription to be notified of events that warrants revoking the session already exists. If not, a subscription is established to be notified of events that warrant revoking the session. If during the session a notification is received indicating that an event that warrants revoking the session has occurred, the session is revoked.
US09258364B2

A storage management method for use in a storage area network is provided. The storage area network comprises a plurality of host data processors coupled to a virtualization engine, which is coupled to a plurality of physical storage media. Each physical storage media is assigned a tier level. The method comprises storing a threshold storage access value associated with each tier level, presenting virtual disk(s) to a host data processor and receiving I/O requests to the virtual disk from the host data processor. Additionally, metadata is stored which identifies the tier level of the physical storage to which the block corresponds, mappings between the block and blocks of a virtual disk, and an access rate to the data. The access value is periodically compared to at least one threshold rate associated with its tier level. Depending on the result, storage block(s) may be marked for migration to another tier level.
US09258355B2

Technologies related to decentralized cloud workflows are generally described. In some examples, client applications may generate workflow packages. The workflow packages may be used to access multiple network services, such that client applications need not communicate with intermediate network services in a network service workflow. A client application may send a workflow package to a first network service in the network service workflow. The first network service may process instructions in the workflow package, store transaction results, and forward the workflow package to a next network service. Each intermediate network service may similarly process instructions, store transaction results, and forward the workflow package. Ultimately a last network service in the network service workflow may send workflow completion information to the client application.
US09258349B2

Disclosed are an apparatus and method of exchanging data between a first computing device and a second computing device using a customized data transfer protocol. One example of operation may include establishing a control channel between the first computing device and the second computing device to exchange control information, negotiating a data transfer between the first and second computing devices, establishing a data channel between the first and second computing devices to transfer data, and transferring data from the first computing device to the second computing device over the data channel in parallel with control information being transferred over the control channel. The client devices may be a client and server configuration transferring data via a point-to-point data connection.
US09258344B2

Embodiments of the present disclosure describe methods, apparatuses, and systems related to using an identity provider (IdP) as a proxy for another IdP. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US09258342B2

Content which is related to content being displayed on an out-of-home display screen is synchronized with being shown on an out-of-home display screen. A mobile device operates to receive content which is related to the content being displayed on the out-of-home display screen. The system operates based on mobile device location, out-of-home display screen location and the time of day. Based on the time and locations, a server can determine what content is on the display screen and can therefore serve related content based on that to the mobile device. It works passively with periodic regular updates of the mobile device location or actively through the use of a button (touch screen, keyboard, etc.) on the mobile device to signal the server to check its location and therefore identifying which display screen the mobile device is near.
US09258340B2

Secure digital remediation methods and systems are provided for managing a reputation. A method for managing a reputation includes receiving a complaint from a victim regarding an unfavorable item published by one or more third parties, extracting information from the unfavorable item, and providing a communication to the one or more third parties of the complaint including the information, the communication requesting a response from the one or more third parties. The method also includes scoring the unfavorable item on a severity scale based on the information, responses to queries and/or a ruleset to produce a severity score, the ruleset including instructions for responding to the complaint based on the severity score.
US09258338B2

A method, mobile device, and conferencing system are provided for automatically establishing a conference event having a plurality of invitees. In one implementation, a method is provided for determining whether an invitee of a conference event is a moderator of the conference event. The method also automatically establishes the conference event using a moderator code responsive to determining that the invitee is the moderator of the conference event.
US09258337B2

A virtual environment server records and broadcasts a Uniform Resource Locator (URL), browser state information, and optionally clipping parameters, that are to be associated with a three dimensional (3D) surface in a virtual environment. When a user's Avatar encounters the 3D surface in the virtual environment, the client obtains the URL and browser state information, and obtains the web content using a standard web browser. The web content is stored into an off-screen buffer. The content from the off-screen buffer is then rendered locally as a texture map onto the 3D surface of the virtual environment. Whenever one of the users interacts with the web content, a new URL and new browser state information is used to obtain the updated web content in the same way. The new URL and new browser state information is also passed from the client to the server, so that the server may update the URL and new browser state information in each of the other clients associated with each of the other users.
US09258336B2

A database server stores in a subscriber record one or more attributes of an active subscriber connection coupling a computing device associated with the subscriber, including a data rate attribute. The database server receives a request to modify one or more of the attributes of the active subscriber connection including at least to modify the data rate attribute. The database server modifies the at least one of the attributes including modifying at least the data rate attribute and transmits the at least one modified attribute including at least the modified data rate attribute for the active subscriber connection to the network element to cause the network element to modify a corresponding attribute without disconnecting the subscriber connection from the network element.
US09258332B2

A system and method for a distributed multi-processing security gateway establishes a host side session, selects a proxy network address for a server, uses the proxy network address to establish a server side session, receives a data packet, assigns a central processing unit core from a plurality of central processing unit cores in a multi-core processor of the security gateway to process the data packet, processes the data packet according to security policies, and sends the processed data packet. The proxy network address is selected such that a same central processing unit core is assigned to process data packets from the server side session and the host side session. By assigning central processing unit cores in this manner, higher capable security gateways are provided.
US09258331B2

A trust control management method for security, operable on a computer system generates a unique Trust ID value by combining user-defined values with hardware-specific values associated with the user's computer system and storing the Trust ID value in a memory register physically associated with the hardware of the computer system. A Trust Control Suite (TCS) operable with a server OS/hypervisor maintains a database of user-defined values and hardware-specific values for computer systems clustered in a trusted computing pool. An attestation procedure is performed by the trust control server combining the user-defined values with the hardware-specific values from its database and comparing it to the user-stored Trust ID value stored in the memory register associated with a user's computer system. Depending on whether it is a match or mismatch, the TCS can determine if it is a trusted computer or not, and can take appropriate alerts and policy actions.
US09258330B2

An image processing apparatus which is capable of restraining operation that does not comply with security policies even in a case where security policies are changed through setting of user modes. The security policies are set in advance in the image processing apparatus. The image processing apparatus has a UI operation unit that enables operation on the image processing apparatus. When settings of the image processing apparatus are changed via the UI operation unit, it is verified whether or not the changed settings match the security policies. Operation of the image processing apparatus is restrained until it is verified that the changed settings match the security policies.
US09258319B1

Disclosed are various embodiments for detecting and responding to attacks on a computer network. One embodiment of such a method describes monitoring data communications transmitted to a target class of first computing nodes; in response to detecting a non-legitimate data communication to a computing node in the target class, determining whether the non-legitimate data communication is a form of attack on a network to which the computing nodes are connected; and in response to determining that the network is under attack, implementing new security measures for second computing nodes that are not part of the target class to protect the second computing nodes against the attack on the network while the attack is ongoing.
US09258318B2

A computer-implemented method for informing users about applications available for download may include (1) identifying, through sharing functionality provided by an operating system, shared content that identifies an application hosted by an application distribution platform, (2) in response to identifying the shared content, obtaining security information about the identified by the shared content, and (3) informing, prior to a user downloading the application, the user of the obtained security information about the application to enable the user to make an informed decision about whether to download the application. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09258316B1

An exemplary computer-implemented method for generating reputation ratings for URLs may include (1) identifying a URL that identifies the location of at least one web resource, (2) identifying the computing health of at least one member of a computing community that has accessed the URL, (3) generating, based at least in part on the computing health of the member(s) that accessed the URL, a reputation rating for the URL that indicates whether the URL represents a potential security risk, and then (4) providing the reputation rating for the URL to at least one additional computing device to enable the additional computing device to evaluate whether the URL represents a potential security risk. In addition, a client-side, computer-implemented method for determining whether a URL represents a potential security risk may be based at least in part on such a reputation rating. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US09258306B2

A method, non-transitory computer readable medium, and access manager device includes providing an initial challenge to a client computing device requesting access to a service. The initial challenge includes one or more of one or more objects, one or more indicative answers, and one or more questions based on the one or more objects. At least one challenge response to the initial challenge is received from the client computing device. A determination is when there is a match between the at least one challenge response to the initial challenge and corresponding response data associated with the initial challenge. One or more actions with respect to the request to access the service are performed based on the determination.
US09258293B1

A method and apparatus for safe and secure access to dynamic domain name systems. In one embodiment a method comprises transmitting a DNS query to a dynamic DNS server. The DNS query comprises a domain name. A DNS answer is received from the dynamic DNS server in response to transmitting the DNS query. The DNS answer comprises an IP address. A request is transmitted to a host at the IP address in response to receiving the DNS answer. A digital certificate is received in response to transmitting the request. The received digital certificate is then compared with each of a plurality of digital certificates stored in memory. The IP address is transmitted to a client computer system if the received digital certificate compares equally with one of the plurality of digital certificates.
US09258292B2

A method of performing a Real-Time Communication in Web-browsers (RTCWEB) identity authentication based on an authentication of a non-RTCWEB compliant Identity Provider (IdP) server comprising receiving, by an RTCWEB IdP client, an RTCWEB identity authentication request from a user agent, creating a session resource with a Relying Party (RP) client, wherein the RP client guards the session resource, instructing the user agent to authenticate with the RP client by employing a non-RTCWEB identity protocol to access the session resource, receiving authentication results from the non-RTCWEB compliant IdP server via the RP client, and sending an RTCWEB authentication to the user agent via the session resource.
US09258287B2

A secure active network includes a plurality of secure elements which communicate with one another to share and log information such as identification, location, and user activity associated with each secure element. Secure elements exchange data with one another, and log data received. The periodicity of communication between secure elements, encryption of the information, and the operating frequency in which the information is transmitted and received may be changed if communication is lost between any of the secure elements or if a determination is made that a secure element has traveled outside a predetermined zone. The integrity of the secure network may be verified at any time by comparing the logged information to a reference network.
US09258285B2

A system may include and/or involve a first device, a second device, and logic to effect pairing of the first and second devices upon activation of contact sensors of both the first and second devices.
US09258284B2

According to one embodiment, a server includes a message communicator, a key information storage, and a key controller. The message communicator is configured to communicate a message to a client. The key information storage is configured to store key information including at least a key value being value of key, a validity term of key, and assignment information of key. The key controller is configured to generate a key notification message including a key value of the client and a key update time when the message communicator receives a key request message from an authenticated client. The key value is corresponding with the assignment of the key information. The key update time decides from the validity term of the key and a validity term of authentication succeeded state of the client. The message communicator transmits the key notification message to the client.
US09258281B2

A management site (10) generates an encrypted message by a public-key symmetrical encryption algorithm, the algorithm and the key being selected by the management site among a memorized list. The message (DKE), which includes an identifier of the encryption algorithm and key used, is transmitted to a portable device (16), which stores it. For the use, the message is transmitted to a secured module (20) that decrypts it, checks its compliance with an internal reference, and generates a digital accreditation controlling the unlocking of a lock device (18). The decryption is operated with the algorithm and the key recognized based on the identifiers of the message, selected among a list memorized by the secured module.
US09258276B2

A method for handling packets is disclosed. The method can include providing at least one main processor connected to a plurality of offload processors by a memory bus; configuring the offload processors to provide security related services on packets prior to redirection to the main processor; and operating a virtual switch respectively connected to the main processor and the plurality of offload processors using the memory bus, with the virtual switch capable of receiving memory read/write data over the memory bus.
US09258275B2

A method and apparatus for dynamic security insertion into virtualized networks is described. The method may include receiving, at a network device from a second network device, a data packet and application data extracted from the data packet. The method may also include generating a routing decision for a network connection associated with the data packet based, at least in part, on the application data. Furthermore, the method may include transmitting the routing decision for the data packet to the second device for the second device to route the data based on the routing decision.
US09258272B1

Stateless deterministic network address translation (NAT) within a service provider network is described. A plurality of customer premise equipment (CPEs) positioned within customer networks and a NAT device positioned within a service provider network operate as ingress and egress for tunnels having network packets of a first network transport protocol that encapsulate inner network packets of a second network transport protocol. The NAT device stores a mapping table that maps, for each of the CPEs, a public network address of the first transport protocol to a public network address and restricted port range of the second transport protocol. The NAT device outputs control messages to communicate the respective restricted port range to each of the CPEs, and the CPEs provide network address translation within the customer networks at the ingress of the tunnels based on the restricted port range received from the NAT device of the service provider network.
US09258267B1

A network device establishes a logical channel with each server device of multiple server devices, where each logical channel is not shared with another server device of the multiple server devices. The network device also determines a network loopback Internet protocol (IP) address for each server device of the multiple server devices, and associates each network loopback IP address with a corresponding logical channel. The network device further receives a packet destined for a particular server device, and provides the packet to the particular server device via the logical channel associated with the particular server device.
US09258256B2

An overflow threshold value is stored for each of a plurality of virtual channels. A link manager maintains, for each virtual channel, a buffer count. If the buffer count for a virtual channel is detected to exceed the overflow threshold value for a virtual channel whose originating PCP flows were merged, then a PFC (Priority Flow Control) pause frame is generated where multiple ones of the priority class enable bits are set to indicate that multiple PCP flows should be paused. For the particular virtual channel that is overloaded, an Inverse PCP Remap LUT (IPRLUT) circuit performs inverse PCP mapping, including merging and/or reordering mapping, and outputs an indication of each of those PCP flows that is associated with the overloaded virtual channel. Associated physical MAC port circuitry uses this information to generate the PFC pause frame so that the appropriate multiple enable bits are set in the pause frame.
US09258254B2

An input/output (I/O) switch fabric includes input physical ports that convey packets associated with at least a first network flow. Moreover, virtual routers in the I/O switch fabric, which have associated routing tables, provide types of service and/or routes for different source-destination pairs based on link-layer information and network-layer information in the packets. Note that different virtual routers can provide different types of service and/or different routes. For example, a type of service associated with a first virtual router may include changing packet headers when crossing service domains in a global network, and a type of service associated with a second virtual router may avoid changing packet headers when providing connectivity in the network. Furthermore, the I/O switch fabric includes output physical ports that convey packets associated with at least a second network flow. The virtual routers may facilitate InfiniBand inter-subnet crossing.
US09258245B2

A system includes a task scheduler to select a queue from a port. The port includes a determined number of cell slots between pick opportunities. The task scheduler selects a queue at a pick opportunity. A queue manager connects with the task scheduler to pop cell packets from the selected queue, and to send update information to the task scheduler. The update information includes information of how the queue manager expects to fill the cell slots between the task scheduler selections. The task scheduler makes subsequent queue selections based on the update information.
US09258239B2

Provided is a network duplexing apparatus and method. The network duplexing apparatus includes a plurality of network interface units configured to store information of a flow flowing in the network interface units, provide the information of the flow to a master unit when the flow corresponds to an asymmetric flow, and request information of an opposite side flow of the flow from the master unit to receive the requested information, and the master unit configured to store the information of the flow provided from the network interface unit, determine whether the information of the opposite side flow of the flow is stored, and provide the information of the opposite side flow to the network interface unit when the information of the opposite side flow is stored.
US09258238B2

A centralized controller provides dynamic end-to-end network path setup across multiple network layers. In particular, the centralized controller manages end-to-end network path setup that provisions a path at both the transport network layer (e.g., optical) and the service network layer (e.g., IP/MPLS). The centralized controller performs path computation for an optical path at the transport network layer and for a path at the service network layer that transports network traffic on the underlying optical transport path, based on information obtained by the centralized controller from the underlying network components at both layers.
US09258233B2

A method for adjusting a set of primary rate limits for transmission rates of data flows having a certain priority in a transmitter is provided. A mean value is determined of a duty cycle of the certain priority at the port as obtainable from the transmission or flow control, wherein the data flows having different priorities including said certain priority are transmitted by a port of the transmitter, transmissions for rate-limited data flows having the certain priority are limited by secondary rate limits (r1′, r2′, . . . rn′) per data flow, and transmissions for all data flows having the certain priority are controlled by a transmission or flow control per priority. The secondary rate limits (r1′, r2′, . . . rn′) are obtained by adjusting the primary rate limits for the transmission rates of the data flows having the certain priority based on the determined mean value of the duty cycle.
US09258231B2

Bandwidth allocation management includes determining current available bandwidth of a network within which a computer system is operating. The bandwidth allocation management also includes using the current available bandwidth and applied feature delivery settings to determine an adjustment in feature delivery to the computer system. At least a portion of the feature delivery settings is specified by an end user of the computer system.
US09258230B2

A system and method for reconfiguring a TCP window in a switch of a network system, where the size of the window is determined based on the operating speed of a work station to which data packets in the window are being sent and the size of the switch buffer. The algorithm includes establishing a connection between a server and the station, where the connection includes TCP data packets. The algorithm identifies a TCP window size requested by the station, and identifies the connection speed of the station in the switch. The algorithm then modifies the TCP window size of the connection if the identified TCP window size does not support the connection speed and the size of the buffer. The algorithm also changes the TCP check-sum based on the new TCP window size.
US09258224B2

An embodiment of the invention includes a memory and apparatus for packet processing in a switching network. The memory includes a plurality of words where each word includes a plurality of bits. Each word in the plurality of words is addressed by separate and distinct read address. A logic circuit performs a logical “OR” function on all the bit in all the words addressed by the separate and distinct read addresses and outputs a result.
US09258223B1

A differentiated services code point (DSCP) field and a flags field of a data packet are utilized to route the packet in a network address translation (NAT) network. A sending device configures the DSCP field in the packet with information that may be used to identify a destination for the packet within the NAT network. The sending device also configures the flags field to indicate that the DSCP field is to be utilized to identify the destination. When a device in the NAT network receives the packet, the device examines the flag field to determine whether the DSCP field is to be utilized to identify the destination. If the flag indicates that the DSCP field is to be utilized to identify the destination, the DSCP field is utilized to locate the destination network address for the packet. The packet is then transmitted to the identified destination network address.
US09258219B1

A multi-unit switch includes a plurality of network devices, and a central switch communicatively. The central switch includes a forwarding database for making virtual port forwarding decisions, the forwarding database being populated with virtual port entries corresponding to virtual ports of the central switch, ones of the virtual ports mapped to corresponding ones of physical ports of the plurality of network devices. The central switch is configured to make forwarding decisions to determine virtual ports to which packets are to be forwarded, and forward packets to appropriate physical ports of the central switch based on the virtual port forwarding decisions based on the mapping of virtual ports to physical ports. Network devices are configured to receive packets from the central switch and to forward the received packets to appropriate physical ports of the network devices responsively to indications of the virtual port forwarding decisions made by the central switch.
US09258213B2

In one embodiment, a stateful device receives a packet on a particular interface of a stateful device in a computer network, where the packet includes source identification and destination identification. The source identification and destination identification of the packet may then be swapped and checked against a stateful connection table managed at the stateful device for the particular interface, such that a loop may be detected at the particular interface in response to the swapped source identification and destination identification matching an existing entry in the stateful connection table. In the event there is such a detected loop, the packet (e.g., and any subsequent similar packets) may to be dropped, accordingly.
US09258210B2

In general, techniques are described for dynamically filtering, at area border routers (ABRs) of a multi-area autonomous system, routes to destinations external to an area by advertising to routers of the area only those routes associated with a destination address requested by at least one router of the area. In one example, a method includes receiving, by an ABR that borders a backbone area and a non-backbone area of a multi-area autonomous system that employs a hierarchical link state routing protocol to administratively group routers of the autonomous system into areas, a request message from the non-backbone area that requests the ABR to provide routing information associated with a service endpoint identifier (SEI) to the non-backbone area. The request message specifies the SEI. The method also includes sending, in response to receiving the request and by the ABR, the routing information associated with the SEI to the non-backbone area.
US09258199B2

The disclosure includes a method of and associated system for placing nodes in a wireless local area network (WLAN). The method includes receiving user-specified parameters regarding the network. The parameters can include a layout of a building or other space, and requirements for the WLAN. An algorithm then employs these parameters to automatically create and optimized layout of multiple wireless access points for the WLAN. The method can display the layout and provide various types of information to the user.
US09258196B2

Composite service provisioning is provided. A processor receives a first demand value of a first composite service. The processor identifies a sub-service based on the first composite service. The processor pre-provisions a first pool of service instances corresponding to the first composite service, the first pool of service instances having a quantity of service instances based, at least in part, on the first demand value. The processor determines a second demand value of the sub-service based, at least in part, on the quantity of service instances of the first pool of service instances. The processor pre-provisions a second pool of service instances corresponding to the sub-service, the second pool of service instances having a quantity of service instances based, at least in part, on the second demand value. The processor modifies each of the first pool of service instances with placeholder credentials that identify the second pool of service instances.
US09258185B2

An example method for Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) support in a Transparent Interconnection of Lots of Links (TRILL) network environment is provided and includes configuring at least two virtual storage area networks (SANs) in a TRILL network environment, which includes a plurality of leaf switches and spine switches, with each leaf switch being configured as a FCoE forwarder (FCF) enabled to forward frames according to FCoE protocol, and configuring at least an edge broadcast domain and a transport broadcast domain for each virtual SAN at each leaf switch. The edge broadcast domain includes end device links between the leaf switch and one or more end devices, and the transport broadcast domain includes spine links between the leaf switch and the spine switches.
US09258178B2

In a method for generating a physical layer (PHY) data unit, pilot tone contribution sequence values for a first set of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols and for a second set of OFDM symbols are determined using a pilot mapping function. The first set is to be included in a signal field of the data unit, and the second set is to be included in a data portion of the data unit. The first set and the second set are generated to include pilot tones modulated based on the pilot tone contribution sequence values determined, respectively, for the first set of OFDM symbols and for the second set of OFDM symbols. The signal field is generated to include the first set, and the data portion is generated to include the second set. The data unit is generated to include at least the signal field and the data portion.
US09258175B1

A system and method for sharing playlists within a network includes a first storage device having a first playlist comprising first playlist data corresponding to stored content and a second storage device having a second playlist comprising second playlist data corresponding to stored content. The system also includes an aggregation server in communication with the first storage device and the second storage device that receives the first playlist and the second playlist. The aggregation server aggregates the first playlist data and the second playlist data to form an aggregated playlist having aggregated playlist data and forms an index list corresponding to the aggregated playlist. A first aggregation client is in communication with the aggregation server and receives the index list from the aggregation server.
US09258174B1

In one embodiment, negotiation is performed between the client-layer (e.g., Layer-3 or Layer-2) network and the server-layer (e.g., optical) network to establish a path through the server-layer network with desired server-layer characteristics. This negotiation may include a first iteration of a client-layer request of one or more first server-layer characteristics followed by a negative server-layer response, and a subsequent iteration of a particular client-layer request of one or more particular server-layer characteristics followed by a positive server-layer response, with said particular server-layer characteristics including at least one relaxed server-layer characteristic of said first server-layer characteristics. One embodiment establishes, in response a client-layer request to the server-layer network responsive to the positive server-layer response, a server-layer path between said two client-layer devices that satisfies said particular server-layer characteristics, but does not satisfy said first server-layer characteristics.
US09258162B2

A method and system are provided for reducing the peak factor in a multi-carrier communication system, the data being transmitted on m channels comprising, in the transmission of data in the form of a frame, a step in which a number d of desynchronization symbols are introduced at the start of each of the frames, the number d being chosen as a function of the transmission channel number concerned.
US09258159B2

Provided are a transmitter, a receiver and methods of padding and depadding zero bits to an L1-post signaling. The transmitter includes: a zero padder configured to divide an information word into a plurality of groups, pad zero bits to at least one of the plurality of groups by group unit, and pad additional zero bits to at least one of the plurality of groups remaining after the zero bits are padded, thereby constituting the information word for encoding the L1-post signaling; and an encoder configured to perform encoding on the information word for encoding the L1-post signaling. The zero padder pads the additional zero bits according to a predetermined criterion, starting from a front end or a back end of the at least one of the remaining groups.
US09258158B2

There is provided a method for determining uplink transmission power. The method may performed by a user equipment (UE) and comprise: receiving, by the UE, a value of additional maximum power reduction (A-MPR) from a base station (BS), if the UE is configured to use for uplink transmission a frequency range of 1980 MHz through 2010 MHz or 1920 MHz through 2010 MHz and if another UE which is located in an adjacent BS and is to be protected uses for an uplink transmission a frequency range of 2010 MHz through 2025 MHz; and determining an uplink transmission power by applying the value of A-MPR.
US09258151B2

A diversity combining method applied by a receiver in a wireless communication system is provided, including: acquiring baseband signals of receiving channels corresponding to multiple receiving antennas, and combining multiple acquired baseband signals according to a Maximal-Ratio Combining (MRC) principle at an intermediate frequency and/or within an equalizer and/or after the equalizer. Further a receiver in a wireless communication system is provided. By means of the technical solutions of the disclosure, it is possible to improve a demodulation threshold and the demodulation sensitivity of a microwave system.
US09258140B2

Embodiments of the disclosure are related to routing or switching data of a customer network over a provider's network in Provider Backbone Bridge (PBB) to another customer network such that the traffic in the communication channel between the two customer networks is reduced and thus prevents packet loss. The architecture model for routing or switching data of a customer network over a provider's network is a B-component bridge used in backbone networks which performs Σn1 data path protection to prevent packet loss, data aggregation for load sharing, TDM (Time Division Multiplexing) to Ethernet Circuit Emulation.
US09258139B2

Transmission of data frames over a channel in a communications network takes place on a slotted time base. A method comprises an evaluation, by at least one node of the network having a frame available for transmission, of whether the channel is available for transmission. If the channel is available for transmission, the available frame is transmitted over the channel in a subsequent slot of the slotted time base. If the channel is not available for transmission, owing to a frame (having a certain temporal length) being transmitted over the channel at a certain time, the slotted time base of the node is resynchronized as a function of the frame being transmitted. The resynchronization includes identifying, as a function of the certain temporal length, an interval of delay to evaluate again at a future time whether the channel is available for transmission.
US09258137B2

A bridge apparatus is disclosed, the bridge apparatus being connected between a first network and a second network and achieving a communication between equipment connected to the first network and equipment connected to the second network. This apparatus accepts communication from the equipment over the first network to equipment disconnected from the second network, and then, preserves contents of the communication even in the case where the equipment over the second network has been disconnected from the second network for reasons such as electric power cut. In the case where the disconnected equipment has been connected to the second network again, this apparatus transmits the accepted contents of the communication to the reconnected equipment.
US09258136B2

A data processing system has a browser with scripting engine means for executing a script. The scripting engine means implements a public scripting engine and a private scripting engine. The browser is configured to have the script executed by the public scripting engine if the script does not require access to a pre-determined resource at the system. The browser is configured to have the script executed by the private scripting engine if the script requires access to the pre-determined resource. Only the private scripting engine has an interface for enabling the script to access the predetermined resource. The scripting engine means is configured to prevent the private scripting engine from communicating data to the public scripting engine or to a non-approved server external to the data processing system.
US09258133B2

Methods and systems for anonymous digital identification are disclosed and may include detecting the presence of a first communication device associated with a first set of content that is distinguishable from an identifier associated with the first communication device, detecting the presence of a second communication device associated with a second set of content that is distinguishable from an identifier associated with the second communication device, and in response to a determination that the devices are geographically proximate to one another, providing matched content to at least one of the first and second devices. The matched content may be based at least in part on the first set of content, the second set of content, and a shared or complementary interest associated with the first and second devices. The interest may have been previously expressed by a user of the first or second devices.
US09258132B2

Various exemplary embodiments relate to a network configuration protocol (NETCONF) and simple network management protocol (SNMP) gateway (NSG). The NSG may include: a first interface configured as a NETCONF server, the first interface configured to connect to a NETCONF client and receive NETCONF messages, at least one NETCONF message identifying a managed object; a buffer configured to store the identified managed object; and a second interface configured to send an SNMP message to an SNMP agent, the SNMP message including the managed object stored in the buffer. Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method performed by a network gateway, the method comprising: receiving a NETCONF message from a NETCONF client; translating the NETCONF message into a SNMP message; and sending the SNMP message to a configurable node.
US09258125B2

Methods, systems, and products are disclosed in which generating evidence of web services transactions are provided generally by receiving in an ultimate recipient web service from an initial sender a request, the request containing a proof of message origin (‘PMO’). The PMO contains an element addressed to the ultimate recipient web service and the element bears a first signature, the first signature having a value. Embodiments also include authenticating the identity of the initial sender; creating a proof of message receipt (‘PMR’) including signing the value of the first signature; sending the PMR to the initial sender, receiving, by the initial sender, the PMR; and saving, by the initial sender, the PMR.
US09258117B1

A client and server negotiate a secure communication channel using a pre-shared key where the server, at the time the negotiation initiates, lacks access to the pre-shared key. The server obtains the pre-shared key from another server that shares a secret with the client. A digital signature or other authentication information generated by the client may be used to enable the other server to determine whether to provide the pre-shared key.
US09258114B2

Described herein are techniques related to implementation of a quantum key distribution (QKD) scheme by a photonic integrated circuit (PIC). For example, the PIC is a component in a wireless device that is used for quantum communications in a quantum communications system.
US09258106B2

A communication apparatus (13) according to the present invention is provided with: a storage unit (131) that stored in advance difference information (1311), which is the difference between first time information (t1) and second time information (t2), said first time information (t1) being received from a synchronization source communication apparatus (11) as a time synchronization source connected to a transmission system (12) wherein transmission delay time is different depending on the direction of transmission, and said second time information (t2) obtained from a time synchronization origin (14) other than the transmission system (12); and a time synchronization means (132) that carries out, when the second time information (t2) cannot be obtained from the time synchronization origin (14), time synchronization with the synchronization source communication apparatus (11) using the difference information (1311) read out from the storage unit (131).
US09258105B2

An Ethernet physical layer device using time division duplex. A time division duplex frame can be defined with uplink and downlink transmission periods. These defined uplink and downlink transmission periods can be adjusted based on bandwidth and latency considerations on the network link.
US09258102B2

The present invention provides methods and devices for mitigating inter-cell interference in communication environments having a plurality of cells. In some embodiments, a time-frequency transmission resource that includes multiple sub-carriers over multiple OFDM symbol intervals is partitioned into a first zone and a second zone. In the first zone, transmissions are transmitted on at least one frequency sub-band which is common to all of the plurality of cells. In the second zone, transmissions are transmitted on at least one frequency sub-band which is used by less than all of the plurality of cells, so as to mitigate inter-cell interference. In some embodiments, in the first zone transmissions are transmitted using a transmission power which is common to all of the plurality of cells and in the second zone transmissions are transmitted using a transmission power which is used by less than all of the plurality of cells so as to mitigate inter-cell interference.
US09258092B2

A cell-specific sounding reference symbol (SRS) subframe configuration and UE-specific SRS configuration are defined for carrier aggregation. For the cell-specific SRS subframe configuration, the same cell-specific SRS subframes are configured for all uplink (UL) carrier components (CCs). For the UE-specific SRS configuration, different configurations are applied for UL CCs. Also, to reduce signaling overhead, the different UE-specific SRS configuration is signaled by using an offset on top of the UE-specific SRS configuration of a primary component carrier (PCC).
US09258086B2

Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to techniques for allocating resources for Physical Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) Indicator Channel (PHICH).
US09258080B2

The present invention describes a method for configuring a measurement report type to be used by a receiver to report a measurement to a transmitter, wherein the measurement is reported to the transmitter in a report signal over a control channel. The method includes selecting a first measurement report type and at least one second measurement report type to be used by the receiver to report the measurement, generating a measurement reporting pattern defining an occurrence of the first measurement report type and the at least one second measurement report type in the report signal transmitted by the receiver to the transmitter over control channel, and notifying the first measurement report type, the at least one second measurement report type, and the generated measurement reporting pattern to the receiver.
US09258068B2

An apparatus and a method are described, in which a plurality of signals is received via plurality of receiver units of a receiver, signal quality and/or power related measurements are performed, and a signal quality and/or power related measurement result is generated based on a combination of signals received by the receiver units.
US09258067B2

An apparatus including a chamber that defines an internal cavity therein, adapted to enclose the device under test, and including walls of an inwardly reflective material, rendering the walls reflective to electromagnetic waves, thereby simulating a multi-path environment. Thus, the chamber is a reverberation chamber. At least one moveable object and chamber antenna are arranged in the cavity. A measuring instrument is connected to the device under test and the chamber antenna, for measuring the transmission between them. Further, an improved antenna holder is disclosed, comprising three surfaces of a reflective material, said surfaces extending in planes which are orthogonal in relation to each other and each surface facing away from the other surfaces, and wherein a chamber antenna is arranged on each of said at least three surfaces. Other improvements relate to video surveillance, channel emulation and shielding.
US09258066B2

The present invention provides an interference removal method in a multi-node system. The interference removal method comprises receiving node information from a base station; receiving a first signal from an objective node and a second signal from an interference node; and removing interference due to the second signal by applying a receive filter to a receive signal including the first and the second signal, where the node information includes at least one of information about a reference signal included in the second signal and information about a pre-coding matrix applied to the second signal and the receive filter is determined based on the node information.
US09258063B1

An algorithm to reduce a peak current for a transmitter module with multiple laser diodes (LDs) is disclosed. When the current temperature of the LDs is higher than the target temperature, the thermo-electric cooler (TEC) controller is first activated then the LD driver to drive the LDs is subsequently activated with a substantial delay. When the ambient temperature of the LDs is lower than the target temperature, the LD driver is first driven; then, the TEC controller is subsequently activated.
US09258062B2

An optical amplification device includes: a plurality of semiconductor optical amplifiers to which an optical burst signal is input at a different timing; an optical coupler that combines output signals output from the plurality of semiconductor optical amplifiers; a detection unit that detects an optical inputting to the plurality of semiconductor optical amplifiers; and a control unit that activates one of the semiconductor optical amplifiers where the optical inputting is detected, inactivates the other semiconductor optical amplifier, and remains the activation until another optical inputting is detected in the other semiconductor optical amplifier.
US09258058B2

A signal transmitting apparatus is provided that includes a light emitter and a circuit that controls the light emitter change in luminance in frequency to transmit a signal to a receiving apparatus. The receiving apparatus includes a processor and a recording medium having a program, the program causing the processor to execute operations. The operations include obtaining first image data with a first exposure time; setting a second exposure time of the image sensor so that, in an image obtained by capturing a subject by the image sensor, a plurality of bright lines corresponding to the plurality of exposure lines included in the image sensor appear according to a change in luminance of the subject; obtaining a bright line image including the plurality of bright lines; and obtaining information by demodulating data specified by a pattern of the plurality of bright lines.
US09258048B2

The present invention discloses method and terminal for feeding back channel state information. The method comprises: UE determining channel state information comprising first-type PMI and/or second-type PMI according to indication information, wherein first-type PMI is used for indicating index of one first precoding matrix in first precoding codebook, each first precoding matrix is used for mapping channel information of one wideband and/or long-term channel; second-type PMI is used for indicating index of one second precoding matrix in second precoding codebook, each second precoding matrix is used for mapping channel information of one subband and/or short-term channel; UE feeding back first-type PMI in PUCCH periodically and feeding back second-type PMI in PUSCH periodically or non-periodically, or, feeding back first-type PMI and second-type PMI in PUCCH. Through the present invention, precision of feeding back channel state information by UE is increased, and base station can dynamically select SU-MIMO or MU-MIMO transmission.
US09258044B2

The present disclosure provides a method for feeding back a precoding matrix indicator, a receive end and a transmit end, where the method includes: selecting, by a receive end, a precoding matrix W from a codebook based on a reference signal, where W ∈ [ X 1 ⁡ ( θ 1 ) X 2 ⁡ ( θ 2 , φ n ) ] , the θ1 and the θ2 indicate a phase difference of weighted values for signal transmission between two neighboring antennas in a first antenna group of a transmit end and a phase difference of weighted values for signal transmission between two neighboring antennas in a second antenna group of the transmit end, the φn indicates a phase difference of weighted values for signal transmission between the first antenna group and the second antenna group, where the signal transmission between the first antenna group and the second antenna group is for a same transmission layer, φ n = ⅇ j ⁢ ⁢ 2 ⁢ π ⁢ ⁢ n M , and sending, by the receive end, a precoding matrix indicator PMI to the transmit end.
US09258031B2

A dynamic range compressor of a subband type for carrying out a dynamic compression on a broadband input signal includes a subband splitting device for splitting the broadband input signal into K narrowband subband signals. An amplifier unit amplifies each of the K subband signals to obtain K amplified subband signals. Further, a subband combining device is provided for combining the K amplified subband signals to obtain a broadband output signal, which is a dynamically compressed version of the broadband input signal. An envelope detecting device generates, for each of the K subbands, a respective one of K envelope signals. An amplifier control device generates, in dependence of the K envelope signals, K amplifier control signals, each being representative of one of the K amplification factors. The amplifier control device is adapted to generate an amplification control signal in dependence of more than one of the K envelope signals.
US09258029B2

A protective sheath includes a first cover portion, a flexible display unit, a second cover portion, a flexible portion, and a control unit. The first cover portion includes an external surface portion having an opening and an internal surface portion. The flexible display unit is sandwiched between the external and internal surface portions. A second display surface of the flexible display unit is exposed by the opening. The second cover portion has two bending openings. The second cover portion is bent along the bending openings to be divided into a leaning portion and a supporting portion. Two opposite sides of the flexible portion are foldably connected to the first cover portion and the supporting portion of the second cover portion. The control unit is disposed in an accommodating space of the supporting portion and electrically connected to the flexible display unit.
US09258027B2

Detection of an increase in a mismatch of an antenna of a radio frequency (RF) device and/or a change in a capacitance value of the antenna indicates proximity of a body to the antenna. Upon detection of proximity of a body to the antenna, reduction of transmit power of the RF device may be done to meet Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) level regulations.
US09258018B2

In one embodiment, an apparatus includes an upconversion unit configured to upconvert a baseband signal to a radio frequency (RF) signal. A plurality of baluns for a plurality of wireless bands are provided. Multiplexing circuitry is coupled to the plurality of baluns where the upconversion unit is coupled to each balun through the multiplexing circuitry. The multiplexing circuitry is configured to multiplex the radio frequency signal from the upconversion unit to one of the plurality of baluns based on a wireless band being used.
US09258014B2

A system for software error-correcting code (ECC) protection or compression of original data using ECC data in a first memory is provided. The system includes a processing core for executing computer instructions and accessing data from a main memory, and a non-volatile storage medium for storing the computer instructions. The software ECC protection or compression includes: a data matrix for holding the original data in the first memory; a check matrix for holding the ECC data in the first memory; an encoding matrix for holding first factors in the main memory, the first factors being for encoding the original data into the ECC data; and a thread for executing on the processing core. The thread includes a Galois Field multiplier for multiplying entries of the data matrix by an entry of the encoding matrix, and a sequencer for ordering operations using the Galois Field multiplier to generate the ECC data.
US09258012B2

Aspects of the present disclosure describe systems and methods for compressing a set of RAM data that may have some portions duplicated in a set of ROM data. The ROM data may be divided into a plurality of data chunks and hashed to obtained unique key values. Then a second hash may be performed on the RAM to see if there are any RAM data chunks that match the ROM data chunks. RAM data chunks with matching key values are replaced with pointers to the location of the data in the ROM. 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.
US09258010B1

In one implementation, a digital analog converter (DAC) is monotonic because the output moves only in the direction of the input and segmented because a more significant portion of the DAC is separated from a less significant portion. The DAC receives an input binary word that includes multiple most significant bits and multiple least significant bits. The DAC decodes the input binary word to an intermediate signal that includes a bit width equal to or greater than a bit width of the binary word. The intermediate signal sets output switches and current source switches. The DAC provides an analog output signal that represents the input binary word.
US09258005B2

A device for converting analog to digital is disclosed. The device includes a dual mode converter and a control unit. The dual mode converter has a coarse mode and a fine mode. The dual mode converter is configured to receive an input signal and convert the input signal to a digital output having a selected resolution. The control unit is coupled to the dual mode converter and is configured to operate the converter in the coarse mode until a coarse approximation is obtained and to operate the converter in the fine mode until a fine approximation is obtained having the selected resolution. The fine mode includes multi-bit incremental tracking.
US09258003B2

To compensate for non-linearity of an AD conversion unit and non-linearity of a DA conversion unit in an electronic system including the DA conversion unit and the AD conversion unit, an electronic system includes an A/D conversion unit, a D/A conversion unit, an AD conversion compensation unit, a DA conversion compensation unit, and a calibration unit. During a calibration operation period, the calibration unit sets an operating characteristic of the AD conversion compensation unit and an operating characteristic of the DA conversion compensation unit. The operating characteristic of the AD conversion compensation unit set during the calibration operation period compensates for non-linearity of AD conversion of the A/D conversion unit. The operating characteristic of the DA conversion compensation unit set during the calibration operation period compensates for non-linearity of DA conversion of the D/A conversion unit.
US09258001B1

An oscillator of a phase-locked loop (PLL) or frequency-locked loop (FLL) may include two inputs. The two inputs may include a first analog input and a second digital input. The second digital input may receive a digital signal setting a desired output clock frequency of the oscillator and/or indicating an approximate frequency of frequency range for output by the oscillator. The first analog input may receive a voltage representative of a desired frequency for the output clock frequency of the PLL or FLL to fine-tune the output frequency from the approximate frequency set by the second digital input. The first analog input may be generated from a master clock input signal. When the master clock input signal disappears, the second digital signal controls the output frequency of the oscillator to allow redundant operation of the PLL or FLL even when no master clock input signal is present.
US09257996B2

An oscillator circuit may include a local oscillator to generate a carrier signal having a tunable frequency, a first modulator and a power amplifier coupled in cascade to the local oscillator to generate an output signal. The first modulator may be activated from a first modulating signal having a first frequency alternatively defining ON and OFF states of the first modulator. An estimator unit may receive the carrier signal during a time window and detect an estimated frequency variation of the carrier signal during the ON and OFF states. A compensation unit may include a second modulator to generate a compensation signal proportional to the estimated frequency variation and modulated with a second modulating frequency. The second modulating frequency may be substantially the same as the first modulating frequency, and the compensation signal may be added to a bias signal of the local oscillator to tune the tunable frequency.
US09257990B2

A clock dividing device includes an accumulator that accumulates a first accumulated value and a denominator value and stores a second accumulated value, a register that stores a delayed accumulated value obtained by delaying the second accumulated value, a first comparison operation unit that performs a comparative operation on the second accumulated value and a numerator value and stores the second accumulated value as a greater value if the second accumulated value is greater than or equal to the numerator value, a second comparison operation unit that performs a comparative operation on the delayed accumulated value and the numerator value and stores the delayed accumulated value as a delay greater value if the delayed accumulated value is greater than or equal to the numerator value, and a third comparison operation unit that performs a comparative operation on the greater value and the delay greater value and determines the shape of a clock, wherein the shape of the clock is one of a bypass, a rising edge, and a falling edge.
US09257986B2

A novel method for designing an integrated circuit (“IC”) by rescaling an original set of circuits in a design of the IC is disclosed. The original set of circuits to be rescaled includes sequential nodes, combinational nodes, and interconnects. Each sequential node is associated with a phase of a clock. The method generates a rescaled set of circuits that includes multiple replica sets of the circuits. Each replica set of circuits includes sequential nodes, combinational nodes, and interconnects that are identical to nodes and interconnects in the original set of circuits. Each sequential node is associated with a phase of a clock that is at a fraction of the phase of its corresponding sequential element in the original set. The method connects nodes in each replica set of circuits to a logically equivalent node in another replica set. The method replaces the original set of circuits with the rescaled set of circuits.
US09257985B2

Consistent with an example embodiment, the disclosed includes a synchronized logic circuit comprising: an input module; an output module; a decision logic module connected between the input and output modules and configured to provide a next output state to the output module dependent on a current input state provided from the input and output modules; a clock module connected to the input and output modules and configured to provide a clock signal for synchronizing operation of the input and output modules; and an input detection module connected to the input module and configured to provide an enable signal to the clock module on detection of a change in an input provided to the input module, wherein the clock module is configured to provide a clock signal to the input and output modules on receiving the enable signal from the input detection circuit.
US09257983B2

According to an exemplary implementation, a level shifter includes a low voltage circuit and a high voltage circuit. The low voltage circuit is configured to provide a differential signal to the high voltage circuit through a capacitive isolation barrier. The high voltage circuit is configured to receive the differential signal from the low voltage circuit through the capacitive isolation barrier so as to level shift the differential signal from a first ground of the low voltage circuit to a second ground of the high voltage circuit. The high voltage circuit is further configured to provide a feedback signal to the low voltage circuit through the capacitive isolation barrier. The low voltage circuit can be configured to receive the feedback signal from the low voltage circuit between edges of the differential signal.
US09257981B2

Adiabatic logic circuit having a first and a second inputs, a first and a second outputs and at least one supply and synchronization input (Phi), with this circuit comprising: a first logic device comprising at least one first microelectromechanical and/or nanoelectromechanical switch, referred to as first mechanical switch, controlled by a first input and connected to the first output and to the supply and synchronization input, a second logic device opposite the first logic device comprising at least one second microelectromechanical or nanoelectromechanical switch, referred to as second mechanical switch, controlled by the second input and connected to the second output and to the supply and synchronization input, first and second devices for partial discharging connected respectively between the first output and the supply and synchronization input and between the second output and the supply and synchronization input.
US09257967B2

A multi-phase signal generator and a multi-phase signal generating method thereof. The multi-phase signal generator includes a signal generator, a first comparator, a second comparator and a logic operation circuit. The signal generator generates a periodic signal. The first comparator receives the periodic signal and respectively compares the periodic signal with a first reference voltage and a second reference voltage to generate a first output signal. The second comparator receives the periodic signal and compares the periodic signal with a first threshold voltage to generate a second output signal. The logic operation circuit performs logic operations on the first output signal and the second output signal so as to generate a plurality of first phase output signals.
US09257966B2

An operation clock generation circuit performs calculation on the basis of the frequency errors of a fundamental clock and the clock pulses of the fundamental clock, and generates an operation clock obtained by correcting the frequency errors at first intervals. A correction clock generation circuit converts a lower-bit value that is a value represented by the bits lower than the predefined bit used for judging the change of the state of the operation clock into a count number of the clock pulses of a second clock whose frequency is higher than that of the operation clock, generates a correction clock obtained by correcting the operation clock on the basis of a time required for counting the count number of the clock pulses and the clock pulses of the operation clock.
US09257957B2

An impedance matching system is provided. The impedance matching system includes an impedance matching apparatus and an impedance analysis apparatus. The impedance matching apparatus varies a capacitance value of a capacitor according to an applied voltage value, and matches an impedance according to the varied capacitance value. The impedance analysis apparatus supplies a voltage for varying the capacitance value to an impedance matching circuit, and determines an impedance value, changed according to the voltage value, to analyze characteristic of a capacitor included in the impedance matching apparatus.
US09257955B2

A common mode noise reduction circuit includes at least one first input end, at least one second input end, at least one first output end, and at least one second output end. The circuit is further provided with at least one resistor, at least one inductor, and at least one capacitor, symmetrically disposed within the circuit loop defined by the four ends. Common mode noise, after entering the circuit, is transformed into heat by the resistance of the circuit such that the common mode noise is suppressed. Differential mode signals, on the contrary, after entering the circuit, can pass through the circuit with minimum loss.
US09257945B2

Disclosed is a technique for reducing noise superimposed on an output signal while keeping loop gain constant without increasing the circuit scale and without changing the transfer function of the amplifier apparatus (frequency characteristics of gain and phase). According to the technique, there are included a power-supply voltage control unit 7 for detecting the amplitude level S9 of an input audio signal S1 and outputting power with a voltage value indicated by target set voltage value information Vs corresponding to this amplitude level S9, and a PWM modulation unit 2 including a PWM converter 23 for converting the pulse width of the input audio signal S1 and a correction unit for correcting the signal modulated by the PWM converter 23. The PWM modulation unit 2 corrects the pulse width of a PWM signal S5 modulated by the PWM converter 23 so that the correction unit will cancel out a change in amplification gain of a power amplification unit 4 according to the target set voltage value information Vs.
US09257935B2

A motor control apparatus and method are provided. The motor control apparatus may include a power supply device supplying power to a motor, a power control device selectively blocking current supplied to the motor depending on whether or not the current supplied from the power supply device to the motor is greater than a reference current value, a controller that controls an intensity of the current supplied from the power supply device to the motor, and a load torque detector that detects a load torque generated by the motor as the motor rotates. The controller controls a maximum value of the current to be supplied to the motor so that the maximum value is less than the reference current value when the maximum value of the load torque detected by the load torque detector is greater than a maximum motor output due corresponding to the reference current value.
US09257929B2

The present invention provides an excitation control circuit, a control method using the same and an electrically excited wind power system having the same. The excitation control circuit comprises at least one converter and at least one AC/DC conversion module. The converter is located between an AC electric grid and a wind power generator, so as to convert AC power generated by the wind power generator into AC power corresponding to the AC electric grid. The input side of the AC/DC conversion module is electrically connected between the converter and the wind power generator, and the output side is coupled to an excitation device. The AC/DC conversion module is used to convert the AC power from the wind power generator into a DC voltage, and provides an excitation current for the wind power generator using the DC voltage.
US09257928B2

There is provided a control device for a stepping motor, configured to apply an excitation current to multiple coils to rotate a rotor. The control device includes a drive unit configured to apply a drive voltage to the coils, and a control unit configured to control the drive voltage applied by the drive unit, wherein the control unit includes a stop control unit configured to perform, during a hold period of a stop period of the stepping motor, a stop control which gradually decreases a magnitude of the excitation current flowing in the coils such that the rotor moves to a predetermined stop position, and wherein the stop control unit is configured to perform the stop control such that a variation amount of the excitation current per unit time becomes a predetermined threshold value for the stop period or less.
US09257927B2

An apparatus and method is provided for controlling a stepping motor in a digital photographing apparatus, the apparatus including: a temperature measuring unit for measuring a temperature; and a digital signal processor (DSP) for determining a measured temperature driving value of the stepping motor in correspondence with the measured temperature, changing the determined driving value based on a target position to which the stepping motor is supposed to move, and outputting the changed driving value to the stepping motor. Accordingly, power consumption of image capturing apparatuses may be eventually reduced by reducing power consumption of a stepping motor by driving the stepping motor with different driving values depending on temperatures and positions thereof.
US09257920B2

A method of driving a permanent magnet synchronous electric motor includes sensing or estimating a back electromotive force induced in at least a winding of the motor by the rotation of a rotor of the motor; and reading, from a memory, values of a first voltage waveform having a phase angle with respect to the back electromotive force. The method also includes generating a driving voltage corresponding to the sum of values of a control voltage, obtained as product of the values of the first voltage waveform by a first coefficient determined as a function of a desired value of motor torque, and values of a cancelation voltage of the back electromotive force. The method also includes applying the driving voltage at the motor winding.
US09257918B2

A vehicle window opening and closing control device has a driver seat unit that is provided in a driver seat of a vehicle, and a sub-switch that is provided in a seat other than the driver seat. The driver seat unit includes a main switch that operates opening and closing of a first window of the driver seat and a second window of the seat other than the driver seat and a controller that controls a driver seat motor provided in the driver seat and an other-seat motor provided in the seat other than the driver seat to perform manual opening and closing and automatic opening and closing of the first and second windows based on the operation of the main switch. The sub-switch is a switch that performs only the manual opening and closing of the second window using the other-seat motor.
US09257913B1

Methods, control apparatus and series resonant or LLC power conversion systems are presented in which a resonant series circuit current is compared with a threshold during a portion of a modulation switching cycle following turn on of a corresponding switching device and one or more indications or remedial actions are undertaken to modify modulation control of a switching circuit in response to a determination that the resonant current is below the threshold to facilitate our promote zero voltage switching or near-zero voltage switching and provide current reversal protection.
US09257909B2

A switching power supply determines the order n (a natural number) of the power supply higher harmonic component near the receiving frequency fc of an AM radio broadcast, and judges whether the higher harmonic component of the order n is higher or lower than the receiving frequency fc of the AM radio broadcast. According to the judgment result, the switching power supply determines an upper limit value and a lower limit value for the power supply frequency fs that does not interfere with the receiving frequency fc of the AM radio broadcast from the values of the fundamental power supply frequency fso of the switching operation, the order n of the higher harmonic component, the receiving frequency fc of the AM radio broadcast, and the bandwidth BW of the receiving frequency. The power supply frequency fs is set within the range specified by the upper and lower limit values.
US09257908B2

Various embodiments of the present invention provide for an adaptive and accurate zero cross circuit that can operate without directly sensing an inductor current. Certain embodiments allow adjustment of a zero crossing condition while eliminating the need for a blanking time. In certain embodiments this is accomplished by detecting the effects of turning off a switch on a switching node voltage of a buck converter. Some embodiments use a counter to lengthen or shorten the delay time between an inductor crossing a zero value and the effect of the switching event. In one embodiment, the effect of the switching event includes a change in the direction of the switching node voltage from which the direction of a current flowing in the buck converter inductor.
US09257906B2

A voltage regulator integrated circuit comprises a control circuit driving at least one power switch to provide a regulated voltage at an output of an inductor/capacitor (LC) circuit coupled to the at least one power switch; an error amplifier having a first input coupled to a feedback signal representative of the regulated output voltage and a second input coupled to a reference signal; and a compensation network coupled to an output of the error amplifier and configured to provide a compensation voltage. The compensation network includes at least one digitally programmable resistor array and at least one digitally programmable capacitor array. Each array provides a plurality of user selectable component values. The control circuit includes a pulse modulator configured to modulate an input voltage based on the compensation voltage.
US09257905B1

An efficient power supply with fast transient response has been disclosed. In one implementation, two loops with different frequency responses are combined to provide an efficient, fast responding power supply.
US09257902B2

A converter is provided as a power conversion device. The converter includes a switching circuit that performs switching on the basis of switching signals; and a control circuit that changes switching frequency of switching signals in a predetermined pattern with the elapse of time, and repeats the changes in switching frequency in the predetermined pattern at every repetition time. The converter sets the repetition time such that a repetition frequency that is the inverse of the repetition time does not coincide with a frequency band that can be demodulated as sound by a radio that receives radio broadcasts.
US09257898B1

The soft-start circuit includes a first charging transistor, a first capacitor, a second charging transistor, a second capacitor and a clamping p-type transistor. The first charging transistor is conducted in response to activating pulses to charge the first capacitor through a first output node such that a first output voltage at the first output node gradually increases. The second charging transistor is conducted in response to the first output voltage to charge the second capacitor through a second output node such that a second output voltage at the second output node gradually increases. The clamping p-type transistor includes a source terminal electrically connected to a clamping node, a drain terminal connected to a ground terminal and a gate electrically connected to the second output node, and is conducted when a voltage at the clamping node exceeds a clamping threshold value to pull low the voltage at the clamping node.
US09257890B2

A rotor for an electrical machine has a rotor body and permanent magnets arranged on the circumference of the rotor body, wherein those areas of the circumference of the rotor body which are covered by the permanent magnets have at least one recess and/or that side of the permanent magnets which faces the circumference of the rotor body has at least one recess. Each recess is configured as a slot which extends in parallel relationship to a circumference-proximal side of the permanent magnets. Removably insertable in the recesses are ferromagnetic bars to allow removal of the permanent magnets.
US09257887B2

A direct current motor has a wound stator, a permanent magnet rotor having a commutator assembly, and brush gear. The brush gear has a first pole brush, a second pole brush and a plurality of commutating brushes. The commutator assembly has a cylindrical insulating base, and first and second members fixed to the base. The first member includes a radially extending first slip ring and a number of axially extending first bars. The second member includes a radially extending second slip ring and a number of axially extending second bars. The first and second pole brushes make continuous sliding contact with the first and second slip rings respectively. The first and second bars are fixed to the outer cylindrical surface of the base and form a cylindrical surface against which the commutating brushes make sliding contact.
US09257873B2

An intercoupled stator core is separated from a non-vertically oriented (including horizontal) generator frame by decoupling the stator core and frame coupling members and interposing a slidable member between them. Thereafter they are separated relative to each other on the sliding member. The sliding or slidable member may comprise a rail, or alternatively a roller adapted for rolling contact with one of the opposed stator core or generator structures and an engagement surface in contact with the other structure. A system for separating the stator core from a non-vertically oriented generator frame includes first and second raising end plates adapted coupled to axial ends of the stator core. The end plates project outwardly from the generator frame ends, for coupling to a raise mechanism. After the raise mechanism raises the stator core the slidable member is interposed between the stator core and generator frame.
US09257872B2

A linear motor is provided. The linear motor includes a first member including a plurality of armature modules each comprising a magnetic core, a plurality of salient poles, and coils, where the coils are wound around a portion or all of the salient poles or the magnetic core between the salient poles; and a second member including one or more permanent magnet modules each including a plurality of permanent magnets each projected toward the magnetic core to be arranged between two salient poles of the armature module, where poles of the permanent magnets are alternated in a moving direction of the linear motor. Power is supplied to the coil of each armature module such that a thrust according to a traveling magnet fie is generated by using as one unit an S number of armature modules and a P number of permanent magnets arranged in the moving direction.
US09257869B2

A method for charging a battery, in particular a lithium ion battery, be performing the following: charging the battery using a constant charging current in a first phase, charging the battery using a constant charging voltage in a subsequent second phase, ending the charging as a function of a specifiable boundary value of the charging current in the second phase. In this context, the following operations are provided: comparing a guide voltage specified for setting the constant voltage to at least one stored switch-off value determined as a function of the boundary value, and ending the charging when the guide voltage reaches the switch-off value. Also described is a device for charging the battery.
US09257868B2

Systems and methods for controlling a hybrid power architecture to provide fuel or energy savings. Recharge time of an energy storage device (ESD) is reduced through the application of a controlled potential and ESD recharge time management over the life of the hybrid system through manipulation of the ESD charge state window of operation. Fuel or energy savings is achieved by controlling the partial-state-of-charge (PSOC) window of the ESD based on a recharge resistance profile of the ESD and by controlling a charging potential applied to the ESD based on a recharge current and/or the estimated recharge resistance profile of the ESD.
US09257866B2

The present disclose relates to a wireless charging device for charging a portable electronic device. The wireless charging device includes a charging panel, a transmitting unit and at least one adsorbent unit. The charging panel includes a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The first surface supports the portable electronic device. The charging panel defines a through hole through the first surface. The transmitting unit includes a coil for generating electromagnetic signals. The adsorbent unit extends through the through hole of the charging panel and adsorbs the portable electronic device.
US09257860B2

A method and battery management system performing cell balancing for a battery pack includes measuring a voltage of each of a plurality of battery cells in a battery pack, selecting one of the plurality of battery cells as a battery cell subject to cell balancing based on the measured voltages, selecting one of a plurality of resistors as a resistor on which cell balancing is performed, and outputting the voltage of the battery cell subject to cell balancing from a multiplexer that receives the voltage of each of the plurality of battery cells to the resistor on which cell balancing is performed.
US09257859B2

A system is provided that includes a plurality of power units each configured to supply power. Additionally, the system includes a plurality of contacts each configured to toggle an electrical connection of each of the plurality of power units as a network. Moreover, the network is configured to supply power to a load. Furthermore, the system includes a controller configured to control when each of the plurality of contacts toggle according to a power state, and the power state includes information regarding a charge of each power unit, a load demand, and a supplied power being supplied by the plurality of power units.
US09257858B2

A charging circuit and method for charging a power storage device in a power over Ethernet environment are necessary to prevent unnecessary power consumption. Power sourcing equipment continuously supplies power to a connected device after determining that the device is compatible. In order to prevent supply of power after a power storage device attains full charge, a charging circuit may include an interface for supplying electric power; a sensing circuit including a switch in series with a resistor; and a voltage detection circuit. The voltage detection circuit may communicate with the sensing circuit and may output a first signal that turns the switch OFF when the voltage of the power storage device is greater than or equal to a first voltage and may output a second signal that turns the switch ON when the voltage of the power storage device is less than or equal to a second voltage.
US09257852B2

A battery pack includes at least one battery cell, a microcomputer having a first voltage measuring terminal, a second voltage measuring terminal, and a reference voltage output terminal, the microcomputer being configured to control recharge and discharge of the at least one battery cell by detecting an abnormality of a reference voltage at the reference voltage output terminal in accordance with first and second voltages at respective first and second voltage measuring terminals, a voltage distribution unit connected between the reference voltage output terminal and a ground, the voltage distribution unit being configured to distribute voltage and to output to the microcomputer a medium voltage as the first voltage, and a voltage measuring unit connected between the reference voltage output terminal and the ground, the voltage measuring unit being configured to output to the microcomputer a forwarding direction voltage of a diode as the second voltage.
US09257851B2

An inductive power supply that maintains resonance and adjusts duty cycle based on feedback from a secondary circuit. A controller, driver circuit and switching circuit cooperate to generate an AC signal at a selected operating frequency and duty cycle. The AC signal is applied to the tank circuit to create an inductive field for powering the secondary. The secondary communicates feedback about the received power back to the primary controller. The power transfer efficiency may be optimized by maintaining the operating frequency substantially at resonance, and the amount of power transferred may be controlled by adjusting the duty cycle.
US09257845B2

A method for controlling a power generation plant may be provided. First, an equivalent grid voltage may be estimated based on electric magnitudes measured at a connection point of the power generation plant and an equivalent model of a power grid to which the power generation plant is connected. Then, on the basis of said estimated equivalent voltage, a command indicative of reactive power to be produced by the power generation plant may be generated.
US09257842B2

A set-top-box (STB) provides capability for monitoring and control of power usage and the ability to establish communications. A smart residential service system (SRSS) is provided that uses power line communication (PLC) technology to provide secure in-home LAN communication and also to monitor and provide remote control of connected appliances in the home. An embodiment combines the STB with a master unit (MST) that is used with PLC to meet the requirements of the central device in the SRSS.
US09257841B2

A USB connector, a PCB connected to the USB connector, and a USB device are provided. The USB connector includes a metal surface, and on the metal surface, a solid metal part is set at a location corresponding to a spring of a socket, so that the spring contacts the solid metal part after the USB connector is inserted into the socket to reduce electromagnetic interference. The USB connector may include an in-line weld leg; a metal enclosure located at the same side as the in-line weld leg fully contacts a PCB when the USB connector is connected to the PCB; and contact surfaces on the USB connector that contact the PCB are metal surfaces. The PCB includes a suppression circuit configured to suppress harmonic waves in USB data transmission.
US09257838B2

A circuit and method for allocating power among two or more generators to a single load on a shared bus includes a sharing regulator and a feedback loop for each generator. A digital share command input and current in the feedback loops will cause the sharing regulators to alter the power of the generators at the generator outputs, thereby allocating the load on the shared bus according to the share command, and confirming the allocation of power at the outputs.
US09257821B2

A cable stripper having a stripper body having at least one hole and opposite first and second ends, a cable stripper guide having a connection part and a guiding part, the connection part engaging the first end of the cable stripper body, at least one marble located within the at least one hole in the cable stripper body, and at least one spring having first and second ends and being located within the at least one hole in the cable stripper body and engaging the at least one marble.
US09257820B2

A hand tool (10), including: a handle (14) at a handle end (16) of an elongated main body (12); an arcuate shaped contact surface (20) on a base end (22) of the elongated main body opposite the handle end; a support strut (35) extending laterally from the elongated main body; and a connection structure (26) disposed at a distal end of the support strut, between the handle end and the arcuate shaped contact surface. The handle is positioned on a concave side (18) of the arcuate shaped contact surface along a line (50) perpendicular to a tangent (52) of the arcuate shaped contact surface, and the perpendicular line traverses a middle 80% of the arcuate shaped contact surface.
US09257817B2

A spark plug (1) includes a center electrode (5), an insulator (2), a metallic shell (3), a ground electrode (27), and a noble metal tip (32) provided on at least one object member of the center electrode and the ground electrode. One end surface of the noble metal tip is joined to the object member via a fusion zone (35). The fusion zone includes a first fusion zone (351) formed through radiation of a laser beam or the like to the boundary between the object member and the one end surface of the noble metal tip along a perimetrical direction of the noble metal tip, and a second fusion zone (352) formed through radiation of the laser beam or the like from the side from which the laser beam or the like has been radiated in forming the first fusion zone, and intersecting with the first fusion zone.
US09257801B2

An electrical connector has a conductive shell, a terminal module and a shielding plate. The conductive shell has a mating portion and an accommodate room. The mating portion has a first mating face. The terminal module is secured in the accommodate room and has a first insulator and a plurality of first terminals. The first insulator has a first face and a second face. Each of the first terminals has a first contacting portion protruding out of the first face of the first insulator. The shielding plate is disposed in the accommodate room and contacts with the conductive shell. The shielding plate presses on the second face of the first insulator so as to make first contacting portions be exposed to the first mating face. The disposition of the shielding plate has the function of pressing on the terminal module and preventing the interference of signal transmission between the terminals.
US09257795B2

A push-type grounding bushing has an electrically conductive body having a first end, a second end, a bore formed therethrough, and an intermediate shoulder stop to contact an end of a conduit. The bushing has with a locking device gripping tabs forming a helix so that the conduit can be pushed and held in the locking device and removed by rotating the conduit relative to the body. A throat insulator is placed into the second end of the body and has a flange to cover the second end. An electrically conducting lug is secured to the body and has a recess or bore for receipt of at least one electrical conductor to ground the bushing while a fastener mechanically and electrically secures the conductor to the lug.
US09257792B2

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to the field of electronic communication, and more particularly, to techniques used to compensate for/reduce/or otherwise manipulate crosstalk in communication connectors, and apparatuses and methods which employ such techniques. In an embodiment, the present invention is a communication connector that includes a plurality of signal pairs including at least a first pair and a second pair, a first compensation stage between the first pair and the second pair, and an orthogonal compensation network between the first pair and the second pair. The orthogonal compensation network can be time delayed from the first compensation stage.
US09257790B2

An electrical connector includes a housing unit and a contact unit received therein. The housing unit includes a shielding member and an insulating member retained on the shielding member. The shielding member defines opposite upper end and lower end while the insulating member includes a first portion and a second portion seated on the upper and lower ends respectively and defines a cavity therebetween. The contact unit includes a plurality of contacts, a metal plate defining a plurality of through holes and an insulating body retaining the contacts and the metal plate. The metal plate divides the cavity into a first cavity and a second cavity, the contact runs through the through hole of the metal plate and comprises a first arm above the metal plate received in the first cavity and a second arm under the metal plate received in the second cavity.
US09257786B2

An electrical connector, for mating with a mating plug, includes an insulative housing (1), a number of contacts (2) received in the insulative housing (1), a shell (3) mounted to the insulative housing (1) and an elastic element (4) mounted to the receiving space (100). The insulative housing includes a top wall (12), a lower wall (13), two side walls (14) and a receiving space surrounded by the top wall, the lower wall and the two side walls. The shell (3) comprises a pair of elastic arms (342). The elastic element (4) resists against the elastic arm (342) upon inserting a mating plug to move the pair of least arms outward.
US09257780B2

A connector is attachable to a coaxial cable. The connector, in one embodiment, has a connector body, a sleeve, a fastener and a seal assembly. At least part of the seal assembly is configured to be removeably coupled to the sleeve.
US09257771B2

According to one embodiment, a card connector in which a card-shaped storage medium having card terminals is inserted so as to be extracted includes connector terminals configured to contact the card terminals and a terminal protecting member. The terminal protecting member includes a coated portion configured to maintain the connector terminals in a state of being in no contact with the card-shaped storage medium while the card-shaped storage medium is inserted in the card housing module up to contact positions where the card terminals contact the connector terminals.
US09257769B2

A contact element capable of arranging beam portions at a narrower pitch and also facilitating insertion of a mating contact, and a connector have second and fourth contact portions which are displaced from each other in an orthogonal direction DR which is orthogonal to an arranging direction DP of first and second beam portions and a thickness direction DB of a linking portion. When a metal plate is blanked, the first and fourth contact portions are displaced from each other in a longitudinal direction L of the first and second beam portions, and the second and third contact portions are displaced from each other in the longitudinal direction L of the first and second beam portions.
US09257764B2

An electrically conductive connector includes a columnar structure with a slanted contact surface. The columnar structure is electrically coupled to a first circuit member. An electrical conduction path is established between the first circuit member and a second circuit member when the slanted contact surface of the columnar structure mates with a contact surface of the second circuit member via van der Waals forces.
US09257761B2

An electrical coaxial connector comprising a signal-joining contacting conductor and a grounding contacting conductor each supported by an insulating base member, wherein a body portion of the signal-joining contacting conductor has a press-contacting part with a contacting protrusion for contacting with a signal-joining conductor in a mating connector and a first base part in such a manner that a measure of thickness of the press-contacting part including the contacting protrusion is not more than the maximum measure of thickness of the first base part, and an annular portion of the grounding contacting conductor has an engaging part with an engaging protrusion for engaging with a grounding conductor in the mating connector and a second base part in such a manner that a measure of thickness of the engaging part including the engaging protrusion is not more than to the maximum measure of thickness of the second base part.
US09257758B2

In one embodiment, an integrated extension cable/cord tie device includes male jack, a female jack, and a cable connected to the male jack and female jack. The cable comprises at least one electrical conductor forming an electrical connection between the male jack and the female jack, and a mechanical component that allows the cable to be bent to at least partially around an object upon the application of a first force, to substantially retain its shape after removal of the first force so as to remain at least partially around the object after removal of the first force, and to be unbent upon the application of a second force to be removed from the object. In another embodiment, the mechanical component is integrated directly into a non-detachable cord of a device or a detachable cord usable with one or more devices.
US09257757B2

In a holding portion of a contact fitting, in a state before crimping of core wires, the thickness of a first distal end portion and the thickness of a second distal end portion are both 70% or less of the thickness of the bottom portion. The thicknesses are both smaller than the diameter of core wires of a lead wire to be crimped. The first distal end portion and the second distal end portion are formed by compression processing. Using the holding portion, a first side portion and a second side portion are curved such that they face the bottom portion, and the plurality of core wires are surrounded and crimped with the bottom portion, the first side portion, and the second side portion.
US09257755B2

An apparatus for controlling electric field distribution is provided, where the apparatus includes at least one portion of a portable electronic device, the portable electronic device includes a plurality of wireless communication functions respectively corresponding to different communication standards, and the plurality of wireless communication functions includes a mobile phone function and at least one other wireless communication function. The apparatus includes: a main antenna, connected to a first side of a PCB of the portable electronic device, for performing the mobile phone function; and a plurality of short trace structures, positioned at the first side of the PCB and connected to the PCB, wherein at least one of the plurality of short trace structures is selectively utilized as at least one short trace or utilized as at least one secondary antenna corresponding to the at least one other wireless communication function.
US09257743B2

A system including a first dielectric layer comprising a solid material configured to form a first layer of a radome, and a second dielectric layer comprising a solid material configured to form a second layer of the radome. The first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer are spaced apart to provide an inner gap configured as a third layer of the radome. The inner gap is exclusively filled with a gas. The radome is configured to provide for the radome to be frequency selective. A radome and method are also disclosed.
US09257739B2

An antenna device includes: a line-shaped antenna conductor with a predetermined length; an actuator member that directly supports the line-shaped antenna or supports the line-shaped antenna via an auxiliary member and is displaceable integrally with the antenna conductor, where the actuator member is displaced to change a position of the antenna conductor in a space; and an attaching member that attaches the actuator member and the antenna member in one longitudinal end of the antenna conductor to a communication apparatus. The actuator member performs displacement control in which one longitudinal end of the antenna conductor serves as a fixed support and the other end thereof serves as a free end to be displaceable depending on the control voltage.
US09257734B2

In some examples, a device includes a waveguide transition section comprising a first mode suppressor, an attenuation section coupled to the first waveguide transition section via a first adjustable rotation joint, wherein the attenuation section is operable to attenuate the electromagnetic signal, and a first quarter-wave plate section coupled to the attenuation section, wherein the first quarter-wave plate section is operable to introduce a first differential phase shift between a first mode of the electromagnetic signal and a second mode of the electromagnetic signal. The device also includes a second quarter-wave plate section coupled to the first quarter-wave plate section via a second adjustable rotation joint, wherein the second quarter-wave plate section is operable to introduce a second differential phase shift between the second mode of the electromagnetic signal and the first mode of the electromagnetic signal.
US09257733B2

Provided is an oxygen permeable membrane for use in an air secondary battery, which excels in oxygen permeability, barrier performance to water, being capable of preventing electrolyte from leaking out. Such an oxygen permeable membrane includes a thermoplastic resin membrane and inorganic particles having pores having pore diameter of 10 Å or less contained in the thermoplastic resin membrane, in which the thermoplastic resin membrane has one surface on which hydrophobic treatment is effected.
US09257725B2

In an embodiment of the disclosure, a separator utilized in a lithium battery is provided. The separator includes a non-woven polyester support, a porous layer of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) or its derivatives formed on the non-woven polyester support, a layer of UV-curing or thermal-curing polymers formed on top of the porous layer of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) or its derivatives.
US09257722B2

The invention relates to an accumulator (10), particularly a prismatic lead accumulator, comprising a housing and (a) at least one stack (29) of plates, (b) which has a plurality of spaced-apart pole plates (14, 16) that are entirely suspended by a fixing element (28) in at least one circumferential direction (U). According to the invention, the fixing element (28) is fixedly connected to the housing (19).
US09257718B2

A secondary battery that can avoid reduction in battery capacity over the lapse of charge-discharge cycles and can exhibit high performance is provided. The secondary battery includes a laminated body having a pair of electrodes and an electrolyte layer provided between the pair of electrodes, the electrolyte layer including electrolyte particles, the laminated body having an end portion, and a restrictor provided so as to cover at least the end portion of the laminated body for restricting expansion of the electrolyte layer in the plane direction thereof.
US09257716B2

A battery includes a roll-up unit provided by winding a sheet unit around an axis, the sheet unit including an electrode sheet having an active material and a separator, the roll-up unit having an exposed portion on which the active material is not placed at an end of the electrode sheet in a direction of the axis; an outer case housing the roll-up unit and having an electrode terminal; an intermediate terminal inside the roll-up unit and having a pair of arm portions resistance-welded to the exposed portion, a first connecting portion connecting the arm portions, and a hole portion formed in the first connecting portion and located between welding points formed in the arm portions; and a collector terminal outside the roll-up unit and resistance-welded to a position opposite to the arm portion in the exposed portion to provide electrical continuity between the roll-up unit and the electrode terminal.
US09257714B2

An organic electrolyte solution including a solvent; an electrolyte including a metal-ligand coordination compound; and an additive including a hydrophobic group and a metal affinic group.
US09257706B2

The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a composite separator for a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell. The method comprises: preparing a prepreg as a continuous carbon fiber-reinforced composite and a graphite foil; allowing the cut prepreg and graphite foil to pass through a stacking/compression roller to be compressed; allowing the prepreg in which the graphite foil is integrally stacked to be heated and pressed by a hot press such that hydrogen, air, and coolant flow fields are formed or to pass through a hot roller to be formed into a separator; removing unnecessary portions from the heated and pressed separator using a trim cutter; and post-curing the thus formed separator, wherein the graphite foil may be stacked on the prepreg as the continuous carbon fiber-reinforced composite such that a graphite layer is integrally formed with the prepreg.
US09257704B2

A current conductor for an electrochemical power device that includes an array of carbon nanotubes (CNT) anchored in a carbon nanotube metal composite layer and a structure that may incorporate nanoscale particles or thin film onto the current conductor is described. Additionally, a process for creating the structure using electrochemical plating of the metal layer onto the CNT array followed by separation of the structure from the substrate is provided. Another process includes creating the structure using co-electrodeposition of the CNT and metal from an electroplating bath using surfactants, physical energy, and a magnetic and/or electric field to orient the CNT and enhance the CNT density in the composite.
US09257702B2

To provide a lithium secondary battery which has high capacity while maintaining excellent charge-discharge characteristic, and to provide a cathode of the lithium secondary battery and a plate-like particle for cathode active material to be contained in the cathode. The plate-like particle of cathode active material for a lithium secondary battery of the present invention has a layered rock salt structure, a thickness of 5 μm or more and less than 30 μm, 2 or less of [003]/[104] which is a ratio of intensity of X-ray diffraction by the (003) plane to intensity of X-ray diffraction by the (104) plane, a voidage of 3% or more and less than 30%, and an open pore ratio of 70% or higher.
US09257693B2

A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, having an internal resistance of 10 mΩ or less as an alternating-current impedance value of 1 kHz, comprises a metal outer container, a nonaqueous electrolyte contained in the container, a positive electrode contained in the container, a negative electrode contained in the container, a separator interposed between the negative electrode and the positive electrode, a negative electrode lead having one end connected to the negative electrode, and a negative electrode terminal attached to the outer container so as to be connected electrically to the other end of the negative electrode lead, at least the surface of the negative electrode terminal which is connected to the negative electrode lead being formed of aluminum alloy with an aluminum purity of less than 99 wt. % containing at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Mg, Cr, Mn, Cu, Si, Fe and Ni.
US09257691B2

A battery pack includes a plurality of battery units that are side by side along a first direction, a connection member that connects the battery units in series, in parallel, or in series and parallel, the connection member being adjacent to one surface of each battery unit of the plurality of battery units, an upper cap on and accommodating the connection member, upper portions of all of the battery units being inserted into the upper cap, a lower cap that is spaced apart from the upper cap by a predetermined gap, lower portions of all of the battery units being inserted into the lower cap, and a label that at least partially surrounds the battery units exposed between the upper cap and the lower cap. The upper cap and the lower cap fix an arrangement of the battery units.
US09257689B2

A battery pack includes one or more bare cells and an exterior member. Each of the bare cells has a pair of long side surfaces opposite to each other, and short side surfaces that connect the long side surfaces. The exterior member is composed of an adhesive layer provided adjacent to the bare cells while surrounding a portion of the bare cells, and a base material layer provided on the adhesive layer. In the battery pack, the adhesive layer has one or more openings therein, and the opening is provided adjacent to a portion at which the long and short side surfaces of the bare cell come in contact with each other.
US09257685B2

A rechargeable battery includes an electrode assembly including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a separator provided between the first electrode and the second electrode; a first current collecting plate electrically connected to the first electrode; a second current collecting plate electrically connected to the second electrode; and a case for receiving the electrode assembly, the first current collecting plate, and the second current collecting plate, wherein the first current collecting plate is electrically connected to an inner wall of the case.
US09257683B2

A power battery, the power battery includes an inner case (4), an outer case (1), a battery body (2) and electrodes (3), the battery body (2) includes electrode plates, the external surface of the outer case is provided with an external heat abstractor and the internal surface of the inner case is provided with an internal heat abstractor, a cylindrical holding cavity (5) with an annular cross section is formed between the outer case (1) and the inner case (4) and the electrode plates are rolled in the holding cavity (5), the electrodes (3) are arranged in an inner cavity of the inner case (4) and the inner case also has at least an airway going through the inner cavity.
US09257677B2

An organic light emitting diode display is provided. The organic light emitting diode display includes a flexible substrate, an organic light emitting diode disposed on the flexible substrate, a thin film encapsulator disposed on the organic light emitting diode, a plurality of low refraction protrusions disposed on at least one of a surface of the flexible substrate and the thin film encapsulator, wherein each of the low refraction protrusions is formed having an isosceles trapezoid shape, and a high refraction layer disposed covering the plurality of low refraction protrusions.
US09257674B2

An OLED display includes: a substrate; an organic light emitting element formed on the substrate and including a first electrode, an emission layer, and a second electrode; and an encapsulation layer formed on the substrate while covering the organic light emitting element. The encapsulation layer includes an organic layer and an inorganic layer, and a protrusion and depression structure is formed in an interface between the organic layer and the inorganic layer.
US09257673B2

Disclosed is an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display comprising a substrate; an organic light emitting element disposed on the substrate; an encapsulation substrate disposed on the organic light emitting element; and an adhesive layer formed on the substrate, covering the organic light emitting element, and bonding the substrate on which the organic light emitting element is formed with the encapsulation substrate.
US09257666B2

The present invention relates integrated optoelectronic devices comprising light emitting field-effect transistors. We describe an optoelectronic device comprising a light-emitting field effect transistor (LFET) with an organic semiconductor active layer and a waveguide integrated within the channel of the light-emitting field effect transistor, wherein said waveguide comprises a material which has a higher refractive index than said organic semiconductor. We also describe a light-emitting organic field transistor integrated with a ridge or rib waveguide incorporated within the channel of the LFET; and a similar light-emitting organic field effect transistor in which the waveguide incorporates an optical feedback mechanism.
US09257664B2

An organic EL display device includes an organic EL element having a first light-emitting portion, a second light-emitting portion, an n-type charge-generation layer, and a p-type charge-generation layer. The first light-emitting portion has a first light-emitting layer and a hole-injection layer. The first light-emitting layer is formed between an anode and a cathode. The hole-injection layer is made of amorphous carbon and in contact with the anode. The second light-emitting portion has a second light-emitting layer, which is formed between the first light-emitting portion and the cathode. The n-type charge-generation layer is formed between the first and second light-emitting portions. The n-type charge-generation layer is in contact with the first light-emitting portion. The p-type charge-generation layer is made of amorphous carbon and formed between the n-type charge-generation layer and the second light-emitting portion. The p-type charge-generation layer is in contact with the second light-emitting portion.
US09257663B2

An organic electroluminescence device that includes, between an anode 41 and a cathode 42, an organic layer stacked structure 43 that comprises stacked plural emitting layers that emit light of different colors, wherein the organic electroluminescent device comprises, between the emitting layers, at least one intermediate layer that comprises a compound represented by the following formula (1) in which at least one of Ar1, Ar2 and Ar3 is a group represented by the following formula (2):
US09257654B2

Novel anthracene derivatives are provided. Further, a light-emitting element, a light-emitting device, and an electronic appliance each using the novel anthracene derivative are provided. Anthracene derivatives represented by general formulae (G11) and (G21) are provided. The anthracene derivatives represented by the general formulae (G11) and (G21) each emit blue light with high color purity and have a carrier-transporting property. Therefore, each of the anthracene derivatives represented by the general formulae (G11) and (G21) is suitable for use in a light-emitting element, a light-emitting device, and an electronic appliance.
US09257647B2

A phase change material (PCM) switch is disclosed that includes a resistive heater element, and a PCM element proximate the resistive heater element. A thermally conductive electrical insulating barrier layer positioned between the PCM heating element and the resistive heating element, and conductive lines extend from ends of the PCM element and control lines extend from ends of the resistive heater element.
US09257644B1

A variable resistance memory device includes a plurality of cell gate electrodes extending in a first direction, wherein the plurality of cell gate electrodes are stacked in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction. A gate insulating layer surrounds each cell gate electrode of the plurality of cell gate electrodes and a cell drain region is formed on two sides of the each cell gate electrode of the plurality of cell gate electrodes. A channel layer extends in the second direction along the stack of the plurality of cell gate electrodes, and a variable resistance layer contacting the channel layer.
US09257642B1

Some embodiments relate to a resistive random access memory (RRAM). The RRAM includes a RRAM bottom metal electrode, a variable resistance dielectric layer arranged over the RRAM bottom metal electrode, and a RRAM top metal electrode arranged over the variable resistance dielectric layer. A capping layer is arranged over the RRAM top metal electrode. A lower surface of the capping layer and an upper surface of the RRAM top metal electrode meet at an interface. Protective sidewalls are adjacent to outer sidewalls of the RRAM top metal electrode. The protective sidewalls have upper surfaces at least substantially aligned to the interface at which the upper surface of the RRAM top metal electrode meets the lower surface of the capping layer.
US09257636B2

Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method that achieves a substantially uniform pattern of magnetic random access memory (MRAM) cells with a minimum dimension below the lower resolution limit of some optical lithography techniques. A copolymer solution comprising first and second polymer species is spin-coated over a heterostructure which resides over a surface of a substrate. The heterostructure comprises first and second ferromagnetic layers which are separated by an insulating layer. The copolymer solution is subjected to self-assembly into a phase-separated material comprising a pattern of micro-domains of the second polymer species within a polymer matrix comprising the first polymer species. The first polymer species is then removed, leaving a pattern of micro-domains of the second polymer species. A pattern of magnetic memory cells within the heterostructure is formed by etching through the heterostructure while utilizing the pattern of micro-domains as a hardmask.
US09257632B2

A physical quantity sensor (100), which can detect multiple physical quantities simultaneously has flexibility or bendability over the entire body thereof. The sensor (100) has a first electrode layer (2) formed on a substrate (1) and first and second piezoelectric elements (3a, 3b) arranged in parallel on the electrode layer (2). Two additional electrode layers (4a, 4b) are formed on the piezoelectric elements (3a, 3b). The substrate (1), the electrode layer (2), first piezoelectric element (3a), one of the additional electrode layers (4a) and protective layers (5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e) constitute a first physical quantity detection unit (6), and the substrate (1), the first electrode layer (2), the second piezoelectric element (3b) and the other additional electrode layer (4b) (a fourth electrode layer) constitute a second physical quantity detection unit (7).
US09257628B2

Known processes for the production of nanoparticles of compounds of the transition metals Zr, Ti, Ta, rare earths (RE), Mn, and Fe via microemulsions lead to products that contain impurities from the reactants, particularly water, which make the further use of said nanoparticles difficult, for instance in high-temperature super conductors (HTSC). It is proposed that the nanoparticles be produced via anhydrous microemulsions having an outer phase composed of a nonpolar solvent and inner phase composed of a polar anhydrous solvent. The nanoparticles thus obtained exhibit good monodispersity and can be used in the production of REBa2Cu3O7 super conductors by incorporation into the precursor coating solution.
US09257610B2

A light emitting diode includes: a substrate; an n-type semiconductor layer disposed on the substrate; an active layer disposed on the n-type semiconductor layer; a p-type semiconductor layer disposed on the active layer; a first electrode disposed on the p-type semiconductor layer and made of a metal oxide; a second electrode disposed on the first electrode and made of graphene; a p-type electrode disposed on the second electrode; and an n-type electrode disposed on the n-type semiconductor layer, wherein a work function of the first electrode is less than a work function of the p-type semiconductor layer, but is greater than a work function of the second electrode.
US09257603B2

A light emitting diode includes a substrate, a first semiconductor layer, an active layer, a second semiconductor layer, a first electrode, and a second electrode. The first semiconductor layer, the active layer, and the second semiconductor layer are orderly stacked on the substrate. The first electrode is electrically connected to the first semiconductor layer. The second electrode electrically is connected to the second semiconductor layer. The first semiconductor layer has a number of three-dimensional nano-structures, and each of the number of three-dimensional nano-structures has a stepped structure.
US09257579B2

Provided is a method of fabricating an electronic device. The method according to the present inventive concept may include forming a lower electrode having a flat portion and protrusions on a substrate, forming an intermediate layer on the lower electrode, and forming an upper electrode on the intermediate layer. The forming of the lower electrode may include forming a conductive film by depositing a first metal on the substrate, and depositing a second metal on the conductive film to prepare an alloy of the first metal and the second metal.
US09257572B2

A semiconductor device, comprising: a plurality of memory cell strings; a bitline; and an interconnection coupling at least two of the memory cell strings to the bitline. Memory cell strings can be coupled to corresponding bitlines through corresponding interconnections. Alternate memory cell strings can be coupled to different bitlines through corresponding different interconnections.
US09257568B2

A flash memory cell structure is provided. A semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor substrate, a floating gate overlying the semiconductor substrate, a word-line adjacent to the floating gate, an erase gate adjacent to a side of the floating gate opposite the word-line, a first sidewall disposed between the floating gate and the word-line, and a second sidewall disposed between the floating gate and the erase gate. The first sidewall has a first characteristic and the second sidewall has a second characteristic. The first characteristic is different from the second characteristic.
US09257563B2

A thin film transistor array panel includes a substrate, a gate electrode on the substrate, a gate insulating layer on the gate electrode, a semiconductor layer on the gate insulating layer, a source electrode and a drain electrode on the semiconductor layer and facing each other, a floating metal layer between the source electrode and the drain electrode, and a passivation layer covering the source electrode, the drain electrode, and the floating metal layer. The floating metal layer is electrically floating.
US09257560B2

Provided is a flexible device with fewer defects caused by a crack or a flexible device having high productivity. A semiconductor device including: a display portion over a flexible substrate, including a transistor and a display element; a semiconductor layer surrounding the display portion; and an insulating layer over the transistor and the semiconductor layer. When seen in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the flexible substrate, an end portion of the substrate is substantially aligned with an end portion of the semiconductor layer, and an end portion of the insulating layer is positioned over the semiconductor layer.
US09257556B2

A method of forming a semiconductor fin of a FinFET device includes conformally depositing an amorphous or polycrystalline thin film of silicon-germanium (SiGe) on the semiconductor fin. The method also includes oxidizing the amorphous or polycrystalline thin film to diffuse germanium from the amorphous or polycrystalline thin film into the semiconductor fin. Such a method further includes removing an oxidized portion of the amorphous or polycrystalline thin film.
US09257553B2

A vertical transistor structure includes a substrate with a protruding structure, an offset layer covering a top surface of the protruding structure, a conductive layer disposed on the offset layer, and an interlayer disposed between the offset layer and the conductive layer to serve as a contact node.
US09257544B2

A semiconductor device includes semiconductor layers of a first conductivity-type and a second conductivity-type stacked on a silicon carbide semiconductor and having differing impurity concentrations. Trenches disposed penetrating the semiconductor layer of the second conductivity-type form a planar striped pattern; and a gate electrode is disposed therein through a gate insulation film. First and second semiconductor regions respectively of the first and the second conductivity-types have impurity concentrations exceeding that of the semiconductor layer of the second conductivity-type and are selectively disposed therein. The depth of the second semiconductor region exceeds that of the semiconductor layer of the second conductivity-type, but not that of the trenches. The second semiconductor region is arranged at given intervals along the length of the trenches. In the silicon carbide semiconductor below the trench bottoms, a third semiconductor region of the second conductivity-type and having a floating potential is disposed covering the trench bottoms.
US09257528B2

A graphene electronic device includes a graphene channel layer on a substrate, a source electrode on an end portion of the graphene channel layer and a drain electrode on another end portion of the graphene channel layer, a gate oxide on the graphene channel layer and between the source electrode and the drain electrode, and a gate electrode on the gate oxide. The gate oxide has substantially the same shape as the graphene channel layer between the source electrode and the drain electrode.
US09257516B2

An intermediate semiconductor structure in fabrication includes a substrate. A plurality of gate structures is disposed over the substrate, with at least two of the gate structures separated by a sacrificial material between adjacent gate structures. A portion of the sacrificial material is removed to form openings within the sacrificial material, which are filled with a filler material having a high aspect ratio oxide. The excess filler material is removed. A portion of the gate structures is removed to form gate openings within the gate structures. The gate openings are filled with gate cap material and the excess gate cap material is removed to create a substantially planar surface overlaying the gate structures and the sacrificial material to control sacrificial oxide recess and gate height.
US09257509B2

Methods of forming and resulting devices are described that include graphene devices on boron nitride. Selected methods of forming and resulting devices include graphene field effect transistors (GFETs) including boron nitride.
US09257507B2

This device includes a first base layer of a first conduction type. A second base-layer of a second conduction type is provided above the first base-layer. A first semiconductor layer of the first conduction type is above an opposite side of the second base-layer to the first base-layer. A second semiconductor layer of the second conduction type is above an opposite side of the first base-layer to the second base-layer. A plurality of first electrodes are provided at the first semiconductor layer and the second base-layer via first insulating films. A second electrode is provided between adjacent ones of the first electrodes and provided at the first semiconductor layer and the second base-layer via a second insulating film. A resistance of the first base-layer above a side of the second electrode is lower than a resistance of the first base-layer above a side of the first electrodes.
US09257506B2

A method for forming a semiconductor structure includes providing a semiconductor substrate including a first region and a second region; and forming a first and a second metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) device. The step of forming the first MOS device includes forming a first silicon germanium layer over the first region of the semiconductor substrate; forming a silicon layer over the first silicon germanium layer; forming a first gate dielectric layer over the silicon layer; and patterning the first gate dielectric layer to form a first gate dielectric. The step of forming the second MOS device includes forming a second silicon germanium layer over the second region of the semiconductor substrate; forming a second gate dielectric layer over the second silicon germanium layer with no substantially pure silicon layer therebetween; and patterning the second gate dielectric layer to form a second gate dielectric.
US09257505B2

A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate and an isolation structure over the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor device also includes a first epitaxial fin and a second epitaxial fin over the semiconductor substrate, and the first epitaxial fin and the second epitaxial fin protrude from the isolation structure. The semiconductor device further includes a gate stack over and traversing the first epitaxial fin and the second epitaxial fin. In addition, the semiconductor device includes a recess extending from a top surface of the isolation structure. The recess is between the first epitaxial fin and the second epitaxial fin.
US09257502B2

In one general aspect, a power semiconductor device can include a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, and a semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type disposed on the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor layer can include a high voltage unit, a low voltage unit disposed around the high voltage unit, and a level shift unit disposed between the high voltage unit and the low voltage unit. The power semiconductor device can include a first isolation region of the first conductivity type disposed between the high voltage unit and the level shift unit, and a second isolation region of the first conductivity type disposed between the low voltage unit and the level shift unit where the first isolation region and the second isolation region each are vertically aligned in the semiconductor layer and each extends to at least the semiconductor substrate.
US09257501B2

A semiconductor substrate of a semiconductor device includes a first conductive body region that is formed in the element region; a second conductive drift region that is formed in the element region; a gate electrode that is formed in the element region, that is arranged in a gate trench, and that faces the body region; an insulating body that is formed in the element region and is arranged between the gate electrode and an inside wall of the gate trench; a first conductive floating region that is formed in the element region and that is surrounded by the drift region; a first voltage-resistance retaining structure that is formed in the peripheral region and that surrounds the element region; and a gate pad that is formed in the peripheral region, and is electrically connected to the gate electrode in a position on the element region-side of the first voltage-resistance retaining structure.
US09257500B2

A method for fabricating a vertical GaN power device includes providing a first GaN material having a first conductivity type and forming a second GaN material having a second conductivity type and coupled to the first GaN material to create a junction. The method further includes implanting ions through the second GaN material and into a first portion of the first GaN material to increase a doping concentration of the first conductivity type. The first portion of the junction is characterized by a reduced breakdown voltage relative to a breakdown voltage of a second portion of the junction.
US09257495B2

An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display and a method for manufacturing the same are described. An exemplary embodiment provides an OLED display including: a substrate including a plurality of pixel areas; a light emitting unit including an organic light emitting diode and a plurality of first thin film transistors, the light emitting unit being formed in each of the plurality of pixel areas; and a sensor unit including a photosensor and a plurality of second thin film transistors, the sensor unit being formed in at least some of the plurality of pixel areas. Each of the plurality of first thin film transistors and the plurality of second thin film transistors includes an oxide semiconductor layer, and the photosensor includes an oxide photoelectric conversion layer that are made of a same material on a same layer as the oxide semiconductor layer.
US09257493B2

The present invention discloses an organic light-emitting diode display device. More particularly, the present invention relates to the structure of an organic light-emitting diode display device for suppressing a vertical crosstalk phenomenon in the organic light-emitting diode display device having an internal compensation structure for threshold voltage variations in driving transistors. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a shield electrode may be formed using the same metal layer as that of scan lines or data lines, thereby providing an organic light-emitting diode display device in which the effect of coupling between the gate electrode of driving thin-film transistors and the data lines is minimized.
US09257492B2

Various embodiments may relate to a method for producing a passive electronic component, including forming a first electrically conductive layer on a substrate, forming a second electrically conductive layer on the first electrically conductive layer, forming a first trench in the first and second electrically conductive layers such that the substrate is exposed in the first trench, wherein the first trench separates a first contact region from a second contact region, applying a dielectric in a structured fashion to the second electrically conductive layer in the first contact region and at least partly to the substrate in the first trench such that the dielectric electrically insulates the first contact region from the second contact region, and applying an electrically conductive electrode layer in a structured fashion to the dielectric above the first contact region and to the second contact region.
US09257488B2

An organic light emitting display panel that includes a substrate, a plurality of pixels disposed on the substrate and forming a matrix, and an auxiliary organic light emitting element disposed at a distance from the pixel.
US09257485B2

A memory device may include a first electrode and a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode. The memory device may further include a memory element disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode and a switching element disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The switching element may be configured to control signal access to the memory element. The memory device may further include a barrier layer disposed between the memory element and the switching element, the barrier layer including an insulation material.
US09257483B2

There is provided a magnetic memory with using a magnetoresistive effect element of a spin-injection magnetization reversal type, in which a multi-value operation is possible and whose manufacturing and operation are simple. A preferred aim of this is solved by providing two or more magnetoresistive effect elements which are electrically connected in series to each other and by selecting one of the series-connected elements depending on a direction of a current carried in the series-connected elements, a magnitude thereof, and an order of the current thereof for performing the writing operation. For example, it is solved by differentiating plane area sizes of the respective magnetoresistive effect elements which have the same film structure from each other so as to differentiate resistance change amounts caused by respective magnetization reversal and threshold current values required for respective magnetization reversal from each other.
US09257442B2

A three dimensional (3-D) non-volatile memory device includes a pipe gate including a first pipe gate, a second pipe gate formed on the first pipe gate, and a first interlayer insulating layer interposed between the first pipe gate and the second pipe gate, word lines alternately stacked with second interlayer insulating layers on the pipe gate, a pipe channel buried within the pipe gate, and memory cell channels coupled to the pipe channel and arranged to pass through the word lines and the second interlayer insulating layers.
US09257435B2

A semiconductor device includes: a multilayer wiring layer located over a substrate and in which multiple wiring layers configured by a wiring and an insulating layer are stacked; a memory circuit which is formed in a memory circuit region in the substrate and has a capacitance element embedded in a concave part located in the multilayer wiring layer; a logic circuit which is formed in a logic circuit region in the substrate; an upper part coupling wiring which is stacked over the capacitance element configured by a lower part electrode, a capacitor insulating film and an upper part electrode; and a cap layer which is formed on the upper surface of the wiring configuring the logic circuit. The upper surface of the upper part coupling wiring and the upper surface of the cap film are provided on the same plane.
US09257433B2

A memory device is provided including a semiconductor on insulator (SOI) substrate including a first semiconductor layer atop a buried dielectric layer, wherein the buried dielectric layer is overlying a second semiconductor layer. A capacitor is present in a trench, wherein the trench extends from an upper surface of the first semiconductor layer through the buried dielectric layer and extends into the second semiconductor layer. A protective oxide is present in a void that lies adjacent the first semiconductor layer, and a pass transistor is present atop the semiconductor on insulator substrate in electrical communication with the capacitor.
US09257427B2

According to a structure herein, parallel fins comprise channel regions and source and drain regions. Parallel gate conductors are over and intersecting the channel regions of the fins. Electrical insulator material surrounds sides of the gate conductors. Each of the fins has a main fin body and wider regions extending from the main fin body between the electrical insulator material surrounding the sides of the gate conductors. The wider regions comprise a first wider region extending a first width from the main fin body and a second wider region extending a second width from the main fin body. The material of the second wider region is continuous between adjacent fins.
US09257421B2

The present invention discloses a transient voltage suppression (TVS) device and a manufacturing method thereof. The TVS device limits a voltage drop between two terminals thereof not to exceed a clamp voltage. The TVS device is formed in a stack substrate including a semiconductor substrate, a P-type first epitaxial layer, and a second epitaxial layer stacked in sequence. In the TVS device, a first PN diode is connected to a Zener diode in series, wherein the series circuit is surrounded by a first shallow trench isolation (STI) region; and a second PN diode is connected in parallel to the series circuit, wherein the second PN diode is surrounded by a second STI region. The first STI region and the second STI region both extend from an upper surface to the second epitaxial layer, but not to the first epitaxial layer.
US09257398B2

A semiconductor device includes a first pad region including a plurality of first storage nodes, a second pad region neighboring the first pad region and including a plurality of second storage nodes, a coupling portion disposed between the first pad region and the second pad region, and a plate electrode disposed over the plurality of first storage nodes of the first pad region and the plurality of second storage nodes of the second pad region, and disposed in the coupling portion to interconnect the first pad region and the second pad region.
US09257393B1

Fan-Out Wafer Level Packages (FO-WLPs) and methods for fabricating FO-WLPs containing Embedded Ground Planes (EGPs) and backside EGP interconnect structures are provided. In one embodiment, the method includes electrically coupling an EGP to a backside terminal of a first microelectronic device through a backside EGP interconnect structure. A molded package body is formed around the first microelectronic device, the EGP, and the EGP interconnect structure. The molded package body has a frontside at which the EGP is exposed. One or more Redistribution Layers are formed over the frontside of the molded packaged body and contain at least one interconnect line electrically coupled to the backside contact through the EGP and the backside EGP interconnect structure.
US09257392B2

The invention provides a semiconductor package with a through silicon via (TSV) interconnect. An exemplary embodiment of the semiconductor package with a TSV interconnect includes a semiconductor substrate, having a front side and a back side. A contact array is disposed on the front side of the semiconductor substrate. An isolation structure is disposed in the semiconductor substrate, underlying the contact array. The TSV interconnect is formed through the semiconductor substrate, overlapping with the contact array and the isolation structure.
US09257386B2

A wiring substrate includes first and second wiring structures. The first wiring structure includes a core substrate, first and second insulation layers each formed from a thermosetting insulative resin including a reinforcement material, and a via wire formed in the first insulation layer. The second wiring structure includes a wiring layer formed on upper surfaces of the first insulation layer and the via wire, an insulation layer formed on the upper surface of the first insulation layer, and an uppermost wiring layer including a pad used to electrically connect a semiconductor chip and the wiring layer. An outermost insulation layer stacked on a lower surface of the second insulation layer exposes a portion of a lowermost wiring layer stacked on the lower surface of the second insulation layer as an external connection pad. The second wiring structure has a higher wiring density than the first wiring structure.
US09257384B2

A method of manufacture of an integrated circuit packaging system includes: providing a base substrate; mounting a stack substrate over the base substrate with an inter-substrate connector directly on the stack substrate and the base substrate, the inter-substrate connector having an inter-substrate connector pitch; mounting an integrated circuit over the stack substrate, the integrated circuit having an internal connector directly on the stack substrate; and attaching an external connector directly on the base substrate, the external connector having an external connector pitch greater than the inter-substrate connector pitch.
US09257379B2

A coreless packaging substrate is provided which includes: a circuit buildup structure having at least a dielectric layer, at least a wiring layer and a plurality of conductive elements, a plurality of electrical pads embedded in the lowermost one of the at least a dielectric layer, a plurality of metal bumps formed on the uppermost one of the at least a wiring layer, and a dielectric passivation layer formed on the surface of the uppermost one of the circuit buildup structure and the metal bumps, with the metal bumps exposed from the dielectric passivation layer. The metal bumps each have a metal column portion and a wing portion integrally connected to the metal column portion, such that the bonding force between the metal bumps and a semiconductor chip is enhanced by the entire top surface of the wing portions of the metal bumps being completely exposed.
US09257374B1

Consistent with an example embodiment, a thin outline shrink package (TSOP) provides for a significant reduction in lead pitch along with a reduced package profile for a semiconductor device die packaged, therein.
US09257364B2

In at least some embodiments, an electronic package to maximize heat transfer comprises a plurality of components on a substrate. A stiffener plate is installed over the components. The stiffener plate has openings to expose the components. A plurality of individual integrated heat spreaders are installed within the openings over the components. A first thermal interface material layer (TIM1) is deposited between the components and the plurality of individual integrated heat spreaders. In at least some embodiments, the thickness of the TIM1 is minimized for the components.
US09257351B2

Cut spacer reference marks, targets having such cut spacer reference marks, and methods of making the same by forming spacer gratings around grating lines on a first layer, and fabricating a template mask that extends across and perpendicular to such spacer gratings. Cut spacer gratings are etched into a second layer using the template mask to superimpose at least a portion of the spacer gratings of the first layer into the second layer.
US09257350B2

A method for fabricating a field effect transistor device includes removing a portion of a first semiconductor layer and a first insulator layer to expose a portion of a second semiconductor layer, wherein the second semiconductor layer is disposed on a second insulator layer, the first insulator layer is disposed on the second semiconductor layer, and the first semiconductor layer is disposed on the first insulator layer, removing portions of the first semiconductor layer to form a first fin disposed on the first insulator layer and removing portions of the second semiconductor layer to form a second fin disposed on the second insulator layer, and forming a first gate stack over a portion of the first fin and forming a second gate stack over a portion of the second fin.
US09257346B2

Embodiments of an apparatus and methods for providing three-dimensional complementary metal oxide semiconductor devices comprising modulation doped transistors are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US09257339B2

Embodiments relate to use of a particle accelerator beam to form thin films of material from a bulk substrate are described. In particular embodiments, a bulk substrate having a top surface is exposed to a beam of accelerated particles. In certain embodiments, this bulk substrate may comprise GaN; in other embodiments this bulk substrate may comprise (111) single crystal silicon. Then, a thin film or wafer of material is separated from the bulk substrate by performing a controlled cleaving process along a cleave region formed by particles implanted from the beam. In certain embodiments this separated material is incorporated directly into an optoelectronic device, for example a GaN film cleaved from GaN bulk material. In some embodiments, this separated material may be employed as a template for further growth of semiconductor materials (e.g. GaN) that are useful for optoelectronic devices.
US09257338B2

The disclosure provides a TSV substrate structure and the stacked assembly of a plurality of the substrate structures, the TSV substrate structure including: a substrate comprising a first surface, a corresponding second surface, and a TSV communicating the first surface with the second surface through the substrate; and a conductor unit completely filling the TSV, the conductor unit comprising a conductor body which has a first and a second ends corresponding to the first and second surfaces of the substrate, respectively.
US09257329B2

Methods for fabricating integrated circuits are provided. In one example, a method for fabricating an integrated circuit includes densifying an upper-surface portion of an ILD layer of dielectric material that overlies a metallization layer above a semiconductor substrate to form a densified surface layer of dielectric material. The densified surface layer and the ILD layer are etched through to expose a metal line of the metallization layer.
US09257328B2

Methods and apparatus for forming a semiconductor on glass-ceramic structure provide for: subjecting an implantation surface of a donor semiconductor wafer to an ion implantation process to create an exfoliation layer of the donor semiconductor wafer; bonding the implantation surface of the exfoliation layer to a precursor glass substrate using electrolysis; separating the exfoliation layer from the donor semiconductor wafer to thereby form an intermediate semiconductor on precursor glass structure; sandwiching the intermediate semiconductor on precursor glass structure between first and second support structures; applying pressure to one or both of the first and second support structures; and subjecting the intermediate semiconductor on precursor glass structure to heat-treatment step to crystallize the precursor glass resulting in the formation of a semiconductor on glass-ceramic structure.
US09257323B2

A semiconductor device includes a substrate and a gate structure formed over the substrate. The semiconductor device further includes an insulator feature formed in the substrate. The insulator feature includes an insulating layer and a capping layer over the insulating layer.
US09257316B2

A semiconductor testing jig is provided with a conductive stage including a plurality of mounting portions on which a plurality of vertical semiconductor devices are each individually disposed with lower surface electrodes being in contact with the plurality of mounting portions, an insulating frame portion having a lattice pattern that is disposed on the stage and surrounds each of the plurality of mounting portions in plan view to define each of the mounting portions, and an abrasive layer disposed in a position in the frame portion, the position facing each of the vertical semiconductor devices disposed on the mounting portions.
US09257292B2

Provided is a method and system for increasing etch rate and etch selectivity of a masking layer on a substrate in an etch treatment system, the etch treatment system configured for single substrate processing. The method comprises obtaining a supply of steam water vapor mixture at elevated pressure, obtaining a supply of treatment liquid for selectively etching the masking layer over the silicon or silicon oxide at a set etch selectivity ratio, placing the substrate into the etch processing chamber, combining the treatment liquid and the steam water vapor mixture, and injecting the combined treatment liquid and the steam water vapor mixture into the etch processing chamber, wherein the flow of the combined treatment liquid and the steam water vapor mixture is controlled to maintain a set etch rate and a set etch selectivity ratio of the masking layer to silicon or silicon oxide.
US09257282B2

A method of fabricating a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) is disclosed. A dielectric layer is formed over a substrate. An interlayer is formed over the dielectric layer. A first photoresist layer with a first opening is formed over the interlayer and a second photoresist layer having a second opening is formed over the first photoresist layer. Spacers are formed along sidewalls of the first opening and the second opening. A first trench is formed in the interlayer by using the spacer along the first opening as an etch mask. A second trench is formed in the interlayer by using the spacer along the second opening as an etch mask. The first trench and the second trench are extended down into the dielectric layer as a lower portion and an upper portion, respectively, of a dielectric trench.
US09257259B2

Provided is an electron beam scanning method for forming an electric field for appropriately guiding electrons emitted from a pattern to the outside of the pattern, and also provided is a scanning electron microscope. When an electron beam for forming charge is irradiated to a sample, a first electron beam is irradiated to a first position (1) and a second position (2) having the center (104) of a pattern formed on the sample as a symmetrical point, and is then additionally irradiated to two central positions (3, 4) between the first and second irradiation position, the two central positions (3, 4) being on the same radius centered on the symmetrical point as are the first and second positions. Further, after that, the irradiation of the first electron beam to the central positions between existing scanning positions on the radius is repeated.
US09257248B2

According to one embodiment, a switch includes a first element with a first withstand voltage, a second element whose withstand voltage is lower than the first withstand voltage, a diode which is connected between a positive electrode of the first element and a positive electrode of the second element in such a manner that a direction from the positive electrode of the second element toward the positive electrode of the first element is a forward direction and whose withstand voltage is equal to the first withstand voltage, a negative electrode of the first element and a negative electrode of the second element being connected, and a circuit configured to apply a positive voltage to the positive terminal output a pulse lower than the first withstand voltage when the first element goes off.
US09257244B2

A power switch includes an operating button, an elastic member, a printed circuit board, a support member, and a fixing module. The operating button includes a connecting portion. The elastic member includes a fixing portion and an elastic portion. The printed circuit board includes a main body and a contacting element. The support member includes a base portion and a receiving portion perpendicularly extending from the base portion, and the base portion defines a hole communicating with the receiving portion. The fixing module includes a cover and a contacting member formed on the cover. The connecting portion of the operating button is fixed to the main body and is received in the hole of the support member and the receiving portion. The fixing portion of the elastic member is sandwiched between the connecting portion of the operating button and the main body.
US09257238B2

A method of fabricating a device is disclosed. The method comprises coating a solid structure by nanostructures selected from the group consisting of peptides and amino acids, under conditions that at least partially prevent assembly of the nanostructures into supramolecular structures.
US09257236B2

Organic dye for a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) comprising at least one electron-acceptor unit and at least one π-conjugated unit. Said organic dye is particularly useful in a dye-sensitized photoelectric transformation element which, in its turn, can be used in a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC).
US09257232B2

A multilayer electronic component is provided having a structure in which a dielectric layer and an internal electrode layer are alternately laminated. The internal electrode layer includes metal powder and an inhibitor. The inhibitor includes 0.5 to 20 mol % of a Ca component based on 100 mol % of a barium titanate (BT) base material. A method for manufacturing the same is also provided.
US09257216B2

Metal powder has composite particles each coated with a Zn-based ferrite film not containing Ni.
US09257215B2

A star-quad cable for transmitting electrical signals with at least two pairs of electrical conductors, wherein each conductor has an electrically conductive core and a conductor sheath of an electrically insulating material which surrounds the core radially, the conductors being arranged at the corners of a square in a cross section of the star-quad cable, wherein the conductors of a pair are arranged at diagonally opposite corners of the square, and in each case the four conductors are twisted with one another in accordance with a star-quad arrangement with a predetermined stranding factor, wherein an electrically conducive shield surrounds the two pairs of conductors radially on the outside. An additional insulator sheath (of an electrically insulating material is arranged between the conductors and the shield.
US09257205B2

A detector module for a radiation detector in a radiation imaging apparatus is provided. The detector module includes a detecting element array including a plurality of detecting elements arranged in a matrix form in first and second directions orthogonal to each other, the detecting element array configured to allow radiation to penetrate through spaces defined between the detecting elements, an electronic circuit arranged on a radiation emission side of the detecting element array, and a radiation shielding body arranged on a radiation incident side of the detecting element array. The radiation shielding body includes a base material having radiation permeability and formed with a plurality of grooves extending in the first direction at respective positions corresponding to spaces between the detecting elements in the second direction, and a plurality of radiation shielding materials each inserted in a respective groove of the plurality of grooves.
US09257202B2

A semiconductor device includes a normal test signal generator and a termination signal generator. The normal test signal generator is suitable for generating a first enablement signal and a first pulse signal in response to an external command signal when a first code signal and a second code signal have a predetermined logic combination. Further, the normal test signal generator is suitable for decoding a first test address signal and a second test address signal to generate first to fourth normal test signals. The termination signal generator is suitable for receiving the first pulse signal during an enablement period of the first enablement signal to generate a first termination signal which is enabled when a predetermined signal among the first to fourth normal test signals is generated.
US09257196B2

Semiconductor systems are provided. The semiconductor system includes a boot-up operation circuit and a timing sensor. The boot-up operation circuit transmits control data stored in a fuse array portion to a first data latch unit and a second data latch unit. The timing sensor detects timings of internal control signals to generate a restart signal. The boot-up operation circuit re-transmits the control data to the first and second data latch units.
US09257183B2

A semiconductor storage device includes a plurality of memory cell transistors that are connected to each other in series, a plurality of word lines that are connected to the plurality of memory cell transistors, and a control circuit. The control circuit applies a first potential to a selected one of the plurality of word lines. The control circuit applies a second potential that is higher than the first potential to the word lines that are not selected at different timings before the first potential is applied to the selected word line.
US09257176B1

A variable resistance memory device includes a plurality of cell gate electrodes extending in a first direction, wherein the plurality of cell gate electrodes are stacked in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction. A gate insulating layer surrounds each cell gate electrode of the plurality of cell gate electrodes and a cell drain region is formed on two sides of the each cell gate electrode of the plurality of cell gate electrodes. A channel layer extends in the second direction along the stack of the plurality of cell gate electrodes, and a variable resistance layer contacting the channel layer.
US09257174B2

A method includes generating a first edge of a first tracking signal for a tracking cell, generating a first edge of a second tracking signal for the tracking cell based on the first edge of the first tracking signal, generating a first edge of a cell signal for a memory cell, generating a second edge of the first tracking signal based on the first edge of the second tracking signal, and generating a second edge of the cell signal based on the second edge of the first tracking signal. A transistor in the tracking cell operates at a tracking voltage value and a transistor in the memory cell operates at a memory voltage value different from the tracking voltage value.
US09257157B2

A temperature management method suitable for a memory storage device having a rewritable non-volatile memory module and a memory controller used for controlling the rewritable non-volatile memory module are provided. The temperature management method includes detecting and determining whether the hot-spot temperature of the memory storage device is higher than a predetermined temperature; and when affirmative, making the memory controller execute a cooling process, so as to reduce the hot-spot temperature of the memory storage device. Accordingly, the problem of heat buildup of the (rewritable non-volatile) memory storage device can be mitigated, as well as the problems of data loss and device aging of the (rewritable non-volatile) memory storage device.
US09257151B2

Described is a printed-circuit board (PCB) that supports memory systems in which the memory core organization changes with device width. The PCB includes a memory-controller mounting location and module connectors to receive respective memory modules. Each module connector connects directly to the controller mounting location via a respective set of system data lines that does not connect to any other module connector. System data lines also extend directly between module connectors to support memory configurations with different numbers of modules. The memory systems support one memory module of a wide data width or multiple memory modules of narrower data widths. The number of physical memory banks accessed reduces with device data width, resulting in reduced power usage for relatively narrow memory configurations. Increasing the number of logic memory banks for narrow memory widths reduces the likelihood of bank conflicts, and consequently improves speed performance.
US09257148B2

A system for synchronizing audio and video of selectably presentable multimedia content includes a memory for storing a plurality of selectably presentable multimedia content segments. Each content segment defines a portion of one or more content paths and includes a decision period during which a user may select a subsequent content segment as the content segment is playing. An assembly engine seamlessly assembles a subset of the content segments into one of the content paths, ultimately forming a multimedia presentation. A configuration manager determines an audio file and a video file to be played based on a content segment that is selected to be played immediately following the currently playing content segment. An audio engine processes the audio file for playback, and a video engine synchronizes playback of the video file with the playback of the audio file.
US09257145B1

A disk drive is disclosed comprising a disk comprising a track, wherein the track comprises a sync mark. The disk drive further comprises a head comprising a plurality of read sensors including a first read sensor, and a second read sensor separated from the first read sensor by a down-track spacing. A first time-stamp (TS1) is generated after detecting the sync mark using the first read sensor as the disk rotates, and a second time-stamp (TS2) is generated after detecting the sync mark using the second read sensor as the disk rotates. A calibration value representing the down-track spacing is generated based on the TS1 and the TS2.
US09257140B2

A system for tracking a position error of a read/write head. The read/write head is configured to read data recorded to a data layer of a recording medium and read servo information recorded to a dedicated servo layer of the recording medium. To read the servo information, the read/write head is configured to read, from a first track, a first servo signal including first servo bursts of a predetermined frequency, and read, from a second track adjacent to the first track, a second servo signal including second servo bursts of the predetermined frequency. The first servo bursts are orthogonal to the second servo bursts. A position error signal determination circuit is configured to determine the position error using at least one of the first servo signal and the second servo signal.
US09257136B1

A magnetic tunnel junction comprises a conductive first magnetic electrode comprising magnetic recording material. A conductive second magnetic electrode is spaced from the first electrode and comprises magnetic reference material. A non-magnetic tunnel insulator material is between the first and second electrodes. The magnetic recording material of the first electrode comprises a first crystalline magnetic region, in one embodiment comprising Co and Fe. In one embodiment, the first electrode comprises a second amorphous region comprising amorphous XN, where X is one or more of W, Mo, Cr, V, Nb, Ta, Al, and Ti. In one embodiment, the first electrode comprises a second region comprising Co, Fe, and N.
US09257132B2

A method of dominant speech extraction is provided that includes acquiring a primary audio signal from a microphone and at least one additional audio signal from at least one additional microphone, wherein the acquired audio signals include speech and noise, decomposing each acquired audio signal into a low frequency sub-band signal and a high frequency sub-band signal, applying speech suppression beamforming to the low frequency sub-band signals to generate a reference channel having an estimate of noise in the low frequency sub-band signals, applying noise cancellation to the low frequency sub-band signal of the primary audio signal using the reference channel to generate a first signal having a low frequency estimate of the speech, applying noise suppression beamforming to the high frequency sub-band signals to generate a second signal having a high frequency estimate of the speech, and combining the first and second signals to generate a full-band audio signal.
US09257129B2

An orthogonal transform apparatus computes either one of the real and imaginary components of the quadrature mirror filter coefficient contained in a first subinterval of a plurality of subintervals among which a coefficient sequence containing a plurality of quadrature mirror filter coefficients is divided so that the values of basis functions are symmetrically placed, by computing a sum of products of the plurality of modified discrete cosine transform coefficients and the basis functions corresponding to the subinterval, computes the other one of the real and imaginary components of the quadrature mirror filter coefficient contained in the first subinterval and the real and imaginary components of the quadrature mirror filter coefficient contained in another subintervals by performing a butterfly operation using a computed value produced as a result of the sum of products and computes each quadrature mirror filter coefficient by combining the real component and imaginary component thereof.
US09257128B2

Provided are an apparatus and method for coding and decoding a multi object audio signal with multi channel. The apparatus includes: a multi channel encoding means for down-mixing an audio signal including a plurality of channels, generating a spatial cue for the audio signal including the plurality of channels, and generating first rendering information including the generated spatial cue; and a multi object encoding unit for down-mixing an audio signal including a plurality of objects, which includes the down-mixed signal from the multi channel encoding unit, generating a spatial cue for the audio signal including the plurality of objects, and generating second rendering information including the generated spatial cue, wherein the multichannel encoding unit generates a spatial cue for the audio signal including the plurality of objects regardless of a Coder-DECoder (CODEC) scheme the limits the multi channel encoding unit.
US09257124B2

Provided are an apparatus and method for coding and decoding a multi-object audio signal. The apparatus includes a down-mixer for down-mixing the audio signals into one down-mixed audio signal and extracting supplementary information including header information and spatial cue information for each of the audio signals, a coder for coding the down-mixed audio signal, and a supplementary information coder for generating the supplementary information as a bit stream. The header information includes identification information for each of the audio signals and channel information for the audio signals.
US09257123B2

In a semiconductor device, a vocoder processing unit requests, after executing a first vocoder process being one of an encoding process and a decoding process and before executing a following second vocoder process being other one of the encoding process and the decoding process, a cache memory to prefetch first program data to be used for the second vocoder process from an external memory.
US09257122B1

Systems and methods are provided for indicating an audience member's perception of a speaker's speech by receiving a speech sample associated with a speaker and then by analyzing the speech to predict whether an audience would perceive the speech as exemplary of good or poor behavior. This can be also used to notify people when they exhibit good or poor behaviors. For example, good or poor behaviors could include: condescending, whining, nagging, weak, strong, refined, kind, dull, energetic, interesting, boring, engaging, manipulative, likeable, not likeable, sincere, artificial, soothing, abrasive, pleasing, aggravating, inspiring, unexciting, opaque, clear, etc. This invention has applicability to areas such as consumer self-improvement, corporate training, presentation skills training, counseling, and novelty.
US09257115B2

Computer-implemented systems and methods for extracting information during a human-to-human mono-lingual or multi-lingual dialog between two speakers are disclosed. Information from either the recognized speech (or the translation thereof) by the second speaker and/or the recognized speech by the first speaker (or the translation thereof) is extracted. The extracted information is then entered into an electronic form stored in a data store.
US09257105B1

A wind-blown instrument tone hole configuration is provided. Further, a key mechanism to operate the instrument is provided to allow various opening and closing of the instrument tone holes.
US09257103B2

A back plate attachable to the back of a guitar is provided. The plate includes screw holes and tremolo plate holes. The screw holes of the plate align with the screw holes on a guitar, and the tremolo plate holes of the plate align with the tremolo claw holes of a tremolo claw. The plate may be bolted or screwed to the back of the guitar via the screw holes and tremolo claw holes.
US09257102B2

A tuning apparatus for a musical instrument is provided. The apparatus includes a clamp, a plurality of string-contacting members, and a string-contacting member spacing adjustment mechanism. The clamp removably attaches to a desired longitudinal position on the instrument's neck. Each member is rotatably supported by the clamp and rotates thereon independently of the other members. Each member also adjustably impinges upon and urges a given string or course thereof on the instrument toward a user-selectable one of three different longitudinal positions on the neck's front surface, these positions including a home position, a home−1 position, and a home+1 position. The mechanism allows a user to adjust the location of the members as a group on the clamp so as to substantially center the plane of rotation of each member over a different string or course thereof, and to maintain substantially equal spacing between each different adjacent pair of members.
US09257090B2

Graphical display content on a display of an electronic device includes retrieving a plurality of objects comprising the content; and displaying the plurality of objects within a plurality of panels tiled in a spiral, wherein the panels are tiled so that a size of each of the panels changes with geometric progression, and wherein relative sizes of the panels indicates an order or relevance of the plurality of objects.
US09257087B2

A display device is provided. The display device includes a pixel driving circuit including a liquid crystal capacitor coupled to a first node, a first storage capacitor, and a first voltage control unit. The first storage capacitor has a first terminal directly connected to a second node and a second terminal coupled to a common electrode. The first voltage control unit has first and second output terminals coupled to the first and second nodes, respectively. In a first period, the first voltage control unit feeds a first data voltage to the first node according to a first scan signal. In a second period later than the first period, the first voltage control unit feeds the first data voltage to the second node according to a second scan signal, such that a voltage level at the first node is changed to a first pixel voltage from the first data voltage.
US09257083B2

The claimed invention is related to a self-healing gate driving circuit. The self-healing gate driving circuit includes a plurality of GOA units connected in cascade. The N-th level GOA unit includes a pull-up control circuit 100, a pull-up circuit 200, a transfer-down circuit 300, a pull-down circuit 400, a boast capacitor 500, a first pull-down holding circuit 600, a second pull-down holding circuit 700 and a bridge circuit 500. The bridge circuit 800 includes the first TFT T55, and the gate of the TFT T55 connects to the gate signal point Q(N), and the drain and the source of the TFT T55 respectively connects to the first circuit point K(N) and the second circuit point P(N). During the operation, the first circuit point K(N) and the second circuit point P(N) are alternatively configured to be at a high potential. The self-healing gate driving circuit of the claimed invention can decrease the failure risk of the pull-down holding circuit due to the manufacture process or a long term operation of GOA circuit, and perform the function of the circuit self-healing.
US09257077B2

An LCD apparatus has a first scan line transmitting a first scan signal, a second scan line transmitting a second scan signal, a data line intersecting the first and second scan lines, a switch element electrically coupled to the first scan line and the data line, a pixel electrode electrically coupled to the switch element, a coupling capacitance electrically coupled to the pixel electrode and the second scan line. The second scan line has three different voltage levels. When the first scan line enables the switch element, the pixel electrode receives a data signal through the data line. When the second scan signal switches to the third voltage level from the second voltage level, the pixel electrode is negative polarity, and when the second scan signal switches to the second voltage level from the third voltage level, the pixel electrode is positive polarity.
US09257069B2

A controller for a display panel may include a first supply circuit to output first and second driving voltages to a sub-pixel of a first color; and a second supply circuit to output third and fourth driving voltages to a sub-pixel of a second color. The first driving voltage may be greater than the second driving voltage, and the third driving voltage may be greater than the fourth driving voltage. Also, at least three of the first, second, third, and fourth driving voltages may be different from one another.
US09257066B2

In one example embodiment, a method of operating an image data processing circuit which controls an operation of an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display includes transforming at least one first RGB value into at least one luminance value and at least one chroma value. The method further includes adjusting the at least one luminance value and the at least one chroma value based on at least one first control value. The method further includes generating at least one second RGB value based on the at least one adjusted luminance value and the at least one adjusted chroma value. The method further includes outputting the second RGB values to the OLED display.
US09257065B2

A liquid crystal display apparatus includes: a display device a first substrate having a pixel electrode and a reference electrode, a second substrate facing the first substrate; a flexible substrate; a housing that accommodates the display device; a transparent conductive film that is formed on a surface of the second substrate; a first conductive member and a second conductive member, wherein one end portion of the first conductive member and one end portion of the second conductive member are connected to the transparent conductive film; a first grounding route, which is configured by at least the first conductive member that is connected to a grounding wiring formed at the peripheral part of the first substrate and the flexible substrate; and a second grounding route, which is configured by at least the second conductive member that is connected to the housing.
US09257064B2

A stereoscopic image display includes a liquid crystal display panel including a plurality of pixels, each of which is divided into a main pixel unit and an switchable black stripe, a data driving circuit, a gate driving circuit, and a 3D control voltage generation circuit, which supplies AC voltages, of which phases are sequentially shifted, to a plurality of 3D control lines in a 3D mode.
US09257063B2

A display unit includes: a display panel; an illumination device illuminating the display panel; and a drive circuit driving the display panel and the illumination device. The illumination device includes a light modulation layer, and a first electrode and a second electrode sandwiching the light modulation layer therebetween, the first electrode and the second electrode each include a plurality of strip-like electrodes. The strip-like electrodes of the first electrode and the strip-like electrodes of the second electrode extend in directions intersecting with each other, and the drive circuit drives the respective strip-like electrodes to allow an in-plane distribution of a potential difference between the strip-like electrodes of the first electrode and the strip-like electrodes of the second electrode to be constant within one frame period, when a two-dimensional image, a three-dimensional image, or an image including a two-dimensional image and a three-dimensional image is displayed on the display panel.
US09257062B2

A transportable sign (1) is provided which comprises a base portion (3), a support portion (5), and a display portion (7), In the sign, the display portion comprises a carrier (9) configured to carry a display medium (11) to display an image (13), e.g. a board, a cloth or a sail etc. The base portion is configured to position the sign supporting the support portion and the display portion, and the support portion is configured to support the display portion, when mounted to or on the base portion. In the sign, the display portion is mounted or mountable to the support portion to form a transformable assembly such that, when mounted to the base portion, the display portion is positionable in and movable between at least a first, relatively high, position and a second, relatively low, position with respect to the base portion.
US09257061B2

A display device includes a base structure, a plurality of modules coupled to the base structure, where each of the modules include a plurality of actuator assemblies. Each of the actuator assemblies is individually controllable to move the actuator assemblies between a retracted state and a plurality of extended states. A controller is coupled to each of the modules and is programmed to control the actuator assemblies to move the actuator assemblies between the retracted state and the plurality of extended states.
US09257060B2

A badge for displaying indicia. The badge includes a base plate that defines a landing area that has a recessed portion. The badge also includes a top panel coupled to the base plate. The top panel defines an at least partially transparent portion. A strip is removably disposed between the base plate and the top panel and at least partially disposed underneath the at least partially transparent portion such that a portion of the strip is viewable through the at least partially transparent portion.
US09257049B2

An avionics system includes a human-machine interface (HMI), wherein the HMI includes a display device that displays information to an operator and an input device that receives input from an operator; a storage device that stores master air traffic control (ATC) center data; a memory device that stores separately loaded ATC center data and hard-coded ATC center data, and a processing device communicatively coupled to the HMI, the storage device and the memory device. The processing device compares the separately loaded ATC center data with the hard-coded ATC center data; requests operator validation of changes between the separately loaded ATC center data and the hard-coded ATC center data using the HMI; and updates the master ATC center data when the operator validates the changes between the separately loaded ATC center data and the hard-coded ATC center data.
US09257041B2

Techniques are described for determining and using information regarding expected road traffic flow conditions information for vehicles traveling on roads. The expected road traffic flow conditions for a particular portion of a road may be generated by combining historical representative information about road traffic flow conditions for that road portion with current information about actual traffic flow on or near that road portion. The combination may, for example, provide benefits for estimating expected traffic flow conditions information for roads with structural flow obstructions that cause reduced traffic flow at certain road locations and times—for example, the expected traffic flow conditions information may be based at least in part on fitting or otherwise adapting partial actual traffic flow information about a vehicle's actual travel path to a historical travel profile for a road that includes representative traffic flow information for various combinations of road locations and time periods.
US09257036B2

Methods, systems, and apparatuses for managing sensor information are disclosed. An example apparatus can comprise a power unit configured to collect energy, a sensor unit configured to receive sensor data from a sensor, a memory unit configured to store the sensor data, a communication unit configured to wirelessly broadcast the sensor data to one or more sensor nodes in a network of sensor nodes, and a processing unit. The processing unit can be configured to operate at least one of the sensor unit, the memory unit, and the communication unit after the energy collected in the power unit reaches a threshold value.
US09257021B2

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for inducing a cutaneous sensation in a user of an electronic device. Such systems and methods may include a stimulation system configured to generate an output operable to excite neural tissue. An interface component may be configured to direct the output of the stimulation system onto a target area of skin of the user, and a controller may be configured to generate a control signal to cause the stimulation system to modify one or more characteristics of the output of the stimulation system in order to induce a cutaneous sensation. The cutaneous sensation may be based on a tactile application executable on the electronic device that is configured to generate a representation of a simulated object. Further, a stimulation profile may represent at least one present stimulation area and at least one prior stimulation area.
US09257020B2

A communication device includes a display screen upon which information is displayed. A microprocessor configured to execute at least one notification program is provided that displays a notification descriptive of an access control request on the display screen. The at least one notification program is programmed to receive data indicative of an access control request and to receive data descriptive of the access control request. Additionally, the at least one notification program is further programmed to display a notification indicative of the access control request and comprising an explanation of the access control request based on the received descriptive data.
US09257019B2

A method and apparatus for generating an audio notification file for a computing device are provided. A first audio file associated with a first mental state is selected as a first section of the audio notification file. The audio notification file enabled for storage in a memory. The audio notification file is further enabled for processing by a processing unit to control a speaker. A final state of the audio notification file is determined, the final state designated as a final section of the audio notification file, the final state associated with a second mental state. At least one intermediate section of the audio notification file is generated, between the first section and the second section, by morphing the first audio file to the final state by processing the first audio file using a digital signal processor.
US09257016B1

A poker game player tracking device for tracking status of multiple players to facilitate efficient continuation of game play. The device includes a panel having a top surface. Each of a plurality of status indicators is positioned on the top surface of the panel. Each status indicator is associated with a specific condition relevant to playing poker. The status indicators are grouped into arrays of status indicators to indicate information about a specific player during a poker game. Each of a plurality of status markers is coupled to the panel. Each status marker is positioned to selectively cover an associated one of the status indicators.
US09257015B2

Included are systems and methods for advanced wagering. Some embodiments may include determining a desired wagering event for placing a wager, providing a user interface that includes a wager field for a user to indicate a wager and a payout field for the user to enter a desired payout that is based on the wager, calculating a wager amount to achieve the desired payout, and providing the wager amount to the user.
US09257012B2

A gaming system which utilizes a random number generator where the process of selecting one or more seeds for the random number generator includes participation of a player. In one embodiment, the player picks one of a plurality of displayed selections at a gaming device. Each selection is associated with a different external steeling source of data not controlled by the gaming system. A gaming system gathers, the data torn the external seeding sources associated with the different seeds. The gaming system uses the data gathered from the seeding source associated with the player's picked selection to determine one or more seeds. The determined seeds are used to initialize a random number generator, which generates one or more numbers and at least in part determine the outcome of the game.
US09257005B2

For facilitating re-experience of an event of a gaming device with a player, upon a triggering mechanism associated with an event, an input/output (I/O) mechanism is overlaid on the gaming device using a system device in communication with the gaming device. Through use of the I/O mechanism, input is received from the player and output is returned to the player. The I/O mechanism overlaying the gaming device is then removed.
US09256999B2

A gaming device that enables players to accumulate awards by activating an award distributor having a plurality of award symbols and at least one selection group activator symbol. The gaming device provides the player with a plurality of activations where an award is associated with each award symbol indicated in each activation. When a selection group activator symbol is indicated, the gaming device displays at least one selection set having a plurality of selections associated with selection awards. The gaming device enables a player to select one selection and provides the associated selection award to the player. The number of available selections in the selection set decreases by one after the player picks a selection. If the selection group activator symbol is subsequently indicated, the player picks from the remaining available selections in the selection set.
US09256992B2

Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to a fleet management computer system configured for assessing vehicle backing According to various embodiments, the fleet management computer system is configured to assess operational data associated with one or more vehicles and identify vehicle backing events occurring during a particular time period. In various embodiments, the fleet management computer system is also configured to determine one or more backing characteristics for the identified backing events and generate a graphical display providing backing information indicative of the backing characteristics.
US09256988B2

A system for identifying a type of a power tool, the system comprising: a power tool having an electric motor; and a usage attachment configured to couple to the power tool, the usage attachment having a vibration sensor that generates vibration data when the power tool vibrates, a memory that stores the vibration data generated by the vibration sensor, and an identification subsystem that receives the vibration data from the memory, and identifies the type of the power tool by comparing the received vibration data to predetermined vibration data of a known type of power tool.
US09256983B2

In one embodiment, a building model is presented to a user. The building model may be a three-dimensional rendering of a geographic region. A user selects a point on the three-dimensional rendering of a geographic region. Based on the selected point one or more image bubbles are chosen. The image bubbles are photographs or similar image data. The image bubbles and the three-dimensional rendering are associated with the same geographical space. The one or more image bubbles are incorporated with the building model such that at least a portion of one of the image bubbles is displayed in a window with the building model.
US09256969B2

A visualization system for a tracer may include a processing pipeline that may generate tracing data, preprocess the data, and visualize the data. The preprocessing step may include a mechanism to process user-defined expressions or other executable code. The executable code may perform various functions including mathematical, statistical, aggregation with other data, and others. The preprocessor may perform malware analysis, test the functionality, then implement the executable code. A user may be presented with an editor or other text based user interface component to enter and edit the executable code. The executable code may be saved and later recalled as a selectable transformation for use with other data streams.
US09256960B2

An image decoding method includes: arithmetic decoding steps for performing arithmetic decoding processes on decoding target signals according to contexts determined based on the types of the decoding target signals and the symbol occurrence probabilities determined based on the contexts; and a context update step for executing a group of context update processes on the decoding target signals in each of processing units each obtained as a segment having a certain size, according to the decoded signals resulting from the arithmetic decoding processes.
US09256959B1

System and methods are provided for performing color lens shading correction. A plurality of mesh points are generated. Mesh gain parameters associated with the mesh points are determined. The mesh gain parameters are applied to an input image for color lens shading correction. A color entropy related to color distribution of the corrected input image is obtained. The mesh gain parameters are adjusted to reduce the color entropy.
US09256957B1

A system and method for tracking a spherical ball is presented. A system includes grayscale conversion logic configured to convert an input image into a grayscale image. Motion detection logic detects motion of the ball in the grayscale image and generates a motion likelihood image output. Template matching logic template matches the input image and generates a template likelihood image output indicating where the ball is in the grayscale image. Color matching logic color matches the ball to the input image and generates a color space likelihood image. Fusion logic produces a final fused likelihood image output based on the motion likelihood image output, template likelihood image output and color space likelihood image output. Ball localization logic generates a ball location value and a confidence based on finding an optimal value in the final fused likelihood image output.
US09256953B2

An expression estimation device configured to estimate an expression of a person from an image has an expression determination unit that analyzes the image of the person to generate first expression information indicating an expression of the person, a motion determination unit that analyzes the image of the person to determine a type of motion of the person, and an expression estimation unit that generates second expression information indicating the expression of the person according to the first expression information generated by the expression determination unit and the type of motion determined by the motion determination unit.
US09256944B2

An industrial safety system is provided that integrates optical safety monitoring with machine control. The safety system includes an imaging sensor device supporting pixel array processing functions that allow time-of-flight (TOF) analysis to be performed on selected portions of the pixel array, while two-dimensional imaging analysis is performed on the remaining portions of the array, reducing processing load and response time relative to performing TOF analysis for all pixels of the array. The portion of the pixel array designated for TOF analysis can be pre-defined through configuration of the imaging sensor device, or can be dynamically selected based on object detection and classification by the two-dimensional imaging analysis. The imaging sensor device can also implement a number of safety and redundancy functions to achieve a high degree of safety integrity.
US09256937B2

What is disclosed is a system and method for assessing peripheral vascular disease from a thermal image captured using a thermal imaging system. In one embodiment the present method involves the following. First, a thermal image is received of a region of exposed skin of a peripheral body part of a subject being monitored for PVD. The thermal image was acquired by a thermal imaging system. Pixels in the thermal image each have a corresponding temperature value. The thermal image is analyzed to stratify the peripheral body part into a plurality of skin surface regions. A skin surface temperature for each respective skin surface region is identified based on pixels in the thermal image associated with those regions. The temperatures are then extracted such that a progression of temperatures can be ascertained. A method for forecasting the progression for future times is also disclosed.
US09256929B2

Embodiments provide a filtering method and apparatus for recovering an anti-aliasing edge. The method includes: calculating, for a nonlinearly filtered image, a variance value of an area surrounding a current pixel used for identifying an edge of the image; and re-filtering the current pixel when the variance value is greater than a predefined first threshold value, so as to recover an anti-aliasing edge. With the embodiments of the present application, aliasing noises resulted from nonlinear transform may be alleviated, thereby recovering an anti-aliasing edge of a natural object.
US09256921B2

An image generation device generates a mosaic image which is suitable for users to see even if sufficient images are not acquired to complete the mosaic image. The image generation device specifies, in units of divided areas, an image area in which an image is drawn in each layer of a plurality of layers divided into the plurality of divided areas, allocates the acquired image to the divided areas in the image area of one of the layers, based on color information of the acquired image and color information of each of the divided areas in the specified image area, and generates a mosaic image by superimposing, between layers, the image allocated in the image area of two or more layers of the plurality of layers in which an image is allocated to at least one of all of the divided areas in the image area of each of the layers and the divided areas of another layer having a display position which overlaps the divided areas.
US09256918B2

A method that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, mapping image pixels of media content to a first portion of display pixels of a display to create mapped pairs having a mapped image pixel and a mapped display pixel, where the display has at least one of a greater number of horizontal or vertical pixels than the media content and for each mapped pair, one or more values associated with the mapped image pixel are assigned to the mapped display pixel, assigning blended mapped values to unmapped display pixels in a second portion of the display pixels, where, for each unmapped display pixel, the blended mapped value is a statistical compilation of one or more values assigned to the mapped display pixels that are adjacent to the unmapped display pixels, and presenting the mapped and unmapped display pixels at the display. The method includes other embodiments.
US09256912B2

In order to measure a measurement target on a PCB, height information of the PCB is acquired by using a first image photographed by illuminating a grating pattern light onto the PCB. Then, a first area protruding on the PCB by greater than a reference height is determined as the measurement target by using the height information. Thereafter, color information of the PCB is acquired by using a second image photographed by illuminating light onto the PCB. Then, the first color information of the first area determined as the measurement target out of the color information of the PCB is set as reference color information. Thereafter, the reference color information is compared with color information of an area except for the first area to judge whether the measurement target is formed in the area except for the first area. Thus, the measurement target may be accurately measured.
US09256911B1

An electronic display and lighting arrangement for viewing by, and illumination for, a person in a resting position includes: an electronic display assembly including a first carriage movable along a translation axis, a first pivot arm coupled to the first carriage with the first pivot arm pivotable about a first pivot axis, and an electronic display coupled to the first pivot arm; and a lighting assembly including a second carriage movable in a direction parallel to the translation axis, and a light coupled to the second carriage and adjustably positionable by movement of the second carriage. The electronic display is adjustably positionable both along the translation axis by movement of the first carriage, and about the first pivot axis by movement of the first pivot arm about the first pivot axis.
US09256908B2

Utility meter readings generated at low sampling rates are disaggregated to identify consumer usage activities. Time intervals between readings can include a plurality of consumer usage activities. By employing a model which recognizes associations among consumer usage activities, effective disaggregation is possible using only aggregated consumption data and interval start times. Consumers and utility managers can design and assess conservation programs based on the disaggregated consumption usage activities.
US09256907B2

A method includes defining a plurality of crop field boundaries such that an area of land falls within each of the plurality of field boundaries. The method further includes maintaining the plurality of crop field boundaries within the crop recordkeeping system, using a first of the crop field boundaries in performing a first function of the crop recordkeeping system executing on a computer, and using a second of the crop field boundaries in performing a second function of the crop recordkeeping system executing on the computer.
US09256902B2

Product recommendations are presented to a consumer by presenting to the consumer a plurality of thumbnail images that correspond to a plurality of products. The plurality of thumbnail images are presented to the consumer in a plurality of tier groupings and each of the plurality of tier groupings is indicative of a relative ranking of products within a trend that is being tracked. In response to a user interacting with a one or more of the plurality of presented thumbnail images, the consumer is further presented with at least one of a zoomed-in version of the one or more of the plurality of presented thumbnail images interacted with by the consumer and a product detail page for a product corresponding to the one or more of the plurality of presented thumbnail images interacted with by the consumer.
US09256891B2

In general, a method for providing content to a user includes providing a content item to a user responsive to a received request. The content item is displayed to the user in a slot associated with a third party content site. The content item includes a first annotation providing information for or about re-publishing the content item. A request is received from the user to follow a content provider associated with the content item. The user is designated as being interested in updated content from the content provider. Designating the user includes presenting information about the user to one or more of the content provider or a social application that includes a content provider presence so as to allow for updates associated with the content provider to be followed by the user.
US09256885B1

A computer-implemented method including the steps of: receiving, by a computer system including at least one computer, a media work uploaded from a first electronic device; receiving, by the computer system from a second electronic device, a tag associated with the media work having a media work identifier; storing, by the computer system, the media work identifier and the associated tag; obtaining, by the computer system from a third electronic device, a query related to the associated tag; correlating, by the computer system, the query with associated information related to an action to be performed; and providing, from the computer system to the third electronic device, the associated information to be used in performing the action.
US09256877B2

The invention provides a method for updating a user profile on a server (2) based on user content items on a client (1), the server (2) being able to communicate with the client (1) via a communication network (3), comprising the following steps: a) for each of at least a part of said user content items on the client (1), providing characteristic information suitable to identify a respective user content item; b) transferring the characteristic information of the user content items from the client (1) to the server (2); c) comparing the characteristic information of the user content items with characteristic information suitable to identify the server content items; and d) updating the user profile on the server (2) based on the comparison carried out in c).
US09256872B2

A system and method replaces credit card numbers in systems that are customer facing with token Ids to thereby reduce exposure to credit card number theft.
US09256866B2

A method for enabling a driver's license to be used as a credit account, including: accessing data from a scanned bar code of a driver's license; comparing the accessed data from the scanned bar code to a store of information comprising a stored set of profile information; based on the comparing, determining if a match between the accessed data and a stored set of profile information exists, and identifying a matched stored set of profile information; identifying a customer credit account, of the customer credit account information, linked to the matched stored set of profile information; generating an credit verification for the customer, such that, as to the customer, a particular transactional activity is allowed to be processed using the identified customer credit account.
US09256860B2

A method for tracking user participation in a shared media session. A shared media session is connected to, where the shared media session includes a plurality of participants. A first identity is determined for a first participant with a first confidence level. The first participant is identified as the first identity if the first confidence level is above a first threshold. An amount of participation is tracked for the first identity. The amount of participation by the first identity is displayed on an electronic calendar for the shared media session to the plurality of participants.
US09256859B2

A technique allows a newsfeed item shown in a newsfeed of a social network to be easily promoted to another newsfeed in the social network. In a specific embodiment, the system receives a first user's promotion selection of an item displayed in a newsfeed of the first user. The item includes content provided by a second user. The first user is prompted to select a destination newsfeed. A selection of the destination newsfeed is received and the item is published on the destination newsfeed for a third user.
US09256856B1

Systems and methods are disclosed herein which enable simultaneous manipulation of user-interface objects by a plurality of users across a network of a plurality of nodes using multiple independent data paths, wherein on each node, an input device activates a plurality of user-interface elements, and such activations are replicated across each node. Only user-interface change data is transmitted, thereby enabling real-time, simultaneous collaboration without transmitting an image of the user interface.
US09256851B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for context sensitive cloning of a business object graph. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for context sensitive cloning of a business object graph is provided. The method includes selecting a business object of an application executing in memory of a computer for cloning and ascertaining a contemporaneous state of the selected business object. The method also includes applying a cloning rule to the state of the selected business object to determine a business object graph from amongst a set of pre-determined business object graphs to be used when cloning the selected business object. Finally, the method includes cloning the determined business object graph in the memory of the computer.
US09256845B2

Technology for pre-ordering (e.g., pre-fetching content) at a shared computing premise is described. The technology can enable a user to locate and reserve an available seat at a shared computing premise (e.g., an iCafé). A service can transmit to the user a list of nearby iCafés or available seats that is ranked or ordered based on various criteria. The selected iCafé may pre-fetch content. The iCafé may also provide the pre-fetched content on removable media so that the user does not need to view all the pre-fetched content only at the iCafé. The iCafé may provide a search and/or document notification service and perform searches, download documents, and check for changes to specified documents even when the user is not logged on or using a computer at the iCafé. After the documents are retrieved and stored, the iCafé may send a notification to the user.
US09256844B2

A system and method for postage payment utilizes passive RFID tags as postage “stamps”, with the amount of the postage automatically billed to a previously-established customer account. The tags are stored in a separate stamp database and are “enabled” by linking the individual tag to a customer account. The use of the RFID stamps eliminates the need for the customer to know the proper postage beforehand. The existence of a customer account with a proper return address reduces the likelihood of a dead letter. Also, a special category of stamps may be used for automatic reply mail. By virtue of using an RFID tag, the mailed item's progress through the postal delivery system may be tracked from dispatch to delivery.
US09256826B2

This document describes techniques for predicting reactions to short-text posts. In one or more implementations, a prediction model for short-text posts is generated from previous posts to a social network and responses to the posts by the social network community. Subsequently, the prediction model can be used to predict the social network community's reaction to a proposed post prior to the proposed post being posted to the social network.
US09256818B2

A printing apparatus is provided that, in a case where copy numbers are printed on the single-sheet document and the sheets are then discharged, prevents the copy numbers from going out of order while preventing the time it takes to complete printing from being extended. A method for controlling such a printing apparatus includes performing control such that, in a case where processing of printing an image on a single sheet per copy is carried out for a plurality of copies, the sheet on which the image is printed is discharged in a face-up state or in a face-down state depending on printing of the copy number.
US09256816B2

An image forming apparatus is a color converting device for converting a first color value acquired from printing data to a second color value. A color position calculating section calculates a hue plane and a chroma of the first color value. A color value converting section converts the first color value to the second color value using a K-monochrome color conversion table in which achromatic colors are set as monochromatic colors when the chroma of the first color value calculated by the color position calculating section is greater than a chroma threshold value γ, and using a hue plane color conversion table in which the achromatic colors are set as mixed colors of a plurality of colors when the chroma is not greater than the chroma threshold value γ.
US09256813B2

Exemplary methods and devices herein receive the images of a previously printed document (through scanning, raster image processing, etc.), a second document to be printed, and instructions to use print settings of the previously printed document to print the second document. These methods and devices automatically detect page boundaries, detect page orientation, and detect page sequencing within the images of the previously printed document to identify previous layout parameters used to print the previously printed document. With this, these methods and devices automatically prepare a print job ticket for the second document that has job ticket layout parameters that match the previous layout parameters. After this, these methods and devices output (e.g., print or transmit for additional revisions/processing) the second document using the newly created print job ticket to cause the second document to match the previous layout parameters of the previously printed document.
US09256809B2

A method of enabling an authentication device includes providing a first enabling target. One or more attributes of the first enabling target is measured with the authentication device at a first time and compared to a first predetermined expected value. When the at least one measured attribute of the first enabling target matches the first predetermined expected value, the authentication device is enabled for only a first predetermined enablement time.
US09256805B2

A method of identifying an entity from text in a digital image includes the step of obtaining a digital image. The digital image includes a digital photograph of a physical text. At least a portion of the physical text is related to a pre-defined topic. The digital photograph of the physical text is converted to a text in a computer-readable format. A word dictionary is provided. The word dictionary includes a set of words related to the pre-defined topic. A set of words of matching the text to similar words in the set of words in the word dictionary. A word cluster in the text is identified. Each word in the word cluster is associated with a category of a single entity. The single entity is a member of a class of entities demarcated by the pre-defined topic. A database including a list of members of the class of entities demarcated by the pre-defined topic is search for one or more entities matching one or more of word-category associations of the word cluster.
US09256804B2

An apparatus for identifying differences in the visual and recorded appearance of colors and gray tones illuminated by light sources having different spectral distribution and having: a first image with illumination, with separate and different color elements and with gray scale elements, apertures in the first image adjacent to the elements, a second image with illumination having a plurality of separate elements of color and gray scale, corresponding to the elements of the first image so that the elements on the second image are viewable through the apertures in the first image, with corresponding color and gray scale elements adjacent to one another in the first and second images, and a method of comparing light quality using such apparatus.
US09256799B2

An embodiment method for marking an anomaly in an image comprises generating an initial boundary description representing a size, a shape and a location of the anomaly in the image, dilating the initial boundary description to generate a dilated boundary description representing the shape, the location and an enlarged size of the initial boundary description, and saving, on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the dilated boundary description as an overlay plane object in an output format compliant with a industry standard digital image format.
US09256792B2

To make it easier to grasp characters that appear across different images by determining a pair of character area images to be a combination target based on a degree of similarity or a position of each character area image extracted from different images, and connecting and combining overlapping area images that are the determined pair of character area images and that have a similar image feature amount.
US09256781B2

A system and method for computer vision based tracking of a human form may include receiving a sequence of images, the images including at least one object having a shape of a human form. A first selected feature is tracked from within the human form shaped object. Shape recognition algorithms are applied at a suspected location of the human form shaped object in an image from the sequence of images to detect a shape of a human form in the image and a second feature from within the detected shape of the human form is then selected and tracked, thereby providing verification and updating of the location of the human form shaped object.
US09256770B1

Aspects of the technology provide a case for a mobile device, wherein the case includes a body, and a base configured to be mechanically coupled to the body. In certain aspects, the base includes a reader configured for reading financial information from a payment card for facilitating a financial transaction between a buyer and a merchant, a card slot disposed within the base, the card slot configured to receive the payment card, and wherein the card reader comprises a tip-ring-ring-sleeve (TRRS) connector having a protruding portion and a modified base portion, and wherein the modified base portion provides not more than two electrical connections between the TRRS connector and the reader.
US09256769B1

The subject technology relates to methods and systems for processing a payment using a mobile card reader. Implementations of the subject technology provide a method for receiving payment information, wherein the payment information specifies a payment amount, generating an authorization request to process the payment information, encrypting the authorization request using an encryption engine to generate a secure authorization request and transmitting the secure authorization request using the radio transceiver to a payment processor via a messaging service, wherein the messaging service comprises one or more of a SMS, a MMS or an email service. In certain aspects, methods of the subject technology can further include steps for receiving an authorization response from the payment processor via the messaging service. Systems and methods for mobile card reader activation are also provided.
US09256768B2

A credit card reader shields a credit card, stores data from one or more credit cards simultaneously and then selectively broadcasts data associated with one of the cards. A slim, electromagnetically shielding housing has a cavity and a card reader for reading data from a credit card received in the cavity. A processor connects the card reader to a memory component, and connects both to an RFID device, where the credit card data can be broadcast to an RFID reader. A control interface allows a user to initiate reading credit card data, to select a card data set to store in memory, or to broadcast a dataset. A display shows transaction information and stored card data. A retractable input/output plug can engage a socket on another device to transmit and receive data. A memory card device can selectively store credit card data and transaction data.
US09256760B2

A system that can control whether a recipient of an electronic message (e.g., a text message, a multimedia message, an e-mail message, etc.) with a forwarding-restricted attachment is permitted to forward the attachment to third parties can be implemented on the network without specialized hardware or software for the client devices. The sender of a text message may limit the downstream distribution of that text message through text message forwarding by associating a forwarding restriction flag with the message.
US09256759B1

A computer-implemented method of pre-permissioning a computer application is disclosed. The method includes receiving a request from a user to install a software application, identifying one or more computing services required for operation of the software application, presenting the one or more computing services to the user for review, determining whether the user approves installation of the computer application, and installing the application on a computing device assigned to the user if the user approves installation of the computer application.
US09256757B2

In an embodiment, a method is provided for prefetching attributes used in access control evaluation. In this method, an access control policy that comprises rules is retrieved. These rules further comprise parameters. At least one of the rules is categorized into a class from multiple classes based on at least one of the parameters. Here, the class is a grouping based on at least one of these parameters. An attribute associated with the at least one of these parameters is identified and this attribute is mapped to the class.
US09256748B1

Methods for preventing the transmission of sensitive information to locations outside of a secure network by a person who has legitimate access to the sensitive information are described. In some embodiments, in order for an end user of a computing device to establish a secure connection with a secure network and access data stored on the secure network, a client application running on the computing device may be required by the secure network. The client application may monitor visual cues (e.g., facial expressions and gestures) associated with the end user, detect suspicious activity performed by the end user based on the visual cues, and in response to detecting suspicious activity may perform mitigating actions to prevent the transmission of sensitive information such as alerting human resources personnel or requiring authorization prior to sending information to locations outside of the secure network.
US09256745B2

In a pre-operating system environment on a device prior to loading and running an operating system on the device, a policy identifying configuration settings for the operating system is obtained. The operating system itself is prevented from changing this policy, but the policy can be changed under certain circumstances by components of the pre-operating system environment. The policy is compared to configuration values used by the operating system, and the operating system is allowed to boot with the configuration values if the configuration values satisfy the policy. However, if the configuration values do not satisfy the policy, then a responsive action is taken.
US09256743B2

Systems and methods for remote an enterprise policy/client configuration installation for client computing devices are provided. In some aspects, a method includes receiving, on a client computing device, via a network, a message including an updated enterprise policy/client configuration associated with an operating system and a signature. The signature identifies a source of the message. The method also includes authenticating the message based on the signature. The method also includes installing the updated an enterprise policy/client configuration. At least a first portion of an enterprise policy/client configuration is configured not to be updatable without receiving the message via the network.
US09256732B2

A smart card comprising a data store and a processor, said smart card being operable to connect with a host data processing apparatus, said smart card comprising authentication logic operable when connected to said host data processing apparatus to identify a secure data processing domain having predetermined properties within said host data processing apparatus and in response to identify said secure data processing domain, said smart card is operable to delegate at least some data processing operations to be processed within said secure data processing domain of said host data processing apparatus.
US09256723B2

A security key including an interface unit that provides an interface with an authentication device installed at a security domain; and an OTP module that communicates with the authentication device through the interface unit mentioned above, wherein the OTP module includes a storage unit that stores at least one OTP Seed ID and OTP Algorithm ID; and an OTP generation unit that generates an OTP by using an OTP Seed value and OTP algorithm that are identified by an OTP Seed ID and an OTP Algorithm ID matching with the OTP Seed ID and OTP Algorithm ID included in the OTP request message, which is received from the authentication device among the OTP Seed ID and OTP Algorithm ID stored in the storage unit, and provides the authentication device with the OTP generated in the process.
US09256719B2

A biometric and identity enrollment kiosk for collecting personal data includes a slidable main module and at least one modifiable section removably coupled to the main module. The main module includes a processor and one or more biometric sensing devices coupled to the processor. The one or more biometric sensing devices include a right fingerprint sensor coupled to the processor and a left fingerprint sensor coupled to the processor. The right fingerprint sensor is positioned proximate a right end of the main module and the left fingerprint sensor is positioned proximate a left end of the main module. The right fingerprint sensor is positioned a predetermined distance apart from the left fingerprint sensor. The at least one modifiable section includes at least one first input device coupled to the processor.
US09256713B2

A method, logic and system are provided for generating data representing all possible materials that may be present when monitoring a region or space for a radioisotope of interest. All possible materials with which a radioisotope material may interact are grouped or categorized into one of a plurality of material groups. Each material group is further subdivided into a plurality of subgroups based on atomic number of a material. First data is stored for each of the subgroups of each of the plurality of material groups, where the first data represents an interaction between a representative material for a corresponding subgroup and radiation at a plurality of energy levels. Second data is stored representing spectral characteristics of each radioisotope of interest at the plurality of energy levels. For a radioisotope of interest, a computation is made to produce spectrum data resulting from an interaction between of the radioisotope of interest using the second data with the first data for each of the plurality of subgroups in each material group. The spectrum data is then stored in a library for later use in the field with the output from a detector. Spectrum data is stored for the particular detector to be used in the field, and to this end, such detector-specific spectrum library data may be adjusted to account for a detector's quantum efficiency and resolution characteristics.
US09256712B2

A method for realizing a central monitoring server by using an individual patient monitor device is provided, and the patient monitor device (301) can monitor the patient's physiological parameter and simultaneously can collect and process the data from the other monitor devices through wired or wireless LAN (Local area network). The running state and the patient's information of the other monitors can be looked over on this monitor (301). The monitor (301) can display this monitoring measurement information and simultaneously display all the patients' information of the other monitors which are networked with it, and the other networked monitors can also be controlled by this monitor (301). The monitor (301) can use a single-screen or multi-screen display, and the displaying content can be the same or not.
US09256690B2

A method and system for remote control of a presenter's computer screen using only web browsers is described. Viewers are able to view representation of a presenter's screen on a screen of the viewer's device and remotely control the presenter's screen directly from a web browser, without any downloads, plugins, or dialog boxes. Viewer control events are captured by the browser, sent to a server, and transmitted to the presenter's computer. A program running on the presenter's computer executes the control events, updates the presenter's screen, and transmits images of the updated screen back to the viewers.
US09256686B2

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to the use of a Bloom Filter in a web analytics application. Large sets of data, obtained from on and offline sources, may be analyzed using a Bloom Filter to find desired patterns within the data. The use of a Bloom Filter in the analysis allows for a more efficient use of resources to perform the analysis.
US09256681B2

Embodiments of a method and system for identifying clusters in collections of data entities are generally described herein. In some embodiments, the method includes defining a metric space over the data entities. A distance function of the metric space may satisfy the triangle inequality. The method may include determining, based on the distance function of the metric space, a value for a number of clusters that minimizes a number of data bits used to define a model of the collection of the data entities. The model may thereby describe the collection of data entities using a minimum description length (MDL). The method may include assigning data entities of the collection of data entities to the clusters. The number of clusters to which the data entities are assigned may correspond to the determined value.
US09256679B2

Methods for searching for information based on user's intention and for providing information include an editor meeting searcher's intention detected using analysis results for keywords and searches contents having metadata associated with metadata input through the editor. As a result, a search may be formed by detecting searcher's intention from information input by a searcher, inducing a detailed metadata input based on the detected intention, and using the input metadata.
US09256669B2

Systems, methods, and apparatus for clustering resources using rare features are provided. For example, an environment includes an extraction module, an index module, and a cluster module. The extractions module identifies a set of resources and extracts a plurality of features from the resources. The plurality of features may be rare features. The index module identifies and generates a rare features index. The cluster module identifies at least two resources that share rare features, creates one or more clusters based on the identified at least two resources, and associates resources that share similar features with the one or more clusters. Resources that do not share similar features are not associated with the one or more clusters. Identifying at least two resources that share rare features is based at least upon a threshold.
US09256666B2

A first item and a second item that are displayed in a user interface are selected via a computational device. A determination is made as to whether a linkage between the first item and the second item is a valid linkage, wherein the valid linkage indicates that inferences that relate the first item to the second item may be drawn by interpreting properties of the first item and properties of the second item. In response to determining that the linkage between the first item and the second item is a valid linkage, the properties of the first item and the properties of the second item are interpreted to infer new properties that relate the properties of the first item to the properties of the second item.
US09256662B2

According to various embodiments, a viewing event may be detected, the viewing event corresponding to a user viewing a content item. A view reason associated with the viewing event may be determined, the view reason indicating how the user was notified of the content item or how the user accessed the content item. A privacy value associated with the viewing event may be determined, the privacy value indicating an inferred sensitivity of the user to publication of the viewing event. Further, metadata describing the viewing event may be generated. Moreover, the metadata may be associated with the content item.
US09256659B1

Described herein are systems and methods for generating integrated identifiers that may be combined with database sequence values to create a high probability of uniqueness that minimizes assigning duplicate identifiers to one or more databases. The integrated identifier may be based in part on several identifiers associated with a database. This may include a numeric identifier assigned to the database, a name assigned to the database, or any other database property that may be relatively unique. In one embodiment, the integrated identifier may be associated with a sequence value for a database. While the sequence value may be unique within the database, the integrated identifier may be unique to other database identifiers. When an existing database is cloned, a new integrated identifier may be generated from the cloned database. New records stored in the new database may use the new integrated identifier, while the cloned records will remain unedited.
US09256647B2

An information processing apparatus allows a user to easily find information about search targets which the user is likely to desire. Pieces of information about a plurality of searched search targets displayed as a search result include attribute values of search targets. The information processing apparatus specifies information selected by the user from displayed information, and compares an attribute value of a selected search target, with attribute values of search targets associated with display rankings which are higher than a display ranking of the selected search target associated with the specified information. When the attribute value of the selected search target is more advantageous for the user, the information processing apparatus performs control such that information about search targets whose attribute values are more advantageous for the user than that of the selected search target changes to a display mode which is more easily visually checked than the information about search targets whose attribute values are more disadvantageous for the user than that of the selected search target.
US09256646B2

Techniques for managing configurable data windows for streams and/or archived relations are provided. In some examples, a query that identifies at least a data stream or an archived relation may be identified. Additionally, a configurable window size may be identified. In some instances, the query may be initialized with at least a portion of the historical data based at least in part on the window size. Further, the query may be evaluated based at least in part on the data stream and the portion of the historical data.
US09256645B2

A computer-implemented method includes receiving a request to search for other users who are associated with at least a threshold level of similarity to the requesting user; accessing information indicative of a patient profile of the requesting user; determining one or more attributes of the requesting user; searching a data repository for information indicative of a user associated with one or more attributes corresponding to at least one of the one or more attributes of the requesting user; identifying, based on searching, a user associated with one or more attributes corresponding to at least one of the one or more attributes of the requesting user; determining that the one or more corresponding attributes of the identified user satisfy the threshold level of similarity; and transmitting information indicative of the identified user, with the transmitted information specifying the identified user as being a peer of the requesting user.
US09256642B2

Techniques for automatically recommending parallel execution of a SQL statement. In one set of embodiments, a first determination can be made regarding whether a SQL statement can be executed in parallel. Further, a second determination can be made regarding whether executing the SQL statement in parallel is faster than executing the statement in serial by a predetermined factor. If the first determination and second determination are positive (i.e., the statement can be executed in parallel and parallel execution is faster by the predetermined factor), a recommendation can be provided indicating that the SQL statement should be executed in parallel. In some embodiments, the recommendation can include a report specifying the degree of performance improvement gained from parallel execution, additional system resources consumed by parallel execution, and other statistics pertaining to the recommended parallel execution plan.
US09256625B2

A cleaning application that can monitor one or more characteristics of a computer, and that can clean at least one of one or more files or a registry of the computer, is provided. The cleaning application can include a cleaning module. The cleaning module can monitor one or more characteristics of the computer. The cleaning module can further detect an occurrence of pre-defined criteria involving the one or more characteristics. The cleaning module can further perform a pre-defined action in response to the pre-defined criteria. The pre-defined action can include cleaning at least one of one or more files or a registry associated with the computer.
US09256620B2

Techniques for grouping images are disclosed. In some situations, the techniques include identifying at least one event-based image group among a plurality of images based on an event that is associated with each identified image, receiving a selection of one or more objects in a first image of the identified event-based image group, identifying other images in the identified event-based image group that each include at least one of the selected one or more objects, and associating the identified images with the first image. In one instance, the selected objects include individuals captured in the image.
US09256613B2

In one embodiment, a computer program product for storing data to a storage network includes a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions being executable by a computer to cause the computer to receive a plurality of data identifiers (IDs) from multiple data providers, each data ID being associated with one of a plurality of files, store the plurality of data IDs to a database, identify any duplicate data IDs in the database to determine if any of the plurality of files associated with the plurality of data IDs are non-confidential, receive one of the files having a duplicate data ID, and store the file having the duplicate data ID to a storage network.
US09256610B2

Each file is assigned in advance with a WWUID, newly assigned to a file upon the creation or update of the file and inherited from a file to a copied file when it is copied. In a backup apparatus, a file name reception unit receives the file name of a backup target file. A WWUID reception unit receives a WWUID corresponding to the file name. A WWUID search unit searches for the same WWUID in backup management information of a previous day stored in a backup destination. Only if the search is failed, a file operation instruction unit instructs the storing of the backup target file into the backup destination. Then, an Rcnt update instruction unit instructs the updating of the number of references made to the WWUID within the backup destination. A second management information update instruction unit then instructs updating of backup management information of the current day.
US09256609B2

Mechanisms are provided for maintaining variable size deduplication segments using fixed size extents. Variable size segments are identified and maintained in a datastore suitcase. Duplicate segments need not be maintained redundantly but can be managed by updating reference counts associated with the segments in the datastore suitcase. Segments are maintained using fixed size extents. A minor increase in storage overhead removes the need for inefficient recompaction when a segment is removed from the datastore suitcase. Fixed size extents can be reallocated for storage of new segments.
US09256608B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide a computer system, comprising a personal file system module for determining a file system folder structure based upon a user profile and mapping user content stored on one or more storage devices to one or more folders of the file system.
US09256600B2

A method for electronic content locking including: accessing electronic content and determining if the electronic content is currently locked for a first user. The method further determines meta-data relating to the electronic content and allows a second user to override the lock such that the electronic content is unlocked if the meta-data meet predetermined criteria. A system for electronic content locking having: an electronic content repository; and a locking controller adapted to change the status of electronic content in the electronic content repository between locked and unlocked. The system further includes a data collection module designed to retrieve meta-data relating to electronic content; and an override controller designed to override the locking controller and change the status of the locked electronic content from a first user to a second user.
US09256598B1

Methods, systems, and computer readable media for copy-on-demand optimization for large writes are disclosed. According to one aspect, a method for copy on demand optimization for large writes includes, in a system having a source data storage entity and a destination data storage entity, receiving a write request to write data to a target portion of the source data storage entity, the target portion of the source data storage entity comprising at least one data storage block. The method includes determining whether the source data storage entity and the destination data storage entity are engaged in a backup operation in which data sufficient to synchronize the source data storage entity to the destination data storage entity is copied from the destination data storage entity to the source data storage entity, and if so, determining whether the target portion of the source data storage entity is not yet synchronized to the destination data storage entity. If the target portion of the source data storage entity is not yet synchronized to the destination data storage entity, a copy-on-demand operation is performed to synchronize the target portion of the source data storage entity to the destination data storage entity, where each data storage block within the target portion of the source data storage entity that will be completely overwritten as a result of the write request is not synchronized to the destination data storage entity. The write request to write data to the target portion of the source data storage entity is then processed.
US09256591B2

If a top-level document refers to a second document as a template, a first method specified by said top-level document is executed to yield a presentation that is used as an argument for a second method specified by the second document. If the top-level document does not refer to another document as a template, the first method is executed to yield a final presentation.
US09256586B2

A visual editor for generating a custom email message. An editor interface may display an approximation of an email message. A user may customize content and layout of an email message through the editor interface. A user interface system may track such customizations to enable faster remote operations to be performed on content of the email message. A plurality of substantially modular renderers may enable a plurality of different output representations to be generated from a single stored representation of the email message.
US09256584B2

A method and apparatus for representing and controlling documents including rich text for Web based applications and browsers is provided so that editing of rich text can be facilitated within the browsers. The rich text is represented in a memory structure so that various formats may be flexible maintained. Text, images, tables, links and the like are represented in the memory structure, which may be maintained in databases for eventual editing. A controller class and subsidiary classes represent the rich text and provide methods to convert html to the memory structure and back, representing the rich text in a relational database, retrieving the rich text from a relational database, and presenting the rich text for editing. A spell checking facility for the rich text is included.
US09256579B2

The invention utilizes low complexity estimates of complex functions to perform combinatorial coding of signal vectors. The invention disregards the accuracy of such functions as long as certain sufficient properties are maintained. The invention in turn may reduce computational complexity of certain coding and decoding operations by two orders of magnitude or more for a given signal vector input.
US09256577B2

A method and apparatus for overflow detection and clamping with parallel operand processing for fixed-point multipliers is disclosed. The disclosure predicts when a multiplication of a number of operands will exceed a pre-determined number of bits based upon the fixed-point format of the operands. The prediction is performed in parallel with the multiplication of the operands. The multiplication need not be completed in full, but only to the extent to determine whether overflow exists. If an overflow detection occurs, clamping is instituted. The parallel operation of the overflow detection and the multiplication provides a faster clamping circuit than would otherwise be available from a serial multiplication followed by a clamping analysis.
US09256574B2

A circuit arrangement, method, and program product for dynamically providing a status of a hardware thread/hardware resource independent of the operation of the hardware thread/hardware resource using an inter-thread communication protocol. A master hardware thread may be configured to communicate status requests to associated slave hardware threads and/or hardware resources. Each slave hardware thread/hardware resource may be configured with hardware logic configured to automatically determine status information for the slave hardware thread/hardware resource and communicate a status response to the master hardware thread independent of the operation of the slave hardware thread/hardware resource.
US09256572B2

In one embodiment, a network device in a network obtains information identifying first storage and second storage. The network device notifies one or more other network devices in the network that traffic that is received by the other network devices is to be routed to the network device. The network device performs data migration from the first storage to the second storage. When the data migration from the first storage to the second storage is completed, the network device notifies the other network devices in the network that traffic that is received by the other network devices is no longer to be routed to the network device.
US09256571B2

A method begins by generating a set of write request frames regarding a write request operation for a set of encoded data. Each of the write request frames includes a payload section and a protocol header. The payload section includes a transaction number field and a data payload section, which includes a name field, a revision number field, a length field, and a payload field. The protocol header includes a payload length field and an operation code field to indicate the write request operation. The method continues by outputting the set of write request frames to storage units of a dispersed storage network.
US09256566B1

Systems and methods are provided herein that can facilitate the managed reliability of data storage, including management of device remanufacturing and masking from an operating system a failure or predicted failure of a device running on a computer or a networked cluster of computers having access to the device. The systems and methods may facilitate removal of a device by coordinating among computers or controllers in a network cluster the logical removal of a device. At a later time, a coordinated logical re-introduction of the device to the systems or computers from which the device was logically removed can be performed. This can be accomplished via a virtualization system that may include a device function driver (DFD), a device virtualization bus driver (DVBD), and a device management service (DMS).
US09256561B2

A communication control apparatus includes a first interface, a second interface, a determination unit, and a control unit. The first interface is connected to a detachable recording medium. The second interface is connected to an external device. The second interface includes a first bus controlled by a first bus controller and a second bus controlled by a second bus controller. The second bus has a maximum transfer rate less than that of the first bus. The determination unit is configured to determine a data transfer rate of the detachable recording medium when the detachable recording medium is connected to the first interface. The control unit is configured to establish a connection to the external device via the first bus when the determined data transfer rate exceeds a predetermined threshold, and via the second bus when the determined data transfer rate does not exceed the predetermined threshold.
US09256546B2

Code is modified by an optimizer executing in the same or different address space as the application being modified. The modified code is stored in memory regions separate from the memory regions of the unmodified or pre-existing code. This allows instruction fetches by the application to access the modified code, while data accesses by the application access the unmodified code. An optimizer may also access the code, but accesses by the optimizer are considered data accesses, and therefore, such accesses would be to the unmodified code, instead of the modified code. Thus, an address mapping capability is provided in which the optimizer may access the modified code by having multiple addresses point to the same physical memory location. One address is used by the application in an instruction fetch and the other address is used by the optimizer in a data access to access the modified code.
US09256523B2

A memory includes a cell array including memory cells storing data, and a write driver writing data to the cells. A write driver performs or does not perform writing of write data according to write mask data input along with the write data. A multiplexer selectively outputs a write protect signal or the write mask data. The write protect signal is fixed to a command prohibiting the write data from being written. The command is included in the write mask data. A write protect controller controls the multiplexer to output the write protect signal when an address of a write protect area in the cell array matches an address of the write data. The write protect controller controls the multiplexer to output the write mask data as it is when the address of the write protect area in the cell array does not match the address of the write data.
US09256512B1

The disclosure includes technology for analyzing software code for embedded systems using a plurality of analysis tools. The technology includes an example system including a processor and a memory storing instructions that when executed cause the system to determine a falseness rate for each of two or more analysis tools; analyze software code using the two or more analysis tools to generate two or more tool-output results; generate an analysis result based on the two or more tool-output results, the analysis result characterizing one or more faults and one or more validations identified in the two or more tool-output results; determine a fault expectation for the software code based on the analysis result and the falseness rate of each of the two or more analysis tools; and perform a quality assurance analysis for the software code based on the fault expectation.
US09256508B2

A method and apparatus for controlling power in a low-power multi-core system, including receiving task information from an Operation System (OS) kernel upon start and end of a task, estimating a future CPU usage using a current CPU usage in the task information, monitoring memory-related information in the task information, comparing a change in the current CPU usage with the monitored memory-related information, establishing a policy for power control based on the estimated CPU usage and the monitored memory-related information, and controlling on/off of multiple cores according to the established policy. By doing so, it is possible to solve the problems caused by performing DPM using only the CPU usage.
US09256506B1

A system, computer-readable storage medium storing at least one program, and a computer-implemented method for performing operations on target servers is presented. A request including an operation is received. A set of target servers associated with the operation is identified. The following request processing operations are performed until a predetermined termination condition has been satisfied: a target server in the set of target servers to which the request has not been issued and whose health metrics satisfy health criteria is identified, the request to perform the operation is issued to the target server, and when the request to perform the operation fails at the target server, health metrics for the target server are updated to indicate that the request to perform the operation failed at the target server and health check operation is scheduled to be performed with respect to the target server.
US09256505B2

Methods and systems for generating data transformations to improve ROM yield and programming time. A bit flip register can be configured in association with the ROM and a binary string can be read into the bit flip register on reset. Subsequently, data output from the ROM can be selectively complemented utilizing a content of the bit flip register and the content of the bit flip register can be programmed into the ROM in order to reduce programming time for each ROM. A defective cell can be tolerated by selectively flipping a column with respect to the defective cell to improve yield. A built-in self-test (BIST) engine that generates addresses up to and including content of an address limiting register can be employed to limit the ROM access to a programmed part during testing in order to tolerate defects in any unused location.
US09256504B2

A state machine; a BIST circuit including a test pattern generator and an expected value comparison circuit; a state monitoring circuit configured to monitor whether or not a state of the state machine is a specific state; and a transition request detection circuit configured to detect a transition request signal from the specific state to a next state, are held. When the state monitoring circuit decides that the state of the state machine is the specific state, the state machine outputs a signal indicating the specific state as a state output of the state machine, and the BIST circuit performs a test of the state machine. When the transition request detection circuit detects the transition request signal while the test is performed, the BIST circuit stops the test of the state machine.
US09256498B1

A system and method for generating backups of a protected storage system from protected data in a recovery system including protecting data in the recovery system, the recovery system including a target disk configured to store a replica of the protected storage system from a predetermined time point and a journal including data and metadata of write operations to the protected storage system that occurred after the time point, periodically generating replicas of the protected storage system from the recovery system, and storing the replicas as backups.
US09256493B2

In accordance with some embodiments, memory modules containing phase change memory elements may be organized so that each memory integrated circuit includes both data and error correcting code. As a result of including the error correcting code in each integrated circuit, extra accesses of the memory module to extract the error correcting code can be avoided, improving the performance of the overall memory module in some embodiments.
US09256491B1

A device having a storage location for receiving an original data and a corresponding original error correction code (ECC) is provided. The device includes ECC modification pattern generator logic for comparing modified data and the original data for generating a pattern for modifying the original ECC and ECC modification logic for modifying the original ECC based on the pattern.
US09256483B2

A multi-input control method and system, and an electronic device supporting the same are provided. The multi-input control method includes receiving an activation request for multiple applications (apps), identifying one or more input units to operate the multiple apps, and assigning the input units to the multiple apps according to occurrence of an event or preset information so that the input units are operable to operate the apps in an independent manner.
US09256481B2

A published event from a first content element executing within a framework may be detected. In response, a registry may be searched for one or more registered events that match the published event, and if a matching registered event is found, a second content element that registered said matching registered event may be instantiated to start executing within the framework. The second content element is dynamically aggregated into the framework based on the published event without the first content element needing to have previous knowledge of the second content element, and without the second content element needing to have previous knowledge of the first content element. The framework also does not need to be designed initially to deploy the second content element. Which one or more content elements to aggregate into the framework may be determined at run time rather than at design time.
US09256480B2

A processor with an accumulator. An event is selected to produce one or more selected events. A reset signal to the accumulator is generated responsive to the selected event. Responsive to the reset signal, the accumulator is reset to zero or another initial value while avoiding breaking pipelined execution of the processor.
US09256476B2

A technique for expediting the unloading of an operating system kernel module that executes read-copy update (RCU) callback processing code in a computing system having one or more processors. According to embodiments of the disclosed technique, an RCU callback is enqueued so that it can be processed by the kernel module's callback processing code following completion of a grace period in which each of the one or more processors has passed through a quiescent state. An expediting operation is performed to expedite processing of the RCU callback. The RCU callback is then processed and the kernel module is unloaded.
US09256470B1

Technologies are generally described for methods and systems effective to assign a job to be executed in a multi-core processor that includes a first set of cores with a first size and a second set of cores with a second size different from the first size. The multi-core processor may receive the job at an arrival time and may determine a job arrival rate based on the arrival time. The job arrival rate may indicate a frequency that the multi-core processor receives a plurality of jobs. The multi-core processor may select the first set of cores and may select a degree of parallelism based on the job arrival rate and based on a performance metric relating to execution of the job on the first set of cores. In response to the selection, the multi-core processor may assign the job to be executed on the first set of cores.
US09256467B1

A system and method for a container service that obtains a software image of a software container that has been configured to be executed within a computer system instance registered to a cluster by one or more processors. The container service is configured to receive a request to launch the software image in accordance with a task definition, wherein the task definition specifies an allocation of resources for the software container. The container service may then determine, according to a placement scheme, a subset of a set of container instances registered to the cluster in which to launch the software image in accordance with the task definition. Upon determining the subset of the set of container instances, the container service may launch the software image as one or more running software containers in the set of container instances in accordance with the task definition.
US09256463B2

A method including replicating a first virtual machine (VM) in a first cloud and putting the replicated VM in a second cloud. Activating the first VM and pausing the replicated VM. First processing, at the first VM, traffic from VMs in the first cloud, wherein the first processing occurs when the first VM is activated and the replicated VM is paused. Buffering, at a hypervisor of the replicated VM, traffic from VMs in the second cloud, wherein the buffering occurs when the first VM is activated and the replicated VM is paused. Activating the replicated VM in response to state information of the first VM and pausing the first VM. Second processing, at the replicated VM, the buffered traffic according to the state information of the first VM, wherein the second processing occurs when the replicated VM is activated and the first VM is paused.
US09256462B2

The present discussion relates to contextually interacting with applications. One example can include a computer that has a set of applications installed thereon. This example can also include a URI manager configured to receive a context-defining URI, the URI manager can be configured to run a sub-set of the applications specified by the context-defining URI and to set a common context for the sub-set of the applications as specified by the context-defining URI.
US09256460B2

Techniques are disclosed for qualified checkpointing of a data flow model having data flow operators and links connecting the data flow operators. A link of the data flow model is selected based on a set of checkpoint criteria. A checkpoint is generated for the selected link. The checkpoint is selected from different checkpoint types. The generated checkpoint is assigned to the selected link. The data flow model, having at least one link with no assigned checkpoint, is executed.
US09256458B2

Methods, parallel computers, and computer program products for conditionally updating shared variable directory (SVD) information in a parallel computer are provided. Embodiments include a runtime optimizer receiving a broadcast reduction operation header. The broadcast reduction operation header includes an SVD key and a first SVD address. The first SVD address is associated with the SVD key in a first SVD associated with a first task. Embodiments also include the runtime optimizer retrieving from a remote address cache associated with the second task, a second SVD address indicating a location within a memory partition associated with the first SVD, in response to receiving the broadcast reduction operation header. Embodiments also include the runtime optimizer determining that the first SVD address does not match the second SVD address and updating the remote address cache with the first SVD address.
US09256455B2

A method and system for managing a virtual computing system including a virtual machine (VM) configured to send an event to a host CPU executing a memory monitoring instruction. The virtual machine is configured to receive from a hypervisor a notification identifying an address range writeable by a virtual central processing unit (VCPU) associated with the virtual machine to send an event to a host central processing unit (CPU). The virtual machine is further configured to receive an instruction to write to the identified address range for sending an event to the host CPU. The VCPU of the virtual machine may then write data identifying an event for execution by the host CPU to the identified address range, without causing an exit to the hypervisor.
US09256438B2

A computer processor pipeline has both an architectural register file and a working register file. The lifetime of an entry in the working register file is determined by a predetermined number of instructions passing through a specified stage in the pipeline after the location in the working register file is allocated for an instruction. The size of the working register file is selected based upon performance characteristics. A working register file creditor indicator is coupled to the front end pipeline portion and to the back end pipeline portion. The working register file credit indicator is monitored to prevent a working register file overflow. When the a location in the architectural register file is read early, the location is monitored to determine whether the location is written to prior to issuance of the instruction associated with the early read.
US09256437B2

A computer-readable recording medium having stored therein a program for causing a computer to execute a digital signature process includes determining that a first specific instruction for executing parallel calculations of the same type, each calculation operating on a different piece of data, is generated by combining first and second instructions included in a first code, retrieving, from the first code, a third instruction for calculating data referenced by the first instruction and a fourth instruction for calculating data referenced by the second instruction, and selecting the third and fourth instructions as candidates of instructions to be combined with each other preferentially to generate a second specific instruction which is different from the first specific instruction.
US09256425B2

Techniques are provided for versioning and refactoring of mashups. During the design phase of a mashup that is operable to access multiple external services, design information that defines or modifies a plurality of design elements included in the mashup is received from a user. Without receiving from the user any input that causes the plurality of design elements to be versioned, current versions of the plurality of design elements are automatically stored in a repository when the plurality of design elements are saved during development of the mashup. The mashup is deployed to one or more servers. Without receiving any input from the user that causes the mashup to be versioned, deploying the mashup comprises automatically storing in the repository a current version of the mashup and versioning information that associates the current version of the mashup with the current versions of the plurality of design elements.
US09256422B2

A system, method, and computer-readable medium, is described that finds similarities among programming applications based on semantic anchors found within the source code of such applications. The semantic anchors may be API calls, such as Java's package and class calls of the JDK. Latent Semantic Indexing may be used to process the application and semantic anchor data and automatically develop a similarity matrix that contains numbers representing the similarity of one program to another.
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