US09381116B2
A process for treating an eye to stop or delay the onset or symptoms of retinal diseases includes determining that the eye has a risk for a retinal disease before detectable retinal imaging abnormalities. A laser light beam is generated that provides preventative and protective treatment of the retinal tissue of the eye. At least a portion of the retinal tissue is exposed to the laser light beam without damaging the tissue. The retina may be retreated according to a set schedule or periodically according to the determination that the retina of the patient is to be retreated by monitored visual and/or retinal function or condition.
US09381113B2
A system for conducting a vitrectomy includes: a gas source; a vitrector including a cutting mechanism that opens and closes according to a pressure at the vitrector; and a pulse-generating system receiving gas from the gas source and generating pulses at the vitrector. The pulses cause the pressure at the vitrector to vary according to a cycle, and the varying pressure at the vitrector causes the cutting mechanism of the vitrector to open and close. At a first time in the cycle, the pulse-generating system, raises the pressure at the vitrector to a maximum pressure. At a second time in the cycle, the pulse-generating system reduces the pressure at the vitrector to a minimum pressure that is greater than ambient, the pressure at the vitrector being maintained at least at the minimum pressure. The difference between the maximum pressure and minimum pressure is minimized to reduce gas consumption.
US09381107B2
A post shoulder surgery rehabilitation apparatus in the form of a bed wedge having a shoulder support wedge structure attachment to provide the optimal support and comfort to a patient while resting or sleeping on a bed or similar structure. An exemplary embodiment of the bed wedge apparatus is capable of being inflated and deflated to the optimal angle for comfort and support for the repaired shoulder by means of a remote control switch by the patients themselves without assistance from a caregiver. Alternate embodiments of the bed wedge apparatus include ones without the need for inflation or deflation and ones that have shoulder support wedge structures for both shoulders after surgery.
US09381098B2
Described are tools—including distractor, trial, chisel, and inserter—that may be used as a system for implanting a prosthetic intervertebral disc in a spine. The distractor moves vertebrae and may have angled forks optionally offset for visibility with removable jaws optionally matching desired lordotic angles. The trial tool(s) may fit within the distractor forks, include a lordotic angle, and may include a disc portion, an adjustable stop, and a feature to control movement of the disc portion relative to the adjustable stop. The chisel tool cuts grooves in the vertebral bodies, which grooves affix the disc to the vertebrae. The chisel(s) may fit within openings in the trial, where those openings also serve as a guide during the groove-cutting step. The inserter tool, optionally with a movable pusher, is used for inserting the prosthetic disc into the prepared intervertebral disc space.
US09381096B2
A prosthetic system is disclosed that can have a feature for identifying an aspect of the prosthetic member and related instruments. The identification feature can identify cooperating components of the prosthetic system, such as an implant and instruments for use with the implant.
US09381093B1
A device for locking a bone fastening or fixation mechanism in a receiving member of a medical implant (corpectomy cage or cervical cage). The locking mechanism is kept in place (both in its locked and unlocked positions) using a retaining mechanism. The retaining mechanism also provides predetermined locked and unlocked positions that are readily moved to by the practitioner and maintained in position once placed there.
US09381088B2
Knee prosthesis includes a femoral component adapted to fit on a distal end of the femur and a tibial insert component. The femoral component includes a measured anterior/posterior dimension defined by the posterior condyle surface and the interior surface of the anterior flange and a distal peg provided on a distal bone facing surface of each of the lateral and medial condylar structures, wherein the distal pegs are positioned at a midpoint of the measured anterior/posterior dimension. The implant system provides two distinct sizing segments and the tibial insert has a medial tibial aspect ratio of 0.74 and a lateral tibial aspect ratio of 0.65 to 0.68 for all sizes.
US09381086B2
The invention relates to a prosthesis for implantation into a long bone during joint arthroplasty, particularly Total Shoulder Arthoplasty and Total Hip Arthroplasty, and a method for use of the implant.
US09381083B2
A profile altering tip is provided for a delivery system. The tip defines a first profile with a generally conical shape and a second profile with a generally round shape. During use of the delivery system, a tip profile control assembly can alter the tip from the first profile to the second profile.
US09381081B2
For easy handling at placement of intra ocular lenses (IOLs) for cataract operations, these are equipped with helical haptics of memory materials circumferring the lens. Said haptics adhere to the rim of the lens as long as being cooled down to constriction temperature. On regaining body temperature the haptics expand and fit into the ridges of the eye's capsule sack. Accommodation then is achieved with constriction of the capsule sack by pressure transfer to the rim of the lens to form its shape, in multiplying it with some protrusion towards the pupil.
US09381079B2
A bearing component 2 for a joint replacement prosthesis comprises a first bearing element 4; a second bearing element 6, and a linking element 8, operatively connecting the first and second bearing elements 4, 6 and permitting relative motion there between. The flexible linking element 8 prevents dislocation of mobile bearings in a total knee replacement prosthesis. The invention also relates to a bridging element which retains the linking element 8 with some play, which acts as a ligament support 2051, and which causes a deflection of the line of action of a ligament 1018. A joint replacement prosthesis is also disclosed comprising a biasing element 1140 or a tensioning element 1220 operatively coupled to the artificial ligament 1018. The biasing element 1140 or tensioning element 1220 may be housed in the stem of a tibial tray 1006.
US09381063B2
A system for a mapping and ablation catheter. The catheter includes a MOSFET sensor array that provides better fidelity of the signal measurements as well as data collection and reduces the error generated by spatial distribution of the isotropic and anisotropic wave fronts and error associated with near and far field's signal averages. The system maps the change in bioelectric potential in the vicinity of an activation wave front. During measurement, the manifold carrying the sensor array translates and rotates so as to achieve a measure of high potential employing an impedance value. The system of guiding and controlling the movement of the catheter distal end is able to deliver energy for ablating the renal artery nerve and thereby providing a safe and efficient method and apparatus for neuromodulation.
US09381052B2
An intramedullary nail for fixation and stabilization of a fractured bone that also allows for a controlled amount of longitudinal motion at the fracture site to encourage bone remodeling and healing is described. The intramedullary nail has a proximal portion and a distal portion that are coupled together in a manner by a biasing assembly that provides for a controlled movement of the proximal and distal portions relative to each other so that when a patient puts pressure on the bone, such as when walking, the fracture site compresses and the bone ends move together, and when the pressure is released from the bone, the bone ends are biased apart by a controlled amount.
US09381050B2
An adjustable spine distraction implant alleviates pain associated with spinal stenosis and facet arthropathy by expanding the volume and/or cross sectional area in the spinal canal and/or neural foramen. The adjustable implant provides a spinal extension inhibitor. The implant includes elliptical or oval shaped adjustable member or spacer for positioning between and adjustably spacing apart the spinous processes.
US09381047B2
An interspinous implant is provided. The interspinous implant can include a first member having a first end and a second end. At least one of the first end and the second end can include a mating portion. The interspinous implant can also include a second member, which can have a first end, a second end and at least one receiving portion formed adjacent to at least one of the first end and the second end. The at least one receiving portion can receive the mating portion to couple the first member to the second member at a desired orientation. The interspinous implant can also include a first extension, which can be substantially opposite the mating portion, and adapted to engage a spinous process. The interspinous implant can comprise a second extension, which can be substantially opposite the at least one receiving portion, and adapted to engage a second process.
US09381028B2
This invention relates to a gripping device (10), e.g. a surgical retrieval device. The device includes an inversible tubular member (28), which is composed of interengaged stitches of resiliently flexible filamentary material and which is progressively transformable between an everted condition and an inverted condition. The device includes also actuation means (12,20) carrying the inversible tubular member and operable for effecting progressive inversion and eversion of the inversible tubular member. Through progressive inversion of the inversible tubular member, an object can be gripped thereby.
US09381027B2
Ultrasound catheter devices and methods provide enhanced disruption of blood vessel obstructions. Ultrasound catheter devices generally include an elongate flexible catheter body with one or more lumens, an ultrasound transmission member extending longitudinally through the catheter body lumen and a distal head coupled with the transmission member and positioned adjacent the distal end of the catheter body for disrupting occlusions. Improved features of ultrasound catheters include catheter bodies and ultrasound transmission members with increasing distal flexibility, guidewire tubes allowing contact between a guidewire and an ultrasound transmission member, distal heads with improved guidewire lumens, and torquable proximal housings for enhancing disruption of blood vessel occlusions.
US09381022B2
A rotary abrader allowing for improved visibility during surgery and improved aspiration of waste material. This is accomplished by providing a hood or sheath formed of a clear material and available in various shapes and sizes. The clear hood or sheath is also provided with a flattened, angled portion at a tip of the hood, to assist with retraction of the labral tissue while burring the glenoid rim. Slots are provided on the cannulated tube to provide aspiration of waste material and used to attach the hood to the cannulated tube.
US09381016B2
There is provided a surgical instrument incorporating driving force mechanisms capable of transmitting a driving force through an articulated section of the surgical instrument. In one embodiment, a series of racks connect with a transfer gear to pass forces around the articulated section. In an alternative embodiment a series of cable sections and wheels or pulleys are provided to transmit a driving force through the articulated section of the surgical instrument.
US09381013B2
A method for coupling tissue with a flexible member including a tail and a self-locking construct coupled to the tail. The self-locking construct includes an adjustable first loop and an adjustable second loop coupled thereto. The method includes implanting an anchor in bone, the anchor slidably mounted to the tail. The tail is positioned relative to the tissue. An end of the tail is inserted through the first loop. The tail is passed through the first loop, the second loop is pulled into the anchor, and the self-locking construct is positioned relative to the tissue. The self-locking construct is tightened against the tissue by pulling on an end of the self-locking construct. The first loop is tightened onto the second loop.
US09381008B2
A retractor device has a first arm rotatable arcuately about a first pivot; a second arm rotatable arcuately about a second pivot; and a third arm interposed between the first and second arm. The third arm has a linearly movable blade holding end translatable inwardly and outwardly between the first and second arms. The third arm is connected to the first arm at the first pivot and the second arm at the second pivot. The first arm and said second arm are rotatably movable about their respective pivot independent of the other arm.
US09381004B2
A surgical tool having proximal and distal ends and adapted to transverse a curved passageway comprises an end effector disposed on the distal end of the surgical tool, the end effector having a first body section and a second body section and a releasable connector joining the end effector first body section with the end effector second body section. The connector is operable to reversibly engage the first and second end effector body sections in a first fixed position and in a second movable position. The surgical tool further comprises an actuation device for moving the first and second end effector body sections from the first fixed position to the second movable position. The end effector is adapted to maneuver through a larger radius of curvature in the second movable position than in the first fixed position.
US09381002B2
A protective guide for protecting a cell extraction device during a Pap smear. A camera protective cover encloses a camera and a light emitting device. A thin, flexible transparent sheath encloses the camera cover. A cell extraction device cover encloses the cell extraction device. The location of the cervix is determined by utilizing the camera. The cell extraction device is pushed outward from the cell extraction device cover so that said cell extraction device head contacts the cervix and removes cells from the cervix. The cell extraction device is pulled back into the cell extraction device cover after the cells have been removed from the cervix. In a preferred embodiment the camera and light emitting device is an endoscope and the camera cover is an endoscope cover.
US09381000B2
The present disclosure relates to devices and methods for rapidly detecting streptococcus bacteria. An illustrative device includes a first elongate handle connected to a first edible portion and a second elongate handle connected to a second edible portion. The first and second elongate handles are connected by a banding material. The first and second edible portions are inserted into the mouth of an individual for receiving a saliva sample.
US09380998B2
These are subcutaneous cavity marking devices and methods. More particularly, upon insertion into a body, the cavity marking device and method enable one to determine the center, orientation, and periphery of the cavity by radiographic, mammographic, echogenic, or other non-invasive imaging techniques. Also, the device contains a bioabsorbable or non-bioabsorbable marker. The device may be combined with various substances enhancing the radiopaque, mammographic, or echogenic characteristics of the marker or the body allowing it to be observed by any non-invasive imaging techniques. This is further a method of marking a subcutaneous cavity using a bioabsorbable material and a bioabsorbable or non-bioabsorbable marker in conjunction with the material. The method also may combine any of the features as described with the device.
US09380991B2
A computerized tomography (CT) method and CT system. The method comprises projecting a beam from a radiation source within a display field of view (DFOV) toward a subject to be imaged; receiving, at a detector, the projected beam to collect projection data; determining whether in the projection a truncation occurs in which the subject exceeds the DFOV; and recording a truncated location of the projection if truncation occurs.
US09380988B2
An electronic cassette for radiographic imaging includes a radiation imaging detector for detecting X-rays from an object and creating an X-ray image of the object. A battery supplies the radiation imaging detector with power. A power receiver wirelessly receives power from a wireless power transmission apparatus for charging the battery. A housing is formed from an electrical conductor, for containing the radiation imaging detector and the power receiver. A path opening is formed in the housing, and disposed between the power receiver and the wireless power transmission apparatus. A cover device is formed from a material having electrical insulating property and thermal conductivity, for closing the path opening, and conducting heat of the power receiver to the housing for dissipation. Preferably, the cover device contains synthetic resin. Also, a profile line of the path opening is at least partially curved.
US09380979B2
An apparatus and method of forming an apparatus wherein the apparatus includes a first electrode and a second electrode arranged to form a parallel plate capacitor; a compressible, transparent dielectric layer provided between the first electrode and the second electrode wherein the dielectric layer has a nanostructure and the dimensions of the nanostructure are such that the dielectric layer is optically transparent.
US09380976B2
A method is provided for improving cognitive performance assessment in a smooth pursuit cognitive performance test by using measurement metrics including a lead/lag metric, a radial inbounding metric, a path dependent velocity metric, a path drift metric, a velocity variability metric, or a variance statistics metric.
US09380971B2
Methods and apparatus for providing a power supply to a device, including an inductive rechargeable power supply for a data monitoring and management system in which a high frequency magnetic field is generated to provide power supply to a rechargeable power source such as a battery of a transmitter unit in the data monitoring and management system are provided.
US09380968B2
A light absorption coefficient distribution estimation device includes a detection section and a light absorption coefficient distribution estimation section. The detection section detects the received light intensity of scattered light from a subject at a plurality of light-receiving positions that differ in distance from an irradiation position at which measurement light is applied to the subject. The light absorption coefficient distribution estimation section estimates the light absorption coefficient distribution of the subject using the received light intensity, a propagation optical path length model that specifies a propagation optical path length on a basis of the distance, and a first model that specifies the received light intensity on a basis of the distance when absorption of light is at a predetermined value.
US09380964B2
A device for interstitial fluid extraction, having a base material formed from a synthetic resin film, a pressure sensitive adhesive layer, a hydrogel layer formed from at least one hydrophilic polymer selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol and polyvinyl pyrrolidone, and a release layer, wherein the hydrogel layer has an area of a size that the pressure sensitive adhesive layer is exposed from around the hydrogel layer, does substantially not contain a sodium ion and causes no water separation.
US09380960B2
A method for non-contrast enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (“MRA”) that has a short scan time and is insensitive to patient motion is provided. More particularly, the method provides significant arterial conspicuity and substantial venous signal suppression. A two-dimensional single shot acquisition is employed and timed to occur a specific time period after the occurrence of an R-wave in a contemporaneously recorded electrocardiogram. In this manner, k-space data is acquired that is substantially insensitive to variations in arterial flow velocity, or heart rate, and that further substantially suppresses unwanted venous signal in a prescribed imaging slice.
US09380954B2
A method for physiological signal analysis and its system and a computer program product storing a physiological signal analysis program are provided. Physiological signals of a subject are collected for a user to provide a detection opinion for the physiological signals in order to generate syndrome recognition parameters and syndrome weight parameters such that the collected physiological signals are analyzed and determined. The invention performs detection determination by means of combining the physiological signals of the subject and referencing to an analysis opinion from the user. Therefore, an output detection result may be believed by both doctors and patients with effectively improved accuracy of analysis result to improve the efficiency of the user in diagnosis and treatment.
US09380952B2
The invention provides a system for measuring stroke volume (SV), cardiac output (CO), and cardiac power (CP) from a patient that features: 1) an impedance sensor connected to at least two body-worn electrodes and including an impedance circuit that processes analog signals from the electrodes to measure an impedance signal (e.g. a TBEV waveform); 2) an ECG sensor connected to at least two chest-worn electrodes and including an ECG circuit that processes analog signals from the electrodes to measure and ECG signal; 3) an optical sensor connected to a body-worn optical probe and including an optical circuit that processes signals from the probe to measure at least one optical signal (e.g. a PPG waveform) from the patient; 4) a processing system, typically worn on the patient's wrist and connected through a wired interface to the optical sensor, and through either a wired or wireless interface to the TBEV and ECG sensors. The processing system analyzes the ECG, TBEV and optical signals to determine SV, and further analyzes SV and HR determined from an ECG sensor to determine CO.
US09380945B2
Disclosed is a method and apparatus of generating a temperature image during ultrasonic treatment, the method including setting a first plane indicating a heating region where ultrasonic waves for treatment are irradiated and setting a second plane indicating a protective region around the heating region; irradiating the first plane with ultrasonic waves for diagnosis at a first frame rate, and irradiating the second plane with the ultrasonic waves for diagnosis at a second frame rate, the second frame rate being lower than the first frame rate; and generating the temperature image using frame images acquired from irradiating the ultrasonic waves for diagnosis.
US09380942B2
A metabolite concentration is measured in vivo using Raman spectroscopy in such a way as to receive at a detector (229) light scattered from the metabolite in interstitial fluid in skin in a measurement location (217) at a depth (218) of from 200-300 μm below the skin surface providing improved retention of correct calibration and transferability of calibration between individual subjects.
US09380939B2
A fundus photographing apparatus includes: a photographing unit including a fundus illumination optical system to illuminate a fundus of a patient's eye and a fundus photographing optical system having a light receiving element to obtain a fundus image of the illuminated eye; and an alignment unit to position the photographing unit with the eye based on a predetermined alignment reference position. The alignment unit includes: an extracting part to extract, by image processing, an image region formed by reflection light from a portion other than the fundus from the fundus image obtained by the fundus photographing optical system; a gravity center calculating part to determine, by arithmetic processing, a gravity center position of the extracted image region; and a control part to perform alignment control of the photographing unit with the eye based on the calculated gravity center position and the alignment reference position.
US09380937B2
An ophthalmologic apparatus of an embodiment includes an examination part, moving mechanism, two or more imaging parts, extracting part and controller. The examination part includes an optical system for optically examining an eye. The moving mechanism moves the optical system. The two or more imaging parts obtain moving images of the eye from two or more different directions. The extracting part extracts a partial image from each of two or more images substantially simultaneously obtained by the two or more imaging parts. The controller carries out display control for displaying in real time two or more partial images extracted by the extracting part with an arrangement in accordance with the positional relationship thereof on a display means and movement control for controlling the moving mechanism based on an instruction input from an operation means.
US09380934B2
In an optometry apparatus controller provided in an electric optometry apparatus including an optical element disposed in front of an examinee's eye and a switch mechanism that electrically switches the optical element, for instructing the switching of the optical element, the controller includes a touchscreen configured to display an operation screen for operating the electric optometry apparatus main body, displays, as the operation screen, a graphic image of a manual optometry apparatus as viewed from an operator side, the manual optometry apparatus including a plurality of operating units and being configured to switch the optical element disposed in front of the eye by an operation with respect to the operating units, and outputs a control signal to the electric optometry apparatus main body based on a touch input with respect to the graphic image on the touchscreen.
US09380932B1
According to some embodiments, a retractor device for selectively moving (e.g., retracting) anatomical tissue of a subject during a minimally invasive procedure (e.g., accessing the lumbar or other portion of a spine during a spinal fusion procedure) comprises a main body comprising at least three sides (e.g., three, four, five sides, more than five sides, etc.). In some embodiments, the main body defines or otherwise forms a central opening, which comprises a center-point positioned along a centerline of the central opening. In some embodiments, the retractor device further comprises a plurality of movable members secured to the main body.
US09380922B2
A computer-implemented method for receiving user commands for a remote cleaning robot and sending the user commands to the remote cleaning robot, the remote cleaning robot including a drive motor and a cleaning motor, includes displaying a user interface including a control area, and within the control area: a user-manipulable launch control group including a plurality of control elements, the launch control group having a deferred launch control state and an immediate launch control state; at least one user-manipulable cleaning strategy control element having a primary cleaning strategy control state and an alternative cleaning strategy control state; and a physical recall control group including a plurality of control elements, the physical recall control group having an immediate recall control state and a remote audible locator control state. The method further includes: receiving user input via the user-manipulable control elements; responsive to the user inputs, displaying simultaneously within the same control area a real-time robot state reflecting a unique combination of control states; and commanding the remote cleaning robot to actuate the drive motor and cleaning motor to clean a surface based on the received input and unique combination of control states.
US09380916B2
The invention relates to a dispenser system with a housing, into which a reservoir cartridge is inserted, which is formed by a reservoir container and a distribution device. Housing comprises an actuation device which acts on distribution device in such a way that a pressure on the actuation device delivers a portion of the medium on the distribution device. The known dispenser systems have the drawback that an individual dispenser is required depending on the medium. According to the invention, in order to create an identical part dispenser system, a connection element compensating for the different geometries of distribution device is connected to distribution device. Moreover, actuation device comprises at different levels pressure-exerting faces, which cooperate with pressure-receiving faces of distribution device, wherein different faces engage with one another depending on employed reservoir cartridge.
US09380908B2
The invention relates to a milk-frothing apparatus, in particular for a coffee or espresso machine, comprising a froth-generating unit (22) which is in the form of a disposable part, which is easy to replace, and has a mixing chamber (40), an outlet (39), which leads to the outside from the mixing chamber (40), for the generated milk froth, and first means (42) through which the froth-generating unit (22) is supplied with steam and air (53), and also second means (43) through which the froth-generating unit (22) is supplied with milk, wherein the froth-generating unit (22) can be connected to a holding means (30) in a detachable manner. The froth-generating unit (22) can be replaced in a simple and reliable manner while at the same time operating in a flexible manner by the first means comprising a first inlet (42) through which steam and air enter the froth-generating unit (22) together, by a combined steam/air nozzle (33), which projects outward and is connected to a steam generator and an air pump and through which steam and air are routed together, being provided on the holding means (30), and by the first inlet (42) and the steam/air nozzle (33) being designed and matched to one another such that they form a detachable hydraulic plug connection.
US09380903B2
A multi-purpose hanger for use in a closet of a residential or business building. The multi-purpose hanger comprises a body and a hook extending from a top end of the body. The body of the multi-purpose hanger having a plurality of appendages extending therefrom or having a plurality of orifices therethrough wherein the orifices are adjacent to one another in a predetermined pattern. The multi-purpose hanger may allow for clothing or other items to be hung on various columns or rows of hooks or orifices which may be positioned for viewing, display, and/or easy storage of the items thereon.
US09380897B2
An activity and volume sensing beverage container cap system for a beverage container including a cap that couples with the beverage container, a processor, a timer and at least one activity level sensor, such as an inclinometer, coupled with the processor. The activity level sensor detects container orientation. When the container is tilted, the timer measures an amount of time in an orientation. Based on the current and previous orientation and the amount of time the container is in different orientations, the processor determines an amount of time of activity of the user, and a level of activity of the user, such as number of steps or moves per time. The inclinometer is also used to determine the amount of volume dispensed from the container when tilted over a threshold indicative of drinking. Thus one inclinometer may be utilized as both to determine activity level and volume of fluid dispensed.
US09380896B2
Aiding to prevent Flat Head Syndrome, a concave pillow is sewn to the collar of a garment to be worn by an infant or small child, with the pillow having a small circle sewn near its center, slightly closer to one of the sides in creating a support area for the infant's neck and allowing the back of its head to rest on the concave center of the pillow. As the pillow is sewn to the collar of the garment, it will always remain towards the back of the infant, even if the infant should roll over. Such arrangement will prevent the pillow from covering or obstructing the infant's airway—in additionally helping to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome or the risk of suffocation.
US09380890B2
Apparatus for hanging articles including a central support member defining a shaft having a vertical axis. Item hanging members or arms extend radially from the central support member and are adapted to pivot thereabout to enable spacing between the arms in arcs surrounding the central support member. One or more of the arms may be telescopic in length to enable larger numbers and sizes of articles to be suspended from the arms. In addition, the apparatus may include a sleeve which may be slid over the arms and from which may depend one or more preferably non-destructive suspension devices such as magnetic clips for suspending comparatively small items such as socks. The apparatus may further include a pouch which may likewise be slid over one or more of the arms and which may hold sundries.
US09380888B2
A child carrier having a waist belt, an upper torso support, a hammock coupled to the waist belt and to the upper torso support, and a thigh support strap extending to each side of the hammock. Each thigh support strap has an inward end portion proximate to the hammock and an outward end portion configured for selective coupling to the upper torso support in multiple positions. When the thigh support straps are coupled to the upper torso support, the hammock and the thigh support straps form a seat to support a child in an ergonomic spread-squat position in inward and outward facing orientations. The shape of the seat adjusts depending on the positions in which the outward end portions of the thigh support straps are coupled to the upper torso support.
US09380884B2
A crib including first, second, third, and fourth walls configured to bound an interior space that is operative to support a mattress therein. Each of the third and fourth walls includes a pair of panels pivotally connected to each other to enable the crib to be configured between a folded position for storage and an extended position for use. The first wall includes a stationary portion and a drop gate that includes opposed side ends. The drop gate pivots relative to the stationary portion between an upper closed position and a lower open position.
US09380883B1
A bedding or seating product comprises a pocketed spring assembly comprising a plurality of parallel interior strings of individually pocketed coil springs. The interior strings of springs may extend from head-to-foot or side-to-side of the product. The pocketed spring assembly further comprises at least one perimeter string of springs. Each of the springs of each perimeter string of springs has rectangular convolutions to provide edge support to the product.
US09380882B2
A mattress wherein a plurality of independent yarn based fire barrier fabrics encases a plurality of distinct and unattached interior core structures. The plurality of interior core structures include at least a detached and internally flippable upper comfort layer assembly with a plurality of non-homogeneous foams or filling materials encased in a yarn-based fire barrier fabric and a lower, interiorly disposed support core structure with resilient filling materials encased in a yarn-based fire barrier fabric and a fabric cover. The detachable and internally flippable upper comfort layer assembly may be contained in a user accessible compartment that is fashioned into an outer cover assembly.
US09380879B2
A chair includes a backrest swivel mechanism that is configured to permit the backrest to swivel about a vertical axis about a preselected range of motion. The backrest may be configured to swivel, or rotate, about a vertical axis that is defined by an element located adjacent a rearward central location that is below the seat of the chair and adjacent a rear of the chair. A lock mechanism can be selectively engaged to lock and unlock the swiveling mechanism so that when in the locked state, the backrest cannot swivel and when in the unlocked state, the backrest can swivel. In some embodiments, the range of swiveling motion may be with a predefined range, such as +/−10° or +/−20° of rotation relative to a central position of the backrest.
US09380877B2
A component interface assembly for attaching the individual subcomponents of an RTA furniture system. Each component interface assembly having an elongated alignment slot cut into one of the subcomponents of the RTA furniture kit and a retention element affixed to a second corresponding subcomponent such that the first and second subcomponents can be secured together by inserting the retention element into the alignment slot. The alignment slot is positioned on the first subcomponent such that positioning the retention element for insertion into the slot aligns the second subcomponent with the first subcomponent providing tool-less alignment and engagement of the subcomponents. The assembled components may have cutouts on confronting planar surfaces of the respective first and second subcomponents providing enhanced storage for shipping the RTA furniture components.
US09380873B2
In an operating mechanism for a movable furniture part with a drive arrangement including a shape memory element, wherein the drive arrangement is fixed to one furniture part and comprises a drive element and which abuts another furniture part for moving the other furniture part, the drive element includes a shape memory element which is heatable to change its shape for operating the drive arrangement directly or for charging a spring store storing the energy for operating the drive arrangement.
US09380866B1
A telescopic support having an outer support tube and an inner support that move with respect to each other along a longitudinal axis of the telescopic support. At least three bearing sets having roller bearings are affixed to one of the outer support tube or the inner support. The roller bearings of a bearing set may be spaced apart along the longitudinal axis, and may be configured such that a rotational axis of each of the roller bearings is substantially directed toward the longitudinal axis of the telescopic support.
US09380862B1
A table has first and second tabletop halves. A leg assembly is mounted to each half and collapses independently of the other and is movable between an extended position and a stowed position. A locking hinge pivotally connects the halves and automatically disengages a locking feature of the hinge when one of the leg assemblies is pivoted. The hinge includes first and second hinge members. The second hinge member includes a pawl pin slot and a pawl pin, which slides in the slot between a first position and a second position. Rotation of the first hinge member with respect to the second hinge member is prevented in the first position and is permitted in the second position. A cable is mounted between the leg assembly and the pawl pin. Pivoting the leg assembly causes the pawl pin to be automatically moved from the first position to the second position.
US09380853B2
Devices and methods for displaying beauty and other visual products are disclosed. A display system can include a frame and a sample portion. Traits such as color and texture of a beauty product can be displayed on the sample portion, and the frame portion can interface with product shelving to align samples with relevant products in the display. The sample portion can be releasably attached to the frame to be removed by a user and be placed above a body part of the user to which a beauty product may be applied, or a body part can be placed in proximity to the sample portion even while it is attached to the frame. The user can advantageously view the beauty product as applied to the body part without applying the beauty product. The system is useful for fingernail polish display, for example.
US09380849B2
A head cover (800) has selectable size and location of at least one opening (812, 814) for exposure of a portion of a user's hair to an external hair treatment environment. The cover includes an impermeable outer surface that protects hair thereunder from an external hair treatment environment. A main opening (802) in the cover receives a user's head inserted into the cover. An opening (812, 814) on the cover, separate from the main opening, has an opening size selectable from selectable sizes and has an opening location selectable from selectable locations on the protective head cover. The opening (812, 814) selectively exposes a portion of the user's hair from under the cover to an external hair treatment environment while the cover protecting another portion of the user's hair from the external hair treatment environment.
US09380843B2
A multi-piece jewelry is disclosed where the jewelry is formed of interlockable and interchangeable circular elements. The multi-piece jewelry of this disclosure allows the user to easily assemble the elements of the jewelry in various designs without any tools. A kit comprising the elements is also disclosed to combine the elements in different ways to form a number of different designs. The jewelry of this invention may be a bracelet or ring. The kit may also comprise pendants, earrings, hair accessories or other jewelry.
US09380839B2
A loop surface fastener in which numerous looped engaging elements formed from loop yarns inserted in parallel to ground warp yarns are provided upright on one side of a base fabric formed from ground warp yarns and ground weft yarns satisfies all the following requirements 1) to 3). 1) The loop yarn is a multi-filament yarn formed by bundling 5 to 9 filaments of 30 to 45 decitex. 2) The density of the looped engaging elements is in a range of 100 to 200/cm2. 3) Loop surfaces of the looped engaging elements are substantially facing in the same direction and the loop surface facing direction is a ground weft yarn direction.
US09380827B1
A post-operative shoe and method for construction thereof is provided. The post-operative shoe includes an outsole having a substantially flat surface with a heel segment, a midfoot segment, and a forefoot portion surrounded by an outer edge. Each bore includes an open end on the outer edge of the forefoot portion and extending partially towards the heel segment. One or more flex rods each configured to fit within the bores and comprising a front end with threading corresponding to the threading of the bore are provided.
US09380825B2
Methods and products for forming a shoe product from a shoe are generally described. In an example, the shoe may include a first band, a top surface, a bottom surface, a front region, a middle region, and a heel region. A method for forming a shoe product from a shoe may include disposing a second band of a cuff adjacent to the first band of the shoe. The method may further include placing a strap of the cuff in a recess of the bottom surface of the shoe, The cuff may wrap around two edges in the front region of the shoe. The two edges may define a portion of a periphery of the front region of the shoe.
US09380823B2
A helmet contains impact attenuating fluid (e.g., CO2, Air or Water) containing cells, sensors and electrically actuated exhaust valves for cushioning impact and decelerating a wearer's head after an impact. Accelerometers and a pressure sensor supply signals to a microcontroller, which opens an exhaust valve if accelerations (or pressure) exceed a threshold. Expelling fluid provides a cushioning and damping effect, decelerating the wearer's head. Acceleration data, fluid pressure data and GPS position data may be wirelessly communicated to a monitor computer system.
US09380820B1
A glove to prevent involuntary clenching of the hand may comprise a five phalange regions extending outwardly from a dorsal and palm region which are configured to receive portions of the hand of a user. A pull strap anchor may be positioned on the dorsal region. The glove may further comprise five pull straps. Each pull strap may be configured to receive a finger or a user's hand, and may comprise a first end which may be coupled to a phalange region and a second end which may be removably coupled to the pull strap anchor. By coupling the pull straps to the pull strap anchor, a reverse counterforce may be exerted against the phalange regions as to open the hand and prevent involuntary clenching.
US09380819B2
An eversible sealable glove has front and rear panels, each panel having a cuff portion, a sleeve portion, a hand portion, and a perimeter. The perimeter of the front panel is completely sealed to the perimeter of the rear panel. An opening is formed through the front panel between the cuff portion of the front panel and the sleeve portion of the front panel, and may be sealed by a zipping closure comprising a mating pair of female and male extrusions, wherein one of the extrusions is bonded to the cuff portion of the front panel and the other one of the extrusions is bonded to the sleeve portion of the front panel. The zipping closure is configured to allow the mating pair to seal the opening whether the glove is everted or noneverted. A method for manufacturing the glove is also disclosed.
US09380817B1
A palm protector with finger loop assemblies comprises strips of material suitable for use as a hand wrap and arranged in an articulated configuration having a shared overlay region secured by a reinforcing adhesive strip, with the strips in the articulated configuration forming finger loop openings the size of which is associated with a measurement of a finger of a user.
US09380811B2
The present invention removes particles entrained within a flow of vapor and cools vapor passing through a wet scrubbing section of an electronic cigarette. The wet scrubbing electronic cigarette includes an atomizer section having a battery section connection for connection to a battery section. The atomizer section has an atomizer heating section. A wet scrubbing section has a mouthpiece, a water chamber in fluid communication with the mouthpiece. The water chamber provides for scrubbing of incoming airflow. A tubular air passage assembly is held within the water chamber. The tubular air passage assembly is in fluid communication with the water chamber. A battery section powers the atomizer section.
US09380810B2
The invention relates to devices and methods for delivering nicotine and/or other alkaloids from tobacco, other plants and other natural sources. More particularly, the invention relates to devices and methods for delivering an aerosol of nicotine to a user's lungs without combustion of the nicotine source materials.
US09380799B2
The present invention pertains to a coffee extract rich in variety and in which the features of coffee are enhanced. A roasted product prepared by following a step for mixing and roasting coffee beans with at least one material selected from among oolong tea, pu'erh tea, red tea, roses, jasmine, hops, hibiscus, lemon grass, the berries of Japanese pepper, rosemary, vanilla, sugar beets, Kombu, Azuki beans, kidney beans, peas, soy beans, almonds, cashew nuts, chestnuts, pumpkin seeds, sweet chestnuts, walnuts, sesame, sunflower seeds, hazel nuts, pecan nuts, macadamia nuts, pine nuts, peanuts, rice, barley, malt, buckwheat grains, Job's tears, mandarin orange peels, orange peels, Kabosu peels, grapefruit peels, Sudachi peels, Yuzu peels, lime peels, lemon peels, blueberries, prunes, cherries, Japanese persimmons, pineapple, bananas, grapes, mangoes, peaches, apples, black peppers, chili peppers, sugar cane, ginger, garlic, onions, carrots, burdock roots, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, potatoes, and corn.
US09380790B2
The present invention is related to a food forming apparatus to produce patties with a form member which comprises molds in which the patties are formed, whereas the form member is located adjacent to a pressure member and is at least partially made from a porous material.
US09380772B2
A flexible frame for a high clearance agricultural vehicle has left and right frame rails, an axle suspended beneath the frame rails, and a suspension system coupling the axle to the frame rails. Left and right vertical mounts are coupled to the frame rails. Upper and lower torque rods couple the axle to the vertical mounts with brackets. The suspension system also has a cross torque rod having a left end coupled to an inward facing bracket on the left vertical mount and a right end coupled to an inward facing bracket on the right vertical mount. Each of the upper, lower and cross torque rods are coupled to its respective torque rod brackets with rotatable joints. The rotatable joint permits angular rotation of the torque rod about its torque rod bracket.
US09380766B2
A recirculating aquaculture system is configured for growing aquatic animals. The system includes an inlet conduit, a tank, a water treatment unit, a clarifier, and an outlet conduit. The tank is in fluid communication with the inlet conduit to receive water displaced from the inlet conduit. The tank also contains water and aquatic animals. The water treatment unit is arranged within the tank and includes algae capable of removing aquatic animal waste from the water within the tank. The clarifier is in fluid communication with the tank to receive displaced water from the tank. The clarifier is also configured to remove solid waste from the displaced water. The outlet conduit is in fluid communication between the clarifier and the inlet conduit.
US09380765B2
Implementations described and claimed herein provide apparatuses and methods for providing different perch positions for feeding birds. In one implementation, a bird feeder having a perch mounted on a wall of a reservoir having an interior configured to hold bird food is provided. The reservoir has a wall opening to provide access to the interior. The perch is rotated to one of a plurality of positions about an axis line extending through a center of the wall opening.
US09380761B2
Livestock feeders are provided. A livestock feeder can include a one-piece or multi-piece design. A livestock feeder can include a pan, a hood, and a base. The livestock feeder is suitable for providing feedstuffs such as nutritional supplements to a livestock animal on a free-choice basis. The livestock feeder can be durable, portable, non-corrosive and is designed to minimize spillage of feedstuffs and resist tipping over. The livestock feeder can be constructed from a molded polyethylene material.
US09380759B2
A pet kennel that is structured to receive an animal includes an upper kennel portion and a lower kennel portion that include first and second engagement structures that are slidingly engageable. The upper kennel portion is situated in a first position atop the lower kennel portion offset from one another along a longitudinal axis of the pet kennel. The upper kennel portion is then translated along the longitudinal axis with respect to the lower pet kennel portion toward a second, assembled position to cause the first engagement elements and the second engagement elements to become slidingly engaged and to cause the upper and lower kennel portions to become aligned with one another. The upper kennel portion additionally includes a pair of latches that are engageable with the lower shell portion in the second position of the pet kennel to retain the upper and lower kennel portions in the second position.
US09380757B2
A lettuce cultivar, designated Palermo, is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds, plants and plant parts of lettuce cultivar Palermo and to methods for producing a lettuce plant by crossing the cultivar Palermo with itself or another lettuce cultivar. The invention further relates to methods for producing a lettuce plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic lettuce plants and plant parts produced by those methods. This invention also relates to lettuce cultivars or breeding cultivars and plant parts derived from lettuce cultivar Palermo, to methods for producing other lettuce cultivars, lines or plant parts derived from lettuce cultivar Palermo and to the lettuce plants, varieties, and their parts derived from the use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid lettuce seeds, plants, and plant parts produced by crossing cultivar Palermo with another lettuce cultivar.
US09380755B2
The present invention provides an inbred corn line designated GAQ2016, methods for producing a corn plant by crossing plants of the inbred line GAQ2016 with plants of another corn plant. The invention further encompasses all parts of inbred corn line GAQ2016, including culturable cells. Additionally provided herein are methods for introducing transgenes into inbred corn line GAQ2016, and plants produced according to these methods.
US09380754B1
A novel maize variety designated PH2F3V and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PH2F3V with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH2F3V 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 PH2F3V or a locus conversion of PH2F3V with another maize variety.
US09380742B2
An autonomous implement comprising at least one drive unit including at least one drive wheel, at least one sensor unit configured to detect at least one characteristic value, at least one location-determining unit configured to detect at least one characteristic value, and at least one evaluating unit. The at least one evaluating unit is configured to determine a slip of the at least one drive wheel from the at least one characteristic value detected by the at least one sensor unit and the at least one characteristic value detected by the at least one location-determining unit.
US09380741B2
A riding yard maintenance vehicle may include a positioning module. The positioning module may be configured to store position information indicative of a position history of the vehicle responsive to operation of the vehicle defining a route. The positioning module may include a user interface, a memory for storing data received via one or more sensors, and processing circuitry in communication with the user interface and the memory. The processing circuitry may be configured to control operation of the positioning module and generate feedback via the user interface. The feedback may be provided to an operator based on the position information.
US09380738B2
Leading vehicle position information can be used to determine a location and heading of one or more implements of a trailing vehicle in an implement train that includes the leading vehicle. In an example, the leading vehicle pulls one or more trailing vehicles, and information about the leading vehicle position or heading is used to update a function of one or more implements associated with trailing vehicles of the implement train. In an example, the present subject matter includes identifying a heading of a trailing vehicle based on its initial location, an intermediate location, and a destination location. In an example, the present subject matter includes identifying a speed of one or more points on a trailing vehicle. In some examples, the present subject matter includes determining a location, heading, or speed of multiple implements associated with multiple trailing vehicles.
US09386733B2
A braid having a function as an exterior member as well as an electromagnetic shielding function is provided. Also, a wire harness including such a braid in a configuration is provided. A braid is used for a wire harness cabled to a hybrid vehicle. Also, the braid is formed by knitting multiple ultrathin strands in a tubular shape. The braid includes two kinds of strands, a metal strand made of metal having conductivity and a resin strand made of synthetic resin having abrasion resistance etc., and ensures abrasion resistance and impact resistance by the portion made of the resin strand while performing an electromagnetic shielding function by the portion made of the metal strand.
US09386730B2
A turbine engine may include a modular power electronics distribution system having a plurality of modules connectable to a pluggable interface. The pluggable interface may be configured to receive and distribute power to the plurality of modules. Each module may include at least one fault isolation switch and a coolant system including an inlet and return line, as well as a metering valve. At least one power bus may be configured to provide electrical power to at least one of a load or a source via a functional segment. The functional segment may be operable to supply electrical power to the load in a desired form. The modular power electronics distribution system may include a controller in communication with the plurality of modules, the controller configured to control at least one fault isolation switch and metering valve.
US09386721B2
A positioning device for a sliding mechanism includes slidably connected exterior plate, intermediate plate and interior plate, characterized by the exterior plate having a stop block; the intermediate plate formed with a through hole, including having a pivot element mounted pivotally adjacent to the through hole and having a projection extending through the hole to engage the stop block, thereby preventing sliding action between the exterior and intermediate plates, a resilient element having a free end in contact with the rear end of the pivot element; and the interior plate having a push element with cam face; when an external force applied on so as to cause sliding action between the interior plate and the intermediate plate results in abutment of the cam face against the resilient element, thereby deforming the resilient element and rotating the pivot element about its axis, thereby disengaging the projection from the stop block.
US09386717B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards electronic display support structures having an inductive power supply and associated systems, techniques, and configurations. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a display support structure configured to structurally support an electronic display, the display support structure including a power output module that is configured to inductively couple with a power supply charging module disposed in a floor, the display support structure being configured to electrically couple the power output module with the electronic display. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US09386710B2
The invention relates to a method for producing populated or unpopulated circuit boards or individual circuits as individual panels (2) from a complete panel (1) having a circuit board base material (4), wherein the particular individual panel (2) is removed from the complete panel (1) using a laser, wherein the individual panel is fastened to the complete panel (1) by means of metal connections (3) before the individual panel (2) is removed, the circuit board base material (4) is removed except for the metal connections (3), and the individual panels (2) are separated from, in particular pressed out of, the complete panel (1) after the circuit board base material (4) has been removed.
US09386698B2
A module comprises a first insulating-substrate-side member that has a first insulating substrate, a first conductor layer provided on the first insulating substrate, and a first electronic element provided on the first conductor layer; a second insulating-substrate-side member that has a second insulating substrate, a second conductor layer provided on a lower side of the second insulating substrate, and a second electronic element provided on a lower side of the second conductor layer; and a sealing member that is provided between the first insulating substrate and the second insulating substrate. The first electronic element and the second electronic element are opposingly disposed. The first electronic element and the second electronic element are connected by an element connecting conductor post that has electric conductivity.
US09386693B2
In an embodiment, a method includes forming a printed circuit board by depositing a first plurality of layers and forming an interconnect integral to the printed circuit board by depositing a second plurality of layers on at least a portion of the first plurality of layers. The interconnect includes a stabilizing structure and a contact positioned within the stabilizing structure. The stabilizing structure includes a first material and the contact includes a second material that is different than the first material.
US09386690B2
This disclosure relates generally to an electronic assembly and method having a first electrical connection point and a second electrical connection point and a differential interconnect coupling the first electrical connection point to the second electrical connection point, the differential interconnect including first and second transmission traces including a interior edges and a exterior edges opposite the interior edges, the second interior edge facing the first interior edge, and stub traces, each stub trace coupled to one of the first and second transmission traces and projecting from one of the first interior edge, the first exterior edge, the second interior edge, and the second exterior edge. A substantially equal number of stub traces project from the first exterior edge and the second exterior edge. At least twice as many stub traces project from the first and second exterior edges as project from the first and second interior edges.
US09386686B2
An electronic package structure is provided which comprises a metal core PCB, an energy storage device and at least one electronic component. The at least one electronic component is disposed between the metal core PCB and the energy storage device. The metal core PCB defines at least a through hole. A thermal passage is disposed in the through hole. An insulating layer is disposed in the through hole and located between the metal layer of the metal core PCB and the thermal passage to prevent the electric coupling between the thermal passage and the metal layer. The energy storage device comprises at least a connecting pin in thermal contact with the thermal passage.
US09386679B2
An arc torch assembly or sub assembly having improved replacement and centering characteristics, where certain components of the torch head have particular characteristics which improve the operation, use and replaceability of the various components. Other embodiments utilize a thread connection which employs multiple separate and distinct thread paths to secure the threaded connections.
US09386668B2
Intelligent illumination device are disclosed that use components in an LED light to perform one or more of a wide variety of desirable lighting functions for very low cost. The LEDs that produce light can be periodically turned off momentarily, for example, for a duration that the human eye cannot perceive, in order for the light to receive commands optically. The optically transmitted commands can be sent to the light, for example, using a remove control device. The illumination device can use the LEDs that are currently off to receive the data and then configure the light accordingly, or to measure light. Such light can be ambient light for a photosensor function, or light from other LEDs in the illumination device to adjust the color mix.
US09386650B2
Provided are a light emitting diode (LED) lighting device and a method of controlling the same. The LED lighting includes an LED module in which a plurality of LED arrays having a plurality of LEDs connected in series are connected in parallel, a constant current supply configured to apply a constant current to the LED module, variable resistors connected to the LED arrays in series, respectively, and a controller configured to control the constant current supply and the variable resistors, wherein the controller adjusts the variable resistors and matches overall resistance of the respective LED arrays to maintain balance of a current thereof when one or more current values of measured current values of the LED arrays are in an abnormal range.
US09386644B2
An AC lighting system for providing uniform light distribution is disclosed. According to one embodiment, the AC lighting system includes an AC driver and LED packages electrically connected to the AC driver. Each LED package includes a plurality of LED elements and is physically distributed over an illuminating surface of the AC lighting system. The AC driver has a first current sink that drives a first LED group and a second current sink that drives the first LED group and a second LED group. The first LED group includes at least one LED element from each of the LED packages, and the second LED group includes at least one LED element other that the first set of LED elements from each of the LED packages.
US09386640B2
A light emitting diode, LED, package (2) arranged to emit light when connected to an AC power supply (30), comprising a first and a second LED package terminal (24, 26), at least one pair of diodes (20, 22) connected in anti-parallel between the LED package terminals (24, 26), wherein at least one of the diodes is a light emitting diode. The first LED package terminal (24) is detachably connectable to a first power supply terminal (34), and adapted to form a first capacitive coupling (14) together with the first power supply terminal (34), and the second LED package terminal (26) is detachably connectable to a second power supply terminal (36), and adapted to form a second capacitive coupling (16) together with the second power supply terminal (36). By providing electrical connections which are less sensitive to temperature dependent degradation, the life time of the LED package (2) may be increased.
US09386632B2
The present invention relates to a substrate treatment apparatus and method which perform heat treatment on a substrate, and can accurately measure the temperature of the substrate even at a low temperature. An embodiment of the present invention includes a process chamber that has a substrate treatment space, a heating housing that contains a plurality of heating lamps for generating radiant energy, a window that is placed between the heating housing and the process chamber to maintain the air-tightness of the process chamber and transmit the radiant energy to be transferred to a substrate, a first pyrometer that measures a wavelength generated at the substrate in the process chamber, and converts the wavelength into substrate measurement energy, a second pyrometer that measures a wavelength generated at the window, and converts the wavelength into window measurement energy; and a heating controller that compensates for the window measurement energy in the substrate measurement energy, thereby calculating the temperature of the substrate itself, and uses the calculated temperature of the substrate itself to control the heating lamps.
US09386631B2
A television/space heater combination device for displaying image content and for heating air and method of using the same is presented. The television/space heater combination device includes a television, a space heater and, sometimes, a frame. The method of use includes activating the space heater; selecting a temperature value for the space heater; generating heat and distributing the same into a room from the space heater; activating the television; and displaying an image on a screen of the television while generating heat with the space heater. The displayed image may be an image of a wood or gas burning fireplace generated by a continuous video loop; or be images from regular television programming or images generated by data transmitted to the television by a remote computer.
US09386630B2
A data management device for a communication installation including at least one base station having resources and at least one terrestrial node connected to a core network and to the base station to control its resources via an interface includes a control device coupled to a traffic source and to the interface and able to take local control, on command, of at least a portion of the resources of the base station, instead of the node, to enable transfer of data between the traffic source and the base station.
US09386620B1
Disclosed is an electrical device and method of automatically searching for and connecting to known or unknown available public communication infrastructure and/or devices in the vicinity using a multi-layer communication model. Each layer may include binding information for local available communication methods and shareable hardware devices, a routing table, and, if applicable, one or more logon profiles for service providers. Communication layers may be built by searching for available public communication infrastructure and/or devices in the vicinity by actively sending out connection requests to all addressable destinations along the available transport medium. Each node is able to access and use the communication infrastructure of each other node. Switching between layers as they become inoperable and/or become available without any user interaction required is also possible.
US09386619B2
A method of handling a cell addition for dual connectivity in a communication system comprising a communication device, a first base station and a second base station, the communication device being connected to the first base station is disclosed. The method is utilized in the first base station and comprises transmitting a request message to the second base station, for requesting a cell addition for the communication device; receiving a response message comprising system information of a cell of the second base station from the second base station in response to the request message; and transmitting a first radio resource control (RRC) message comprising the system information to the communication device, after receiving the response message.
US09386618B2
Embodiments are provided for supporting multiple Radio Access Technologies (RATs) using a common backhaul transport network. A relay node is configured to instantiate a virtual-user equipment (V-UE) layer for a UE, upon determining that the UE uses a different RAT than the backhaul transport network. A connection is then established between the V-UE layer and a V-UE gateway using a pre-existing radio interface between the relay node and a base station. Upon receiving data from the UE, the relay node translates the data into a RAT format supported by the backhaul transport network, and sends the data on the connection via the base station, wherein the RAT format of the UE is transparent to the base station. A generic access network controller is also configured to connect and exchange signaling with the relay node to establish a service for the UE and configure radio resource on the relay node.
US09386604B2
A wireless device receives control message(s) comprising parameters of a plurality of cell groups and a pathloss reference for each secondary cell. The wireless device transmits uplink signals in a first secondary cell in a secondary cell group. Transmission power of the uplink signals is determined employing a received power of the pathloss reference assigned to the first secondary cell. Timing of the uplink signals in the secondary cell group employs a synchronization signal on an active secondary cell in the secondary cell group as a timing reference.
US09386601B2
In an exemplary embodiment there is sent to a user equipment UE downlink control information DCI comprising an indication of an access codeword and an indication that at least one component carrier CC is activated for the UE, and there is received from the UE the access codeword which is an acknowledgement that the UE has activated the at least one CC. The access codeword is received on an uplink channel which a) lies in the at least one activated CC if there is an activated uplink channel in the activated CC, or b) is previously activated if there is no activated uplink channel in the activated CC. In another embodiment DCI comprising the above two indications is received from a network, the received indications are used to select and access the at least one CC; and activating the CC is acknowledged by sending the access codeword.
US09386600B2
The present invention provides an apparatus and a method for controlling coexistence interference within a device in a wireless communication system. The method discloses the following steps: performing triggering, in which a transmission, which is generated in a terminal, in a first frequency band of a first network system requests controlling of interference on a reception, which is generated in the terminal, in a second frequency band of a second network system; transmitting to a base station support information including information on a time section that can or cannot be used by the first network system of the second network system, due to the interference; and receiving from the base station reply information for accepting or denying interference control as a reply to the support information.
US09386597B2
A method of delivering packets from a radio access network to a user terminal. The method comprises establishing a radio access bearer for transporting data to the user terminal from a radio layer control entity responsible for constructing downlink radio frames. Within the radio access network, an IP traffic flow destined for said user terminal is observed and a delivery priority determined for the IP traffic flow taking into account a user application to which the traffic relates. The delivery priority is dynamic ally adjusted in dependence upon the desired arrival time or delivery rate of packets within the IP traffic flow at the user terminal. With respect to other downlink user traffic to be sent over the radio interface, packets of the IP traffic flow are scheduled for transmission to the user terminal over the established radio access bearer, and or the scheduling weight of radio frames of the established radio access bearer adjusted, in accordance with the current delivery priority. The method further comprises, upstream of said radio layer control entity, carrying out a pre-scheduling of packets of said IP traffic flow with respect to other IP traffic flows.
US09386583B2
At least one example embodiment discloses a method of determining uplink resources. The method includes assigning index values for control channel elements. The control channel elements are allocated to at least one of first and second control channel transmission sets. The uplink resources being are based on the index values and an uplink resource for the first control channel transmission is different than an uplink resource for the second control channel transmission.
US09386575B2
Techniques for efficient data transmission and reception in a wireless communication system are described. In an aspect, a Node B sends transmissions on a shared data channel to a user equipment (UE) based on at least one parameter assigned to the UE prior to the transmissions. The Node B sends no signaling for the transmissions sent to the UE on the shared data channel. The UE processes the transmissions received from the shared data channel based on the assigned parameter(s). In another aspect, a Node B may send transmissions to a UE in time intervals assigned to the UE. In yet another aspect, a Node B may send transmissions to a UE based on assigned or non-assigned parameters. The Node B sends signaling whenever transmissions are sent with non-assigned parameters. The UE may process a transmission based on parameters obtained from received signaling or the assigned parameters.
US09386571B2
In accordance with some embodiments, a new discontinuous reception (DRX) parameter change may be received in user equipment while the user equipment is using an existing DRX parameter. The user equipment continues to use the existing parameter and determines when a new discontinuous reception cycle is starting. The change to the next discontinuous reception parameter is implemented in the new discontinuous reception cycle. In some embodiments by having an agreed upon time to implement the change to the new parameter, signaling between an enhanced node B and user equipment may be reduced. Signaling overhead is a serious impediment to achieving high efficiency in wireless communications.
US09386568B2
A wireless communication system (200) for providing two-way radio communication includes a base station (340) comprising a receiver (352) and a transmitter (354). The receiver receives transmissions from a first mobile communication unit (210) on a first frequency, assigned for reception. The transmitter transmits on a second frequency, assigned for transmission. The base station (340) is operable to receive a preemption call from a second mobile communication unit (220) on the first frequency, when the first frequency is not in use for reception and the second frequency is in use for transmission. Otherwise the base station (340) receives a preemption call on the second frequency. The base station (340) may comprise a second receiver (344), operable to receive the preemption call on the second frequency during a planned interruption to transmissions from the transmitter (354). Alternatively, the receiver (352) may receive the preemption call on the second frequency, during the transmission interruption.
US09386557B2
Techniques for support broadcast and multicast services in a wireless communication system are described. In an aspect, a transmitter (e.g., a Node B) sends configuration information conveying a mapping of long service identifiers (IDs) to short service IDs for advertised services. The transmitter also sends scheduling information conveying a mapping of short service IDs to radio resources used for scheduled services in the current scheduling period. The short service IDs reduce the amount of scheduling information to send. In another aspect, the transmitter sends information identifying services being transmitted and services being advertised but not transmitted. Receivers (e.g., UEs) may use this information to determine whether or not to send requests for services of interest. In yet another aspect, the transmitter sends configuration information for services being advertised but not transmitted. This may allow the transmitter to start these services quicker when requested by the receivers.
US09386556B2
The present invention relates to a wireless access system, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for optimizing a limited feedback in a distributed antenna systems (DSAs). In one aspect of the present invention, a method for optimizing a limited feedback in a wireless access system supporting a distributed antenna (DA) technique, the method comprises steps of receiving, a user equipment (UE) from a DA port, information related to a transmission power of the DA port; receiving a downlink signal from the DA port; measuring a distance between the UE and the DA port by using the downlink signal from the DA port; calculating a number of feedback bits based on the information of the transmission power and the distance between the UE and the DA port; and transmitting feedback information using the calculated number of feedback bits.
US09386552B2
A method including running a local low frequency clock in a node in a network during a battery conserving sleep mode, waking from the sleep mode at a time boundary determined by the low frequency clock, updating a representation of a master time based on a calculation and the time boundary, advancing the representation of master time based on a local high frequency clock while the node is awake, receiving a time synchronization signal from a node in the network, updating the calculation based on a difference between the representation of master time and a time provided in the time synchronization signal, setting a new time boundary, and returning to the sleep mode.
US09386544B2
Provided is adjusting power output levels of a wireless network device by determining a location information of another wireless network device relative to the wireless network device, the location information including distance range. Based on the location information of the another wireless network device, a power output level is adjusted to optimize the power usage of the wireless network device. The power output level is readjusted based upon a sensing a subsequent signal of the another wireless device, and when a signal strength of the subsequent signal compares favorably to a predetermined threshold level, the location information is refreshed, and the power output level of the wireless network device is readjusted based upon the refreshed location information.
US09386538B2
In an embodiment according to the present invention, a method of controlling transmission power by a terminal in a wireless communication system includes: receiving information on a change in transmission power in a first time section; and estimating path attenuation and performing up-link transmission power control by using the estimated path attenuation, wherein if the estimation of the path attenuation is performed in a second time section following the first time section, information on the change in transmission power is considered when estimating the path attenuation.
US09386534B2
Described herein are techniques for mode selection and power management for multimode small cells. For example, the technique may involve taking measurements, at the access point, of a macro cell in a vicinity of the access point. The technique may involve managing power or resources of a first RAT and a second RAT based on the measurements, wherein the power of at least one of the first RAT or second RAT is associated with coverage area of the macro cell.
US09386525B2
A method of handling a transferring from an energy-consuming mode to an energy-saving mode for a communication device in a wireless communication system is disclosed. The method comprises transmitting or receiving a first message of an upper protocol layer; deferring the transferring, if the communication device determines that a second message of the upper protocol layer corresponding to the first message is going to be transmitted or received; and advancing the transferring, if the communication device determines that no message corresponding to the first message is going to be transmitted or received.
US09386520B2
A method for registering mobile network and a mobile communication apparatus are provided. The method is adapted to the mobile communication apparatus and the method includes following steps. At least one available wireless network is detected. Whether connecting to the wireless network is determined. When connecting to the wireless network, the registration to the packet switch network is canceled.
US09386518B2
A system, apparatus, method, and manufacture for generating backup power in a wireless communications system such as a wireless communications service base station. The system includes a communications interface, a primary power interface, a generator, rectifiers, and a battery circuit. During normal operation, the communications interface is powered from the primary power interface. During a power outage, the communications interface is powered from either the generator or the battery circuit. The generator is cycled on and off during power outages to charge the battery circuit while conserving fuel. To decrease rectification loss, rectifiers are run near full load while rectifying the generator output.
US09386515B2
In embodiments, apparatuses, methods, and storage media may be described for presenting, by a user equipment (UE), a parameter of a network policy to a user, and receiving an indication of the user preference related to that parameter of the network policy. In response to receiving the indication, the UE may select one or more radio links with which the UE should communicatively couple based on the user preference and the network policy. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
US09386507B1
Techniques for providing friction-free transactions using geolocation and user identifiers are described herein. These techniques may ascertain a user's location based on a location of a mobile device. A transaction between the user and a merchant may be completed with zero or minimal input from the user based on the geolocation of the mobile device and the user identifiers. In some implementations, a transaction initiated earlier is completed when the mobile device arrives at the merchant. Additionally, a parent-child or similar relationship may be established between multiple devices. Security on the mobile device based may be provided by biometric identification and calculation of variance from regular movement patterns. Advertisements may be sent to the mobile device based on bids from merchants near to the mobile device. Promotions may be sent to the mobile device when more than a threshold number of mobile devices are located at the same merchant.
US09386495B2
Methods and apparatus are provided for supporting personal networking by a personal server in a mobile communication system. A request is received from a mobile station. A current position of the mobile station and a required QoS are registered in response to a request of the mobile station. When a handover is made from a resource management system of a service provider B to a resource management system of a service provider A, movement of a user agent to the resource management system of the service provider A is requested based on the current position of the mobile station and the required QoS. When the movement of the user agent is completed, a user information update request is received for updating a result of a QoS negotiation by the required QoS, and information on a selected access network, from the resource management system of the service provider A.
US09386494B2
Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to a user equipment, an RNC, or an application operable in a wireless communications network and methods in which an apparatus for wireless communication is configured to transfer data for a user equipment via a first user plane connection in a first radio access network. If the data transferred via the first user plane connection satisfies a trigger condition, the apparatus is configured to initiate a handover procedure of transferring the user equipment to a second user plane connection in a second radio access network.
US09386488B2
Managing radio resources across dual networks includes a wireless mobile device connecting to a first wireless network using a first radio access technology. The wireless device may notify the first network of a capability to be temporarily non-responsive to the first network while maintaining a signaling connection to the first network. The wireless device may communicate with a second network. The wireless device may return to communicating with the first network subsequent to communicating with the second network, and in response to communicating with the second network for less than a predetermined amount of time, the wireless device may send a scheduling request to the first network. In response to receiving a grant acknowledgement from the first network, the wireless device may send a buffer status report that includes a value such as zero to indicate that the wireless device has returned to and can communicate with the first network.
US09386483B2
A method and apparatus can be configured to detect that a signaling strength of a first network entity has dropped below a threshold. The method can also include transmitting a measurement report to the first network entity. The method can also include receiving radio-resource-control reconfiguration information from the first network entity. The method can also include transmitting a scheduling request to a second network entity, wherein a random-access-channel procedure is avoided.
US09386482B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus can be used to provide handover of on-hold sessions in converged networks. In various example implementations, an on-hold session between a mobile communication device having functionality that can be implemented in various layers of Android framework, and a fixed packet network-connected peer CPE can be handed over from a fixed packet domain to a cellular domain, and vice versa. In various example implementations, an on-hold session between a mobile communication device and a PSTN-connected peer CPE can be handed over from a fixed packet domain to a cellular domain, and vice versa.
US09386475B2
Systems and techniques relating to wireless communications are described. A described technique includes monitoring a group of wireless channels for signals from one or more devices; identifying, within the group, one or more primary channels on which one or more signals are received from the one or more devices; and selecting, from the group of wireless channels, a primary channel for a wireless communication based on the one or more identified primary channels and an estimated traffic load associated with at least a portion of the group of wireless channels. The selecting can include using a first channel that is separate from the one or more identified primary channels as the selected primary channel when the estimated traffic load exceeds a threshold, and using a second channel from the one or more identified primary channels as the selected primary channel when the estimated traffic load does not exceed the threshold.
US09386472B2
Embodiments for providing a query for location information for access points (APs) proximate to a reporting AP are generally described herein. A station may include a processor arranged to generate a Location Configuration Information (LCI) request having subelements arranged to query a reporting AP for a LCI report that includes location information regarding APs proximate to the reporting AP and a transceiver, coupled to the processor, the transceiver being arranged to send to the reporting AP the generated LCI request for the LCI report that includes location information regarding APs proximate to the reporting AP.
US09386460B2
Described herein are systems and methods for carrier aggregation deployment and organization in unlicensed bands. A method may comprise scanning, by a transceiver within a base station, channels in a band of interest, reporting, by the transceiver, signal measurement information to the base station, cell searching, by the transceiver, channels in the band of interest, determining channel information for neighboring each channel, and transmitting, by the transceiver, the channel information to the base station.
US09386458B1
Techniques for data offload using various distributed network architectures are disclosed. In some embodiments, wireless communications, specifically, system architectures and their implementation of distributed network architectures that can be used to effectively offload the data from the centralized cellular core networks are disclosed. For example, techniques for data offload using a distributed network architecture can be applied to heterogeneous networks (HetNet) that can include macrocells, picocells, femtocells, remote radio heads, and/or access points, and in one or more layers. These techniques can also be applied within so-called cloud-Radio Access Networks (cloud-RAN) networks.
US09386454B2
There is proposed a mechanism for validating a communication device such as a UE for allowing usage of television radio bands/channels (TVWS). An identification verification process of the communication device is performed by including a unique identification element into an integrity protected and ciphered message related to a radio resource connection reconfiguration procedure, the unique identification element identifying a certified communication device allowed to use radio resources of a television radio band. The message is transmitted to the communication network for performing an identification verification processing with a TVWS database. Furthermore, a mechanism for a handover scenario is provided where validating of the communication device for allowing usage of television radio bands/channels (TVWS) is performed.
US09386449B2
A management server includes a user management database in which mobile terminal identification information on the mobile terminal and working machine identification information on a sold working machine are registered in association with each other, a user registration determination unit adapted to determine whether or not the mobile terminal and the working machine are registered in association with each other on the basis of the mobile terminal identification information and the working machine identification information outputted from the mobile terminal and the mobile terminal identification information and the working machine identification information stored in the user management database, and an authorization information output unit adapted to output an authorization key necessary for wireless communication between the mobile terminal and the working machine in the case where the user registration determination unit determines that the mobile terminal and the working machine are registered in association with each other.
US09386445B2
An electronic device, a personal cloud apparatus, a personal cloud system, and a method thereof for registering personal cloud apparatus are provided. The method of the electronic device for registering the personal cloud apparatus includes pairing with the personal cloud apparatus when an application is executed, acquiring information about an access point and transmitting the same to the personal cloud apparatus to connect the personal cloud apparatus to a network, and registering the personal cloud apparatus to a registration server, when the personal cloud apparatus is connected to the network via the access point. As a result, users are able to upload or download various contents using the personal cloud apparatus, inside or outside the house.
US09386444B2
The present invention relates to a method for transmission of control information from a primary station to at least one secondary station, comprising the step of transmitting with a first set of control information parameters control information corresponding to data transmission with a first set of data parameters and transmitting with a second set of control information parameters control information corresponding to data transmission with a second set of data parameters, wherein at least one control information parameter has a difference in value between the two sets of control information parameters, said difference in value having a dependency on the difference between the value of a data parameter in the first set of data parameters and the value of the data parameter in the second set of data parameters, said data parameter being a different parameter from the at least one control information parameter.
US09386441B2
Techniques for femtocell message delivery and network planning are described herein. A mobile device sends a registration request to an access point, such as a femtocell access point. If denied registration, the mobile device may return to service by a macro cell access point. A network entity, such as a femtocell gateway serving the access point, may determine an identification of the mobile device. The network entity may send the identification of mobile device and an identifier of the access point to an application server. The application server may create and send a targeted message to the mobile device based on the identification of mobile device and the identifier of the access point. The application server may determine a user count for the access point and facilitate network planning based on the user count.
US09386437B2
A memory unit stores a plurality of transmission destinations. A control unit determines an order of priority of transmission destinations based on states of the plurality of transmission destinations that are stored by the memory unit, and then, upon receiving predetermined input, originates a call to the transmission destination having the highest order of priority of transmission destinations that was determined.
US09386429B2
A monitoring system for monitoring incoming telephone calls, including telephone calls with different called numbers, the system comprising an electronic processor and an associated database containing caller details with corresponding telephone numbers and details regarding locations and/or people to visit with corresponding telephone numbers, the system being adapted to: detect the originating number of a caller and the called number to which an incoming call was made; to store the time, date and number of the incoming call the originating number of which has been detected and store data representing the number to which the incoming call was made; and to identify the location of the caller/person being visited by the caller corresponding to the detected called number by referring to the associated database, and to identify the identity of the caller corresponding to the originating number by referring to the associated database.
US09386428B2
According to one embodiment, a method for performing a user call forwarding operation through near field communication between a fixed terminal and a portable terminal includes determining that a distance between a first fixed terminal and the portable terminal is within a specified distance, detecting a movement within the specified distance, determining that the detected movement is the same as a specified movement, and requesting call forwarding to the first fixed terminal when the detected movement is the same as the specified movement.
US09386426B2
A messaging method using a mobile user terminal, the method including: creating, at the mobile user terminal, at least one graphical messaging symbol adapted to convey a meaning to a message recipient; preparing message content including at least one of the created graphical messaging symbols using the mobile terminal; and sending the message to a recipient via a communication network.
US09386417B1
The disclosure includes a system and method for detecting fine grain copresence between users. The system includes a processor and a memory storing instructions that when executed cause the system to: process one or more signals to determine coarse grain location information of a first device and a second device; determine whether the first device and the second device are copresent based on the coarse grain location information; in response to determining that the first device and the second device are copresent based on the coarse grain location information, transmit a signal to the second device to alert the second device to listen for a fine grain copresence token from the first device; and refine copresence based on receiving an indication that the second device has received the fine grain copresence token.
US09386414B1
System and method for submitting a location of a mobile device to a public service for providing emergency assistance are described. A mobile device can determine that a user is making an emergency call from the mobile device. The mobile device can then enable a location determination function of the mobile device and determine a location of the mobile device. The mobile device can determine the location in multiple attempts, including, in a first time window, attempting to determine a location with low uncertainty and, if the attempt fails, determining a location with high uncertainty in a second time window. The mobile device can then submit the location to a dispatcher through a mobile network operator.
US09386391B2
A device including a processor and a memory is disclosed. The memory includes programming instructions which when executed by the processor perform an operation. The operation includes detecting relative position of two earphones when connected to the device, determining if a binaural signal processing mode is appropriate based on the detected relative position and switching to the binaural signal processing mode. If it is determined that the binaural signal processing mode is not appropriate, switching to monaural processing mode.
US09386386B2
Systems and methods for enhancing the audio experience on a consumer electronic device are disclosed. More particularly systems and methods for optimizing the audio performance of individual consumer electronic devices as part of a manufacturing process and/or retail experience are disclosed. A system for enhancing the audio performance of a consumer electronic device including a parametrically configurable processing block is disclosed.
US09386382B2
A hearing aid compatible mobile electronic device is provided. The hearing aid compatible mobile electronic device includes a wireless communication unit including a power amplification module, a power source configured to transfer a first current to the power amplification module through a sending end thereof and to receive a second current from the power amplification module through a ground terminal thereof, a line unit connected between the power amplification module and the power source and including a first line through which the first current flows and a second line through which the second current flows in an opposite direction to the first current, and a receiver configured to generate a magnetic signal for hearing aid compatibility and to receive a first magnetic field generated by the first current and a second magnetic field generated by the second current.
US09386379B2
Mechanical resonating structures, as well as related devices and methods of manufacture. The mechanical resonating structures can be microphones, each including a diaphragm and a piezoelectric stack. The diaphragm can have one or more openings formed therethrough to enable the determination of an acoustic pressure being applied to the diaphragm through signals emitted by the piezoelectric stack.
US09386374B2
An apparatus and method for keeping output loudness and quality of sound in different equalizer modes. The apparatus includes a gain setting unit configured to set a protection limit of an output voltage of an input audio signal; an equalizer (EQ) mode filter configured to filter the input audio signal so as to achieve the different equalizer modes; an amplitude real-time processing module configured to receive the audio signal output from the EQ mode filter or an audio signal feedback, and process the received audio signal such that the output voltage of the processed audio signal is lower than the protection limit; and a digital-to-analog converter configured to perform a digital-to-analog conversion on the processed audio signal, and output an analog audio signal.
US09386372B2
A method of operating a speaker system including a speaker coupled to an amplifier, and a dedicated digital speaker protection circuit includes turning on the amplifier in a mute mode, after a first delay period, issuing a play command to the amplifier to place the amplifier in a play mode, but without an input signal during a second delay period, and performing a speaker offset detection during the second delay period, wherein, if there is an offset, then the amplifier is forced back into the mute mode, and if there is no offset, then the amplifier is allowed to continue to operate in the play mode. The method also includes issuing a speaker protection control signal or command if an offset is detected.
US09386370B2
A driver, includes a driver block, a controller block, and a comparison block. The driver block includes an adjustable current source configured to produce a digital output stream. The controller block is coupled to the driver block. The comparison block is coupled to the driver block and the controller block. The comparison block is configured to compare the digital output stream to a reference value at a time delayed with respect to a master clock and based upon the comparison cause the controller block to adjust a strength of the driver block.
US09386369B2
When a first noise and second noise to be generated after the first noise are generated within a predetermined period, a noise reduction unit is controlled so as to execute a first noise reduction process for an audio signal in a period including the first noise and not to execute the first noise reduction process for an audio signal in a period including the second noise.
US09386368B2
A remote speaker microphone having a directional microphone, a speaker, and a housing. The housing has a first portion sized to contain the speaker and a second portion sized to contain the directional microphone. The second portion defines a front port positioned adjacent the front surface of the directional microphone and a rear port positioned adjacent the rear surface of the directional microphone. The housing is configured to minimize the distance that sound waves travel within the housing before impacting on the sound receiving surfaces of the microphone.
US09386367B2
An electronic apparatus (100) includes a first detachable speaker unit (120) including a first speaker having a relatively high directivity, and a second detachable speaker unit (130) including a second speaker having a relatively low directivity. The electronic apparatus (100) further includes a body unit (an electronic apparatus body (110)) provided with a slot (113) in which any one of the first detachable speaker unit (120) and the second detachable speaker unit (130) is detachably installed therein in an alternative way, and a control unit that is provided in the body unit and controls the first and second speakers.
US09386365B2
An earphone adapted to be worn in a user's ear has a body having a front face. There is a speaker in the front face of the body. A radially projecting brim surrounds the front face, the brim having an elongated shape configured fit in the concha of the user's ear, with portions of the rearward face of the brim engaged by the tragus and the antitragus of the user's ear.
US09386363B2
A speaker apparatus suitable for use with a computer operable for communicating audio signals to the speaker apparatus. The speaker apparatus includes a housing having a top portion and a body portion adjacent the top portion. The housing can be configured for carrying a coupling module and a speaker driver array. The coupling module can be configured for coupling the speaker apparatus and the computer. The speaker driver array can include a first speaker driver and a second speaker driver. The first and second speaker drivers can be arranged in a stacked arrangement. The stacked arrangement can be such that the first speaker driver can be positioned atop the second speaker and such that the first and second speaker drivers face different directions.
US09386359B2
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for selecting metadata for sensor data streams may be provided. The method may include receiving a first sensor data stream associated with a user. The first data stream may be generated by one or more sensors co-located with the user. A plurality of tags that are each associated with one or more sensor value ranges may be accessed. A first tag may be selected from the plurality of tags according to a relationship between the first sensor data stream and the one or more sensor value ranges associated with the first tag. The method may further include facilitating reporting of the first tag.
US09386356B2
A method, apparatus, and system related to relevancy improvement through targeting of information based on data gathered from a networked device associated with a security sandbox of a client device are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system may comprise a networked device, a relevancy-matching server, and a client device. The networked device may be configured to generate a preliminary data and/or a primary data associated with a user and automatically announce a sandbox-reachable service of the networked device to a discovery module. The relevancy-matching server may be configured to match a targeted data with the primary data based on a relevancy factor associated with the user. The client device may be configured to automatically process an identification data of the networked device and/or the sandbox-reachable service of the networked device from the discovery module and to automatically associate with the networked device based on the identification data.
US09386353B2
The present invention discloses a child node, a parent node, and a caching method and system for a multi-layer video network. The multi-layer video network includes at least one parent node and multiple child nodes connected to the parent node. The method includes: collecting a user request arrival rate of each child node with respect to each content in a content set; and determining an optimal storage policy and an optimal upload bandwidth allocation policy of each child node with respect to each content based on the user request arrival rate, storage capacity and upload bandwidth of each child node, and a size of each content. According to the content disclosed above, the technical solution disclosed by the present invention can save network bandwidth as much as possible and implement coordination among cache nodes, and is compatible with a heterogeneous network resource environment.
US09386351B1
In a method and system for selecting an advertisement for video on demand, a video player is connected to a video content provider over a network via an access gateway. The video content provider receives a request for a video content from the video player, determines a popularity count for the video content and a geographical area for the video player, selects the advertisement based on the popularity count and the geographical area, and sends the video content combined with the advertisement to the video player. In one embodiment, the advertisement has a corresponding advertisement rule with an advertising condition which specifies a required popularity count and geographical area. If the advertisement condition is satisfied, then the advertisement is selected. In this manner, an advertisement for video on demand is selected based upon both demographics information and location of the video player increasing the effectiveness of the advertisement.
US09386347B1
Various methods, systems, and apparatuses can be used to perform burst efficient fast program acquisition. In some implementations, a burst efficient fast program acquisition system can operate to remove unused B-frame thereby reducing the bandwidth required for a fast burst. In other implementations, the burst efficient fast program acquisition system can decode the fast burst, identify the video frames needed for reassembly, and encode a truncated group of frames for fast burst transmission. A burst efficient fast program acquisition system can also use pre-calculated streamlined burst fast burst in conjunction with program prediction methods such as adjacent program and frequently viewed program thereby further reducing the latency associated with IPTV program acquisitions.
US09386345B2
A method of delivering advertisement data to a mobile device that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, extracting metadata from video content corresponding to the selected advertisement in response to receiving an advertisement selection command and sending the metadata to an advertising management system. Data is received from the advertisement data management system indicating multiple communication devices associated with the media processor and a selection is received indicating a selected mobile communication device of the multiple communication devices. Identification of the selected mobile communication device is sent to the advertisement data management system to cause the advertisement data management system to deliver a mobile version of the advertisement to the selected mobile communication device via a mobile communication network. The selected mobile communication device stores the mobile version of the advertisement for display by the selected mobile communication device. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09386343B2
A method of processing a digital television (DTV) signal in a DTV receiver, the method includes receiving a digital television signal including a plurality of extended text table (ETT) instances that appear in transport stream packets with common PID values, the ETT instances having common table ID values, each ETT instance comprising a section header and a message body, the section header containing a table identification (ID) extension field that serves to establish uniqueness of each ETT instance, the message body containing an extended text message (ETM) which provides detailed descriptions of a virtual channel or an event associated with each ETT instance, wherein the section header further contains a current next indicator field and a section syntax indicator field, demodulating the digital television signal, and identifying at least one pertinent ETT instance from the plurality of ETT instances.
US09386333B2
The subject disclosure describes identifying a table associated with a set-top box that receives services from equipment of a video head-end office, where the table indicates that the set-top box has requested a video stream that would exceed a first number of video streams allocated to the set-top box and would exceed a bandwidth configuration, detecting a conflicting event according to information in the table, reconfiguring the bandwidth configuration allocated to the plurality of set-top boxes to resolve the conflicting event, determining a second number of video streams requested by the plurality of set-top boxes when the conflicting event occurred, determining a third number of video streams to resolve the conflicting event based on a difference between the first number of video streams and the second number of video streams, and instructing the equipment to provide the third number of video streams to the set-top box. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US09386326B2
Techniques for synchronizing error concealment during video decoding include determining a decoding error. A recovery point within a current frame is determined for each decoding error. The determined recovery point may be the start of the next good slice of a frame after the current frame containing the error. The number of macroblock to be concealed is also determined. The determined number of macroblocks from the recovery point may then be concealed in hardware or software. The techniques for concealing errors may also include determining available macroblocks for use in concealing the error. The techniques for concealing errors may further include selecting a given concealment mode.
US09386315B2
Region-based encoding apparatus and decoding apparatus. The encoding apparatus selects an optimum region division mode from region division modes with respect to regions divided from an image frame, and transmits, to the decoding apparatus, an optimum image filtering method and an optimum filter coefficient of regions divided, according to the optimum region division mode.
US09386313B2
Inter-color image prediction is based on multi-channel multiple regression (MMR) models. Image prediction is applied to the efficient coding of images and video signals of high dynamic range. MMR models may include first order parameters, second order parameters, and crosspixel parameters. MMR models using extension parameters incorporating neighbor pixel relations are also presented. Using minimum means-square error criteria, closed form solutions for the prediction parameters are presented for a variety of MMR models.
US09386310B2
A image reproducing device decodes a moving picture stream having been subjected to inter-picture prediction encoding with a reference image memory accessed. A decoding processor performs variable length decoding of the moving picture stream on a picture-by-picture basis, and outputs an encoding parameter. A traffic analyzer estimates traffic to the reference image memory on the picture-by-picture basis based on the output encoding parameters. A reference image compression controller determines a compression mode in storing a reference image in the reference image memory based on the estimated traffic.
US09386305B2
This disclosure relates to techniques for performing sample adaptive offset (SAO) processes in a video coding process. A video coder may store sets of SAO information. The SAO information may include data indicative of offset values. The video coder may also store mapping information that maps at least some of the sets of SAO information for one or more sequence partitions of a frame of video data. Additionally, the video coder may perform the SAO processes for one of the partitions of the frame based on the stored SAO information and the stored mapping information.
US09386303B2
Embodiments disclose systems and methods for transmitting user-extracted video and content more efficiently by recognizing that user-extracted video provides the potential to treat parts of a single frame of a user-extracted video differently. An alpha mask of the image part of the user-extracted video is used when encoding the image part so that it retains a higher quality upon transmission than the remainder of the user-extracted video.
US09386302B2
A method of calibrating multiple vehicle-based image capture devices of a vehicle. An image is captured by at least one image capture device. A reference object is identified in the captured image. The reference object has known world coordinates. Known features of the vehicle are extracted in the captured image. A relative location and orientation of the vehicle in world coordinates is determined relative to the reference object. Each of the multiple image capture devices is calibrated utilizing intrinsic and extrinsic parameters of the at least one image capture device as a function of the relative location and orientation of the vehicle in world coordinates.
US09386296B2
A method and an apparatus for coded focal stack photographing are provided. The method includes: changing a focal surface within a single exposure time and per-pixel coding a sensor readout for each focal surface to obtain a modulation function M(y,z), where y⊂{y1,y2} is a two-dimensional spatial coordinate and z is a depth coordinate of a latent three-dimensional focal stack F(y,z); coding the latent three-dimensional focal stack F(y,z) into a two-dimensional sensor image I(y) by using the modulation function M(y,z); and achieving one or more of a programmable non-planar focal surface imaging, an interleaved focal stack imaging, and a compressive focal stack imaging, based on the modulation functions M(y,z) and the two-dimensional sensor image I(y).
US09386294B2
A method (300) and apparatus (400) for three-dimensional television (3DTV) image adjustment includes loading (342, 344) default 2D-to-3D image setting values from a default settings memory to a user adjustment settings memory, annunciating (346) the default 2D-to-3D image setting values, receiving (361, 362) a 2D-to-3D image settings value adjustment, saving (370) the 2D-to-3D image settings value adjustment in the user adjustment settings memory, and applying (390) the 2D-to-3D image settings value adjustment to a 2D-to-3D converted image. These methods and apparatuses allow individual users to set 3DTV image settings to their personal preferences to compensate for brightness reductions caused by 3DTV glasses, depth perception sensitivities, and other image quality factors.
US09386292B2
A stereoscopic video processing apparatus includes: a switch operation detection unit which detects a switch operation, made by a user, that is an operation to select a channel of a three-dimensional (3D) video or an operation for a fast-forward playback, a rewind playback, skipping, or locating a cue point of a 3D video; a frequency determination unit which determines a detection frequency indicating the number of switch operations per unit of time detected by the switch operation detection unit; and a video processing unit which performs processing to reduce a difference in depth between 3D videos before and after switching of the 3D videos when the detection frequency per unit of time determined by the frequency determination unit is higher than or equal to a predetermined frequency.
US09386283B2
Video capture systems, methods and computer program products can be provided and configured to capture video sequences of one or more subjects during an activity. The video capture system can be configured to include a communications module that is provided to receive a set of successive frames of video image data of a defined coverage area in an activity location and to receive tracking information indicating a position of the subject in the activity location. A content selection module can be further provided to determine a location of the subject in the defined coverage area based on the tracking information to thereby determine a subset of the image data in one or more received frames, or in a set of frames, of video image data that contains image data of the subject.
US09386282B2
Systems and methods for receiving video images from a plurality of video cameras having respective fields of view that cover a geographical region. At a first time, first video images of an object may be output, where the images are captured by a first video camera selected from the plurality of video cameras. Location indications may be received, which specify a geographical location of the object in the geographical region and which are determined independently of the video images. At a second time subsequent to the first time, a second video camera from the plurality may be selected based on the location indications. The output may be switched to the second video images of the object, which are captured by the selected second video camera.
US09386278B2
A storage medium stores: a first acquiring instruction of, when newly starting the program, acquiring conference room information for identifying a teleconference of a connection target; a determining instruction of, by referring to particular information, determining whether there is an existing conference process executed by the program that is connected to a same teleconference identified by conference room information matching the conference room information acquired by the first acquiring instruction; and an audio processing instruction of performing at least one of first and second audio processes when there is no existing conference process in a new conference process without performing either the first or second audio process when there is the existing conference process, the first audio process relating to sound collected by a sound collector of the terminal apparatus, the second audio process relating to audio data received by a communicator of the terminal apparatus connected to the network.
US09386274B2
A system for providing a trusted peer-based information verification system may include one or more processors and a memory. The one or more processors may provide a multimedia conference to participant devices, and may receive a request to transfer a session of the multimedia conference of a participant device that is characterized by a first multimedia conference capability. The one or more processors may provide a list of target devices associated with the participant device to the participant device, and may receive an indication of a target device from the participant device. The one or more processors may transfer the session of the multimedia conference from the participant device to the target device, wherein the target device is characterized by a second multimedia conference capability that is different than the first multimedia conference capability of the participant device.
US09386273B1
Introduction of one or more multicast engines to a video conferencing system permits an improvement of overall network bandwidth used for a video conference. Video streams are received at a multicast engine from each of at least two participants in the video conference. The multicast engine transmits only the first of the two video streams based on a determination that only the first video stream is a candidate for a conference video stream to be transmitted to at least some of a plurality of conference participants from the server station. The conference video stream is received at the multicast engine from the server station, and the stream is transmitted from the multicast engine to each of the participants in the video conference that are connected to the multicast engine.
US09386269B2
A wireless hub may automatically designate a primary display device based on characteristics of a display device. The wireless hub may cause program content to be displayed on the primary display device. The wireless hub may also cause supplemental video content to be displayed on one or more secondary display devices.
US09386262B2
The image processing method disclosed includes acquiring an input image produced by image capturing through an image capturing optical system, storing image restoration filters to be used for an image restoration process to a memory, acquiring information showing an image capturing state that is a state of the image capturing optical system for the image capturing, and determining whether or not to perform the image restoration process on the input image depending on the image capturing state. The method further includes acquiring the image restoration filter corresponding to the image capturing state from the memory only when a determination to perform the image restoration process is made, and performing the image restoration process on the input image by using the acquired image restoration filter.
US09386256B1
The illustrative embodiments described herein provide systems and methods for notifying a user when a set of characters are identified in a media file. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a set of characters inputted by the user of a computing device, playing the media file, transcribing the media file to form a transcription, and determining whether the transcription of the media file includes the set of characters. The method also includes initiating a notification prompt on a graphical user interface of the computing device in response to determining that the media file includes the set of characters.
US09386251B2
Provided are an image pickup device, a method of driving the image pickup device, and an image pickup system, in which timings of starting operations in a plurality of comparison units to which power supply voltage is applied through a common line are controlled to be different.
US09386235B2
Systems, methods, and computer program products are disclosed and include: initiating a capture operation using an image capture component of the mobile device, the capture operation comprising; capturing video data; and estimating a plurality of motion vectors corresponding to motion of the image capture component during the capture operation. The systems, techniques, and computer program products also include detecting a document depicted in the video data; tracking a position of the detected document throughout the video data; selecting a plurality of images using the image capture component of the mobile device, wherein the selection is based at least in part on: the tracked position of the detected document; and the estimated motion vectors; and generating a composite image based on at least some of the selected plurality of images.
US09386225B2
A shaking amount detecting apparatus includes an angular velocity sensor that detects yaw, pitch, and roll-angular-velocities, an acceleration sensor that detects X and Y-accelerations in X and Y-axis directions, radius calculating sections that respectively calculate a yaw-radius and an XZ-roll-radius on the basis of a yaw-angular-velocity, a roll-angular-velocity, and an X-acceleration at different times, a velocity calculating section that multiplies the yaw-angular-velocity with the yaw-radius to calculate a first component of an X-velocity, a velocity calculating section that multiplies the roll-angular-velocity with the XZ-roll-radius to calculate a second component of the X-velocity, an adding section that adds up the first component of the X-velocity and the second component of the X-velocity to acquire the X-velocity, and an integrating section that integrates the X-velocity with respect to a time period to thereby calculate a movement amount in the X-axis direction.
US09386220B2
A focal plane array having: a plurality of detectors; a plurality of unit cell sections, each section being fed by charge produced by corresponding detector for producing a sequence of frames; and a plurality of sets of storage sections, each section being coupled to a corresponding one of the unit cells. Each set of storage sections includes a plurality of storage units for sequentially storing the frames. A region of interest selector section examines the frames of the plurality of unit cells, to detect at least one of the frames having a predetermined characteristic. A processor: (i) identifies a sub-set of the plurality of unit cells proximate the detected unit cells having the predetermined characteristic to establish a region of interest; and (ii) sequentially reads the plurality of storage units in the storage sections coupled to the sub-set of unit cells in the established region of interest.
US09386218B2
An information processing apparatus includes a first optical system, a second optical system, and a casing. The first optical system is configured to input light into a first imaging device. The second optical system is configured to input light into a second imaging device. The casing includes one surface long in a specific direction with the first optical system and the second optical system being arranged in the one surface in an orthogonal direction almost orthogonal to the specific direction. The first optical system and the second optical system are arranged such that an optical axis of the first optical system and an optical axis of the second optical system form an angle in the specific direction.
US09386216B2
The camera main body 200 stores sensitivity ratio data indicating a sensitivity ratio of a pixel 51R in the position and an imaging pixel 51 which is adjacent to the pixel 51R and a sensitivity ratio of a pixel 51L in the position and a pixel 51 which is adjacent to the pixel 51L, for every information of the different incident light ray angles in the arbitrary position of a light receiving surface 50 in an X direction. The system control unit 11 obtains information of the incident light ray angle in two positions on the light receiving surface 50 corresponding to the set optical condition and corrects the level difference of the output signals of the pixels 51R and 51L using the sensitivity ratio data corresponding to the obtained incident light ray angle.
US09386214B2
A method, an apparatus and a computer program are provided. The method comprises: analyzing different color channels of an image detected by an image sensor; and adjusting, in dependence upon the analysis, at least one of: a position of a focal plane of an optical arrangement and a position of the image sensor. In some embodiments, the sharpness of different color channels of the image is compared and the adjustment depends upon the results of the comparison.
US09386212B2
There is provided an information processing device including an acquisition unit configured to acquire an image from a client terminal, a storage unit configured to store images to each of which a shooting parameter and objective evaluation are assigned, an identification unit configured to identify images each of which has an imaging environment similar to an imaging environment of the image acquired by the acquisition unit, among the images stored in the storage unit, and a transmission unit configured to transmit, to the client terminal, a shooting parameter of an image selected on the basis of the objective evaluation from the images identified by the identification unit.
US09386208B2
The present invention provides a system and method for obtaining in vivo images. The system contains an imaging system and a transmitter for transmitting signals from a camera to a receiving system located outside a patient.
US09386197B2
An object is to provide a lens device that can share a cable and can prevent the unnecessary exposure of the cable, and an imaging apparatus that includes the lens device. A lens device according to an embodiment of the invention, includes a lens barrel, a control unit that is provided on the lens barrel so as to protrude, a cable of which one end is mounted on the control unit and the other end is connected to the imaging apparatus main body, a plurality of length regulating members that are provided, in a longitudinal direction of the cable, and a housing portion in which the cable is housed and which is provided with an opening through which the cable is led out. Any one of the plurality of length regulating members is fitted to the opening, so that a lead-out length of the cable is changed.
US09386196B1
A holding assembly for a picture taking device such as a smartphone or camera, which holding assembly may be hung from various surfaces to position the picture taking device at eye level, the holding assembly including variable length rigid support having first and second ends, which variable length rigid support may be readily locked in various positions of length adjustment, the one end of the variable length rigid support being provided with a griping surface which may act as a handle, a C-shaped hook which extends upwardly from the first end of the variable length rigid support, and a removable ball joint assembly carried by the second end of the variable length rigid support, which ball joint assembly may receive the picture taking device.
US09386174B2
An image forming apparatus includes a touch panel connected to a network, for displaying an icon accepting an inquiry about an operation and a control unit for controlling an operation. The control unit is configured to transmit an inquiry about an operation to a terminal through the network, to receive an answer based on the inquiry from the terminal, and to display on the touch panel, an operation instruction based on operation method instruction information indicating the answer.
US09386170B2
An operation performing system, comprising: a device; a service providing server for providing a service that causes the device to perform an operation; and a relay server for relaying between the service providing server and the device, wherein the device and the relay server are connected in a server-push enabled state, wherein the service providing server executes a first command-transmission processing for transmitting performance command for commanding performance of the operation, wherein the relay server executes a second command-transmission processing for transmitting, in the server-push enabled state, the performance command to the device, wherein the device executes a first status-transmission processing for transmitting, to the relay server, status information indicative of a status of the operation under performance, and wherein the relay server executes a second storage processing for storing in, the first storage, the status information in association with the service identifying information.
US09386167B2
An image reading apparatus includes a conveyor defining a conveyance path including an upper path, a lower path including a reference portion and a first and second inclined portions, and a curved path, and a first reading unit for reading an image of the sheet when passing the first inclined portion. The conveyor includes a chute member forming a guide surface. The chute member includes a first chute member forming a first guide surface defining the upper path and a second chute member forming a second guide surface defining the first inclined portion. The first chute member forms a third guide surface defining the second inclined portion.
US09386163B2
Transmitting and receiving arrangements and methods in a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) system having a plurality of modems and vectored transmission capability. A first part of an available frequency band is reserved for vectored DSL transmission and reception using modems operating in the first part of the frequency band. The remaining, second, part of the available frequency band is reserved for both vectored and non-vectored transmission using modems operating in the second part of the frequency band.
US09386158B2
A caller ID based call routing feature. A processing system in the public switched telephone network (PSTN) receives first identifying information for identifying the source of a telephone call and associates additional information stored in a memory with the first identifying information. The additional information may then be transmitted to the subscriber via the Internet for display. Another feature is a branch calling feature where the subscriber may program a processing system within the PSTN to forward an incoming call to two or more end units (e.g., telephones) simultaneously. If the call at an end unit is answered, answer supervision signaling is transmitted back to the processing system which then terminates all other calls. The processing system then connects the calling party to the subscriber. The branch calling may be made for any combination of local, long distance, and cellular telephone numbers.
US09386156B2
Methods and apparatus to audibly provide messages in a mobile device at described. An example method includes determining that audio of a voicemail includes a predetermined phrase and, in response to determining that the audio includes the predetermined phrase, audibly presenting the voicemail while the electronic device is set to at least one of a silent mode, a quiet mode, and a lock mode.
US09386151B2
System and method for handling a transaction between a waiting party and queuing party include an independent communication system (ICS) managing calls between the waiting party and calling party for handling sensitive data as well as call-attached data. The ICS manages the transaction in different stages and with different levels of sensitivity. Either party is allowed to modify the call or call preferences during the transaction. The ICS works independently from the queuing party calling system.
US09386140B2
Sounds, alarms or other indications of conditions of potential interest that are produced by appliances and other household devices are detected by one or more sensors to trigger a notification signal that is sent to a remotely located user. The signals produced by the sensors are advantageously compared with a database of signals representing conditions of potential interest produced by known appliances and devices, producing the appropriate notification signal when a match is found. Notifications may be relayed to one or more selected users only when predetermined conditions are satisfied.
US09386137B1
A method and apparatus of processing a voice call are disclosed. One example method of operation may include recording at least a portion of a voice call, and storing the portion of the voice call in memory. The method may also include processing the portion of the voice call to identify at least one segment of interest, and forwarding the at least one segment of interest to a new call party responsive to a call transfer action.
US09386136B2
An example embodiment includes an automatic pairing system. The automatic pairing system includes a vehicle initialization module, a vehicle pairing module, and a triggering mechanism. The vehicle initialization module is loaded onto a vehicle abstraction device configured to interface with a vehicle. The vehicle pairing module is loaded on the vehicle abstraction device. The vehicle pairing module is configured to be launched by the vehicle initialization module. After being launched, the vehicle pairing module is configured to automatically communicate vehicle pairing data stored on the vehicle pairing module to establish one or more communication channels between the vehicle and a mobile device. The triggering mechanism is configured to trigger the vehicle initialization module to launch the vehicle pairing module.
US09386135B2
Disclosed, in general, are devices that provide a substantially sound-tight chamber over a sound source while absorbing fields of sounds from the sound source. In general, the devices feature: an anechoic chamber that is configured to receive a sound source in a substantially sound-tight manner; an active noise canceling means in the anechoic chamber; and an anechoic channel that is in fluid communication with the ambient atmosphere.
US09386134B2
An apparatus including a sound transducer; and a housing having the sound transducer connected thereto. The housing forms a substantially sealed air space back cavity acoustically coupled to the sound transducer. The housing includes a housing member having a first dividing structure located in the back cavity to connect two adjacent air mass sections of the back cavity, where the dividing structure includes at least one aperture to permit travel of sound waves through the at lease one aperture between the air mass sections.
US09386125B2
Provided is a method for transmitting packet-based media data having a header in which an overhead is minimized. A method for media data transmission may comprise the steps of: encapsulating media data to allow a media fragment unit (MFU) header and an M-unit header to share one format; allowing an MMT payload format to include a header field for an operation which is not supported by an RTP header, and transferring the encapsulated media data from a specific entity to another entity; and controlling the transfer of the media data. Therefore, a transmission overhead is minimized, so that it is possible to efficiently transmit media data.
US09386118B2
A method for content placement along the delivery path of a network of nodes in a content centric network includes receiving first and second interest packets from a downstream node, checking a content cache of a first node for the first and second data packets and, in response to the first and second data packets being absent from the content cache, checking a pending interest table of the first node for the first and second interest packets. The method also includes, in response to the first and second interest packets being absent from the pending interest table of the first node and a cache flag of the first interest packet received from the downstream node being off, performing various operations to cause the first data packet to be cached in the content cache of the first node.
US09386113B1
A method for push interaction with a mobile device using a chat interface includes establishing a chat protocol connection between a server and the mobile device, wherein the chat protocol format is used as a part of the push protocol; generating an event on the server; sending a push protocol command relating to the event from the server to the mobile device using the chat protocol connection; in the background, processing the chat protocol request that was packaged within the push protocol command; receiving the response from the mobile device through the chat protocol connection using the pull protocol mode; sending media contents from the server to the client using pull protocol mode; and displaying the media contents on the mobile device.
US09386089B2
Early detection of high volume swarms in a peer-to-peer network, including a data feed of peer-to-peer swarm activity, and an analytics engine processing the data feed and identifying the high volume swarms that have parameters that exceed a threshold. The system can include a pre-processing section for conditioning the swarm data for the analytics section. There can also be a verification section that confirms that the peer download file matches the target file. The early detection provides for enhanced anti-piracy efforts, improved allocation of network resources, and better business decision-making.
US09386087B2
A system for workflow placement in a computer system wherein the performance of a system processing a workflow is monitored against one or more performance measures. One or more logic elements from the workflow are delegated for subsequent processing to other systems in the computer system in response to one or more of the one or more performance measures being within a predetermined range.
US09386071B2
A system of selectively providing media as audio or video or combined media to users in a categorized highly segmented manner. Employing communications and operative software adapted to the task running on a networked computer or server, the system stores media browsers which use media files related to the products and services of one subscribing client. The media browser is forwardable from one user to another. Electronic sales leads are provided to the subscribing clients through the employment of a database configured to discern potential user customers based on matching of media browser identifiers of media browsers requested by users.
US09386067B2
Systems and methods for playing adaptive bitrate streaming content by multicast in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of receiving and playing back adaptive bitrate streaming content using a playback device includes receiving an adaptive streaming session description including information about a piece of adaptive streaming content and information for accessing a multicast session of the piece of adaptive streaming content using a playback device, receiving portions of a first alternative stream of the piece of adaptive streaming content sent to a first multicast group that includes the playback device using the playback device, computing a bandwidth measurement using the playback device, and switching to a second alternative stream of the piece of adaptive streaming content based upon the computed bandwidth measurement using the playback device.
US09386064B2
A block-request streaming system provides for improvements in the user experience and bandwidth efficiency of such systems, typically using an ingestion system that generates data in a form to be served by a conventional file server (HTTP, FTP, or the like), wherein the ingestion system intakes content and prepares it as files or data elements to be served by the file server, which might include a cache. A client device can be adapted to take advantage of the ingestion process as well as improvements that make for a better presentation independent of the ingestion process. The client devices and ingestion system can be coordinated to have a predefined mapping and template for making block requests to HTTP file names that a conventional file server can accept through the use of URL construction rules. Segment size might be specified in an approximate manner for more efficient organization.
US09386052B2
A method, system, and/or apparatus for automatically tracking a mobile user using the user's mobile device. This invention is particularly useful in the field of social media, such as for detecting and tracking the location and activity of a user and her community. The method or implementing software application uses or relies upon location information available on the mobile device from any source, such as cell phone usage and/or other device applications. The social media system automatically determines a location type and/or user activity from context information. The context information can include current and past location and user and/or community information, time-dependent information, and third party information. The location activities can be presented to the community using pictograms selected to represent user activities.
US09386045B2
Techniques for assessing the trustworthiness of a target device that a user device is attempting to communicate with are described. A user device may request one or more trustworthiness attributes of a target device before exchanging data with the target device. The user device may receive the one or more trustworthiness attributes of the target device, and determine, based on the received one or more trustworthiness attributes of the target device, a set of one or more security policies to enforce on a communication channel used for exchanging data between the user device and the target device. A communication channel between the user device and the target device can then be established according to the set of one or more security policies.
US09386039B2
Provided is a system which distributes a processing load of security measures and enforce a security policy to be applicable to a large system. Policy information indicating a security measure to be executed on user information transmitted from a client to a server is stored in a policy storing section. Measure arrangement information indicating the security measure executable in each of a plurality of policy enforcement sections is stored in a measure-arrangement storing section. One or more of the policy enforcement sections are selected on the basis of the policy information and the measure arrangement information. Each of the one or more policy enforcement sections executes the security measure on the user information and outputs, on the basis of a selection result, the user information to the other policy enforcement sections among the one or more policy enforcement sections or to the server.
US09386037B1
Embodiments are directed to using a hash signature of a rendered DOM object of a website to find similar content and behavior on other websites. Embodiments break a DOM into a large number of data portions (i.e., “shingles”), apply a hashing algorithm to the shingles, select a predetermined number of hashes from the hashed shingles according to a selection criteria to create a hash signature, and compare the hash signature to that of a reference page to determine similarity of website DOM object content. Embodiments can be used to identify phishing websites, defaced websites, spam websites, significant changes in the content of a webpage, copyright infringement, and any other suitable purposes related to the similarity between website DOM object content.
US09386029B2
A method and system for tracking potentially fraudulent activities associated with one or more web sites is disclosed. The system includes a fraud tracking server connected to a fraud tracking database. The fraud tracking server includes a communications module to facilitate the exchange of data between the server and multiple client devices. The fraud tracking server receives data from one or more client devices that identifies a potential spoof site. The fraud tracking server also includes control logic to generate a spoof site tracking record in the fraud tracking database. The spoof site tracking record includes the data identifying the potential spoof site. After the spoof site tracking record has been created, the fraud tracking server notifies an administrator of the potential spoof site by communicating the data received and stored in the fraud tracking database to an administrator.
US09386011B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for managing the resetting of online identities or accounts of users of Internet web pages. One method includes: receiving, through an electronic device, a request to reset login information to access a web page associated with the user's online account; determining that an IP address associated with the request is not identified as being suspicious; receiving user data intrinsic to the user's request; automatically verifying two or more values of the data intrinsic to the user's request as being indicative of a level of trust of the identity of the user; and transmitting, to the user over the Internet, a subset of options to reset the login information, the subset being selected based on the level of trust.
US09386008B2
A process/method is provided, which authenticates electronic devices allowing the installation and utilization of encryption enabling software capable of facilitating a public key infrastructure in combination with electronic devices without need for such encryption enabling software capable of facilitating a public key infrastructure to be installed at the same time as manufacture of the electronic device. The disclosed process/method may then provide a system for monitoring various metrics and statuses of the electronic devices through the manufacturing chain, distribution chain and product lifecycle. The process/method can be utilized to create electronic devices secured with encryption enabling software capable of facilitating a public key infrastructure, free from the security risks inherent with the current method of installing encryption enabling software onto electronic devices, which will render such secured electronic devices suitable for tasks requiring such enhanced security or encryption. Moreover, electronic devices utilizing the disclosed process/method to install encryption enabling software capable of facilitating a public key infrastructure will be enabled to benefit from and facilitate public key infrastructure functionality, including, but not limited to, the renew encryption enabling software on a defined renewal interval.
US09386007B2
A multi-domain application requiring SSO and SLO operations in cloud environment is presented. The computing system of the multi-domain application includes a multi-domain service (MDS) to redirect the calls for the multi-domain application to an identity provider to authenticate the user or to invoke the single logout services (SLOs) on the domains of the multi-domain application and to invalidate the user sessions on the domains. A cookie that includes the multi-domain application URL is generated to reach the assertion consumer service (ACS) and the single logout service (SLO) that receive an identity assertion response from the identity provider. Domain specific SLOs are provided. A trust between these domain specific SLOs and the SLO is provided based on service provider keys. The SAML mechanism for a logout scenario is reused for communication between the SLO and the domain specific SLOs, where the SLO plays a role of a local IDP.
US09386005B2
Embodiments of the present application relate to a method for data communication, a system for data communication, and a computer program product for data communication. A method for data communication is provided. The method includes identifying one or more first users located within a present range of a location of a second user, comparing an authorization code with one or more exchange codes pre-allocated to the one or more first users, and verifying validity of the authorization code, and in the event that, among the one or more exchange codes of the one or more first users within a definite range of the second user location, an exchange code matching the authorization code of the second user exists, and the authorization code of the second user is determined to be valid, performing a data exchange between the second user and the first user.
US09385999B2
Systems and methods securely provide media content from a media server to a media client via a network. The media content is segmented to create multiple media segments that are each identified in a playlist, and at least one of the media segments is encrypted using a cryptographic key. The cryptographic key is also identified in the playlist, and the playlist is provided from the media server to the media client via the network. The various media segments and cryptographic keys may then be requested from and provided by the media server using hypertext transport protocol (HTTP) or similar constructs to allow the media client to receive and decrypt the various segments of the media content.
US09385994B2
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for processing a data packet. An input port receives a data packet, a switching board classifies the data packet, determines whether the data packet should be accepted, and switches the data packet to a management board if the data packet is a first data packet in a session, and to a processing board if the data packet is not a first data packet in a session. A management board receives a data packet from the switching board, examines the data packet and forwards the data packet to one of the processing boards. One or more processing boards receives non-first data packets from the switching board and data packets from the management board and processes the data packets. A firewall and a secure gateway with firewall and virtual private network functionality for processing a data packet are also described.
US09385978B2
Message processing is disclosed that includes detecting an action by a sending user selecting at least one portion of a message. An indication of the selected portion of the message is stored in the message, and the message transmitted to at least one message recipient. Contextually related content from the message for the selected portion may also be indicated in the message. The selected portion or portions of the message may be displayed to a recipient user, and selection by the recipient user of a portion of the message selected by said sending user may be detected. Contextually related content may be retrieved from the message in response detecting the recipient user's selection of the portion of the message selected by said sending user, and the contextually related content displayed to the recipient together with the portion of the message selected by said sending user.
US09385973B2
An improved handheld electronic device and an associated method are provided in which time data regarding certain aspects of a messaging conversation on a handheld electronic device are made available to a user. Such time data is provided, for instance, in situations where an interruption has occurred during a messaging conversation. Time data can also be provided to a user on demand in certain circumstances.
US09385970B2
Achieving resource management within a network processing unit (NPU) can be challenging due to the NPU's fixed and limited instruction set. In the case of large mobile networks, contexts are dynamic, and each subscriber in the network consumes multiple hardware resources, where a central processing unit (CPU) is typically employed to program individual resources even though generally impractical in high-session rates. To avoid programming individual resources, an example embodiment of the present invention creates a group of resources depending on a category, the group being shared dynamically among subscribers when a subscriber is active in the network. The example embodiment may include a network service processor (NSP) located in a forwarding path, such that the NPU may operate in connection with the NSP to allocate NPU resources using a packetized interface. The example embodiment achieves resource management within the NPU without a host CPU's involvement and without statically delaying resources.
US09385969B2
A Fiber (Fiber) Channel (FC) switch and related methods are provided for merging FC fabrics. During a merger process of two separate FC fabrics, a principal switch in a merged FC fabric allocates a domain identifier (ID) to each switch in the merged FC fabric. The principal switch is configured to build a complete domain ID list that identifies the domain IDs for all switches in the merged FC fabric. After the complete domain ID list is generated, the principal switch transmits a message to all switches in the merged FC fabric, the message including the complete domain ID list.
US09385966B2
Systems and methods for allocating network bandwidth between a plurality of networks. Requests for bandwidth allocation from other networks can be received. A coexistence frame requesting an allocation of bandwidth for a local network can be generated based upon the bandwidth allocation requests received from other networks. The coexistence frame can be transmitted, and utilization of the requested allocation can be delayed by a reservation period.
US09385957B1
A flow key is determined from an incoming packet. Two hash values A and B are then generated from the flow key. Hash value A is an index into a hash table to identify a hash bucket. Multiple simultaneous CAM lookup operations are performed on fields of the bucket to determine which ones of the fields store hash value B. For each populated field there is a corresponding entry in a key table and in other tables. The key table entry corresponding to each field that stores hash value B is checked to determine if that key table entry stores the original flow key. When the key table entry that stores the original flow key is identified, then the corresponding entries in the other tables are determined to be a “lookup output information value”. This value indicates how the packet is to be handled/forwarded by the network appliance.
US09385955B2
Described is a method of managing the bonding of transmissions over a legacy transmission system and over a new transmission system, the legacy transmission system comprising a legacy Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS), the new transmission system comprising a new CMTS and configured to transmit data using a new mode, the method comprising: receiving data at the new CMTS, the data comprising an identification of a receiver as a destination for the data, the legacy receiver configured to receive data transmitted using the legacy mode; monitoring an output of the legacy CMTS; and determining, based on the monitored output, whether to route the data to the legacy CMTS to transmit to the receiver.
US09385953B1
In embodiments of mesh network addressing, a router device receives provisioning domains that include an address prefix and an associated preference value for the address prefix. The router determines a route, based on one of the address prefixes, to use to forward a data packet to a destination. The router uses the preference values to prioritize the routing of the data packet. In other aspects, the preference values can be set based on one or more factors, and the router can use the preference values in addition to mesh network routing costs to determine a route for a data packet.
US09385951B2
An apparatus includes a plurality of receiving ports and a plurality of transmitting ports. The apparatus stores, in a memory thereof, transfer control information for transferring a packet to a node that is able to transfer the received packet, and monitors packets received via the plurality of receiving ports. Upon receiving a first packet conforming to a predetermined communication protocol and containing a frame including destination information being registered in the transfer control information, the apparatus rewrites a header of the first packet, based on the transfer control information, and transmits the first packet whose header has been rewritten via corresponding one of the plurality of transmitting ports indicated by the transfer control information.
US09385949B2
A method for communication in a packet data network that includes at least first and second subnets interconnected by multiple routers and having respective first and second subnet managers. The method includes assigning respective local identifiers to ports for addressing of data link traffic within each subnet, such that the first subnet manager assigns the local identifiers in the first subnet, and the second subnet manager assigns the local identifiers in the second subnet. The routers are configured by transmitting and receiving control traffic between the subnet managers and the routers. Data packets are transmitted between network nodes in the first and second subnets via one or more of the configured routers under control of the subnet managers.
US09385944B2
When a communication path between a user site and a dual-homed data center is made redundant, a communication between the user site and a server within a data center can be continued. An edge node DCE-1 of a data center 40-1 and edge nodes TPE-1, TPE-2 of a transport network are connected to each other by a link TPE-1-1 and a link TPE-2-1, respectively. The edge nodes TPE-3 and TPE-1, TPE-2 that hold a node AE51 of a user site 50 are set with an LSP 110 of an active system, and an LSP 120 of a backup system, respectively. One of the links is active, and the other link is backup, and the LSP of the TPE node having the active link in the LSP 100 and the LSP 120 is made active. The respective links are prioritized, and the links are switched to an active state in order from the links higher in the order of priority when a link failure or an LSP failure occurs.
US09385938B2
Methods, devices, and systems for information distribution in a wireless communication system is provided. In one embodiment, a method of information distribution in a wireless communication system comprises receiving an information advertisement signal by a propagator node, wherein said information advertisement signal identifies information available from a distributor node; storing said information advertisement signal by said propagator node in a distributor routing table; and forwarding said information advertisement signal by said propagator node to another propagator node, a selector node, or both.
US09385936B2
A routing element and method for forwarding multicast traffic in a network includes grouping a collection of path-related multicast information flows from a source and associating each information flow of the collection with a multicast address from a set of multicast addresses. Forwarding information is placed in routers within the network between the sources and destinations wherein the forwarding information includes a single entry in a forwarding table using an identifier, e.g., a representative address, for the collection.
US09385933B2
In one embodiment, a targeted node in a computer network receives a probe generation request (PGR), and in response, generates a link-local multicast PGR (PGR-Local) carrying instructions for generating probes based on the PGR. The targeted node then transmits the PGR-Local to neighbors of the targeted node to cause one or more of the neighbors to generate and transmit probes to a collection device in the computer network according to the PGR-Local instructions. In another embodiment, a particular node in a computer network receives a link-local multicast probe generation request (PGR-Local) from a targeted node in the computer network, the targeted node having received the PGR-Local from a remote device, and determines how to generate probes based on instructions carried within the PGR-Local before sending one or more probes to a collection device in the computer network according to the PGR-Local instructions.
US09385931B1
In systems and method of determining a reordering timer in a wireless communication network, it is determined that a packet reordering of a plurality of data packets meets a reordering threshold, and the plurality of data packets is examined to determine a reordering severity of the plurality of data packets. Based on the determined reordering severity and an application requirement associated with the plurality of data packets, a reordering timer is determined.
US09385925B1
Systems and methods are described to detect routes utilized by client computing devices to access anycast points of presence. Multiple anycast points of presence may be associated with an anycast destination address. A client computing device may therefore connect to any of the multiple anycast points of presence, selected based on routing protocols. In some instances, client computing devices may connect to an undesirable point of presence. In order to detect an diagnose undesirable anycast connections, individual point of presence are configured to transmit anycast probes to client computing devices and/or nodes connecting the point of presence and a client computing device. Responses to each probe may be transmitted to the anycast destination address, which may be routed to an originating point of presence or to an alternative point of presence. Resulting data may be used to automatically generate warnings indicating undesirable anycast connections.
US09385913B2
Methods and systems for generating and sharing media clips are described. Consistent with some embodiments, while a selection of digital media content (e.g., a movie, television program, audio track, and so on) is being presented at a media player, a user creates one or more sets of waypoints (e.g., time markers) that define the boundaries (e.g., beginning and end) of one or more media clips. These waypoints are communicated from one media player device to another, enabling the receiving media player device to retrieve and play back the media clips from a source other than the media player device where the waypoints were generated.
US09385910B2
A method for allowing a mobile station to detect a Location Based Service-Reference Signal (LBS-RS) in a wireless communication system is disclosed. The method includes receiving LBS-RS setup information of at least one target cell participating in location measurement from a serving cell, acquiring a frequency offset value of the target cell using the LBS-RS setup information, and detecting the LBS-RS transmitted from the target cell using the LBS-RS setup information and the frequency offset value. In addition, the method further includes measuring a reception delay time of the detected LBS-RS, and transmitting a reception delay time to the serving cell.
US09385908B2
A communication apparatus comprises an inserter that inserts an element having a value of 0 or nearly 0 into a predetermined position of a modulated signal to generate inserted data; an operator that adds a pilot signal comprising a data series of which the elements at the positions corresponding to the predetermined positions in the modulated signal are multiplied by a first amplitude coefficient and the elements other than the elements multiplied by the first amplitude coefficient are multiplied by a second amplitude coefficient to the inserted data to generate a post-operation data; an IFFT unit that performs IFFT on the post-operation data; and a transmitter that generates a baseband signal based on the post-operation data on which the IFFT is performed and transmits a transmission signal generated from the baseband signal.
US09385892B2
There is provided a communication system capable of achieving a high usage efficiency of frequencies without the need for cooperation of multiplexed users. A communication system communicates over frequency channels set by dividing a frequency bandwidth assigned to the system allows interference between channels by overlapping the adjacent frequency channels with each other in the frequency domain, or a transmitting and receiving device, which transmits and receives a signal by allowing the interference between symbols at a waveform level for each channel to decrease the occupied bandwidth, is provided with ICI removal and ISI compensation filter 111 serving as either an ICI removal filter for removing the interference between channels or an ISI compensation filter for compensating the interference between symbols.
US09385882B2
A method of providing a home network telephony service, in which a first mobile communication terminal having a phone call connection with a second mobile communication terminal provides a phone communication service by using a first electronic device connected to a home network of the first mobile communication terminal is provided. The method includes transmitting a call initiation request message, including an address of the first electronic device, and making a request for a phone call connection using the first electronic device in response to the phone call to the second mobile communication terminal; receiving a response message in response to the call initiation request message from the second mobile communication terminal; and transmitting a call initiation request message including the address of the second electronic device and making a request to the first electronic device to originate a call to the second electronic device.
US09385881B2
A method and apparatus are described for creating a multi-media stream (e.g., video, voice, audio, etc. . . . ) Super-MAC frame in a physical protocol data unit, including inserting a physical layer header into a channel time allocation and generating the multi-media stream SuperMAC frame further including, appending a media access control header after the physical layer header, calculating a header correction code, appending the header correction code after the media access control header, appending a media access control multi-media stream payload from a transmit queue, calculating a frame check sequence, appending the frame check sequence after the media access control multi-media stream payload and repeating the above acts, after inserting the physical layer header, until one of the channel time allocation is full or all transmit queues are empty.
US09385874B2
Embodiments disclosed herein provide advantageous methods and systems that use multicast communications via unreliable datagrams sent on a protected traffic class. These methods and systems provide effectively reliable multicast delivery while avoiding the overhead associated with point-to-point protocols. Rather than an exponential scaling of point-to-point connections (with expensive setup and teardown of the connections), the traffic from one server is bounded by linear scaling of multicast groups. In addition, the multicast rendezvous disclosed herein creates an edge-managed flow control that accounts for the dynamic state of the storage servers in the cluster, without needing centralized control, management or maintenance of state. This traffic shaping avoids the loss of data due to congestion during sustained oversubscription. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed.
US09385870B2
In the method and system of establishing a trusted relationship, first a virtual private network is established between a key device and at least one locking device. Thereafter, in order to establish a trusted relationship the key device sends a message encrypted with its private cryptographic key to at least one locking device. The message comprises the certificate of the trusted key device and the certificate of some other device, with which the locking device that received the message shall establish a new trusted relationship. By using the established trusted relationship either a trusted relationship between the locking device and a new key device or a trusted relationship between two or more locking devices is established, whereby a virtual private network can be established between the locking devices.
US09385867B2
Hierarchical predicate encryption (HPE) for inner products with enhanced efficiency of operations. A cryptographic processing system includes a key generation device, an encryption device, and a decryption device. The key generation device generates, as a decryption key skL, a vector in which predicate information v{right arrow over ( )}t is embedded in a basis vector of a basis B*t for each integer t of t=1, . . . , L. The encryption device generates, as a ciphertext ct, a vector in which attribute information x{right arrow over ( )}t is embedded in a basis vector of a basis Bt for at least some integer t of t=1, . . . , L. The decryption device performs a pairing operation on the decryption key skL generated by the key generation device and the ciphertext ct generated by the encryption device, and decrypts the ciphertext ct.
US09385861B2
A wireless device including an oscillator circuit, a detector circuit, and a controller circuit. The oscillator circuit generate a clock signal. The detector circuit detect respective phase differences of received wireless signals of a plurality of frequency bands from respective reference phases. The controller circuit control, for each of the plurality of frequency bands, at least one of a receiving process and a transmitting process on the wireless signal on the basis of the clock signal such that the phase difference is compensated.
US09385856B2
A method and apparatus for transmitting Time Division Duplexing (TDD) configuration information by an evolved Node B (eNB) in a TDD wireless communication system are provided. The method includes determining a changed TDD configuration indicating a transmission direction of a plurality of sub-frames constituting a frame; generating a system information element including dynamic TDD configuration information indicating the changed TDD configuration; transmitting a system information block including the dynamic TDD configuration information; and sending a Media Access Control (MAC) message including information indicating whether a change in TDD configuration is activated.
US09385853B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and an apparatus for coordinated multi-node transmission The method includes: acquiring, by a user equipment, channel state indicator information of each coordinating node; feeding back, by the user equipment, all information or a part of information in the acquired channel state indicator information to a base station, so that each coordinating node performs, according to the channel state indicator information that has been fed back, scheduling on the user equipment and/or one or more other user equipments served by each coordinating node; and if the user equipment is scheduled, receiving, by the user equipment, scheduling result notification information sent by the base station, and receiving, by the user equipment according to the scheduling result notification information, data transmitted by a base station that corresponds to a coordinating node serving the user equipment. The present invention is applicable to a radio communications system.
US09385850B2
Provided are a control information transmission method of a transmission/reception point for a User Equipment that receives downlink control information through a downlink control channel introduced to a data area, a control information reception method of a User Equipment, and apparatuses thereto. Also, a resource mapping method and apparatus for an enhanced Control Channel Element (ECCE) of an EPDCCH is provided.
US09385848B2
Wireless protocols in the unlicensed spectrum are developed for different requirements in terms of transmit range and power, which makes it difficult for multiple nodes having disparate transmit ranges to coexist in the same unlicensed spectrum. A short-range wireless node uses adaptive preambles to signal presence to long-range wireless nodes outside of its transmit range. In addition, a long-range wireless node detects an adapter preamble and backs-off transmissions for reservation period dedicated to short-range nodes.
US09385839B2
One embodiment relates to a device. The device includes reception circuitry adapted to receive a data unit from a first node of a network and a confirmation message signal from a second node of the network. Analysis circuitry is adapted to determine a failure to correctly receive the data unit. Transmission circuitry is adapted to transmit a negative acknowledgement signal to the first node in case the analysis circuitry determines the data unit has not been correctly received and the confirmation message signal from the second node is received. Other methods and devices are also disclosed.
US09385838B2
Provided are an encoding method and an encoding apparatus in a wireless communications system. The encoding apparatus generates an error detection code for a first UCI (uplink control information), and adds the error detection code to a second UCI. The encoding apparatus encodes the first UCI, and then the second UCI added with the error detection code.
US09385833B2
Embodiments herein relate to a method in a transceiver (400) for enabling control of interference cancelling in the transceiver (400). The transceiver (400) is in a first decoding mode. The transceiver (400) stores a received signal comprising a data block. The transceiver (400) decodes the received signal using the first decoding mode, thereby obtaining the data block. When an event is triggered, the transceiver (400) retrieves the stored signal. The transceiver (400) decodes the retrieved signal using a second decoding mode, thereby obtaining the data block. The transceiver (400) controls the interference cancelling in the transceiver (400), based on the data block decoded using the first decoding mode and the data block decoded using the second decoding mode.
US09385831B2
Embodiments of a system and method for providing efficient wideband inverse channelization for direct digital synthesizer based jamming techniques are generally described herein. In some embodiments, metadata associated with a technique for generating a waveform, such as frequency, phase and amplitude parameters, is received. Data select signals and data input are generated based on the received metadata. In-phase and quadrature signals are produced at an output of a first de-multiplexer and a second de-multiplexer, respectively, based on the data select signals and the data input. Frequency modulated signals generated by direct digital synthesizers may be combined in a channel using a separate, distinct channel combiner.
US09385829B2
An optical communications module includes first and second opto-electronic devices and an optics device, in which a common beam path axis is oriented in a rotated direction about the axis at which a fiber is coupleable to the optics device barrel. The optics device includes a TIR lens aligned with the barrel axis. The TIR lens reflects optical signals between the barrel axis and a common beam path axis oriented in a direction having X-axis and Y-axis components offset by non-zero amounts from the barrel axis. The common beam path axis intersects first and second reflective interfaces of the device. The first opto-electronic device is aligned along a first beam path axis that intersects the first reflective interface and the common beam path axis. The second opto-electronic device is aligned along a second beam path axis that intersects the second reflective interface and the common beam path.
US09385822B2
A method for calibrating mismatches of an in-phase signal path and a quadrature signal path of a transmitter, including: utilizing the receiver to receive at least a test signal via the first signal path and the second signal path, wherein each test signal possesses a specific frequency within a specific frequency band; calculating at least a calibration coefficient for each test signal respectively, so as to calibrate mismatch between the first signal path and the second signal path of the receiver with respect to the specific frequency corresponding to each test signal; deriving a tap coefficient of a calibration filter of a calibration filter unit according to the at least a calibration coefficient of each test signal; and utilizing the calibration filter unit to calibrate a received signal.
US09385821B2
Disclosed is a system and method for calibrating BLE signal strengths to high-accuracy/precise distances. The present disclosure involves auto-calibrating BLE-based tracking systems, such as, for example, those used indoors using acoustic signals. The present disclosure enables BLE-based distance estimation to be accurate to decimeters and centimeters. The disclosed systems and methods utilize signals communicated to and from roaming devices in order to determine the distance(s) between the roaming device and installed BLE units. A signal-strength to distance map can then be constructed for reuse on any device with a Bluetooth component.
US09385816B2
Embodiments may provide a way of communicating via an electromagnetic radiator, or light source, that can be amplitude modulated such as light emitting diode (LED) lighting and receivers or detectors that can determine data from light received from the amplitude modulated electromagnetic radiator. Some embodiments may provide a method of transmitting/encoding data via modulated LED lighting and other embodiments may provide receiving/decoding data from the modulated LED lighting by means of a device with a low sampling frequency such as a relatively inexpensive camera (as might be found in a smart phone). Some embodiments are intended for indoor navigation via photogrammetry (i.e., image processing) using self-identifying LED light anchors. In many embodiments, the data signal may be communicated via the light source at amplitude modulating frequencies such that the resulting flicker is not perceivable to the human eye.
US09385815B2
In some examples, a transmit assembly is described that may include a first optical transmitter, a second optical transmitter, and a polarizing beam combiner. The first optical transmitter may be configured to emit a first optical data signal centered at a first frequency. The second optical transmitter may be configured to emit a second optical data signal centered at a second frequency offset from the first frequency by a nominal offset n. The polarizing beam combiner may be configured to generate a dual carrier optical data signal by polarization interleaving the first optical data signal with the second optical data signal. An output of the polarizing beam combiner may be configured to be communicatively coupled via an optical transmission medium to a polarization-insensitive receive assembly.
US09385814B2
Systems and apparatus for data communications comprising a plurality of wavelength tunable submodules in an array is provided. Each submodule has a wavelength tunable laser, and each submodule comprises, as an individual unit, a self-contained wavelength locker having optical and/or optoelectronic functions. The system may be a transponder array comprising a plurality of WDM or DWDM modules. In some embodiments, the individual submodules may comprise photonic integrated wavelength tunable lasers with other optical, electrical and optoelectronic components. Each wavelength tunable submodule incorporated into the module or array can have the same or different optical wavelength and other parameters including but not limited to modulation format. By utilizing the wavelength tunable laser submodules to build a module or array, the need for individual modules dedicated to wavelength sub-bands in the array is eliminated. The same tunable module can be used to fill all the wavelengths on a transmission fiber.
US09385812B2
The present invention is directed to data communication system and methods. More specifically, various embodiments of the present invention provide a communication interface that is configured to transfer data at high bandwidth using nDSQ format(s) over optical communication networks. In certain embodiments, the communication interface is used by various devices, such as spine switches and leaf switches, within a spine-leaf network architecture, which allows large amount of data to be shared among servers.
US09385809B2
An optical memory module comprises one or more memory devices configured to store data, and one or more optical interface modules configured to perform optical communication between the memory devices and an external device. Each of the optical interface modules comprises an input-output light distribution unit configured to divide received light to produce transmission light and reception light, an electrical-to-optical conversion unit configured to perform optical modulation based on the transmission light and an electrical transmission signal to generate an optical transmission signal, and a coherent optical-to-electrical conversion unit configured to perform a coherent reception based on the reception light and an optical reception signal to generate an electrical reception signal.
US09385795B1
Antenna structures and methods of operating the same of an electronic device are described. One apparatus includes an antenna structure comprising four antenna elements, a RF circuit, and a MIMO RF circuit coupled between the antenna structure and the RF circuit. The MIMO RF circuit may include a pair of diplexers; and a pair of switches. The RF circuit is operable to cause a first antenna element of the four antenna elements to radiate and receive electromagnetic energy in a first frequency range via the MIMO RF circuit and the RF circuit is operable to cause a remaining three antenna elements of the four antenna elements to receive electromagnetic energy in the first frequency range via the MIMO RF circuit to support 4×4 DL MIMO.
US09385786B2
A near field communication (NFC) antenna in a mobile device is used to wirelessly charge a battery in the mobile device by placing the mobile device on, or in very close proximity to, a charging station that emits an electromagnetic field. An induced current from the NFC antenna is detected that is above a predetermined threshold for longer than a predetermined duration. The induced current is used to charge the battery in the mobile device.
US09385777B2
A wireless communications system employs code-division multiple access information transmission techniques where the uplink and downlink transmission bandwidths are unequal. The higher bandwidth is an integer multiple of the lower bandwidth. The present system requires a base station and a subscriber unit to have two pseudo-random code generators which can be clocked separately. Alignment of the uplink and downlink pseudo-random spreading codes is achieved by truncating the code sequence for the lower speed link at the conclusion of a complete code sequence for the higher speed link.
US09385776B1
A method includes receiving a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) carrier carrying at least a pilot channel. Differences are computed between selected soft pilot symbols received on the pilot channel. Based on the computed differences between the selected soft pilot symbols received on the pilot channel, a level of noise is estimated for a data channel that is to be transmitted on the CDMA carrier.
US09385771B2
A smart card receiving assembly for a handheld communication device includes a housing, a release arm, and a smart card receiver. The housing forms an access compartment for receiving a battery and a smart card. The release arm is slidingly coupled to the housing and includes an extension extending downward. The smart card receiver is adapted to receive a smart card and includes a channel adapted to receive the extension. The smart card receiver can be made of metal to provide rigidity to the handheld communication device. When the release arm is moved from a first position to a second position, the extension can force the smart card from a seated position to an unseated position with the smart card sliding at least partially out of the smart card receiver and into the access compartment.
US09385770B2
We disclose an arrayed antenna for reception of electromagnetic radiation from a millimeter-wave or terahertz range. In an example embodiment, individual antenna cells in the arrayed antenna are configured for coherent detection of the received electromagnetic radiation and are electrically connected with one another in a manner that causes each of the antenna cells to positively contribute to the overall gain of the arrayed antenna. In some embodiments, the arrayed antenna may have a network of electrical conductors that is configured to (i) collect and deliver the electrical output signals generated by the individual antenna cells to an output terminal of the arrayed antenna, (ii) deliver an electrical local-oscillator signal from a common local-oscillator source to the individual antenna cells, and (iii) deliver electrical DC power from a common power supply to electrical circuits in the individual antenna cells.
US09385767B2
A correction phase locked loop (CPLL), including a signal processing unit that receives a digitized input signal from a satellite, the signal processing unit comprising (a) a primary correlator and primary discriminator, connected in series and generating a main error signal Z1 from the digitized input signal; (b) a correction correlator and a correction discriminator connected in series and generating a correction signal Z2; and (c) an adder for adding the main error signal Z1 and the correction signal Z2 to produce a common error signal Z. A loop filter filters the common error signal Z to produce a corrected error signal that is used for frequency-phase control of a Numerical Control Oscillator (NCO). The NCO generates two mutually orthogonal output reference signals whose phase is substantially free of multipath errors.
US09385760B2
The present invention discloses a wireless signal receiving device and method capable of receiving three or more signals of different central frequencies. An embodiment of said device comprises: a receiving circuit operable to generate a reception signal according to a wireless signal including a first, second, and third wireless signals of different central frequencies; a mixer operable to generate a mixing signal by processing the reception signal according to an oscillation clock in which the mixing signal includes a first, second and third intermediate-frequency (IF) signals and the central frequency of the third IF signal is higher than the other two; and a digital signal generating circuit operable to generate a first, second and third digital signals by processing the first, second and third IF signals according to a sampling frequency in which the sampling frequency is lower than two times the maximum frequency of the third IF signal.
US09385756B2
A data processing system includes a data input configured to receive input blocks of data, a memory configured to store the input blocks of data, a data processor configured to process the input blocks of data and to yield corresponding processed output blocks of data and a scheduler configured to cause the data processor to output the output blocks of data after a processing criterion has been met in the data processor. The memory is configured to retain the input blocks of data for reprocessing after the corresponding processed output blocks of data have been output from the data processor. The scheduler includes a control input configured to receive reprocessing requests for the retained input blocks of data. The scheduler is configured to initiate a reprocessing operation in the data processor for the retained blocks of data when the reprocessing requests are received on the control input.
US09385755B2
A bit interleaving method involves applying a bit permutation process to a QC-LDPC codeword made up of N cyclic blocks each including Q bits, and dividing the codeword after the permutation process into a plurality of constellation words each including M bits, the codeword being divided into F×N/M folding sections, each of the constellation words being associated with one of the F×N/M folding sections, and the bit permutation process being applied such that each of the constellation words includes F bits from each of M/F different cyclic blocks in a given folding section associated with a given constellation word.
US09385742B1
A current switching cell for a digital to analog converter. The switching cell includes three stages, a first control stage, a data stage, and a second control stage. The first control stage is configured to either disconnect the outputs of the digital to analog converter, or to connect them to the outputs of the data stage. The data stage is configured to operate in one of two states, depending on a data signal received, and the second control stage is configured to selectively invert the output of the digital to analog converter. The two control stages may be driven with several combinations of control waveforms to implement a non return to zero mode, a return to zero mode, inverse non return to zero mode, and inverse return to zero mode.
US09385738B2
Autonomously operating analog to digital converters are formed into a two dimensional array. The array may incorporate digital signal processing functionality. Such an array is particularly well-suited for operation as a readout integrated circuit and, in combination with a sensor array, forms a digital focal plane array.
US09385735B2
One or more analog-to-digital converters and methods for analog-to-digital conversion are provided. The analog-to-digital converter comprises a ramp generator and a direct current (DC) generator respectively configured to apply a ramp voltage waveform and a DC voltage waveform to a comparator. During a pixel signal level conversion, a first portion of the ramp voltage waveform is applied to the comparator. A control circuit then makes a determination regarding an output of the comparator. If the output corresponds to a first output, or first logic state, the ramp voltage generator applies a second portion of the ramp voltage waveform to the comparator. If the output corresponds to a second output, or second logic state, the DC generator adjusts the DC voltage waveform applied to the comparator.
US09385729B1
A system includes: a phase frequency detector (PFD) having an output switchably connectable and disconnectable to a first signal path via a first switch, and switchably connectable and disconnectable to a second signal path via a second switch; a first filter disposed in the first signal path; a second filter disposed in the second signal path; and, a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) operatively coupled to the first signal path downstream of the first filter, and operatively coupled to the second signal path downstream of the second filter. The VCO includes: a capacitive device or a current controlling device operatively coupled to the first signal path; and, a bulk terminal operatively coupled to the second signal path.
US09385727B2
A system includes at least one active energy transfer coil and a first passive energy transfer coil. The active energy transfer coil is configured to couple with a power supply. The at least one active energy transfer coil has an active coupling range. The first passive energy transfer coil is magnetically coupled to the active energy transfer coil and is located within the active coupling range. The first passive energy transfer coil has a passive coupling range. The first passive energy transfer coil is configured to provide energy to a first device located within the passive coupling range and based on energy received from the at least one active energy transfer coil.
US09385726B2
According to one embodiment, a chip is described comprising a plurality of supply lines delimiting a plurality of cell areas and a gate comprising a first transistor and a second transistor, wherein the first transistor is located in a first cell area of the plurality of cell areas and the second transistor is located in a second cell area of the plurality of cell areas such that a supply line of the plurality of supply lines lies between the first cell area and the second cell area.
US09385724B1
Integrated circuits such as application specific circuits or programmable logic devices may include specialized blocks such as configurable storage blocks and configurable processing blocks. Such specialized blocks may be controlled by clock signals and operated at single data rate or at double data rate. For instance, configurable storage blocks may be configured to use a double data rate communications scheme or a single data rate communication scheme to communicate data with other blocks. Configurable processing blocks may be configured to process data at a double data rate or a single data rate. Furthermore, configurable processing blocks that include accumulator circuitry may be configured to perform one accumulation at a single data rate or at a double data rate. Such configurable processing blocks may also be configured to perform two accumulations at a single data rate.
US09385721B1
A circuit is presented to reduce power while transmitting high speed signals across a long length of wire on an integrated circuit. A PMOS is used as a low swing driver, where the PMOS is connected between the driver's output and ground. The gate of the PMOS is also set to ground, while the input signal is connected to the bulk. The output is then transmitted over the signal path to an analog receiver, where both single ended and differential embodiments are presented. For a single ended version, a reference voltage for the receiver can be provided by a second, similarly connected PMOS whose bulk has an input signal at an intermediate level of input swing at the transmitter PMOS.
US09385716B2
A semiconductor device includes a first block coupled between a first latch node and a second latch node, a second block suitable for generating common-mode noise between the first latch node and the second latch node, wherein the second block includes a first MOS transistor having a gate coupled with the first latch node, and one between a source and a drain of the first MOS transistor is coupled with the second latch node while the other between the source and the drain is floating.
US09385711B2
A switch device includes a housing, a substrate, a single operation knob including an operation plate having operation indications provided thereon and moving in a direction toward and away from the substrate, a push switch fixed to the substrate, a plurality of touch electrodes to mounted on the substrate for sensing proximity of a finger and outputting a proximity signal, and a control circuit configured to output a command signal to an electrical circuit based on proximity signals from the respective touch electrodes when a press signal is input thereto. The sensing portions of the touch electrodes are disposed so as to form a space between the sensing portions and the operation plate when the operation knob is not depressed by a finger, and to come close to the operation plate when the operation knob is depressed by a finger.
US09385710B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a touch screen, an electronic device comprising the same and a method for manufacturing the same. The touch screen comprises driving electrode layers, a transparent organic polymer layer and metal bridges conductively communicated with two adjacent driving electrode layers, and protective layers covering the metal bridges to prevent the oxidation of the metal bridges are disposed between the driving electrode layers and the metal bridges. In the touch screen provided by the embodiment of the present invention, as the metal bridges are respectively covered by the protective layers, the metal bridges will not undergo oxidation reaction due to the contact of transparent organic polymers, and thus the electric conductivity of the metal bridges can be effectively guaranteed; the increase of the impedance of oxide layers can be avoided; and the product yield of the touch screen can be improved.
US09385701B2
A method and a device for generating PWM pulses for an inverter are provided. The three-phase inverter's characteristic of including high frequency complementary switches is used. Only three PWM peripheral units of a DSP control unit are used to output PWM high frequency signals, and a detection control unit determine for each phase two currently high frequency complementary switches according to the states of detected level signals outputted by a preset number of GPIO interfaces. The PWM high frequency signals are distributed for each phase to one of the two switches, and the PWM high frequency signals are inversed and then sent to the other one of the two switches. In addition, the states of other switches are maintained unchanged according to a preset correspondence between states of switches of a multi-level inverter and outputted level signals in different switching periods.
US09385696B1
Various aspects provide for generating a clock signal for a hold latch. A latch pulse generator generates a pulse clock signal based on a first clock signal associated with a first flip-flop component and a second clock signal associated with a second flip-flop component. A hold latch component receives the pulse clock signal generated by the latch pulse generator and generates a data signal that is transmitted to the second flip-flop component.
US09385692B2
An ultra-low power oscillator is designed for wake-up timers that can be used in compact wireless sensors, for example. A constant charge subtraction scheme removes continuous comparator delay from the oscillation period, which is the source of temperature dependence in conventional RC relaxation oscillators. This relaxes comparator design constraints, enabling low power operation. In 0.18 μm CMOS, the oscillator consumes 5.8 nW at room temperature with temperature stability of 45 ppm/° C. (−10° C. to 90° C.) and 1%/V line sensitivity.
US09385684B2
A bulk acoustic wave (BAW) resonator structure comprises a first electrode disposed over a substrate, a piezoelectric layer disposed over the first electrode, a second electrode disposed over the first piezoelectric layer, and a guard ring structure formed around a perimeter of an active region corresponding to an overlap of the first electrode, the first piezoelectric layer, and the second electrode.
US09385680B2
There is disclosed a method of controlling an input to an envelope modulated power supply of an envelope tracking amplification stage, comprising: generating an envelope signal representing the envelope of a signal to be amplified; applying a shaping function to the envelope signal to generate a shaped envelope signal, including: clipping the shaped envelope signal at high input envelope values; and providing the shaped envelope signal as an input signal to the envelope modulated power supply.
US09385669B2
An outphasing amplifier includes a first class-E power amplifier (16-1) having an output coupled to a first conductor (31-1) and an input receiving a first RF drive signal (S1(t)). A first reactive element (CA-1) is coupled between the first conductor and a second conductor (30-1). A second reactive element (LA-1) is coupled between the second conductor and a third conductor (32-1). A second class-E power amplifier (17-1) includes an output coupled to a fourth conductor (31-2) and an input coupled to a second RF drive signal (S2(t)), a third reactive element (CA-3) coupled between the second and fourth conductors. Outputs of the first and second power amplifiers are combined by the first, second and third reactive elements to produce an output current in a load (R). An efficiency enhancement circuit (LEEC-1) is coupled between the first and fourth conductors to improve power efficiency at back-off power levels. Power enhancement circuits (20-1,2) are coupled to the first and fourth conductors, respectively.
US09385661B1
In one embodiment, a circuit comprising a passive input network of an input impedance configured to couple an input voltage to a first circuit node; an adaptive current source configured to output an adaptive bias current to the first circuit node; a cascode device controlled by a control voltage and configured to receive a sum current from the first circuit node and output an output current to a second circuit node; and a load network of a load impedance configured to provide termination to the second circuit node, wherein the adaptive bias current is dynamically adapted to track a deterministic noise component in the input voltage.
US09385659B2
A control device provides a supply voltage to an output transistor of a power amplifier. The control device includes a detector encoder, a switch sequencer and a power switch. The detector encoder receives a detection signal indicating a negative peak voltage level of an output signal of the power amplifier, receives a reference signal indicating a critical voltage of the detection signal at which the negative peak voltage level of the output transistor is deemed to be out of voltage with reference to saturation voltage of the output transistor, compares the detection and reference signals, and outputs Boost Request and Recovery Request signals in response. The switch sequencer translates the Boost Request and Recovery Request signals into multiple control bits. The power switch coordinates switching among a no boost voltage and multiple boost voltages based on the control bits, and outputs one of these voltages as the supply voltage.
US09385652B2
A cross-coupled oscillator arrangement has a first resistance-capacitance oscillator core including at least two inverting stages; and a second resistance-capacitance oscillator core substantially identical to the first resistance-capacitance oscillator core. The first oscillator core and second oscillator core are cross coupled in anti-phase using coupling capacitors. The first oscillator core and second oscillator core are also connected in series such that the first oscillator core is supplied with a supply between a first potential and a second potential and the second oscillator core is supplied with a supply between the second potential and a third potential.
US09385648B2
Motor control command output means outputs, as a motor control command, a second command value, which is calculated by second command value calculating means on the basis of a first command value generated by first command value calculating means and a current value obtained by causing motor driving system current adding means to add together currents of respective motor driving systems, to the motor driving systems of two systems constituted by a motor and drive circuits for driving the motor. The second command value calculating means may calculate the second command value by performing a d/q coordinate system current feedback calculation using the current value.
US09385644B2
A method of maintaining a calibrated DC fan motor is provided in which normal operation of the motor is periodically and temporarily suspended in order to calibrate the motor. During normal operation, the motor controller selects an appropriate PWM control signal to achieve the desired motor speed. This PWM control signal is later modified during the calibration process on the basis of the difference between the desired motor speed and the actual motor speed, where the actual motor speed is determined by temporarily interrupting power to the motor, measuring the back EMF of the motor, and calculating the actual motor speed based on the back EMF. When normal operation is resumed, the motor controller uses the modified PWM control signal.
US09385641B2
System and method for initiating rotation of a rotor in a motor. The motor may include the rotor and a plurality of pairs of electromagnets. A rotation period may be determined. One or more pairs of electromagnets of the plurality of pairs of electromagnets may be excited at a first excitation level. The excited one or more pairs of electromagnets may be determined based on the rotation period. The excitation level may be decreased, over a first period of time, to a second excitation level. The second excitation level may be a lower excitation level than the first excitation level. The excitation level may be increased, over a second period of time, to a third excitation level. The third excitation level may be a higher excitation level than the second excitation level. The rotation period may be decreased over the first and second periods of time.
US09385639B2
A switching controller of a poly-phase electric motor may generate, in a fully digital manner, a replica of the phase current and/or of the phase (star) voltage of one or more windings of the motor. The switching controller may use digital signals already available for driving the motor to reconstruct a replica of the phase current or the phase voltage, and thereby avoid the need for dedicated analog components for phase current or phase voltage determination.
US09385630B2
A power conversion control device includes a modulation-wave generating unit generating a modulation wave based on output voltage phase angle command and modulation factor, a carrier-wave generating unit that, in a case of non-overmodulation state, generates a triangular wave or saw-tooth wave as the carrier wave, and, in a case of overmodulation state, generates, as the carrier wave, a signal fixed to −1 in a first section that is a predetermined range centering on timing corresponding to a peak position of the modulation wave, generates, as the carrier wave, a signal fixed to +1 in a second section obtained by shifting the first section by a half cycle of the modulation wave, and generates, as the carrier wave, a triangular wave or saw-tooth wave in remaining third section, and a comparing unit that compares the carrier wave and the modulation wave and generates a switching signal.
US09385627B2
The present disclosure is directed to universal power conversion devices for alternating current electric apparatus. One example power conversion device includes a plurality of transformers and a plurality of terminal blocks. The plurality of terminal blocks comprise at least an AC input terminal block for receiving an input alternating current signal and a primary coil terminal block. The primary coil terminal block has a plurality of output terminals respectively connected to a plurality of taps of a plurality of primary coils of the plurality of transformers. A plurality of jumpers respectively providing electrical connection between respective output terminals of the AC input terminal block and input terminals of the primary coil terminal block are selectively reconfigurable for reconfiguring a power conversion applied to the input alternating current signal by the power conversion device.
US09385617B2
In a switching power supply apparatus, when it is detected at time t1 that a voltage Vis has exceeded a first threshold Vth1, a timer counting a period of time T1 is started, and the number times the input voltage Vis does not exceed Vth1 is started to be counted. When the timer expires before the count reaches a predetermined number, a first overcurrent protection operation is performed. When it is detected at time t2 that Vis has exceeded a second threshold Vth2, a second overcurrent protection operation is immediately performed. As a result, appropriate overcurrent protection is performed in accordance with the operating state of a load.
US09385606B2
A reconfigurable DC-DC converter including a controller is disclosed which automatically adjusts the mode of operation (buck mode or boost mode) depending on the system requirements and is able to achieve the maximum efficiency and the lowest inductance current. The method of switching between buck and boost mode allows the converter to operate to 100% duty cycle for buck mode and 0% duty cycle for boost mode. This maximizes efficiency since the buck-boost mode of operation is eliminated and improves the stability and reliability of the system. A converter output voltage is processed and compared to a control voltage to generate buck and boost comparator output signals. The buck and boost comparator output signals are provided to control logic, which generates switch control signals, which are provided to the DC-DC converter to establish buck mode, boost mode, or pass-through mode.
US09385603B2
In one embodiment, a method of controlling a switching power supply can include: (i) generating an ideal on time signal according to an input voltage and an output voltage of the switching power supply; (ii) generating a ripple voltage signal having a predetermined constant value when a power switch of the switching power supply is on, and a linearly decreasing value when the power switch is off; (iii) generating a regulating voltage signal according to an output voltage sense signal and the ripple voltage signal; (iv) generating a regulating control signal by comparing the regulating voltage signal against a first reference signal; (v) generating an on time control signal according to the regulating control signal and the ideal on time signal; and (vi) generating a driving signal according to the on time control signal for driving the power switch.
US09385602B2
A switching power supply device wherein an input voltage is stepped-up by first and second switching elements that are driven on and off in a complementary way, thus obtaining a stabilized output voltage. The switching power supply device includes a comparator that detects fluctuation in an operating reference potential of the second switching element accompanying fluctuation in the input voltage, and a drive signal generator circuit that carries out a logical operation on an output control signal, a dead time signal, and the output signal of the comparator, thus generating first and second drive signals that determine the on-state time of the first and second switching elements.
US09385596B1
A charge pump unit capable of reducing reverse current includes a first NMOS transistor, a first PMOS transistor, a second NMOS transistor, and a second PMOS transistor. The first NMOS transistor and the first PMOS transistor are coupled in series and are controlled by a first clock signal. The second NMOS transistor and the second PMOS transistor are coupled in series and are controlled by a second clock signal. The first NMOS transistor is for receiving a first input voltage and the second NMOS transistor is for receiving a second input voltage. The first clock signal and the second clock signal transit at different time points. A rising edge of the first clock signal leads a respective falling edge of the second clock signal.
US09385593B2
A device may be associated with a power source. The device may include a charge pump configured to output a pulse-width modulated voltage based upon an input voltage from the power source, with the pulse-width modulated voltage varying between a first voltage and a second voltage. The device may also include a low-pass filter comprising an output capacitor, with the output capacitor being configured to average the pulsed-width modulated voltage and to output a filtered voltage having a value different than that of the input voltage. The device may further include a controller configured to selectively decouple the charge pump from the power source when a load imposed on the low-pass filter is below a threshold load.
US09385590B2
A method and arrangement are disclosed for a vehicle inverter drive having a voltage distribution block and two or more inverters, intermediate circuits of which are connected in parallel to the voltage distribution block for supplying voltage to the intermediate circuits, in which the intermediate circuits of the inverters are interconnected with a coaxial cable to minimize inductance in the parallel connection.
US09385589B2
The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates the use of a portable electronic device. During operation, the system detects a coupling of a power supply to the portable electronic device through a set of wires. Next, the system uses the set of wires to identify a type of the power supply. The system then periodically determines a switching frequency of the power supply based on the type of the power supply and a current drawn from the power supply. Finally, the system uses the switching frequency to facilitate the operation of a touch control in the portable electronic device. For example, if the switching frequency corresponds to a sensing frequency of the touch control, the system may change the sensing frequency to an alternative sensing frequency.
US09385586B2
A snubber circuit of a switching power supply device includes a transistor and a capacitor which are connected in series between a cathode and an anode of a diode, and a secondary winding of a transformer. A vibration voltage is generated in the secondary winding when a surge voltage is generated in the diode. The snubber circuit further includes a differentiating circuit which differentiates a voltage between terminals of the secondary winding, and a peak charging circuit which generates a control voltage of a waveform connecting a plurality of peaks of an output voltage of the differentiating circuit and applies the control voltage to a gate of the transistor to cause the transistor conduct.
US09385583B2
In certain embodiments, a circuit comprises a first voltage source configured to provide a supply voltage at an output of the first voltage source for a subcircuit. The circuit further comprises at least one second voltage source configured to provide output voltage to supply the subcircuit when the first voltage source is deactivated. The circuit further comprises an evaluation circuit connectable to an output of the at least one second voltage source, to a control input of the at least one second voltage source, and to the output of the first voltage source. The evaluation circuit is configured to adjust, based on the supply voltage at the output of the first voltage source, an output voltage of the at least one second voltage source.
US09385580B2
The invention relates to an electromagnetic actuator for a surgical or medical instrument, the actuator having a stator (19) and a displaceable element (10), which at least partially comprises a paramagnetic or ferromagnetic material and can be displaced from a first position into a second position by applying an electromagnetic field.The invention is characterized in that the displaceable element (10) is or will be held in the first or in the second position by a permanent magnet.
US09385579B2
An inertial drive actuator includes a displacement unit, a vibration substrate, a movable body, a first magnetic field generator which generates a magnetic field so that, a magnetic attractive force or a magnetic repulsive force acts in a direction opposite to the movable body, a first yoke, and which induces a magnetic flux generated by the first magnetic field generator such that, the flux generated by the first magnetic field generator is concentrated on a surface of the movable body, opposite to the vibration substrate, and second yokes and on a side of the vibration substrate, opposite to a direction facing the movable body, and the second yokes and control a frictional force acting between the movable body and the vibration substrate by controlling the magnetic field generated by the first magnetic field generator.
US09385577B2
An axial gap-type power generator has: a rotor fixed to a crankshaft of an engine; a stator fixed to a crankcase of the engine and opposing the rotor across a spacing in an axial direction; and a housing to house the rotor and the stator and to fix the stator. The stator is configured by arraying, in a peripheral direction, a plurality of coils C each configured through winding of a winding about a stator core. The housing is formed of a resin-based material. Winding ends of the coils are wired using connector fittings each of which is formed of a metal plate, is held on the housing, and has a clamp into which the winding end is inserted and clamped.
US09385570B2
The invention includes a retention system and method for stator magnet wires. In embodiments, the retention system includes a packing ring that can swell to a larger size following installation. In embodiments, the lubricant used in the motor causes the packing ring to swell. When the packing ring swells, it exerts pressure against the end turns of the stator magnet wires, and can contour to the shape of the wires so that there are no pressure points on the wires. A rigid support ring can be positioned concentric with the packing ring so that the packing ring does not swell toward the axis of the motor housing.
US09385569B2
A plastic-package motor, including: a rotating shaft, a rotor assembly, a plastic-package stator, a front end cover, a rear end cover, an injection-molding end plate, and a conducting strip. The rotating shaft and the rotor assembly are installed and connected together. The plastic-package stator is sleeved outside the rotor assembly. The front end cover is injection-molded on the injection-molding end plate at the bottom of the plastic-package stator. The injection-molding end plate is covered outside the front end cover. The rear end cover is installed at the other end of the plastic-package stator, and two ends of the rotating shaft are supported on a bearing of the front end cover and a bearing of the rear end cover, respectively. One end of the conducting strip is electrically connected with the front end cover.
US09385564B2
The invention intends to improve a stator which is detachably installed to an outer peripheral portion of a can accommodating a rotor. The stator is integrally formed with a resin mold by arranging a stator assembly (110) within metal molds (300, 310) and injecting a molten resin (P1) from a gate (G1) at one position. An annular plate (160) is mounted to an upper portion of the stator assembly (110) so as to prevent the molten resin from intruding into magnetic pole teeth (120a, 122a), and prevent a weld line from being generated in an outer peripheral surface of the resin mold.
US09385561B2
A system for efficiently charging a target device such as a power toothbrush, when placed in a charging receptacle such as a cup connected to a source of electrical power. A plurality of steering coils are arranged around the primary charging coil in the charging receptacle. A control circuit changes the magnetic field phase pattern of the steering coils relative to the phase of magnetic field of the primary coil until the maximum power transfer between the charging receptacle and the target device is determined. Charging of the target device occurs at the maximum power transfer rate.
US09385557B2
Methods, systems, and products charge a battery in a mobile device. A calendric pattern describes habitual usage of the mobile device. The battery may thus be charged based on the calendric pattern.
US09385552B2
Method, apparatus, and computer program product embodiments are disclosed for estimating the remaining charging time of a rechargeable battery. An example embodiment of the invention comprises a method comprising the steps of detecting an availability of a charging device to a battery in an apparatus; determining a type of the charging device by measuring its charging characteristics for charging the battery in the apparatus and comparing its measured charging characteristics with stored charging characteristics of a plurality of chargers, adapters, or charger-adapter combinations; measuring charging current of the battery; and calculating a time remaining to charge the battery based on a comparison of the measured charging current with the stored charging characteristics.
US09385547B2
There are provided a wireless charging apparatus and an electronic apparatus including the same, and more particularly, a wireless charging apparatus in which a wireless charging coil is integrally formed with a case and an electronic apparatus including the same, the wireless charging apparatus including a case forming an exterior of a product and containing a magnetic powder, and a coil pattern formed on an outer surface of the case.
US09385545B2
An electric storage device protection apparatus includes switches arranged between an electric device and an electric storage device and connected in parallel to each other, a rectifier component connected in series to one of the switches between a pair of common connection points of the switches, and a controller. The controller is configured to make the switch connected to the rectifier component to be in the open state when determining that a voltage of the electric storage device is within a reference range, and make the switch that is connected to the rectifier component to be in the closed state and make another one of the switches to be in the open state when determining that a voltage of the electric storage device becomes outside the reference range due to a current flowing in a reverse direction of the rectifier component.
US09385542B2
A serial battery charger has a battery matrix with switches that are configured by a microcontroller that reads voltages between batteries to determine if each battery is fully-charged, charging, or absent. A switch configuration allows charging and discharging currents to flow simultaneously, and allows discharging current but blocks charging current from fully-charged batteries to prevent over-charging. The charging current flows through all charging batteries in series while the discharging current flows from all fully-charged and charging batteries in series. Blocking and bypass switches route the charging current to all charging batteries in series, but bypass all fully-charged and absent batteries. The blocking and bypass switches route the discharging current serially through all fully-charged and charging batteries in the battery matrix while avoiding absent batteries. The switches are controlled by the switch configuration from the microcontroller. Larger battery matrixes have row and column lines that are connected by connecting switches.
US09385532B2
An energy management system includes an energy management apparatus configured to mange energy supplied to equipment devices of a plurality of buildings, and a control apparatus configured to control the equipment devices in the buildings. The energy management apparatus is located superordinate to the buildings. The control apparatus is connected to the energy management apparatus. The control apparatus includes an operating status perceiving unit configured to perceive operating status of the equipment devices, and a reducing capability presentation unit configured to present a plurality of energy reducing capabilities for at least one condition to the energy management apparatus. The energy reducing capabilities are amounts of energy that can be reduced for the equipment devices based on the operating status perceived.
US09385531B2
A system and method for optimizing the returns of power feedstock producers includes automated selection between selling raw feedstock or generating power and storing it in a storage device for subsequent sale under more favorable market conditions. The system may comprise grid-scale electric power storage devices which enable a feedstock supplier—e.g., a natural gas producer—to utilize real-time market data to allocate a feedstock between its sale “as is”—i.e., as fuel or chemical feedstock—and use of the feedstock to produce electric power which may be stored for later sale when the market price for peaking electric power is favorable. In certain embodiments, the system may be entirely automated and the collection of market data, the allocation of feedstock and the generation and subsequent supplying of electric power to a grid may be entirely performed by the system without operator intervention.
US09385529B2
Power supply current is supplied to a plurality of electric loads, the power supply current being generated by a DC power supply, flowing in and branching from a shared power supply switching device and then flowing in reverse connection protection devices that are a field-effect transistor and connected in series to the electric loads, respectively. The reverse connection protection devices are connected in a polarity such that the power supply current flows in the forward direction of parasitic diodes generated between the source terminal S and the drain terminal D of the field-effect transistor. When the current in the field-effect transistor is less than a predetermined value, a gate control circuit interrupts the gate voltage of the reverse connection protection device to cause the reverse connection protection device to open.
US09385500B2
An electrical connector can be configured to mate with at least one complementary electrical connector. The electrical connector includes a dielectric connector housing including a housing body that defines a mounting interface configured to be mounted onto a substrate and a mating interface configured to receive at least one complementary electrical connector along a mating direction. A plurality of electrical contacts are supported by the connector housing and spaced apart from each other along a lateral direction that is substantially perpendicular to the mating direction. The electrical contacts include 1) a mating portion that is configured to mate with a complementary electrical contact of the complementary electrical connector, and 2) a mounting portion configured to electrically connect to the substrate. The electrical connector can further include at least one electrically insulative fin supported by the housing body.
US09385490B2
A switch-equipped connector that can reduce the occurrence of intermodulation distortion includes a first terminal, a second movable terminal, and a magnet provided at a position distant from the first and second terminals. At least one of the first and the second terminal has a magnetic metal and the second terminal is configured to come into and out of contact with the first terminal.
US09385484B2
An electrical connector includes an insulating housing, a plurality of conductive terminals installed in the insulating housing and a metallic shell shielding around the insulating housing. The insulating housing has a mating portion extending forwardly thereof. The metallic shell surrounds to form a mating cavity into which the mating portion extending and a joint communicating with the mating cavity. The conductive terminals are exposed to one face of the mating portion. The joint is filled with soldering material to form a soldering segment. The electrical connector has good waterproof function with the soldering segment in the joint.
US09385474B2
A contact increased in contact reliability by accommodating misalignment from a mating contact. A female-side contact includes a contact body including a contact portion that is brought into contact with a mating contact portion of a male-side contact, and a supporting member formed separate from the contact body, for receiving therein the mating contact portion and movably supporting the contact portion. The supporting member includes a supporting member body for receiving therein the mating contact portion and the contact portion, and first and second spring portions provided on the supporting member body, for bringing the mating contact portion inserted in the supporting member body and the contact portion into contact with each other. The contact portion includes a contact portion body having a flat plate shape and contact point portions protruding from the contact portion body into the inside of the supporting member body.
US09385464B2
A cable connector assembly (100, 100′) includes a first cable end (1, 1′), a second cable end (2, 2′), and a cable (3, 3′) connecting between the first cable end and the second cable end. The first cable end has a first insulative body (11, 11′) and a first connecting tongue (12, 12′) extending beyond the first insulative body. The second cable end has a second insulative body (211, 211′), a third insulative body (212, 212′) extending from the second insulative body, a second connecting tongue (23, 23′) extending beyond the second insulative body, and a third connecting tongue (24, 24′) extending beyond the third insulative body. The cable connector assembly has a cover (25, 25′) covering the second cable end along a first direction. The cover is moveable with respect to the second cable end in a second, perpendicular direction to cover one of the two connecting tongues.
US09385461B2
A contact terminal having a main body case and a plunger pin received in an elongate hole formed in the main body case is provided. The plunger pin is a round bar provided with a step and includes a small diameter portion including the protrusion end portion and a large diameter portion that slides on a surface of the hole to freely move in a longitudinal direction thereof. A cut space is formed to extend from an end of the large diameter portion so as to leave at least a part of a side surface portion of the large diameter portion and the cut space receives an insulation ball including at least an insulation surface. A coil spring is arranged between the hole and the insulation ball to press the protrusion end portion of the plunger pin such that the protrusion end portion protrudes from the main body case.
US09385448B2
The systems, apparatus, and methods disclosed herein provide access to systems located within a closed structure, such that the systems are traditionally difficult for humans to access. Exemplary structures include an engine compartment, airplane wing, or fuselage. This access allows a system located within the structure to be electrically coupled with an electrical I/O device located outside the structure. Access to a system located within the closed structure is provided by way of a hole.
US09385435B2
Surface scattering antennas provide adjustable radiation fields by adjustably coupling scattering elements along a wave-propagating structure. In some approaches, the scattering elements are patch elements. In some approaches, the scattering elements are made adjustable by disposing an electrically adjustable material, such as a liquid crystal, in proximity to the scattering elements. Methods and systems provide control and adjustment of surface scattering antennas for various applications.
US09385411B2
A directional coupler includes a main line and a subline. The main line connects an input port and an output port. The subline connects a coupling port and a terminal port. The subline includes a first coupling line section connected to the terminal port, a second coupling line section connected to the coupling port, and a low-pass filter. The low-pass filter includes an inductor provided between the first and second coupling line sections, a first capacitor having an end connected to the connection point between the inductor and the second coupling line section, a resistor connecting the other end of the first capacitor to the ground, and a second capacitor connecting the connection point between the inductor and the first coupling line section to the ground.
US09385404B2
Disclosed herein is a battery module including two or more plate-shaped battery cells sequentially stacked, wherein each of the plate-shaped battery cells is constructed in a structure in which an electrode assembly of a cathode/separator/anode structure is mounted in a battery case formed of a laminate sheet including a resin layer and a metal layer, and a heat exchange member, including a plurality of heat exchange plates and a frame to which the heat exchange plates are connected, is mounted at one side of a stack of the battery cells for removing heat generated from the battery cells during the charge and discharge of the battery cells.
US09385396B2
Disclosed herein is a battery cell configured such that an electrode assembly of a cathode/separator/anode stack structure is mounted in a changeable cell case in a state in which the electrode assembly is impregnated with an electrolyte, wherein the electrode assembly and the cell case are curved in the same direction on axial vertical sections thereof in a state in which opposite ends of the electrode assembly and opposite ends of the cell case are directed in the same direction about a middle part of the electrode assembly and a middle part of the cell case.
US09385395B2
A continuous prismatic cell stacking system and method is disclosed. The system comprises: (a) devices on the system to supply a separator layer, a cathode layer, and an anode layer; and (b) one cutter on the frame for cathode layer and anode layer; and (c) conveyer system to convey the stacked cell. The conveyer system comprises a rotary disc and a transfer belt. The said rotary disc is round shape, or multi-equilateral shape, or track & field shape.
US09385391B2
A redox fuel cell comprising an anode and a cathode separated by an ion selective polymer electrolyte membrane; means for supplying a fuel to the anode region of the cell; means for supplying an oxidant to the cathode region of the cell; means for providing an electrical circuit between respective anodes and cathodes of the cell; a catholyte solution comprising at least one catholyte component, the catholyte solution comprising a redox mediator couple; and a regeneration zone comprising a catholyte channel and a porous member having an active surface, the catholyte channel being arranged to direct a flow of catholyte adjacent to or towards the active surface, the means for supplying an oxidant to the cell being adapted to supply the oxidant to the porous member.
US09385383B2
Disclosed herein is a method for generating an injected current of fuel cell stack, including: generating a synthesized frequency current in a form in which a first frequency current is synthesized with a second frequency current; and applying the synthesized frequency current to the fuel cell stack, wherein the first frequency current and the second frequency current are each used to calculate at least one of total harmonic distortion and impedance. According to the embodiment of the present invention, a hardware configuration may be reduced by applying the synthesized frequency current of the AC current for calculating the total harmonic distortion (THD) and the AC current for calculating the impedance to the fuel cell stack, without generating the AC current for calculating the total harmonic distortion (THD) and the AC current for calculating the impedance, respectively, thereby reducing a price and a size of the fuel cell stack.
US09385381B2
A fuel cell stack has a first block having a first number of cells, a first fuel supply channel for supplying fuel gas to the first block, a collecting channel for collecting fuel gas which has passed through the first block, a second block having a second number of cells, the second number being smaller than the first number, a second fuel supply channel for supplying the second block with fuel gas which has been collected into the collecting channel, and a discharge channel for discharging fuel gas which has passed through the second block. A throttling section smaller in channel diameter than first and second fuel gas trunk channels, first and second branch channels, the collecting channel, and the discharge channel is provided downstream of the collecting channel and upstream of the second fuel supply channel.
US09385379B2
A bipolar plate for a fuel cell is provided including a plate having an active surface with a plurality of flow channels formed therein. The plurality of flow channels have a hydrophilic coating deposited thereon and define a plurality of lands disposed therebetween. The plurality of lands is substantially free of the hydrophilic coating. Furthermore, a thickness of the hydrophilic coating is substantially constant along a length of the active surface and an edge of the hydrophilic coating adjacent the plurality of lands is substantially continuous. A method for preparing the bipolar plate is also provided.
US09385374B2
An electrode binder of a lithium ion battery comprising: (a) a polyvinylidene binder dispersed in an organic diluent with (b) a (meth)acrylic polymer dispersant. The binder can be used in the assembly of electrodes of lithium ion batteries.
US09385361B2
A rechargeable battery is disclosed. In one aspect, the battery includes an electrode assembly having an uncoated region, a case accommodating the electrode assembly therein and an insulation plate disposed on the uncoated region of the electrode assembly. The battery also includes a gasket formed on the insulation plate, wherein the gasket comprises a support supported by and contacting an upper surface of the insulation plate, wherein the support comprises an inner side surface and an outer side surface, and wherein at least one of the inner and outer side surfaces forms an obtuse angle with respect to the upper surface of the insulation plate. The battery further includes a cap assembly contacting the gasket and connected to the uncoated region of the electrode assembly through a lead tab.
US09385348B2
A method for fabricating an organic light emitting device stack involves depositing a first conductive electrode layer over a substrate; depositing a first set of one or more organic layers, wherein at least one of the first set of organic layers is a first emissive layer and one of the first set of organic layers is deposited by a solution-based process that utilizes a first solvent; depositing a first conductive interlayer by a dry deposition process; and depositing a second set of one or more organic layers, wherein at least one of the second set of organic layers is a second emissive layer and one of the second set of organic layers is deposited by a solution-based process that utilizes a second solvent, wherein all layers that precede the layer deposited using the second solvent are insoluble in the second solvent.
US09385342B2
An electroluminescent display or lighting product incorporates a panel comprising a collection of distinct light-emitting elements formed on a substrate. A plurality of distinct local seals are formed over respective individual light-emitting elements or groups of light-emitting elements. Each local seal is formed by depositing a low melting temperature glass powder suspension or paste, and fusing the glass powder. Fusing may be performed using selective heating by microwave or laser irradiation. Energy absorption may be enhanced by incorporating absorbing particles in the glass powder paste or suspension. The local seal may be used in conjunction with a continuous thin film encapsulation structure. Optical functions can be provided by each local seal, including refraction, filtering, color shifting, and scattering.
US09385341B2
The present invention provides an organic LED element having the significantly larger light emission area than conventional ones. The invention relates to an organic LED element, comprising: a transparent substrate; a light scattering layer; a transparent first electrode; an organic light-emitting layer; and a second electrode formed in this order, wherein the light scattering layer has a base material comprising a glass, and a plurality of scattering materials dispersed in the base material; the light scattering layer has side surfaces, and each of the side surfaces has a surface tilted at an angle larger than right angle from an upper surface on the first electrode side toward a bottom surface on the transparent substrate side; and the first electrode is placed so as to continuously cover the side surfaces.
US09385336B2
Provided is an organic light-emitting device including a first electrode, a second electrode disposed opposite to the first electrode, an emission layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, and an electron-transporting layer disposed between the emission layer and the second electrode. The electron-transporting layer includes a first electron-transporting material and a second electron-transporting material. The lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energy level of the first electron-transporting material (EL1) and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energy level of the second electron-transporting material (EL2) satisfy the equation 0.1 eV≦|EL1−EL2|≦0.3 eV.
US09385330B2
The present application relates to a substrate for an organic electronic diode (OED), an organic electronic system, and a lighting. In the present application, the substrate capable of forming an OED or the organic electronic system can ensure performance including light extracting efficiency and reliability is provided.
US09385329B2
Platinum compounds of Formulas I and II useful in a variety of devices, such as, for example organic-light emitting diodes (OLEDs).
US09385325B2
Provided is a heterocyclic compound represented by Formula 1 below and an organic light-emitting device including the compound of Formula 1: wherein substituents in Formula 1 above are defined as in the specification.
US09385322B2
In one embodiment the disclosure relates to an apparatus for depositing an organic material on a substrate, including a source heater for heating organic particles to form suspended organic particles; a transport stream for delivering the suspended organic particles to a discharge nozzle, the discharge nozzle having a plurality of micro-pores, the micro-pores providing a conduit for passage of the suspended organic particles; and a nozzle heater for pulsatingly heating the micro-pores nozzle to discharge the suspended organic particles from the discharge nozzle.
US09385317B2
Some embodiments include a memory cell having a first electrode, and an intermediate material over and directly against the first electrode. The intermediate material includes stabilizing species corresponding to one or both of carbon and boron. The memory cell also has a switching material over and directly against the intermediate material, an ion reservoir material over the switching material, and a second electrode over the ion reservoir material. Some embodiments include methods of forming memory cells.
US09385313B2
A method of forming a resistive memory cell, e.g., a CBRAM or ReRAM, may include forming a bottom electrode layer, forming an oxide region of an exposed area of the bottom electrode, removing a region of the bottom electrode layer proximate the oxide region to form a bottom electrode having a pointed tip or edge region, and forming first and second electrolyte regions and first and second top electrodes over the bottom electrode to define distinct first and second memory elements. The first memory element defines a first conductive filament/vacancy chain path from the first portion of the bottom electrode pointed tip region to the first top electrode via the first electrolyte region, and second memory element defines a second conductive filament/vacancy chain path from the second portion of the bottom electrode pointed tip region to the second top electrode via the second electrolyte region.
US09385309B2
A method for fabricating a perpendicular magnetic tunnel junction (pMTJ) device includes growing a seed layer on a first electrode of the pMTJ device. The seed layer has a uniform predetermined crystal orientation along a growth axis. The method also includes planarizing the seed layer while maintaining the uniform predetermined crystal orientation of the seed layer.
US09385308B2
In a particular illustrative embodiment, a method of fabricating a semiconductor device is disclosed that includes forming a metal layer over a device substrate, forming a via in contact with the metal layer, and adding a dielectric layer above the via. The method further includes etching a portion of the dielectric layer to form a trench area, and depositing a perpendicular magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structure within the trench area.
US09385299B2
Provided is a piezoelectric element comprising a first electrode; a piezoelectric body layer provided on the first electrode, the piezoelectric body layer including 50 mol % or more of at least bismuth and iron, and the piezoelectric body layer having a current density-time curve obtained by applying a voltage to the first electrode and the second electrode including a plurality of inflection points; and a second electrode provided on the piezoelectric body layer.
US09385288B2
A light-emitting device includes a lead frame, a white resist, a light-emitting element, and a wire. The white resist is provided on the lead frame to be in contact with the lead frame. The white resist has an opening to expose the lead frame. The light-emitting element is disposed on the white resist and includes a transparent substrate and a semiconductor layer. The transparent substrate is bonded to the white resist via a bonding member. The semiconductor layer is provided on the transparent substrate. The wire connects the light-emitting element and the lead frame at the opening.
US09385286B2
An optoelectronic component comprises: at least one semiconductor chip suitable for generating electromagnetic radiation, a beam shaping element (1), through which at least part of the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the semiconductor chip during operation passes and which has an optical axis (2), and which has an outer contour (5) with respect to a coordinate system (3, 4) perpendicular to the optical axis (2), wherein the contour (5) constitutes a curve (n) that is mirror-symmetrical with respect to both central axes (a1, a2) of an ellipse (e) inscribed by the contour, wherein the following succeed one another in each of the four identical sections between the respective central axes (a1, a2): an ellipse segment (b1), a linear part (c1) a second ellipse segment (d), a further linear part (c2) and a third ellipse segment (b2).
US09385281B2
The present invention relates to a graphene sheet and a transparent electrode, and an active layer including the same, and a display device, an electronic device, an optoelectronic device, a battery, a solar cell, and a dye-sensitized solar cell including these. The graphene sheet includes a lower sheet including 1 to 20 graphene layers, and a ridge formed on the lower sheet and including more graphene layers. The ridge has a metal grain boundary shape.
US09385274B2
The present invention relates to a patterned opto-electrical substrate, comprising a substrate, the substrate has a first patterned structure, a spacer region and a second patterned structure, wherein the second patterned structure is formed on one or both of the first patterned structure and the spacer region, and the first patterned structure is a micron-scale protruding structure or a micron-scale recessing structure, while the second patterned structure is a submicron-scale recessing structure. The present invention also relates to a method for manufacturing the aforementioned patterned opto-electrical substrate and light emitting diodes having the aforementioned patterned opto-electrical substrate.
US09385271B2
A device including one or more layers with lateral regions configured to facilitate the transmission of radiation through the layer and lateral regions configured to facilitate current flow through the layer is provided. The layer can comprise a short period superlattice, which includes barriers alternating with wells. In this case, the barriers can include both transparent regions, which are configured to reduce an amount of radiation that is absorbed in the layer, and higher conductive regions, which are configured to keep the voltage drop across the layer within a desired range.
US09385270B2
A light-emitting device, according to one embodiment of the present invention, comprises: a first conductive semiconductor layer; an active layer on the first conductive semiconductor layer; a blocking layer on the active layer; and a second conductive semiconductor layer on the blocking layer, wherein the active layer comprises a plurality of quantum well layers and quantum barrier layers, and the quantum well layer is formed from InxGaYNInxGayN (0.11≦x≦0.14, 0
US09385256B2
A solar cell panel is discussed, which includes a plurality of solar cells, each solar cell including a substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, and a plurality of first electrodes extending in a first direction; an interconnector that is positioned in a second direction crossing the plurality of first electrodes and electrically connects adjacent ones of the plurality of solar cells to one another; and a conductive adhesive film including a resin and a plurality of conductive particles dispersed in the resin, the conductive adhesive film being positioned between the plurality of first electrodes and the interconnector in the second direction crossing the plurality of first electrodes to electrically connect the plurality of first electrodes to the interconnector.
US09385244B2
A wide bandgap semiconductor device includes a wide bandgap semiconductor layer and a Schottky electrode. The wide bandgap semiconductor layer includes a first impurity region which is in contact with the Schottky electrode, is in contact with a second main surface, and has a first conductivity type, and a second impurity region which is in contact with the Schottky electrode, is in contact with the first impurity region, and has a second conductivity type. The second impurity region has a first region which is in contact with the Schottky electrode, and a second region which is connected with the first region and provided on a side of the first region closer to the second main surface. A maximum value of a width of the second region is larger than a width of a boundary portion between the first region and the Schottky electrode.
US09385242B2
TSV devices with p-n junctions that are planar have superior performance in breakdown and current handling. Junction diode assembly formed in enclosed trenches occupies less chip area compared with junction-isolation diode assembly in the known art. Diode assembly fabricated with trenches formed after the junction formation reduces fabrication cost and masking steps increase process flexibility and enable asymmetrical TSV and uni-directional TSV functions.
US09385234B2
A device includes a substrate, insulation regions extending into the substrate, a first semiconductor region between the insulation regions and having a first valence band, and a second semiconductor region over and adjoining the first semiconductor region. The second semiconductor region has a compressive strain and a second valence band higher than the first valence band. The second semiconductor region includes an upper portion higher than top surfaces of the insulation regions to form a semiconductor fin, and a lower portion lower than the top surfaces of the insulation regions. The upper portion and the lower portion are intrinsic. A semiconductor cap adjoins a top surface and sidewalls of the semiconductor fin. The semiconductor cap has a third valence band lower than the second valence band.
US09385231B2
A FET structure including epitaxial source and drain regions includes large contact areas and exhibits both low resistivity and low parasitic gate to source/drain capacitance. The source and drain regions are laterally etched to provide recesses for accommodating low-k dielectric material without compromising the contact area between the source/drain regions and their associated contacts. A high-k dielectric layer is provided between the raised source/drain regions and a gate conductor as well as between the gate conductor and a substrate, such as an ETSOI or PDSOI substrate. The structure is usable in electronic devices such as MOSFET devices.
US09385226B2
A heterojunction semiconductor device (200) comprising a substrate (202) and a multilayer structure disposed on the substrate. The multilayer structure comprising a first layer (204), which comprises a first semiconductor disposed on top of the substrate, and a second layer (206), which comprises a second semiconductor disposed on top of the first layer to define an interface between the first layer and the second layer. The second semiconductor is different from the first semiconductor such that a Two-Dimensional Electron Gas (220) forms adjacent to the interface. The multilayer structure also comprising a passivation layer, which comprises a semiconductor passivation layer (208) disposed on top of the second layer. The heterojunction semiconductor device also includes a first terminal (210) electrically coupled to a first area of the heterojunction semiconductor device; and a second terminal (212) electrically coupled to a second area of the heterojunction semiconductor device. The second terminal (212) is electrically coupled to the semiconductor passivation layer such that electric charge can flow into the second terminal (212) from the semiconductor passivation layer (208).
US09385215B2
Some embodiments of the present disclosure relates to a method and a device to achieve a strained channel. A volume of a source or drain recess is controlled by a performing an etch of a substrate to produce a recess. An anisotropic etch stop layer is then formed by doping a bottom surface of the recess with a boron-containing dopant, which distorts the crystalline structure of the bottom surface. An anisotropic etch of the recess is then performed. The anisotropic etch stop layer resists anisotropic etching such that the recess comprises a substantially flat bottom surface after the anisotropic etch. The source or drain recess is then filled with a stress-inducing material to produce a strained channel.
US09385213B2
A method of forming an integrated circuit including forming a first diffusion area and a second diffusion area on a substrate, wherein the first diffusion area is configured for a first type transistor, the second diffusion area is configured for a second type transistor. The method further includes forming first source and drain regions in the first diffusion area. The method further includes forming second source and drain regions in the second diffusion area. The method further includes forming a gate electrode extending across the first diffusion area and the second diffusion area. The method further includes forming a first metallic layer, a second metallic layer, and a third metallic layer. The first metallic layer is electrically coupled with the first source region. The second metallic layer is electrically coupled with the first and second drain regions. The third metallic layer is electrically coupled with the second source region.
US09385211B2
A p+ collector layer is provided in a rear surface of a semiconductor substrate which will be an n− drift layer and an n+ field stop layer is provided in a region which is deeper than the p+ collector layer formed on the rear surface side. A front surface element structure is formed on the front surface of the semiconductor substrate and then protons are radiated to the rear surface of the semiconductor substrate at an acceleration voltage corresponding to the depth at which the n+ field stop layer is formed. A first annealing process is performed at an annealing temperature corresponding to the proton irradiation to change the protons into donors, thereby forming a field stop layer. Then, annealing is performed using annealing conditions suitable for the conditions of a plurality of proton irradiation processes to recover each crystal defect formed by each proton irradiation process.
US09385208B2
A semiconductor device includes a substrate and a gate structure over the substrate. The gate structure includes a dielectric portion and an electrode portion that is disposed over the dielectric portion. The dielectric portion includes a carbon-doped high dielectric constant (high-k) dielectric layer over the substrate and a carbon-free high-k dielectric layer adjacent to the electrode portion.
US09385203B1
A high voltage (HV) semiconductor device is provided, comprising a substrate, a first well having a first conductive type and extending down from a surface of the substrate; a plurality of active devices respectively formed on the substrate, and the adjacent active devices electrically separated from each other by an insulation. One of the active devices comprises a diffusion region doped with impurity of the first conductive type and extending down from a surface of the first well, a ring gate formed in the diffusion region, and a light doping region having a second conductive type and extending down from a surface of the diffusion region. The light doping region is offset from an edge of the insulation.
US09385197B2
A semiconductor structure and a method for forming the same are provided. The method includes forming a source/drain structure in a substrate and forming a metal layer over the source/drain structure. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure further includes performing an annealing process such that a portion of the metal layer reacts with the source/drain structure to form a metallic layer on the source/drain structure. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure further includes performing an etching process to remove an unreacted portion of the metal layer on the metallic layer and forming a contact over the metallic layer. In addition, the etching process includes using an etching solvent, and the etching solvent includes (a) a first component, including H2SO4, HCl, HF, H3PO4, or NH4OH and (b) a second component, including propylene carbonate, ethylene carbonate, diethyl carbonate, acetonitrile, or a combination thereof.
US09385195B1
A vertical tunneling FET (TFET) provides low-power, high-speed switching performance for transistors having critical dimensions below 7 nm. The vertical TFET uses a gate-all-around (GAA) device architecture having a cylindrical structure that extends above the surface of a doped well formed in a silicon substrate. The cylindrical structure includes a lower drain region, a channel, and an upper source region, which are grown epitaxially from the doped well. The channel is made of intrinsic silicon, while the source and drain regions are doped in-situ. An annular gate surrounds the channel, capacitively controlling current flow through the channel from all sides. The source is electrically accessible via a front side contact, while the drain is accessed via a backside contact that provides low contact resistance and also serves as a heat sink. Reliability of vertical TFET integrated circuits is enhanced by coupling the vertical TFETs to electrostatic discharge (ESD) diodes.
US09385193B2
A FINFET transistor structure includes a substrate including a fin structure. Two combined recesses embedded within the substrate, wherein each of the combined recesses includes a first recess extending in a vertical direction and a second recess extending in a lateral direction, the second recess has a protruding side extending to and under the fin structure. Two filling layers respectively fill in the combined recesses. A gate structure crosses the fin structure.
US09385192B2
Aspects of the present invention generally relate to approaches for forming a semiconductor device such as a TSV device having a “buffer zone” or gap layer between the TSV and transistor(s). The gap layer is typically filled with a low stress thin film fill material that controls stresses and crack formation on the devices. Further, the gap layer ensures a certain spatial distance between TSVs and transistors to reduce the adverse effects of temperature excursion.
US09385191B2
A FINFET structure is provided. The FINFET structure includes a substrate, a PMOS element, a NMOS element, a STI structure, and a bump structure. The substrate includes a first area and a second area adjacent to the first area. The PMOS element is disposed in the first area of the substrate, and includes at least one first fin structure. The NMOS element is disposed in the second area of the substrate and includes at least one second fin structure. The STI structure is disposed between the first fin structure and the second fin structure. The bump structure is disposed on the STI structure and has a carbon-containing dielectric material.
US09385188B2
A semiconductor device which can suppress the influence of the external electric charge and can be efficiently manufactured is provided. The semiconductor device is provided with an active region in which a semiconductor element is disposed and a termination region between the active region and an edge surface of the semiconductor substrate. An insulating layer is disposed on at least a part of an upper surface of the termination region. A plurality of floating electrodes is disposed at an interval in the insulating layer in a direction from the active region toward the edge surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a width of the plurality of floating electrodes in a thickness direction of the semiconductor substrate is greater than a width of the plurality of floating electrodes in the direction from the active region toward the edge surface of the semiconductor substrate.
US09385187B2
A semiconductor device has an n-type buried layer formed by implanting antimony and/or arsenic into the p-type first epitaxial layer at a high dose and low energy, and implanting phosphorus at a low dose and high energy. A thermal drive process diffuses and activates both the heavy dopants and the phosphorus. The antimony and arsenic do not diffuse significantly, maintaining a narrow profile for a main layer of the buried layer. The phosphorus diffuses to provide a lightly-doped layer several microns thick below the main layer. An epitaxial p-type layer is grown over the buried layer.
US09385185B2
Semiconductor devices are provided. The semiconductor devices may include a substrate and a transistor on the substrate. The semiconductor devices may include a first guard ring of first conductivity type in the substrate adjacent the transistor. The semiconductor devices may include a second guard ring of second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type in the substrate adjacent the first guard ring. Related semiconductor systems are also provided.
US09385183B2
The termination region includes a ring region (LNFLR). A plurality of ring-shaped P-type ring layers are regularly arranged in the ring region (LNFLR). The ring region (LNFLR) is divided into a plurality of units which include the plurality of P-type ring layers respectively. A width of each unit is constant. A total number of P-type impurities in the ring region (LNFLR) is N, the target withstand voltage is BV [V], a width of each unit is SandL [μm], and the number of the plurality of units is num, following relationships are satisfied. N≧(M×BV)γ, M=104 to 105, γ=0.55 to 1.95, SandL×num×Ecri≧2×α×BV, Ecri=2.0 to 3.0×105 [V/cm], α=100 to 101. Widths of the P-type ring layers of the plurality of units linearly decrease toward an outside of the termination region.
US09385181B2
A semiconductor diode includes a semiconductor body having opposite first and second sides. A first and a second semiconductor region are consecutively arranged along a lateral direction at the second side. The first and second semiconductor regions are of opposite first and second conductivity types and are electrically coupled to an electrode at the second side. The semiconductor diode further includes a third semiconductor region of the second conductivity type buried in the semiconductor body at a distance from the second side. The second and third semiconductor regions are separated from each other.
US09385180B2
A method of patterning a semiconductor film is described. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a hard mask material is formed on a silicon film having a global crystal orientation wherein the semiconductor film has a first crystal plane and second crystal plane, wherein the first crystal plane is denser than the second crystal plane and wherein the hard mask is formed on the second crystal plane. Next, the hard mask and semiconductor film are patterned into a hard mask covered semiconductor structure. The hard mask covered semiconductor structured is then exposed to a wet etch process which has sufficient chemical strength to etch the second crystal plane but insufficient chemical strength to etch the first crystal plane.
US09385178B2
Provided is a high voltage semiconductor device that includes a PIN diode structure formed in a substrate. The PIN diode includes an intrinsic region located between a first doped well and a second doped well. The first and second doped wells have opposite doping polarities and greater doping concentration levels than the intrinsic region. The semiconductor device includes an insulating structure formed over a portion of the first doped well. The semiconductor device includes an elongate resistor device formed over the insulating structure. The resistor device has first and second portions disposed at opposite ends of the resistor device, respectively. The semiconductor device includes an interconnect structure formed over the resistor device. The interconnect structure includes: a first contact that is electrically coupled to the first doped well and a second contact that is electrically coupled to a third portion of the resistor located between the first and second portions.
US09385176B2
An OLED display panel is provided which can control the problem of shedding even in high definition panels. Metal wiring 5 which conducts with an earth line of a flexible printed substrate 15 is provided on a substrate 1. A display area 2 comprised from a plurality of OLED elements is provided at the center of the substrate 1 and four low resistance metal films 3 are provided along each of four edges of the display area 2 on a surface of insulation films 8, 10 at the periphery of the display area 2. Among these, one low resistance metal film 3 conducts with the metal wiring 5 via a contact 3a.
US09385173B2
A display unit with which lowering of long-term reliability of a transistor is decreased is provided. The display unit includes a display section having a plurality of organic EL devices with light emitting color different from each other and a plurality of pixel circuits that are singly provided for every said organic EL device for every pixel. The pixel circuit has a first transistor for writing a video signal, a second transistor for driving the organic EL device based on the video signal written by the first transistor, and a retentive capacity, and out of the first transistor and the second transistor, a third transistor provided correspondingly to a second organic EL device adjacent to a first organic EL device is arranged farther from the first organic EL device than a first retentive capacity provided correspondingly to the second organic EL device out of the retentive capacity.
US09385170B2
A thin film transistor array panel according to an exemplary embodiment includes: a substrate; a thin film transistor positioned on the substrate; a first electrode connected to the thin film transistor; and a diffractive layer positioned between the substrate and the thin film transistor. The diffractive layer is positioned within a boundary line of semiconductors of the thin film transistor.
US09385168B2
Arrangements of pixel components that allow for full-color devices, while using emissive devices that emit at not more than two colors, and/or a limited number of color altering layers, are provided. Devices disclosed herein also may be achieved using simplified fabrication techniques compared to conventional side-by-side arrangements, because fewer masking steps may be required.
US09385167B2
A device that may be used as a multi-color pixel is provided. The device has a first organic light emitting device, a second organic light emitting device, a third organic light emitting device, and a fourth organic light emitting device. The device may be a pixel of a display having four sub-pixels. The first device may emit red light, the second device may emit green light, the third device may emit light blue light and the fourth device may emit deep blue light.
US09385160B2
A memory includes a semiconductor substrate. Magnetic tunnel junction elements are provided above the semiconductor substrate. Each of the magnetic tunnel junction elements stores data by a change in a resistance state, and the data is rewritable by a current. Cell transistors are provided on the semiconductor substrate. Each of the cell transistors is in a conductive state when the current is applied to the corresponding magnetic tunnel junction element. Gate electrodes are included in the respective cell transistors. Each of the gate electrodes controls the conductive state of the corresponding cell transistor. In active areas, the cell transistors are provided, and the active areas extend in an extending direction of intersecting the gate electrodes at an angle of (90−atan(⅓)) degrees.
US09385155B2
A light receiving region includes a plurality of light detecting sections 10. The light detecting sections 10 has a second contact electrode 4A. The second contact electrode 4A is arranged at a position overlapping a first contact electrode 3A, so as to contact the first contact electrode. Further, a resistive layer 4B is continued to the second contact electrode 4A.
US09385153B2
An image sensor device may include an interconnect layer having an opening extending therethrough, an image sensor IC within the opening and having an image sensing surface, and an IR filter aligned with the image sensing surface. The image sensor device may include an encapsulation material laterally surrounding the image sensor IC and filling the opening, and a flexible interconnect layer coupled to the interconnect layer opposite the image sensing surface.
US09385150B2
An image sensor and image sensor device include: a lighting portion extending in a main scanning direction and emitting light to the object-to-be-read; a rod lens array for imaging light from the object-to-be-read; and a light receiving portion for converting the light imaged by the rod lens array to an electric signal. The lighting portion emits a normally directed light from the normal direction of the object-to-be-read to irradiate a first irradiation region of the object-to-be-read, and an inclined light inclined by a predetermined angle from the normal direction of the object-to-be-read to irradiate a second irradiation region being apart from the first irradiation region in a sub-scanning direction.
US09385148B2
A solid-state imaging device includes a second image sensor having an organic photoelectric conversion film transmitting a specific light, and a first image sensor which is stacked in layers on a same semiconductor substrate as that of the second image sensor and which receives the specific light having transmitted the second image sensor, in which a pixel for focus detection is provided in the second image sensor or the first image sensor. Therefore, an AF method can be realized independently of a pixel for imaging.
US09385142B2
A liquid crystal display includes: an insulation substrate, a gate line disposed on the insulation substrate, a first field generating electrode disposed on the insulation substrate, a gate insulating layer disposed on the gate line and the first field generating electrode, a semiconductor disposed on the gate insulating layer and a data line disposed on the gate insulating layer. A value [N—H]/[Si—H] of the gate insulating layer is in a range of about 13 to about 25. Here, the value [N—H]/[Si—H] means a ratio of a bonding number [N—H] of nitrogen and hydrogen to a bonding number [Si—H] of silicon and hydrogen according to an analysis of an FT-IR spectrometer.
US09385139B2
A 3D semiconductor device includes an electrode structure has electrodes stacked on a substrate, semiconductor patterns penetrating the electrode structure, charge storing patterns interposed between the semiconductor patterns and the electrode structure, and blocking insulating patterns interposed between the charge storing patterns and the electrode structure. Each of the blocking insulating patterns surrounds the semiconductor patterns, and the charge storing patterns are horizontally spaced from each other and configured in such a way as to each be disposed around a respective one of the semiconductor patterns. Also, each of the charge storing patterns includes a plurality of horizontal segments, each interposed between vertically adjacent ones of the electrodes.
US09385122B2
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises growing a source/drain epitaxy region over a plurality of gates on a substrate, wherein a top surface of the source/drain epitaxy region is at a height above a top surface of each of the plurality of gates, forming at least one opening in the source/drain epitaxy region over a top surface of at least one gate, forming a silicide layer on the source/drain epitaxy region, wherein the silicide layer lines lateral sides of the at least one opening, depositing a dielectric layer on the silicide layer, wherein the dielectric layer is deposited in the at least one opening between the silicide layer on lateral sides of the at least one opening, etching the dielectric layer to form a contact area, and depositing a conductor in the contact area.
US09385120B2
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device is provided. A sacrificial gate, a hard mask, a spacer and a first interlayer insulating film are formed on a substrate. The hard mask, a part of the spacer, and a part of the first interlayer insulating film are removed to expose an upper portion of the sacrificial gate. A sacrificial insulating layer covers the exposed upper portion of the sacrificial gate. A second interlayer insulating film covers the sacrificial insulating layer, the spacer and the first interlayer insulating film. The sacrificial insulating layer and the second interlayer insulating film are partially removed to expose a top surface of the sacrificial gate. The sacrificial gate and the sacrificial insulating layer are removed to form a trench. A gate structure is formed in the trench.
US09385118B2
A capacitor array includes a plurality of capacitor cell structures. The capacitor cell structures of the plurality of cell structures each includes a first capacitor electrode, a second capacitor electrode over the first capacitor electrode, a third capacitor electrode adjacent to first sidewalls of the first and second capacitor electrodes, a fourth capacitor electrode adjacent to second sidewalls of the first and second capacitor electrodes, and a fifth capacitor electrode adjacent to the fourth capacitor electrode.
US09385106B1
A method for providing charge protection to a die during formation of an integrated circuit, includes bonding the die to an interposer to form an unprotected stacked silicon component; encapsulating the unprotected stacked silicon component with a mold compound to cover at least a top surface of the die; grinding the mold compound to reduce a thickness of the mold compound; bonding a carrier wafer to the mold compound; removing the carrier wafer from the mold compound; and removing the mold compound from the top surface of the die after the carrier wafer is removed from the mold compound, to expose the top surface of the die.
US09385101B2
A semiconductor device has a semiconductor die with a plurality of composite bumps formed over a surface of the semiconductor die. The composite bumps have a fusible portion and non-fusible portion, such as a conductive pillar and bump formed over the conductive pillar. The composite bumps can also be tapered. Conductive traces are formed over a substrate with interconnect sites having edges parallel to the conductive trace from a plan view for increasing escape routing density. The interconnect site can have a width less than 1.2 times a width of the conductive trace. The composite bumps are wider than the interconnect sites. The fusible portion of the composite bumps is bonded to the interconnect sites so that the fusible portion covers a top surface and side surface of the interconnect sites. An encapsulant is deposited around the composite bumps between the semiconductor die and substrate.
US09385098B2
An integrated circuit package is described including a substrate, an integrated circuit die, a first plurality of solder bump structures, and a first plurality of variable-size solder bump structures. The first plurality of solder bump structures electrically couple the integrated circuit die to the substrate. The first plurality of variable-size solder bump structures are disposed on a bottom surface of the substrate. The first plurality of variable-size solder bump structures are sized to be substantially coplanar with a seating plane of the integrated circuit package.
US09385090B2
A semiconductor device includes a conductive shield layer that has a first portion covering a surface of a sealing resin layer and a second portion covering side surfaces of the sealing resin layer and side surfaces of the substrate. Portions of wiring layers, including a grounding wire, on or in the substrate have cut planes which are exposed to the side surfaces of the substrate and spread out in a thickness direction of the substrate. A cut plane of the grounding wire is electrically connected to the shield layer. An area of the cut plane of the grounding wire is larger than an area of a cross section of the grounding wire parallel to, and inward of the substrate from, the cut plane of the grounding wire.
US09385089B2
When opaque films are deposited on semi-conductor wafers, underlying alignment marks may be concealed. The re-exposure of such alignment marks is one source of resulting surface topography. In accordance with one implementation, alignment marks embedded in a wafer may be exposed by removing material from one or more layers and by replacing such material with a transparent material. In accordance with another implementation, the amount of material removed in an alignment mark recovery process may be mitigated by selectively ashing or etching above a stop layer.
US09385081B2
A connective structure for bonding semiconductor devices and methods for forming the same are provided. The bonding structure includes an alpad structure, i.e., a thick aluminum-containing connective pad, and a substructure beneath the aluminum-containing pad that includes at least a pre-metal layer and a barrier layer. The pre-metal layer is a dense material layer and includes a density greater than the barrier layer and is a low surface roughness film. The high density pre-metal layer prevents plasma damage from producing charges in underlying dielectric materials or destroying subjacent semiconductor devices.
US09385078B1
A method for forming a via in an integrated circuit comprises patterning a first opening in a first hardmask, the first hardmask disposed on a first organic self-planarizing polymer (OPL) layer, removing an exposed portion of the first OPL layer to define a cavity, removing an exposed portion of a second hardmask in the cavity, removing an exposed portion of a first dielectric layer disposed under the second hardmask to further define the cavity, removing an exposed portion of a first cap layer in the cavity, removing an exposed portion of a second dielectric layer to further define the cavity, removing an exposed portion of a second cap layer to further define the cavity, removing an exposed portion of a liner layer over a second conductive material in the cavity, and depositing a conductive material in the cavity.
US09385074B2
A semiconductor package having an embedded die and solid vertical interconnections, such as stud bump interconnections, for increased integration in the direction of the z-axis (i.e., in a direction normal to the circuit side of the die). The semiconductor package can include a die mounted in a face-up configuration (similar to a wire bond package) or in a face-down or flip chip configuration.
US09385073B2
An embodiment device package includes a discrete device, a first connector on a bottom surface of the discrete device, and a second connector on a top surface of the discrete device. The first connector bonds the discrete device to a first package component, and the second connector bonds the discrete device to a second package component.
US09385069B2
An embodiment includes a substrate, wherein a portion of the substrate extends upwards forming a fin, a gate dielectric over a top surface and at least portions of sidewalls of the fin, a gate electrode over the gate dielectric, and a contact over and extending into the gate electrode, wherein the contact has a first width above the gate electrode and a second width within the gate electrode, the first width being smaller than the second width.
US09385067B2
A semiconductor device with a semiconductor substrate having a first surface and an opposite-facing second surface, a through electrode electrically connected to the semiconductor element and penetrating the semiconductor substrate from the first surface to the second surface, and a conductor, not electrically connected to the semiconductor element, penetrating the semiconductor substrate from the first surface to the second surface, where the through electrode and the conductor have different shapes in plan view.
US09385066B1
A method of manufacture of an integrated packaging system includes: providing a substrate; mounting an integrated circuit on the substrate; mounting an interposer substrate having an interposer pad on the integrated circuit; covering an encapsulant over the integrated circuit and the interposer substrate; forming a hole through the encapsulant aligned over the interposer pad; and placing a conductive connector on and in direct contact with the interposer pad.
US09385062B1
A structure and method for fabricating a continuous cooling channel in the back end of line wiring levels of an integrated circuit (IC) chip is provided. This continuous cooling channel may provide a path for a cooling source such as a fluid pumped from an external fluidic-cooling circulation driver to make physical contact locally with and cool the back end levels within the IC chip that may generate heat as a byproduct of the IC device's routine operations. Such a cooling structure is achieved by removing a horizontal portion of a barrier layer from an intermediate region of an interlevel interconnect structure, selective to a vertical portion of the barrier layer located on a sidewall of the interlevel interconnect structure, using gas cluster ion beam etching as well as removing the bulk conductor by additional means.
US09385058B1
An Integrated Circuit device, including: a base wafer including first electronic circuits and a plurality of first single crystal transistors; at least one metal layer; and a second layer including second electronic circuits and a plurality of second single crystal transistors, the second layer overlying the at least one metal layer; the second layer includes a through layer via with a diameter of less than 150 nm; a portion of the first electronic circuits is circumscribed by a first dice lane, and there are no conductive connections to the portion of the first electronic circuits that cross the first dice lane; wherein a portion of the second electronic circuits is circumscribed by a second dice lane, and there are no conductive connections to the portion of the second electronic circuits that cross the second dice lane, and the second dice lane is overlaying and aligned to the first dice lane.
US09385052B2
A semiconductor device has a first interconnect structure formed over the carrier. A semiconductor die is disposed over the first interconnect structure after testing the first interconnect structure to be known good. The semiconductor die in a known good die. A vertical interconnect structure, such as a bump or stud bump, is formed over the first interconnect structure. A discrete semiconductor device is disposed over the first interconnect structure or the second interconnect structure. An encapsulant is deposited over the semiconductor die, first interconnect structure, and vertical interconnect structure. A portion of the encapsulant is removed to expose the vertical interconnect structure. A second interconnect structure is formed over the encapsulant and electrically connected to the vertical interconnect structure. The first interconnect structure or the second interconnect structure includes an insulating layer with an embedded glass cloth, glass cross, filler, or fiber.
US09385048B2
The present invention provides a method of forming Fin-FET. A substrate with an active region and a dummy region are defined thereon. A plurality of first fins and second fins are formed in the active region, and a plurality of dummy fins are formed in the dummy region and the active region. A first active region is provided in the active region. A revised first active region is formed by extending the first active region to cover at least one adjacent dummy fin. Next, a first dummy region is provided in the dummy region. A first mask layout is formed by combining the revised first active region and the first dummy region. A first patterned mask layer is formed by using the first mask layout. A first epitaxial process is performed for the first fins and the dummy fins exposed by the first patterned mask layer.
US09385047B2
Semiconductor manufacturing processes include forming conventional channel field effect transistors (FETs) and deeply depleted channel (DDC) FETs on the same substrate and selectively forming a plurality of gate stack types where those different gate stack types are assigned to and formed in connection with one or more of a conventional channel NFET, a conventional channel PFET, a DDC-NFET, and a DDC-PFET in accordance a with a predetermined pattern.
US09385043B2
A spacer etching process produces ultra-narrow polysilicon and gate oxides for insulated gates used with insulated gate transistors. Narrow channels are formed using dielectric and spacer film deposition techniques. The spacer film is removed from the dielectric wherein narrow channels are formed therein. Insulating gate oxides are grown on portions of the semiconductor substrate exposed at the bottoms of these narrow channels. Then the narrow channels are filled with polysilicon. The dielectric is removed from the face of the semiconductor substrate, leaving only the very narrow gate oxides and the polysilicon. The very narrow gate oxides and the polysilicon are separated into insulated gates for the insulated gate transistors.
US09385041B2
In one embodiment, a method of forming an electronic device includes providing a wafer having plurality of die separated by spaces. The method includes plasma singulating the wafer through the spaces to form singulation lines that expose side surfaces of the plurality of die. The method includes forming an insulating layer on the exposed side surfaces. In one embodiment, the steps of singulating and forming the insulating layer are carried out with the wafer mounted to a carrier substrate that supports the wafer and singulated die during both steps.
US09385035B2
In some method and apparatus disclosed herein, the profile of current delivered to the substrate provides a relatively uniform current density on the substrate surface during immersion. These methods include controlling the current density applied across a substrate's surface during immersion by dynamically controlling the current to account for the changing substrate surface area in contact with electrolyte during immersion. In some cases, current density pulses and/or steps are used during immersion, as well.
US09385022B2
Various methods include: forming an optical waveguide in a bulk silicon layer, the optical waveguide including a set of shallow trench isolation (STI) regions overlying a silicon substrate region; ion implanting the silicon substrate to amorphize a portion of the silicon substrate; forming a set of trenches through the STI regions and into the underlying silicon substrate region; undercut etching the silicon substrate region under the STI regions through the set of trenches to form a set of cavities, wherein the at least partially amorphized portion of the silicon substrate etches at a rate less than an etch rate of the silicon substrate; and sealing the set of cavities.
US09385017B2
Apparatus and methods for plasma processing workpieces of different diameters. The apparatus includes a lift plate having an outer perimeter, an opening inside of the outer perimeter, and a gap extending between the opening and the outer perimeter. The lift plate includes annular rims of different inner diameters and that are configured to respectively support the first and second workpieces.
US09385012B2
Scan step (S3) for moving a nozzle with etching liquid discharged therefrom is carried out such that etching liquid application position toward the rotating substrate moves from the edge portion toward the center portion of the principal face of the substrate. Thereafter, center discharging step (S4) for continuing the supply of the etching liquid toward the principal face of the substrate under the condition that the application position is positioned at the center portion of the principal face of the substrate W is conducted. Moving velocity of the liquid application position in the scan step (S3) is determined in accordance with supply condition of the etching liquid toward the substrate under the condition that the liquid application position is positioned at the center portion of the principal face of the substrate.
US09385002B2
Fabricating methods of a semiconductor device are provided. The fabricating methods may include forming a mold layer, forming a catalyst pattern including noble metal on the mold layer and etching the mold layer using the catalyst pattern as a catalyst. Etching the mold layer may include performing a wet etching process.
US09384997B2
A method of etching exposed patterned heterogeneous structures is described and includes a remote plasma etch formed from a reactive precursor. The plasma power is pulsed rather than left on continuously. Plasma effluents from the remote plasma are flowed into a substrate processing region where the plasma effluents selectively remove one material faster than another. The etch selectivity results from the pulsing of the plasma power to the remote plasma region, which has been found to suppress the number of ionically-charged species that reach the substrate. The etch selectivity may also result from the presence of an ion suppression element positioned between a portion of the remote plasma and the substrate processing region.
US09384992B2
A plasma processing method is provided for etching a multilayer film having a first film and a second film with differing dielectric constants alternatingly stacked on a substrate, and forming a hole with a predetermined shape in the multilayer film. The plasma processing method includes a first step of etching the multilayer film to a first depth using a gas mixture containing a CF based gas at a first flow rate and a bromine-containing gas, a chloride-containing gas, and/or an iodine-containing gas; a second step of etching the multilayer film to a second depth after the first step using a gas mixture containing the CF based gas at a second flow rate and the bromine-containing gas, the chloride-containing gas, and/or the iodine-containing gas; and a third step for over etching the multilayer film after the second step until the hole reaches a base layer.
US09384990B2
The present invention relates to a method for decreasing the impedance of a titanium nitride element for use in an electrode component. The method comprises obtaining a titanium nitride element and hydrothermally treating the titanium nitride element by immersing the titanium nitride element in a liquid comprising water while heating said liquid.
US09384989B2
An improved semiconductor device is provided whereby the semiconductor device is defined by a layered structure comprising a first dielectric layer, a data storage material disposed on the first dielectric layer, and a second dielectric layer disposed on the data storage material, the layered structured substantially forming the outer layer of the semiconductor device. For example, the semiconductor device may be a SONOS structure having an oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) film that substantially surrounds the SONOS structure. The invention also provides methods for fabricating the semiconductor device and the SONOS structure of the invention.
US09384983B2
A method for producing a vertical semiconductor device includes providing a semiconductor substrate having a first surface and comprising an n-doped first semiconductor layer, forming a hard mask on the first surface, the hard mask comprising openings defining first zones in the n-doped first semiconductor layer, implanting acceptor ions of a first maximum energy through the hard mask into the first zones, replacing the hard mask by an inverted mask comprising openings that are substantially complementary to the openings of the hard mask; implanting acceptor ions of a second maximum energy different to the first maximum energy through the inverted mask into second zones of the n-doped first semiconductor layer, and carrying out at least one temperature step to activate the acceptor ions in the first zones and the second zones.
US09384981B2
A method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor device includes the steps of preparing a silicon carbide substrate, forming a first electrode on the silicon carbide substrate, establishing ohmic contact between the silicon carbide substrate and the first electrode by irradiating the first electrode with laser beams, and forming a second electrode on the first electrode. In the step of establishing ohmic contact, a surface of the first electrode is irradiated with laser beams such that arithmetic mean roughness of a surface of the second electrode is not greater than 0.2 μm.
US09384979B2
A method for depositing a conformal film on a substrate in a plasma processing chamber of a plasma processing system, the substrate being disposed on a chuck, the chuck being coupled to a cooling apparatus, is disclosed. The method includes flowing a first gas mixture into the plasma processing chamber at a first pressure, wherein the first gas mixture includes at least carbon, and wherein the first gas mixture has a condensation temperature. The method also includes cooling the chuck below the condensation temperature using the cooling apparatus thereby allowing at least some of the first gas mixture to condense on a surface of the substrate. The method further includes venting the first gas mixture from the processing chamber; flowing a second gas mixture into the plasma processing chamber, the second gas mixture being different in composition from the first gas mixture; and striking a plasma to form the conformal film.
US09384974B2
The present disclosure provides a method for filling a trench formed on an insulating film of a workpiece. The method includes forming a first impurity-containing amorphous silicon film on a wall surface which defines the trench, forming a second amorphous silicon film on the first amorphous silicon film, and annealing the workpiece after the second amorphous silicon film is formed.
US09384972B2
Provided is a technique of forming a film on a substrate by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times. The cycle includes: forming a first layer by supplying a gas containing a first element to the substrate, wherein the first layer is a discontinuous layer, a continuous layer, or a layer in which at least one of the discontinuous layer or the continuous layer is overlapped; forming a second layer by supplying a gas containing a second element to the substrate to modify the first layer under a condition where a modifying reaction of the first layer by the gas containing the second element is not saturated; and forming a third layer by supplying a gas containing a third element to the substrate to modify the second layer under a condition where a modifying reaction of the second layer by the gas containing the third element is not saturated.
US09384971B2
Provided is a technique including forming a film by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times. The cycle includes: forming a first layer by supplying a gas containing a first element under a condition where chemical adsorption of a molecule constituting the gas containing the first element is not saturated; forming a second layer including the first layer and a layer including a second element stacked on the first layer by supplying a gas containing the second element under a condition where chemical adsorption of a molecule constituting the gas containing the second element is not saturated; and forming a third layer by supplying a gas containing a third element to modify the second layer under a condition where a modifying reaction of the second layer by the gas containing the third element is not saturated.
US09384963B2
Methods and compositions for depositing rare earth metal-containing layers are described herein. In general, the disclosed methods deposit the precursor compounds comprising rare earth-containing compounds using deposition methods such as chemical vapor deposition or atomic layer deposition. The disclosed precursor compounds include a cyclopentadienyl ligand having at least one aliphatic group as a substituent and an amidine ligand.
US09384961B2
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a thin film containing a specific element and having a prescribed composition on a substrate by alternately performing the following steps prescribed number of times: forming a first layer containing the specific element, nitrogen, and carbon on the substrate by alternately performing prescribed number of times: supplying a first source gas containing the specific element and a halogen-group to the substrate, and supplying a second source gas containing the specific element and an amino-group to the substrate, and forming a second layer by modifying the first layer by supplying a reactive gas different from each of the source gases, to the substrate.
US09384959B2
A purge ring for providing a gas to a wafer processing chamber includes an inlet ring wall defining a ring hole space. An outer perimeter of the inlet ring wall is elliptical. An outer perimeter of the ring hole space is circular. The inlet ring wall is a continuous structure surrounding the ring hole space. An inlet baffle formed within the inlet ring wall surrounds at least 180 degrees of the outer perimeter of the ring hole space. An inlet plenum arranged in a first end of the inlet ring wall provides the gas to the ring hole space through the inlet baffle. An exhaust channel is formed within the inlet ring wall in a second end of the inlet ring wall. An exhaust outlet hole arranged in the second end of the inlet ring wall exhausts the gas out of the ring hole space via the exhaust channel.
US09384949B2
A gas-flow control method for a plasma apparatus is provided. The gas-flow control method includes mounting a first adjusting mechanism on a gas-distribution plate. The gas-distribution plate includes a number of exhaust openings, and the exhaust openings in a first area of the gas-distribution plate are masked by the first adjusting mechanism. The gas-flow control method also includes exhausting a gas from the exhaust openings in a first unmasked area of the gas-distribution plate, and the gas passing through the first adjusting mechanism into a plasma chamber. The gas-flow control method further includes generating an electric field to excite the gas in the plasma chamber into plasma.
US09384946B2
In a plasma processing apparatus having a processing chamber, a sample stage, a sample, a dielectric-composed insulating film and an electrode, the sample stage can be divided into an upper member and a lower member, the upper member including the insulating film and an electrode, the apparatus includes a socket which is deployed inside a through hole of the upper member, and which is electrically connected to the electrode, a pin which is brought into contact with the socket by being inserted into the socket, and a seal member which is attached onto the socket in order to implement a hermetic sealing between the upper-member side and the lower-member side inside the through hole, the upper-member side being continuously linked to the decompressed processing chamber, the lower-member side being continuously linked to the substantially-atmospheric-pressure side which is the outside of the processing chamber.
US09384945B2
In an automatic matching unit, a controller includes a first and a second matching algorithm. The operating point Zp is moved stepwise toward the matching point Zs with a relatively large pitch by using the first matching algorithm. Further, when the operating point Zp is within the outer proximity range, the operating point Zp is moved stepwise toward the matching point Zs with a relatively small pitch by using the second matching algorithm. In the second matching algorithm, the operating point Zp is moved close to the third reference line TC1S or TC2S perpendicular to the first or second reference line C1S or C2S along, e.g., the route Zp(7)→Zp(8)→Zp(9) on the impedance coordinates. The coordinates of the operating point Zp(9) reaches an available quasi-matching point ZB extremely close to the origin O (the matching point Zs).
US09384941B2
A charged particle beam apparatus includes an electron beam column and an FIB column, in which an irradiation axis of the electron beam column and an irradiation axis of the FIB column are disposed to be perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to each other on a sample without interference. In addition, the first sample stage and a second sample stage are independently provided and moved to be tilted centering on an axial direction. The sample is moved by the first sample stage and a sample piece which is cut off from the sample is moved to be fixed to a tip end of a probe which is rotatable centering on the axial direction, thereby manufacturing the sample piece which reduces the influence of a curtaining effect.
US09384936B2
This invention provides two methods for improving performance of an energy-discrimination detection device with an energy filter of reflective type for a charged particle beam. The first method employs a beam-adjusting means to improve the energy-discrimination power, and the second method uses an electron-multiplication means to enhance the image signal without noise raise. A LVSEM with such an improved energy-discrimination detection device can provide variant high-contrast images of interested features on a specimen surface for multiple application purposes.
US09384929B2
A fuse unit includes a feeding terminal, an energizing terminal and a fusion portion. The feeding terminal is fixed to a battery post to receive power from a battery. The fusion portion electrically connects the feeding terminal and the energizing terminal, and is arranged over the battery post. The feeding terminal is positioned between the energizing terminal and the fusion portion.
US09384927B2
An electric vehicle relay includes: a pair of fixed electrodes; a movable electrode movable to contact or to be separated from the fixed electrode; a driving shaft which performs a vertical motion as an upper end thereof is coupled to the movable electrode; a fixed core fitted into a central part of the driving shaft with a gap; a movable core coupled to a lower end of the driving shaft and sucked by a magnetic force of the fixed core; and a cylinder configured to insertion-support the fixed core and the movable core, wherein locking protrusions are formed on an outer circumferential surface of the movable core, wherein inclined grooves for inserting the locking protrusions are formed on an inner circumferential surface of the cylinder, and wherein the movable electrode is rotated as the locking protrusions are moved along the inclined grooves when the movable core performs an up-down motion.
US09384924B2
Provided are: a hermetically-enclosed tank that is filled with insulating gas; a blocking unit that is provided within the hermetically-enclosed tank and is configured with a movable arc contact and a fixed arc contact opposing each other; a plurality of energizing units, within the hermetically-enclosed tank, that are provided around the blocking unit about its axial line as a center and located away from each other; and a fixed-side auxiliary conductor that is provided between a gas space which stores the energizing units and a gas space on the side of the fixed arc contact. A communication hole is formed on the fixed-side auxiliary conductor so as to communicate the gas space provided between the energizing units with the gas space.
US09384922B2
A commutating circuit breaker that progressively inserts increasing resistance into a circuit via physical motion of a shuttle that is linked into the circuit by at least one set of sliding electrical contacts on the shuttle that connect the power through the moving shuttle to a sequence of different resistive paths with increasing resistance; the motion of the shuttle can be either linear or rotary. At no point are the sliding stator electrodes separated from the matching stationary stator electrodes so as to generate a powerful arc, which minimizes damage to the sliding stator electrodes. Instead, the current is commutated from one resistive path to the next with small enough changes in resistance at each step that arcing is suppressed. The variable resistance can either be within the moving shuttle, or the shuttle can comprise a commutating shuttle that moves the current over a series of stationary resistors.
US09384915B2
A switch assembly, for instance adapted to wall-side installations, for supply arrangements of a load via multiple activation points (for example in the form of “double switching”), comprises a pair of traveler contacts alternatively connectable to a power supply, as well as a switch having an output contact, alternatively connectable to one or the other of the traveler contacts, respectively, on the basis of the current position of switch. Switch is an electronic switch which is connected, for example through an electronic circuit which optionally also performs a driving function on switch, to a respective power line. Powering elements are provided, for example in the form of a pair of diodes, controlled electronic switches or diode bridges, which connect said respective power line to the one of traveler contacts which is currently connected to power supply, therefore ensuring a steady supply irrespective of the switch position.
US09384913B2
In order to form a locking mechanism for a switch-on button of a circuit breaker which has a simple and inexpensive configuration, the locking mechanism has a locking element which is mounted rotatably on the switch-on button. The locking element, held directly in a first position by a first spring, enables actuation of the switch-on button and, directly in the switched-on state of the circuit breaker by a second spring, can be moved into a second position. The switch-on button of the circuit breaker is locked to prevent actuation in the second position.
US09384912B2
A circuit breaker is shown which includes a plurality of fixed contacts and a plurality of corresponding movable contacts. An actuating shaft is operatively connected to and actuates the plurality of movable contacts to couple with/separate from the corresponding fixed contacts. A supporting device for the actuating shaft can be movably connected to a wall of the circuit breaker, and the actuating shaft can be operatively coupled to the supporting device to rotate around a rotation axis relative to the wall of the circuit breaker and the supporting device itself. The circuit breaker can include an adjustment device for adjusting at least the position of the actuating shaft relative to the wall.
US09384910B1
A trip assembly is for an electrical switching apparatus. The electrical switching apparatus includes a housing, a reset assembly, an electrical communication assembly, separable contacts, and an operating mechanism for opening and closing the separable contacts. The operating mechanism includes a trip bar and a crossbar. The trip assembly includes: a mounting assembly coupled to the housing; an actuating element coupled to the mounting assembly, the actuating element being electrically connected to the electrical communication assembly; a trip cam coupled to the mounting assembly, the trip cam cooperating with the reset assembly in order to reset the actuating element; and an indication assembly coupled to the mounting assembly. The actuating element is structured to drive the trip cam into the trip bar in order to trip open the separable contacts. The actuating element cooperates with the indication assembly to electrically communicate a circuit status to the electrical communication assembly.
US09384908B2
A circuit breaker includes a sliding contact, in which a movable contact that is mounted on a spring is located, the contact lying opposite a fixed contact. In an embodiment, the fixed contact has a horn-shaped contour that engages in mating contours of the switching chamber walls of the circuit breaker.
US09384905B2
In accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure, an asymmetric supercapacitor includes a first active material with a high hydrogen over-potential and a second active material with a high oxygen over-potential. The first active material is based on a nitride, an oxynitride, a carbide, an oxycarbide, a boride, or an oxyboride of a metal selected from Groups III, IV, V, VI, and VII of the Periodic Table.
US09384904B2
An object is to suppress electrochemical decomposition of an electrolyte solution and the like at a negative electrode in a lithium ion battery or a lithium ion capacitor; thus, irreversible capacity is reduced, cycle performance is improved, or operating temperature range is extended. A negative electrode for a power storage device including a negative electrode current collector, a negative electrode active material layer which is over the negative electrode current collector and includes a plurality of particles of a negative electrode active material, and a film covering part of the negative electrode active material. The film has an insulating property and lithium ion conductivity.
US09384901B2
A wet electrolytic capacitor that contains an anode formed from an anodically oxidized sintered porous body and a fluidic working electrolyte is provided. The casing contains a metal substrate coated an electrochemically-active material. Through a unique and controlled combination of features relating to the capacitor configuration and sealing assembly, the present inventor has discovered that good electrical properties (e.g., ESR stability) can be achieved at relatively high temperatures. One unique feature of the wet electrolytic capacitor that can help achieve such good ESR stability is the presence of a dielectric layer on the metal substrate of the cathode within a controlled thickness range. In other embodiments, a sealing assembly may be employed that contains a hermetic seal (e.g., glass-to-metal seal) and an elastomeric barrier seal formed from a high-temperature elastomeric material.
US09384898B2
There is provided a multilayer ceramic capacitor including a ceramic body having first and second side surfaces opposing each other and third and fourth end surfaces connecting the first and second side surfaces, first and second internal electrodes formed in the ceramic body and having one ends exposed to the first and second side surfaces and the third end surface or exposed to the first and second side surfaces and the fourth end surface, first and second external electrodes formed on an outer side of the ceramic body and electrically connected to the first and second internal electrodes, and a plating layer partially formed on certain regions of the first and second external electrodes, wherein a polymer layer is additionally formed on the ceramic body on regions of upper portions of the first and second external electrodes on which the plating layer is not formed.
US09384892B2
A multilayer ceramic capacitor may include: a ceramic body including dielectric layers and having first and second main surfaces opposing each other, first and second side surfaces opposing each other, and first and second end surfaces opposing each other; an active layer configured to form capacitance by including first and second internal electrodes disposed to face each other with the dielectric layer interposed therebetween and alternately exposed to the first or second side surface; and a first external electrode disposed on the first side surface and electrically connected to the first internal electrodes and a second external electrode disposed on the second side surface and electrically connected to the second internal electrodes. When length of the ceramic body is L and length of the first and second external electrodes in the length direction of the ceramic body is L1, 0.2≦L1/L≦0.96 is satisfied.
US09384883B2
A 3D nested transformer includes a substrate having a set of through substrate vias daisy chained together with a set of traces. At least some of the through substrate vias have first and second conductive regions. The set of traces also includes a first set of traces coupling together at least some of the first conductive regions of the through substrate vias, and a second set of traces coupling together at least some of the second conductive regions of the through substrate vias.
US09384882B2
A solenoid apparatus for a shift lever is provided that includes a bobbin having an aperture therein and a coil wound therearound. A core is mounted on the exterior of the bobbin, surrounds an end portion of the aperture, and is magnetized by a current applied to the coil. A plunger moves along the inside of the aperture and is magnetized by the current. A shaft is inserted into, and penetrates through, the plunger and a buffer member is disposed at an end of the shaft exposed from the plunger. An elastic member is disposed between the buffer member and an end of the aperture. The plunger moves toward the core due to combined forces obtained by combining forces applied in a direction of the movement of the plunger by a magnetic field generated by the current and attractive forces generated vertically between the plunger and the core.
US09384871B2
A composition can include polystyrene, modified-polystyrene, or a mixture thereof. The polystyrene, modified-polystyrene, or mixture thereof can include carbon nanotubes. The composition can also include a polyolefin. The composition can include at most 1.90% by weight of carbon nanotubes, based on a total weight of the composition. The composition can be made by melt blending the polystyrene, modified-polystyrene, or a mixture thereof with carbon nanotubes, and with the polyolefin. An article can be made from the composition.
US09384869B2
An anisotropic conductive film includes a binder part, a curing part, an initiator, and conductive particles, wherein the binder part includes at least one of a nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) resin and a urethane resin, wherein the anisotropic conductive film has an electrical conductivity of more than 0 μS/cm to about 100 μS/cm.
US09384864B2
The invention provides methods and apparatus for detecting radiation including x-ray photon (including gamma ray photon) and particle radiation for dental x-ray imaging, radiation monitoring, and related industrial and scientific applications. Flat or shaped small (and small hybrid) area storage phosphor plates, available in multiple sizes, are encased in SP-carriers and used as detectors for intraoral dental x-ray imaging as a replacement for analog x-ray film and digital x-ray cameras, offering good detection efficiency, high spatial and contrast resolution, and a wide dynamic range. After removal of the SP-carrier, a small area storage phosphor plate is loaded into a dental storage phosphor scanner for readout. Intermediate and large area storage phosphor plates (including hybrid versions) are suitable for non-intraoral dental x-ray imaging. Suitable storage phosphors may be used in radiation monitoring, replacing current detectors employed in a film badge format. Simple external readers or electronic SP-carriers can provide data readout and thus enable dosimetry.
US09384859B2
A repair circuit includes a normal decoder suitable for decoding partial input addresses of input addresses in response to a first control signal, a comparison unit suitable for comparing the partial input addresses and partial repair addresses of repair addresses in response to a second control signal, and generating a column repair signal when the partial input addresses and the partial repair addresses correspond to each other, and a redundancy decoder suitable for decoding the repair addresses in response to the column repair signal.
US09384828B2
An electronic device including a semiconductor memory. The semiconductor memory includes a plurality of variable resistance elements; a plurality of read voltage application terminals configured to supply different levels of read voltages to respective one ends of the plurality of variable resistance elements; and an analog-to-digital conversion unit configured to generate multi-bit digital data corresponding to a total current which is acquired by summing currents flowing through the plurality of variable resistance elements.
US09384822B2
Systems, methods and fabrication processes relating to dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices involving data signals grouped into 10 bits are disclosed. According to one illustrative implementation a DRAM device may comprise a memory core, circuitry that receives a data bus inversion (DBI) bit associated with a data signal as input directly, without transmission through DBI logic associated with an input buffer, circuitry that stores the DBI bit into the memory core, reads the DBI bit from the memory core, and provides the DBI bit as output. In further implementations, DRAM devices herein may store and process the DBI bit on an internal data bus as a regular data bit.
US09384818B2
A memory system is described, where a plurality of memory modules is connected to a memory controller. The power status of each of the memory modules is controlled, depending on the functions being performed by the memory module. When no read or write operation is being performed on a particular memory module, at least a portion of the circuitry may be operated in a lower power mode. A memory circuit associated with the memory module may be placed in a low power mode by disabling a clock. The memory circuit data integrity may be secured by issuing refresh commands while when the memory circuit is in the lower power mode, by enabling the clock, issuing the refresh command, and disabling the clock after completion of the refresh operation.
US09384817B1
This technology includes: a refresh signal generation unit configured to generate a first preliminary refresh signal with a cycle varying according to temperature changes; a magnification adjustment unit configured to generate a second preliminary refresh signal and a third preliminary refresh signal, which have a cycle variation slope equal to the first preliminary refresh signal and have cycle magnifications different from the first preliminary refresh signal according to the first preliminary refresh signal; and a selection unit configured to output one of the first preliminary refresh signal, the second preliminary refresh signal, and the third preliminary refresh signal as a refresh signal according to a control signal.
US09384810B2
A monolithic multi-channel resistive memory includes at least one first bank associated with a first channel and tuned according to first device attributes and/or first circuit attributes. The memory also includes at least one second bank associated with a second channel and tuned according to second device attributes and/or second circuit attributes.
US09384808B2
An address input circuit of a semiconductor device includes: an address latch unit configured to generate latch addresses, by latching addresses sequentially provided by an external, according to a command decoding signal, wherein latch timings of each of the addresses are adjusted differently from one another; and a command decoder configured to decode a command provided from the external and generate the command decoding signal.
US09384807B1
A parameter setting circuit includes a first parameter setting unit configured to set a first parameter using first code signals generated by adjusting a value of parameter information to conform to a gear-down mode; a second parameter setting unit configured to generate pre-code signals by adjusting a value of the first code signals to conform to a specification of a second parameter, and set the second parameter using second code signals generated by adjusting a value of the pre-code signals according to a control signal; and a control section configured to generate the control signal according to whether it is the gear-down mode and whether the value of the first code signals is an odd number.
US09384804B1
A semiconductor system is provided, which includes a controller configured to output an active command and test mode signals; and a semiconductor device configured to sense and amplify a pair of bit lines by generating a first power control signal of which a pulse width is adjusted in accordance with a combination of the test mode signals during an enable period of an enable signal generated by the active command, receiving a supply of a first power according to the first power control signal, and receiving a supply of a second power according to a second power control signal.
US09384803B2
A latch management method of a storage device includes permitting the storage device to enter a reduced power mode in which the storage device operates with a reduced power. The method includes reading initial latch data stored in the at least one nonvolatile memory device in response to the entering operation. The method includes setting latches associated with the at least one nonvolatile memory device based on the read initial latch data.
US09384802B2
Bit line sensing methods may be provided. The methods may include pre-charging a first bit line and a second bit line with a bit line pre-charge voltage. The first bit line may be connected to a first input terminal of a first inverter, and the second bit line may be connected to a second input terminal of a second inverter. The method may also include adjusting voltages of the first bit line and the second bit line corresponding to either threshold voltages of first and second pull-down circuits included in the first and second inverters respectively or threshold voltages of first and second pull-up circuits included in the first and second inverters respectively. The method may further include sharing charges of one of the first bit line and the second bit line with charges of a corresponding memory cell and amplifying a voltage difference between the first bit line and the second bit line.
US09384800B2
A semiconductor device includes a column command generation unit suitable for generating a column command delayed by a first delay time from a source command, in response to a first control signal and the source command, a bank address generation unit suitable for generating a bank address delayed by the first delay time from a bank source address, in response to the first control signal and the bank source address, a precharge command generation unit suitable for generating a precharge command delayed by a second delay time from the column command, in response to a second control signal and the column command, and a precharge bank address generation unit suitable for generating a precharge bank address delayed by the second delay time from the bank address, in response to the second control signal and the bank address.
US09384798B2
A semiconductor memory device includes: a burst start signal generation unit configured to generate a first burst start signal by delaying a write pulse by a first period, generate a second burst start signal by delaying the write pulse by a second period, and selectively transmit the first or second burst start signal as a select burst start signal in response to a test signal; an input control signal generation unit configured to generate an input control signal in response to the first burst start signal; and a write command generation unit configured to generate a write driver enable signal in response to the select burst start signal.
US09384796B2
A semiconductor memory device includes a core region for storing data and a peripheral region for controlling the core region. The semiconductor memory device includes a digital noise measurement circuit and an output selection circuit. The digital noise measurement circuit selects a first operation voltage among a plurality of operation voltages based on a voltage selection signal, generates first noise data by digitizing first noise in the first operation voltage based on a plurality of reference voltages, and outputs the first noise data. The plurality of operation voltages are supplied to the core region and the peripheral region. The output selection circuit outputs one of first data and the first noise data based on an output selection signal. The first data is provided from the core region.
US09384789B2
A method includes configuring a battery and a voltage regulator configured to regulate an output voltage of the battery to supply power to a memory of an electronic circuit also comprising non-memory circuitry. The method also includes switching the supply of power between the battery and the voltage regulator such that: the memory is powered from the battery when the non-memory circuitry is inactive, the memory is powered from a combination of voltage from the battery and the voltage regulator when the memory is about to communicate with the non-memory circuitry during a transition of the non-memory circuitry into an active state thereof, and the memory and the non-memory circuitry are powered from the voltage regulator during the active state of the non-memory circuitry. Thus, minimal current is drawn from the battery while a state of the memory of the electronic circuit is preserved.
US09384786B2
A method includes automatically charging a capacitor coupled to a battery configured to power a memory through a charge switch that is closed whenever a voltage of the battery exceeds a recovery trip voltage or exceeds a shutdown trip voltage but is less than the recovery trip voltage and opened whenever the voltage of the battery drops below the shutdown trip voltage such that a minimum voltage of the shutdown trip voltage is maintained on the battery, thereby enabling the memory to retain information therein. The method also includes rendering a stored energy of the capacitor available to all circuitry coupled to the battery following the charging thereof through coupling the capacitor in parallel with the battery based on closure of a discharge switch following the charging of the capacitor.
US09384782B2
The present invention is applicable to the field of multimedia technologies and provides a record file editing method and system, where the method includes: performing fragmentation on an audio file to acquire multiple audio fragments; performing fragment cutting on the multiple acquired audio fragments; storing a fragment time period, a quantity of audio fragments, a fragment cutting time point, and an audio fragment number in a preset record file of the fragment cutting time point; reading each fragment cutting time point from the record file of the fragment cutting time point, performing time mapping on the fragment cutting time point, and storing, in an array, a new fragment cutting time point that is obtained after the mapping; and reading a prestored interaction mapping file between a document and audio, and performing an adjustment on a time point in the interaction mapping file between a document and audio according to the new fragment cutting time point. According to the present invention, a problem that inconsecutive edited document files and audio are not synchronized during playback can be effectively resolved.
US09384771B2
A lubricant according to one embodiment includes a cyclophosphazene according to chemical formula 1,
US09384767B2
A system including an inter-track interference detection module and a position error signal generation module. The inter-track interference detection module determines a first inter-track interference value based on a first signal from a first sensor positioned over a first track of a rotating storage medium. The first inter-track interference value indicates energy contributed by tracks adjacent to the first track compared to energy contributed by the first track. The inter-track interference detection module determines a second inter-track interference value based on a second signal from a second sensor positioned over a second track of the rotating storage medium. The second inter-track interference value indicates energy contributed by tracks adjacent to the second track compared to energy contributed by the second track. The position error signal generation module generates a position error signal based on the first inter-track interference value and the second inter-track interference value.
US09384757B2
A desired signal is extracted with a higher accuracy from a mixed signal wherein a plurality of signals are mixed. At the time of extracting a first signal from a first mixed signal and a second mixed signal, said first mixed signal and second mixed signal having the first signal and second signal mixed therein, an estimate value of the first signal in the past is obtained as a first estimate value, and an estimate value of the second signal in the past is obtained as a second estimate value. Then, a first isolation signal is generated by subtracting the second estimate value from the first mixed signal, and a second isolation signal is generated by subtracting the first estimate value from the second mixed signal. Then, the signal generated using the first isolation signal and the second isolation signal is outputted as the first signal.
US09384747B2
Systems and methods for streaming of audio data of separate streams in at least two different formats. According to aspects of the invention handheld game devices are in wireless communication and a first of the handheld game devices streams audio data during game play to a second of the handheld game devices. The audio data includes audio data from a plurality of streams of audio data. The streams of audio data include streams of audio data in different formats, generally different compressed formats, some of which may be selected based on whether a device includes circuitry specifically configured to decompress audio data in a specific data format.
US09384738B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for a dynamic threshold for speaker verification are disclosed. In one aspect, a method includes the actions of receiving, for each of multiple utterances of a hotword, a data set including at least a speaker verification confidence score, and environmental context data. The actions further include selecting from among the data sets, a subset of the data sets that are associated with a particular environmental context. The actions further include selecting a particular data set from among the subset of data sets based on one or more selection criteria. The actions further include selecting, as a speaker verification threshold for the particular environmental context, the speaker verification confidence score. The actions further include providing the speaker verification threshold for use in performing speaker verification of utterances that are associated with the particular environmental context.
US09384734B1
An audio recognition service recognizes an audio sample across multiple content types. At least a partial set of results generated by the service are returned to a client while the audio sample is still being recorded and/or transmitted. The client additionally displays the results in real-time or near real-time to the user. The audio sample can be sent over a first HTTP connection and the results can be returned over a second HTTP connection. The audio recognition service further processes check-in selections received from the client for content items indicated by the results. Responsive to receiving the check-in selections, the service determines whether a user is eligible for a reward. If the user is eligible, the service provides the reward.
US09384733B2
A call registration device for an elevator includes a voice input section which receives input of a user's voice, a voice recognition section which stores beforehand a predetermined call registration command representing a destination floor and a predetermined start command used for starting voice recognition of a call registration and which differs from the call registration command, the voice recognition section also performing voice recognition by judging whether the inputted voice is the call registration command or the start command, a call registration control section which, if the inputted voice was the call registration command, outputs a call registration request to the destination floor of the relevant call registration command, and a start command changing part which changes a start command which becomes effective by a predetermined condition. If the inputted voice is a start command made effective, the voice recognition section starts voice recognition of a call registration.
US09384732B2
A voice command definition file (VCDF) declaratively defines voice commands for an application. For example, the VCDF may include definitions for: voice commands; one or more phrases/utterances that may be said to execute each of the commands; a navigation location to navigate to within the application (e.g. a page); phrase lists containing items that may be used as a parameter in a voice command; examples; feedback; and the like. A user may say a single utterance to launch the application, navigate to the associated location of the command and execute the command. The VCDF may define multiple ways to listen for a particular command. The VCDF may be edited/defined by a user and may include a user friendly name for an application. A speech engine loads the VCDF for use such that it may recognize the commands associated with an application. The definitions may be updated during runtime.
US09384730B2
A reading accuracy-improving system includes: a reading conversion unit for retrieving a plurality of candidate word strings from speech recognition results to determine the reading of each candidate word string; a reading score calculating unit for determining the speech recognition score for each of one or more candidate word strings with the same reading to determine a reading score; and a candidate word string selection unit for selecting a candidate to output from the plurality of candidate word strings on the basis of the reading score and speech recognition score corresponding to each candidate word string.
US09384722B2
A power system on an electric guitar may include a cover plate covering a standard cavity in the electric guitar. A rechargeable power source may be contained within the standard cavity and may not extend beyond an external surface of the cover plate. Other instruments or configurations may be used.
US09384713B1
Typical hybrid graphics systems operate in either a “high-performance mode” or in an “energy saver mode.” While operating in the high-performance mode, a discrete graphics processing unit (dGPU) performs high-performance graphics processing operations and also receives and satisfies access requests targeting a configuration space within the dGPU. While operating in the energy saver mode, an integrated graphics processing unit (iGPU) performs graphics processing operations and the dGPU is powered down. In this scenario, a system management unit (SMU) intercepts and satisfies access requests targeting the dGPU. Since access requests targeting the dGPU are satisfied while the dGPU is powered down, the dGPU continues to be enumerated in the system using the same system resources as originally granted, and can therefore be switched to for implementing high-performance mode more quickly than if it was removed, and required a complete plug-and-play re-enumeration and re-allocation of system resources.
US09384709B2
Embodiments of a device, system, method and other techniques are described for improved display calibration. An apparatus for display calibration may comprise, for example an optical waveguide comprising an entrance portion and an exit portion at different locations on a base portion of the apparatus, the optical waveguide to guide light output from a display of the apparatus arranged in a lid portion of the apparatus to a camera arranged in the lid portion of the apparatus and calibration logic at least a portion of which is in hardware, the calibration logic to measure one or more color attributes of the light output from the display and to calibrate one or more parameters of the display based on the measured color attributes. Other embodiments are described.
US09384701B2
A backlight driver and a liquid crystal display (LCD) including the same, in which the backlight driver includes an interface unit enabled in response to a first carry signal, receiving serially provided optical data, and outputting a second carry signal; and a plurality of control units controlling one or more light-emitting devices in response to the serially provided optical data.
US09384697B2
An electro-optical device includes a display portion, a data line driving circuit, a first retention capacitor that retains the potential of the data line, a driving control circuit, and a display control circuit that supplies brightness information to the driving control circuit and also supplies an image signal to the data line driving circuit. The data line driving circuit includes a potential control line to which a potential control signal is supplied, a third retention capacitor one end of which is connected with the data line and the other one of which is supplied with a potential based on the image signal, and a first transistor that is electrically connected between the other end of the third retention capacitor and the potential control line. The driving control circuit controls the potential of the potential control signal based on the brightness information.
US09384685B2
A method for deployment of a display system includes providing a first collection container for receiving a first display arrangement, and a second collection container for receiving a second display arrangement. The method further includes positioning the first collection container and the second collection container in close proximity to one another. The method further includes selectably engaging the first display arrangement to the second display arrangement and simultaneously deploying the first and second display arrangements.
US09384681B2
A model newborn human eye which includes a hemispherical-shaped, integrally molded top assembly comprising a visually transparent cornea portion surrounding a visually opaque sclera portion in combination with a hemispherical-shaped bottom assembly comprising a bowl-shaped substrate disposed therein. The model newborn human eye further comprises a retinal layer comprising a two dimensional image of retinal vasculature disposed on said substrate, where the model newborn human eye is dimensioned for diagnosing Retinopathy of Prematurity (“ROP”) in premature infants.
US09384672B1
A handheld electronic book device having asymmetrical shape is described herein. The device includes a display screen and an asymmetrical housing containing the display screen. The non-symmetrical housing has a wedge-shaped configuration, in which one side is comparatively thinker than an opposing side.
US09384670B1
A method for an airborne vehicle includes visually displaying a representation of an environment below the vehicle and a landing zone in the environment, computing a range of approach gates that enable the vehicle to reach the landing zone at a desired glide slope while satisfying minimum obstacle clearance, and visually displaying the range in the representation.
US09384668B2
Embodiments described herein include a delivery system having unmanned aerial delivery vehicles and a logistics network for control and monitoring. In certain embodiments, a ground station provides a location for interfacing between the delivery vehicles, packages carried by the vehicles and users. In certain embodiments, the delivery vehicles autonomously navigate from one ground station to another. In certain embodiments, the ground stations provide navigational aids that help the delivery vehicles locate the position of the ground station with increased accuracy.
US09384654B1
Locations of animate and inanimate items are tracked over time. Tracking policies concerning the items are enforced, based on detected spatiotemporal events. Multiple routers each maintain a captive network to which mobile computing devices automatically connect. Users register mobile computing devices, which are associated with items to be tracked. A backend server maintains records concerning registered mobile computing devices. Records contain identifiers of registered mobile computing devices and their associated items, as well as categorization information and tracking policies concerning the items. Over time, registered mobile computing devices are moved around, causing them to connect to and disconnect from different captive networks. These connection events are reported to the backend, which uses this data to track locations of items over time. Based on this tracking, the backend determines when specific tracking policies of specific items dictate that alerts are to be sent, and transmits alerts to target users accordingly.
US09384645B1
A system for predicting and warning of impacts includes a sensor located remote from a user and configured to acquire user data regarding motion of the user and object data regarding motion of the object; and a processing circuit configured to predict a potential impact between the user and the object based on the user data and the object data; and control operation of a user-wearable warning device to provide a warning output to the user in advance of a predicted time of the potential impact.
US09384641B2
A method for detecting a glass breakage event, the method including, responsive to receiving a plurality of acoustic event indications associated with an acoustic event, ascertaining whether the plurality of acoustic event indications together indicate a random nature of at least part of the acoustic event, thereby ascertaining that the acoustic event corresponds to a glass breakage event.
US09384639B2
One embodiment of a rigid fixture for coupling one or more transducers to the center upper back of the human body. The left contact area (10) and right contact area (11) are curved surfaces designed to ergonomically fit against the trapezius muscle groups. The contact areas (10) and (11) may optionally be covered with a cushioning pads (31). Between the contact areas (10) and (11) is a center section spaced away from the spine (12) that is not in contact with the human body. One or more transducers (30) are attached or incorporated into the center section (12), which may be facilitated by transducer attach points (21). The entire fixture can be fastened to straps, belts, harnesses, backpacks, clothing, or seats by the attach points (20).